Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Greg Halford has revealed that he has changed his entire lifestyle in a bid to forge a successful future at Molineux.

The 25-year-old seemed set to be allowed to move on by Wolves boss Mick McCarthy this summer, but Halford has impressed during pre-season games after taking a long look at how he was preparing himself.

He told the Express & Star:"Hopefully I can be like a new signing this season.

"My problem is I've always done just enough. But I needed to look at everything – fitness, diet, sleeping and drinking.

"I began seeing our sports psychologist Bill Stevens towards the end of last season to get my head right.

"Maybe I haven't always had my head in the right place, but then I haven't been at a club long enough to feel settled.

"I've gone completely teetotal and I felt the difference straight away. We had a night out in Ireland after the Bohemians game and I got a bit of stick from the lads over why I wasn't drinking. But it's something that I have to do.

"The drinking wasn't a problem, but I felt going teetotal and eating well was the right thing to do.

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"I've also had meetings with the nutritionist because, although I didn't feel my diet was bad, everything can be improved.

"I'm not going to stop – everything I'm doing will be in place for the rest of the season and, hopefully, the rest of my career."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Tottenham Hotspur will host Arsenal in a mouth-watering Carling Cup third-round encounter.

The north London derby in the week commencing September 20 is the pick of the ties following the draw for the next stage of the competition on Saturday lunchtime.

Elsewhere, holders Manchester United will begin their defence away at Championship side Scunthorpe United.

Northampton Town, who are the only surviving representatives from League Town, will earn a pay day after being drawn away to Liverpool.

In several all Premier League ties, Chelsea have been drawn at home to Newcastle United, Aston Villa will take on Blackburn Rovers, West Bromwich Albion host Manchester City, West Ham United travel to Sunderland and Stoke City will go head-to-head with Fulham.

Full Carling Cup third round draw:

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Brentford v Everton, Portsmouth v Leicester City, Stoke City v Fulham, Chelsea v Newcastle United, Aston Villa v Blackburn Rovers, Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal, Millwall v Ipswich Town, Wolverhampton Wanderers v Notts County, Burnley v Bolton Wanderers, Birmingham City v MK Dons, Liverpool v Northampton Town, Scunthorpe United v Manchester United, West Bromwich Albion v Manchester City, Sunderland v West Ham United, Peterborough United v Swansea City, Wigan Athletic v Preston North End.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Wednesday’s 4-0 victory over Young Boys at White Hart Lane saw Tottenham take their place amongst Europe’s elite in this season’s Champions League. There can be no doubt that Tottenham is an ambitious club with aspirations of competing with some of Europe’s best teams but is the current wage structure hindering the club’s ambition to attract the very best talent to come and play for the club? I don’t think so.

Players should be attracted to come and play for Tottenham for the chance to be part of something exciting; for a chance to help the club build a reputation as one of elite teams in England and Europe and not for the amount of money on offer.

The current wage structure has allowed the club to sign and keep some important players such as Gareth Bale and Luka Modric who have recently put pen to paper on long term deals at the club. Club chairman Daniel Levy operates a tight wage budget at Spurs with the top earners at the club earning around £60,000 a week. Tottenham have shown that they are unwilling to compromise their wage model when the club weren’t prepared to match former Chelsea player Joe Cole’s wage demands. Recent signing William Gallas also had to take a pay cut in order to join Spurs which shows the club’s dedication to their existing wage plan.

Tottenham’s financial prudence is something the club can pride themselves on. In today’s climate of ridiculous transfer fees and wages funded by billionaire backers, it is refreshing that clubs like Tottenham and Arsenal can produce a high quality of football while operating within their own means. This financial prudence will stand Tottenham in good stead once UEFA’s new guidelines come into place regarding club finances.

This summer has seen UEFA president Michel Platini bring in a new rule which outlines that by 2012, clubs must only spend what they earn or risk being excluded from European competition. Gone will be the days of outrageous spending from the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea as clubs must fund purchases from only what they earn, be it from sponsorship, TV rights or merchandising and ticket sales. While some clubs may be dreading the arrival of the 2012 season, Tottenham will be fine. They are one of only six clubs to have posted a profit in 2009 and this is due in no small part to the club’s tight wage structure. Tottenham have also managed to negotiate a groundbreaking sponsorship deal which sees the club have two sponsors: one for the league and one for cup competitions which has netted the club an estimated £50 million over two years.

The fact that Tottenham operate such a tight ship would allow them to stretch their wage limit slightly by ten or twenty thousand for one or two exceptional players without compromising their existing wage model too much. But any increase in the wage structure is dependent on future success in the league and in Europe, along with the building of a new stadium.

In this way, this season may prove to be pivotal in any decision to look at the club’s wage structure. If Tottenham can consolidate or improve on last year’s 4th place finish and have reasonable success in the Champions League, there is no reason why the club can’t re-evaluate their existing wage structure in order to attract the very best players to come and play for the club.

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Like this article? Read more of my work on Tottenham:

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The kick-start to Tottenham’s spending spree?

For football chat and much more, follow me on Twitter

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Caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald could not believe how his Aston Villa side had contrived to lose 2-1 at Stoke City on Monday evening.

Taking charge of the first team for the final time before Gerard Houllier takes on the managerial reins, MacDonald watched Villa dominate the first half at the Britannia Stadium.

However, Stewart Downing's header was all they had to show for their superiority and two goals in the last ten minutes by Kenwyne Jones and Robert Huth turned the game on its head.

"I'm very disappointed, obviously," MacDonald said after the match."But you know that happens.

"I am disappointed – and we felt but we only saw it quickly – that it might not have been a free-kick and if it was it should have been a little bit further back.

"But that happens in football. The decision was given and we lost a football match.

"I thought we actually played quite well but you know when you come to Stoke how difficult it is going to be.

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"They had a couple of chances in the first half as well even though we probably had more but you sometimes have to say well done to them as you know what you are going to get when you come here.

"We missed the chances, they rode their luck a little bit which we kind of expected. I wouldn't say just desserts but they got a little bit of luck."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Arsenal have confirmed that left-back Kieran Gibbs will be back in action sooner rather than later, after a foot injury sustained against Spurs proved to be not as serious as was first feared.

The Gunners initially feared that 20-year-old England international had suffered a fractured metatarsal, having missed a large part of last season due to a similar problem.

However, a short statement on the club's official website confirmed:"The club is happy to confirm that following last night's Carling Cup third round match at Tottenham Hotspur, a scan to Kieran's foot has shown there is no fracture.

"Kieran has suffered severe bruising to his left foot and will hopefully only be missing from first-team action for the short term."

Manager Arsene Wenger had admitted after the 4-1 victory at White Hart Lane:"We hope we do not get bad news.

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"It is a metatarsal again, it is the one next to the one he had broken, the second one, so we hope we have good news, because that would be a massive blow to us."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Out-of-favour striker Roque Santa Cruz has cast doubt over his and Carlos Tevez's futures at Manchester City.

Santa Cruz has revealed he is determined to leave Eastlands in January and move to Spain.

The 29-year-old Paraguayan has made just one Carling Cup appearance for the Citizens this season after falling victim to the influx of new players into the club since Roberto Mancini took over as manager last year.

Meanwhile, Santa Cruz claims that Tevez, who was recently installed as City captain, is desperate to return to his native Argentina.

"I am now 29 and I hope to complete my dream of playing in Spain," he told Spanish radio.

"That is the main dream of most South American players, so we shall see. I hope it can happen.

"My aim is to leave City in the upcoming winter transfer window and I hope to be able to go to the Spanish league.

"Unfortunately, I am not playing as much as I would like. The club has spent a lot and the competition is huge and so you just have to work every day to try and convince the manager, but even then I am not called upon.

"The situation is very complicated and I want to stay positive, but I have not been given the minutes to convince anyone and my priority is to leave in the next winter transfer window.

"The manager has put his faith in certain players and, besides, he has chosen a system which only uses one striker, which means I have even less options."

Speaking about Tevez, who was reported to have been involved in a heated argument with Mancini recently, Santa Cruz added:"His heart is with his family. He wants to be with his people and they are in Argentina. His brothers and also his daughters are there.

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"When one feels that his homeland is calling he may do anything to go back.

"But I think he will stick it out and complete his contract with City before going back home."

The 26-year-old South American still has four years remaining on his contract at the City of Manchester Stadium.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Preserving your Football League status can be a difficult task for those clubs that are struggling at the bottom of League Two and for whom relegation to the Blue Square Premier is a real possibility. One thing that the players at these clubs won’t lack, though, is commitment and you have the opportunity to see that for yourself with your own eyes.

The npower Football League ‘the home of real fans’, has set up a new initiative to help football clubs with community projects. The 72 clubs will have access to the Community Fund of over £2 million, to deliver community initiatives in their local area.

Fans will also be rewarded for switching their gas and electricity supply to npower and paying by direct debit. For ‘real fans’ npower has launched Football Saver* for new customers – It’s guaranteed 7% cheaper than standard rates until 30th September 2011 plus you get a £45 voucher to spend at your local Football League club shop, say for example towards a new shirt for the season. To take advantage of the offer call 0800 975 6613** quoting N570P, offer closes 31st December 2010.

The Competition:

As part of the three year sponsorship agreement npower will also become the new title sponsor of The Football League Community Cup. The annual six-a-side competition is for teams of mixed Under-11’s and Under-13 girls played in towns and cities throughout the country, culminating in finals played at Wembley Stadium before the end of season npower Play-Off Finals.

Here at FootballFanCast we have teamed up with npower to offer fans three  League Two teams the chance to win a Pair of Tickets for twelve lucky home fans to the following three matches that are taking place on Saturday 20th November:

Aldershot Town v Chesterfield Barnet v Northampton Town Bradford City v Macclesfield Town

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All you need to do to be in with a chance of winning is to answer the following question correctly:

After 15 games of the season, which club are rock bottom of the Football League?

A) Aldershot Town

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B) Barnet

C) Bradford City

Email your answer along with the game you would like to watch (either the match at the Recreation Ground, Underhill Stadium or Valley Parade) to [email protected].

Said

Since being appointed as the English national coach at the F.A Fabio Capello has insisted that players will be selected purely on form as opposed to reputation. With players such as John Terry stating that “If they (the players) continue their form at club level the manager will pick them so that is pressure on the more experienced players.” With various sports writers and commentators sharing the sentiment that England manager Fabio Capello has shown he has little regard for reputation, opting to select players on current form rather than past glories. It would appear fairly straightforward policy from the manager that players who play well for their club get picked ahead of those who are perhaps not playing so well but have done in the past and have big reputations.

Certainly Capello himself has stated that to be selected players must be playing regular club football “If he doesn’t play it’s impossible to pick him.” Talking her about Michael Owen but it is a sentiment that applied to all. That he cannot and therefore will not pick players that are simply not playing for their clubs. A distinct break from the former regime of Steve McClaren, where distinct culture of favourites seemed to have emerged, with certain big name players always involved regardless of club form.

Alan Shearer echoed these sentiments stating “Fabio Capello said some months ago that, to make it into his World Cup squad, players would have to be in form and playing regularly for their clubs.” Despite the possible connotations it could have had on the established English set up players responded positively to the emphasis on form with Terry saying that “It gives everyone confidence in the Premier League that, if they are playing well enough, they will get selected by the manager whether it a qualifier or a friendly.” Everyone was in agreement that Capello would be relying solely on players club forms to decide his England squads.

Done

Yet there is no room in this current squad to face France for in-form striker, Kevin Davies despite the amount of injuries effecting English strikers at the moment. In his place we have Peter Crouch who having scored just one, extremely fortuitous, goal in the Premier League this season. This is compared to the four that the Bolton front man has struck, even though he is more highly regarded for the presence he can bring to a front line as opposed to his goal scoring record. It would appear reputations are carrying more weight than form at present. Carlton Cole also manages to make the squad despite also having a solitary Premier League goal to his name this campaign.

Also at the world cup, winger Sean Wright Phillips was taken ahead of Manchester City team mate Adam Johnson. The young former Middlesbrough winger had towards the tail end of last season been playing far more football at Manchester City than the more experienced Wright-Phillips.

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On top of this Emile Heskey made the cut for the World Cup squad, even though he had fallen down the pecking order at Aston Villa behind Agbonlahor and Carew and was not playing much football at the end of the season. Joe Cole was another on the plane to South Africa who did not fulfil this criteria outlined by Capello. Having just returned from injury he was in and out of the Chelsea team as he struggled to find his form and fitness.

Whether a player fulfils his talents or not is reliant upon our expectations and projections regarding his future. This fact makes this list a pretty subjective affair. Of course it’s sad to see talent go unfulfilled. It’s difficult to see players fail to live up to expectations. But it’s the natural instinct of a fan to feel disappointed when ‘the next big thing’ fails to fulfil their potential. This can happen for any number of reasons: Injury, disciplinary problems, lack of motivation, bad management. The list could go on. Below are ten players that have yet to fulfil their potential. If you agree or disagree with my selection, feel free to say so and add some further names in the comment section below.

Click on image below to see the TOP 10

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After qualification to the knock out round of the Champions League last night, Harry Redknapp will be looking to strengthen his attacking options this January. Fernando Llorente is the man that Tottenham fans have been linked with and he will prove to be a massive hit at White Hart Lane.

As he showed against England two years ago, he is exceptional in the air. With the service of both Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon, there is no reason why he would not thrive in the Premier League. As well as this, physically he has everything needed to compete with Premier League defenders.

Harry Redknapp looks set to offload Robbie Keane this transfer window and after failing to add to his striking options in the summer, according to reports he will be going all out to secure Llorente’s signature. Further positive news for Tottenham will be the fact that the Spanish stars contract only has two and a half years to run and therefore Athletic Bilbao will be not in position to hold out for the reported £30 buy out clause he has in his contract.

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Llorente is hot property though, with Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson long term admirers of the striker. Do Tottenham have the clout to secure the services of one of Europe’s top strikers – RATE THE RUMOUR

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