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England striker Jermain Defoe claims under-pressure coach Fabio Capello retains the respect of the players despite the World Cup debacle.

Capello has been told the Football Association will decide his fate following a period of reflection after England exited the tournament at the last-16 stage.

The Three Lions crashed out following a 4-1 defeat to Germany in Bloemfontein on Sunday and the reasons for a disappointing showing in South Africa have been the subject of intense speculation

Capello himself suggested that tiredness played its part, while newspaper reports continue to focus on squad unrest caused by senior players.

But with Capello yet to learn his fate, Tottenham striker Defoe believes the Italian retains the support of the players.

"I take the point that it can't be fatigue as the Germans in particular have played more games than us," he told the Daily Mirror.

"Maybe it's because so many players have taken on so much pressure to live up to expectations that it affected their normal game.

"There was boredom out there. But then players are used to that from being away with their clubs. And that soon went when the games started and we could break up our days by watching them.

"You also have to remember that the strict regime is the way the manager prefers to do things. His CV is second to none and he has won titles and trophies with four top European clubs and some fantastic players that way.

"For me personally, he gave me an opportunity and I'd like to think that I took it in that Slovenia game.

"Every manager has their own different routine before a game. With Mr Capello we'd watch a video of the opposition and we'd go through their strengths and weaknesses.

"And I'd like to think, despite what is being said, that he has the respect of the players."

Meanwhile, Defoe has rejected suggestions that highly-paid Premier League players do not value playing for England enough.

"I can understand the level of anger and frustration that we as England players have returned home to," he added.

"I accept it has been a bitterly disappointing World Cup campaign from a group of players of whom everyone expected so much.

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"Personally I wish I could have done more to help the country than just the goal against Slovenia.

"I remain convinced that had I played in the earlier two games we would have got off to a better start than we did.

"And that's why it hurts so much to hear people saying we don't care.

"I care. I care passionately. I won't have anyone telling me I don't have pride in pulling on an England shirt. Pride in scoring goals for my country. Pride in representing my family, my club and the people that have had faith in me all my life."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves will miss the start of the new season following a fresh injury setback.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed the injury-plagued midfielder will not travel with the rest of the squad to a pre-season tour to the United States in order to seek specialist advice from the same knee surgeon who operated on him in 2008.

Hargreaves missed 18 months of action for the Red Devils after undergoing a double knee operation in summer 2008.

The England international finally returned to action in the penultimate game of last season, but Ferguson does not know when he will be back from his latest lay-off.

"He will not be ready for the start of the season," he told MUTV. "I do not know when he will be back."

Meanwhile, Ferguson has played down suggestions that Rio Ferdinand will not be fit for the first game of the new season.

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Ferdinand missed the World Cup with a knee ligament injury picked up on the eve of the tournament in South Africa but was reported to be progressing well and ready to return for the opening game at home to Newcastle United on August 16.

"Rio will probably not make the start of the season," added Ferguson. "It will be close. It depends on his progress over the next few weeks."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Brazil international midfielder Ramires has completed his £17million transfer from Benfica to Chelsea.

The 23-year-old moves to Stamford Bridge on a four-year contract having received a work permit and passed a medical.

After signing the deal, Ramires said:"Every player in the world would love to play for Chelsea and it's a great opportunity that was given to me. I will give my best to repay this chance and I am very happy.

"I was a little bit worried because obviously it (the work permit) dragged a little bit, but I tried to keep calm, do my training normally and I thought to myself what will be will be, God knows best, and thank God everything has happened for the best.

"I have seen most of the facilities and it is really impressive. I believe what you have here is everything and a little bit more that every player needs to do well. I know I haven't seen everything but with a little time I will get to know everything and I am sure I will be very happy here.

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"Just to think that I will wear Chelsea's shirt is a dream come true for any player. I know it is a very strong, competitive league but I just hope that I can adapt as fast and as well as I can to give my best, and I am sure everything is going to be fine."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

I for one thought that Cesc Fabregas would be a Barcelona player by now. Seeing him with the rest of the Spanish squad at the World Cup, even before being ambushed with a Barca shirt by Gerard Pique and Carlos Puyol, made me think he was missing home, and that he was ready to compile one of the finest teams I was about to witness. But that is all past tense, and at present, and for the foreseeable future, Fabregas is an Arsenal player.

All the rumours surrounding Barcelona’s interest in the Arsenal captain had rumbled on from the summer before. Fabregas pledged his loyalty to Arsenal then, but the concrete offers that came from the Nou Camp this summer would have given Fabregras serious food for thought. Arsene Wenger, at his stubborn best, maintained that his prize asset was staying, and ultimately his persuasive skills paid off. This transfer saga – it seems compulsory to label any potential deal that lasts more than a few weeks a saga – went on for such a protracted length of time because the man himself seemed so torn between the two clubs. Potentially it was a signal to the power clubs in Europe that simply bullying clubs into submission until they part with their treasures was no longer going to be as straight forward in the future (this is not to say that Arsenal are not a powerful European club, just not as big as Barcelona). Unfortunately, I think this may have been an isolated incident.

If Fabregas was at any other club other than Arsenal, he would have signed for Barcelona. His split loyalties eventually meant that he had to turn down his boyhood club in favour for his adopted home. In other circumstances, different players, at different clubs will more often than not, chase the money and the chance of bigger glories, and you could argue that they are totally entitled to do such. James Milner looks certain to complete his move to Manchester City from Aston Villa, particularly now that Martin O’Neill has parted company with the club. The club with the more money (lots more) and greater chance of trophies has kept knocking at the Villa door until it eventually caves in.

Last summer, like an ancient colonial power, Real Madrid managed to bully their way across half of Europe gorging on the best players from the France, England and Italy (Benzema, Ronaldo and Kaka respectively) to create the most expensive team assembled. When Roman Abramovich first arrived to Stamford Bridge, his outfit managed to get the best talent both abroad and domestically, with Michael Essien, Didier Drogba and Arjen Robben amongst others leaving smaller clubs on the continent for a shot at the higher glories with, at the time, the richest club in the world.

It is hard to imagine players not being tempted by moves to the likes of Barcelona. Who wouldn’t be intoxicated by the thought of playing in that stadium, with those players? It is also difficult to see clubs turning down the amounts of money they are being offered for the said players. Arsenal managed to buck the trend because they don’t have debts that need urgent seeing to, and they have a player who loves the club. It may have been a wake-up call for Barcelona, who were probably as convinced as anyone that they would secure Fabregas’ services, that they can’t have literally any player that they want, but it is hard to imagine that this will now be the norm. Realistically, money still talks.

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With the PL season nearly upon us, let’s see the WAGS that will be keeping the players on their toes. Click on image to VIEW gallery

I woke this morning to breaking news that yet another well established football manager had been given the boot.

Nothing annoys me more than clubs dismissing managers so early into the season, I understand they want results and have ambition – but seriously when will they wake up to the fact that teams lose games, it’s a fact of life, sacking your manager isn’t always the answer.

After the World cup I feared for Fabio Capello and had it not been for astronomical pay-off fee then the Italian may well have been shown the door. As it was, he stayed in the job and I have no doubt England will qualify for the European Championships in 2012.

Look at clubs like Arsenal and Manchester United, clubs who have had the same manager for years, even decades. They are teams that have achieved to the highest standard and developed players of world class talent – but not after battling through some torrid times.

Alan Pardew becomes the fourth Football League manager to leave his club this season, after Steve Coppell at Bristol City, Kevin Blackwell at Sheffield United and Chris Turner at Hartlepool. The reason for these men losing their jobs, bad results; they need to be given time. Surely bringing in a caretaker manager is far more unsettling to a team than to give the current manager a chance to change things. For me club owners and those in charge are far too concerned about money, profit and short term success than the long term benefits of their clubs.

After a fantastic win this weekend I can find no reason for this decision, my only explanation is that they have someone lined up to replace him and unless his name is Jose, I really don’t see how this move would be beneficial to any club at such an early stage in the season.

I feel a little sorry for the man who overturned a 10-point deduction and guided Saints to the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy in his first season in charge. Four points from three games is hardly a disaster – even if you are red hot favourites for promotion. Does that seriously merit losing your job?

It suggests to me that there is an underlying problem evident at Southampton. Having battled administration  have Saints come out the other side or do the club who once lived life in the Premier League have further problems to contend with. Well, on the face of it they have built a strong financial position under Pardew and have strengthened their squad no end; for me their current position couldn’t be better and Pardew has done wonders for the club.

Let me draw your attention back to a statement made by club chairman Nicola Cortese which described reports of Pardew’s imminent demise as “ill informed”. Back in May it was heavily reported that Cortese wanted Pardew out – but how could he sack a man who had achieved so much for the club. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand Cortese and Pardew didn’t see eye-to-eye – was a string of lacklustre performances just the excuse he needed to get rid, who knows.

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Sacking Pardew really is unexplainable at this precise moment in time. The only thing you can say from the decision is it is hardly going to go down well with the Saints faithful, you only have to see some of the forums, messageboards and twitter updates to understand that. Bonkers, disgraceful, ridiculous and gutted are just a few of the emotions banded around.

The Southampton board has made a big mistake in my opinion and I only hope it doesn’t kill their season before it has even started.

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In footballing parlence ambition is the acceptable byword for money. It is possible to infer from Martin O’Neill’s departure from Aston Villa last month that the side were now lacking in this department. The decision to eventually sell James Milner to Manchester City and not reinvest the resulting funds in the transfer market saw the Northern Irishman lose patience. Their capacity to challenge those around them for a Champions League place had seemingly waned. However a month later, Gerard Houllier is now in the hot seat primarily because of the club’s ambition. Has something been lost in translation or has the club’s ability to reach the top four never been in doubt?

After two sixth place finishes in the past two years, O’Neill has been muted on the reasons for his departure. This has not prevented reams of speculation as to why he left, the most plausible being that he felt the club lacked his ambition and drive to progress. The Villa chairman, Randy Lerner has said that he and the Ulsterman, “no longer shared a common view as how to move forward.” In other words the manager was frustrated by the newly imposed fiscal restrictions and Milner’s protracted transfer to a club rivalling them for a Champions League place. Nonetheless salaries had risen inexorably during his reign at Villa Park, as the annual wage soared to £71 million. This accounts for 85% of the club’s turnover and presumably could not continue unaddressed.

However for the man who had achieved a great deal at the club, the inability to utilise the fee received for Milner must have rankled. His side often struggled to break teams down particularly in the latter stages of the season when fatigue set in. The recruitment of a natural, reliable goal-scorer may have remedied this, allowing them capitalise on the work of their creative and dogged midfield. Believing winger Ashley Young’s future could additionally be in doubt, the former Celtic boss left harbouring the view that he could take them no further. Lerner pledged to be as “competitive as possible given our size and resources.”

Kevin McDonald took over the first team duties in his absence and witnessed his own value fluctuate over the course of a few games. A resounding 3-0 victory over West Ham delighted but was counteracted by a 6-0 drubbing at the hands of Newcastle United. Not one to be accused of acting perfunctorily, Lerner appointed Houllier as their next permanent manager last week. The Frenchman who won a cup treble with Liverpool in 2001 is yet to negotiate his exit from the post of technical director at the French Football Federation. Contractual issues aside, Houllier was swayed to return to management by the ambition of Villa. “I had a good and safe job but Villa’s ambition made me feel I wanted to be part of the team. The owner has set no targets but in three years if we can get into the top four it would be excellent.”

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His press conference featured no discussion of budgets, transfer policy or the financial issues which the club is grappling with. His appointment has been endorsed by many, notably by Steven Gerrard who described him as a “top manager.” While targeting the top four at the press conference, quotes emerged from France suggesting a more downbeat assessment. Reported in the Guardian, he said of Villa, “It’s a club that according to me has belonged between seventh and 12th place in the Premier League.” He also said that last year’s League Cup finalists were not on the same level as his former Merseyside club. Is the man who was “desperate” to return to the PL, tempering the fans’ ambitions? He has cited the need for gradual improvement but even that may be restricted in the short term. Three people have declined his invitation to be an assistant manager and he is unsure as to when he will attend his first league game. Practicalities will need ironing out before he can assess his squad’s merits and what they need going forward.

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New England Sports Ventures claim they are in pole position to complete a takeover of Liverpool following the High Court ruling which has paved the way for the sale of the club.

Chairman Martin Broughton has revealed an emergency board meeting will take place after current co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett were defeated in the courts on Wednesday morning.

Hicks and Gillett failed in their attempt to block a £300million sale of the club to NESV, who are the owners of the Boston Red Sox baseball franchise.

Speaking outside the High Court, Broughton hinted that the board would now convene quickly to discuss the sale process.

Former preferred bidder Singapore billionaire Peter Lim's return with a new and improved £320million offer for the club on Tuesday is also reported to be on the agenda.

However, NESV claim they have a "binding agreement" in place to purchase the Anfield club.

"NESV welcomes today's High Court judgment, which is a huge step forward for Liverpool FC," read a statement on behalf of the company fronted by John W Henry.

"NESV has a binding agreement in place with the board of Liverpool FC and we are looking forward to concluding the deal.

"We are ready to move quickly and help create the stability and certainty which the club needs at this time. It is time to return the focus to the club itself and performances on the pitch."

Meanwhile, Lim has launched a counter statement in which he has urged Broughton and the board to consider his fresh approach.

Lim, who is reported to be worth £1billion, has made a cash-only offer which trumps that of NESV and contains a promise to spend £40million on new players in the January transfer window.

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"I hope that when the board is reconstituted that it will not simply ratify a sale to NESV but will consider all the offers before them," said Lim.

"I am asking the board to run a full and fair process that enables all of the offers to be considered on their merits before the future of the club is decided.

"I have delivered my offer to the board and believe that my ownership represents the best option for the future of the club and its supporters."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini praised his side for their efforts in the 3-0 loss at home to Arsenal, in a game which saw Dedryck Boyata sent off after just five minutes.

The Citizens were always up against it after Boyata was dismissed for a professional foul on Marouane Chamakh, with the Gunners easing to victory thanks to goals from Samir Nasri, Alex Song and Nicklas Bendtner.

An upbeat Mancini said:"It is a situation that can happen. It was a bad result because we lost, but after the sending-off everything changes.

"I think against Arsenal it is difficult to play 11 versus 11. Ten against 11 is worse, but it is my opinion that we if played 11 against 11 we would have won this game.

"It is important we had the mentality during the game that we always tried to play.

"I am very proud of my players because we showed we are one of the best teams in the Premier League.

"They played like a strong team, they played well. We lost, but the way ahead is long."

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Of Boyata red card, Mancini added:"I do not agree with the referee. I thought the rule is always the last man, if there is a clear opportunity to score a goal, it is a red card.

"But I think when Chamakh touched the ball, the ball was probably going out or on the way to the keeper."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Andy Carroll secured 3 points for his Newcastle side as they dismissed a lacklustre Arsenal side at The Emirates yesterday. The Newcastle centre forward, Carroll, has been in scintillating form recently and is showing genuine signs that he can potentially emulate former Tyneside favourite Alan Shearer.

“At 21, the Newcastle centre-forward is already an unbelievable handful and a nightmare proposition for any defender.” Standing at 6ft 3in the youngster caused the Arsenal back four a huge amount of problems at the weekend as he typically put his body on the line acting as the target man for his Newcastle teammates.

Carroll has a certain swagger whenever he walks onto a football pitch; this swagger coupled with his charisma, confidence and intelligence on the ball are all attributes that will set him well on his way to becoming the next striking star of English football. There also doesn’t seem to be an arrogance as the youngster tirelessly tracks back for corners and hounds the defence when in possession of the ball.

Whilst on the ball he proves efficient seldom squandering any opportunity to find a member of his own team. Jamie Redknapp writes in the Daily Mail “I can think of a few forwards who return a look of disdain if a pass in to them isn’t perfect, but Carroll must be a dream for his midfielders because a wonky pass is greeted by him with a charge after the ball and a scrap for possession. He turns a bad pass into a good one. I love that attitude.”

Carroll’s positivity is a breath of fresh air in the modern game, he is also in the mould of an old fashioned centre forward using physical strength and power to intimidate defenders and score goals. He has a sweet left foot that when unleashed can release a rasping shot stinging the fingertips of even the worlds best shot stoppers.

There is know doubt that Andy Carroll is a raw talent, and under the correct management I am certain that he has the potential to become the next striking star of English football. Carroll will also need to help himself if he has true aspirations of emulating those so favoured before him, such as shearer. Using the likes of Kevin Nolan as a role model is most definitely a step in the right direction.

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Click on image below to see a gallery of Cristiano Ronaldo’s latest lady

Sunderland return to action for the first time since their resounding win at the home of champions Chelsea. Hoping that it will not be a case of after the Lord Mayor’s show, Steve Bruce will have drilled into his players the importance of following up last week’s performance with another strong showing. Darren Bent may be available after resuming training during the international break, although Bruce has denied that the England forward will walk back into the side if fit.

Everton lacked a little cutting edge against Arsenal last week. A late flurry, brought on by Tim Cahill’s scrambled goal nearly completed a set of three good results at home against big opposition in the last six weeks.

Both sides are sitting pretty at this stage of the season, however a victory here will be key to any ambitions for greater prizes this term. That Sunderland can afford to leave out prolific Darren Bent from the starting line-up is indicative of trength in depth that Everton cannot match. With this, good form and home support behind them, Sunderland should prevail here.

Prediction: 2-1

[poll ]