Sunderland ran out 3-0 winners in a stunning Tyne-Wear derby. First half goals from Fabio Borini and Adam Johnson were added to by Jack Colback’s strike in the final 45 minutes. Needless to say, one set of fans were much happier than the other! Here is how Twitter reacted to the game!
Cabaye’s presence being missed
Borini opens the scoring from the penalty spot
Adam Johnson at it again! The winger makes it 2-0
Newcastle’s fans less than happy at HT
Adam Johnson almost makes it three!
Sunderland fans sing Johnson’s praises
The nerves kick in…
But Colback puts the game beyond doubt!
FT – 3-0 to Sunderland! Clearly one set of fans are happier than the other!
After 10 troubled months of failure, David Moyes was finally sacked from his position as Manchester United boss on Tuesday and since, a rigorous post-mortem of when exactly it was that Moyes’ position became untenable has been conducted by journalists far and wide.
There is no doubt that the terminable fate of David Moyes has been in the running for months now, with failings evident not only domestically, with the club sitting 7th in the league (their worst Premier League campaign in 24 years), but also on the continental stage as well.
And it was United’s dismal 2-0 defeat to Olympiakos in the Champions League last-16 first leg that signalled the beginning of the end for the Scot.
Indeed, the result was poor, being torn apart by a team that rank 33 places below Manchester United in the UEFA Club Rankings (Manchester United – 5th, Olympiakos- 38) is embarrassing enough, but it was the flight home that laid the setting for his gravest error yet: for he was caught by his players reading a management self-help guide “Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Others Don’t” by Jim Collins.
They would surely have wondered why the manager of the Premier League champions, who was chosen to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson by the great man himself no less, needed such tutoring.
Nevertheless, upon reading the book, it does go a long way in explaining, at least partly, why Moyes has failed to maintain the tradition of success at Manchester United: some of the advice is…strange, to say the least.
Here are some choice excerpts from the apparent bestseller:
‘Keep it simple – be a hedgehog, not a fox’ ‘Achieve BHAGs – big hairy audacious goals.’ ‘Create alignment by results, not hoopla.’ ‘Avoid the Doom Loop.’ ‘Manage for the quarter century.’ ‘In building greatness, there is no miracle moment.’
For the manager of the most famous sports club on the planet to be reading a self-help book is bad enough. And for it to be one as comically useless as this, makes it even worse.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
All the same, the lifesaving manual also reads: ‘We hold our leaders accountable for the success of their successors.’
Joel Campbell stole the show in Costa Rica’s 3-1 upset win over Uruguay, a game that really added to the consensus that this is a bloody good World Cup.
Campbell’s climb has been noteworthy and at stages impressive, taking steady steps to becoming a player happy with his surroundings at the top. He endured a difficult start to life at Real Betis two seasons ago. Going back and forth to Central America for international duty complicated matters as he attempted to adjust at the Spanish side; his first start in La Liga came at the tail end of October.
But he eventually got into the rhythm of things at the Seville club, tallying 21 starts in the league and finishing the season well enough for the club to enquire after his availability for the following season.
Due to financial issues at Betis, Campbell was instead farmed out to Olympiakos for last season, which is where he really began to shine. While at Betis, he looked promising, good in spells but nothing to really indicate he’d be a valuable member of the squad at Arsenal. While playing for the Greek outfit last season, his standout performance came in the Champions League at home to Manchester United. He was bright, lively, displayed good attacking instincts, and rounded out his performance with a fantastic goal.
The thing is, nothing at club level really convinced in the way his performance against Uruguay on Saturday did. Olympiakos looked like a natural progression from his days at Betis, but again coming up short with something that could convince he’d add genuine quality at Arsenal.
Against Uruguay, he looked a player who had taken a sizeable leap from where he was at this stage last year. He’s still green, but not to an extent where the doubts overshadow optimism. He threatened Fernando Muslera’s goal throughout the match; a long-range effort going narrowly wide in the second half before he finally got his goal, lashed in from close-range. It’s the kind of finishing Arsenal missed at various stages of last season.
But it was his retention and use of the ball that also impressed, with one phase leading to a pass that sent Marco Urena through on goal for Costa Rica’s third. Again, that aspect of Campbell’s game is raw but there’s a lot to work with.
It would be foolish to get overly carried away at this point. Campbell looks an exciting prospect; he’s much further along the road, and I personally didn’t see him as having a future at the Emirates before the game against Uruguay. But Arsene Wenger has hinted that Campbell could be part of the squad next season, saying he’ll return for preseason and that Wenger will make a decision from there.
Campbell has a lot of qualities to like that would be useful at Arsenal, but this isn’t the star striker the club are in need of. If Wenger really doesn’t fancy a return for Carlos Vela, it may be because he has Campbell in mind for that role, a role in the squad that would see him relieve other first-team regulars, and with Wenger rounding out the final phase of his education. He’d be nothing more than a squad player, but one who can clearly offer a lot.
One potential problem that could come into play is that if Arsenal do go ahead with the signing of a big-name centre-forward – and also add a winger – Campbell could see very little game time, with Theo Walcott set to return from injury, Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud already on the books, and Santi Cazorla and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain further options for the flanks. But it isn’t really something that should be worried about too much. Arsenal aren’t a club who have the luxury of seeing all their best players fit at the same time. A bridge that can be crossed when (or if) Wenger gets there.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
If Campbell continues on this upward trajectory and offers up at least one more performance at this World Cup like the one he gave against Uruguay, there will be a clamour for him to be included at Arsenal next season.
He turns 22 later this month and has been around the international scene for a number of years, having made his senior debut in 2011. Bottom line: there’s no harm in Arsenal having a full international of this quality as a backup for any position across the front three.
This Sunday, Nottingham Forest will meet Derby County in the East Midlands Derby in a game which carries added significance for both sides for a number of reasons.
In a purely footballing context, the two rivals will be determined to maintain their impressive starts to the campaign – Forest especially, who are unbeaten in the league – which promises an exciting game, especially if one team falls behind. The game also sees the sides contesting the fifteenth edition of the Brian Clough Trophy, introduced in 2007 as a kind of ceremonial mini-competition for whenever the sides meet, and it is the man whose name adorns the cup that makes this derby particularly special.
Clough is a legitimate legend, not just of both clubs, but of English football as a whole. The ‘Greatest manager England never had’ oversaw the greatest periods in both club’s histories, his crowning achievement coming when in charge of Nottingham Forest as he led them to back-to-back European Cup triumphs in 1979 and 1980. With the tenth anniversary of Clough’s death falling on the following Sunday, the East Midlands rivals have decided to unite in a rare act of footballing solidarity by rising to their feet after ten minutes of the game to applause, paying tribute to a man whom they both revere in equal measure.
The special occasion allows us to reflect on Clough’s managerial achievements with pride as well as a tinge of regret. For what made Clough such an exceptional manager was the way in which he built up his Forest and Derby sides, seeing the potential in the players he had and firmly believing in their capabilities, enabling both teams to rise from mid-table anonymity in the second-tier to First Division glory under his guidance. By taking a small provincial club such as Forest from the Second Division to European Cup triumph within the space of five years, Clough succeeded in making the fanciful ideal of transforming any team into the ‘best team in the world’ a reality. The ultimate aim of competitive sport is to be the best, and through his achievements, Clough showed that this was not merely an impossible dream, an abstract idea. His successes gave meaning to the very notion of sport.
Sadly, Clough’s legacy puts the modern footballing landscape into perspective. The prospect of seeing a lowly club climb the football ladder until one day its players lift the ultimate prize of the Premier League trophy – the same players who started the journey and helped the club develop and grow – has become an impossible dream. Money – with football being treated as a business first, and a sport second – is to blame for this, leading to a decrease in mobility and a rigid hierarchical structure which sees the same sides occupy the top positions every year. Money has given excessive financial might to the most ‘lucrative’ clubs, and if any other team displays the slightest sign of potential, of disrupting the established order, the chequebook is the ultimate sedative.
Southampton have been the most noteworthy victims of modern football’s hierarchical structure. Boasting exciting talent in the form of Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw, Dejan Lovren and Calum Chambers last season, as well as a young, ambitious manager in Mauricio Pochettino, the team was decimated over the course of a single summer as the financial behemoths of Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham rolled into town, lobotomizing a once youthful, skiful and dangerous side and wrecking any hopes it may once have had of achieving greater things. Although a rapid rise from the lower leagues to the Premier League has been a surprisingly regular occurrence in recent times – Southampton being joined by Swansea and Norwich as the standout examples – the transition from Premier League mid-table club to Premier League top-four finisher or even Premier League champion remains unattainable. The one exception has been Manchester City, and it is money that has been the sole reason for their success.
Southampton’s academy continues to be held in high regard – it is there that the world’s most expensive footballer received his footballing education, and the frequency with which it produces Premier League-level footballers is impressive. What is the point of an academy, however, if its players inevitably end up at other clubs? Is Southampton content with nurturing talent for the purpose of selling it to the highest bidder in the future, rather than to build and develop a legacy with it?
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Brian Clough’s successes – the likes of which will sadly never be witnessed again – will be commemorated this weekend at the City Ground, during the tenth minute of a match between two teams with serious ambitions of reaching the ‘promised land’ of the Premier League. And as the applause rings out around the old stadium, let us remember a man who regarded football as a sport, not a business, a player as a human being, not a commodity, and who achieved wonderful things as a consequence.
The relegation battle this year looks set to be a very open affair already, Newcastle United looked like they would not be able to win a game but have gone and lifted themselves out of the relegation zone. Leicester City looked to be flying high but have dipped in form already and are being dragged towards the bottom three, sitting only a point clear of Sunderland; whilst Aston Villa started the season with a bang and fizzled out quite quickly with five defeats on the bounce leaving them close to the bottom three as well.
Only four points separate Sunderland in 18th from Everton in 9th and it looks like any of the teams between those two positions could be dragged into a relegation scrap of some sort in the coming few months. There are of course the naturally weaker underdogs that will inevitably find themselves looking over their shoulders for the majority of the campaign and be fighting for Premier League survival over anything else. Burnley are the only clear cut favourites to drop straight down without much of a fight currently, as they prop up the rest of the league table with only four points and still in a frantic search for their first league victory of the season.
It is hard to judge who else out of the bottom half of the table might end up in trouble, such is the variety of performances and results at the moment, had I looked at this a couple of weeks ago, I would be writing a completely different article based around Newcastle and QPR looking like the two teams that are certain to join Burnley in the relegation abyss at the end of the season.
Alan Pardew’s men have bounced back well after a shocking start which saw them without a victory for their first seven games and the fans calling for the manager to be sacked as a matter of urgency to ebb the flow of points that were slipping through their fingers. Even though it was very early on in the campaign to suggest trouble, the mentality is hard to deal with when you’re losing so many games so quickly and are rock bottom so early on. It is hard for the players to have the right mentality when playing a game, at times feeling defeated before a single ball has been kicked in a game, so even though it was early days, there was a danger that they could have ended up going on a lot worse a run than they actually did.
A home victory against Leicester was followed by a crucial – and very impressive victory – away to Tottenham Hotspur, which saw the Magpies come back from a goal down to claim victory, that would have worked wonders to uplift the belief in the camp and instil a different mentality in the group.
Another thing that makes the relegation race this season is just how awful most of the teams that are in the mix have actually been. QPR for example had not shown any sort of desire to win a game until their home game against Liverpool. They were not giving 100% and it was clear to see that most of their players were not putting in the required effort. Luckily they have since turned that around after stern words from their manager no doubt and look to be finally playing in the right way. Whether or not they still have enough quality about them is a different matter altogether. Burnley look terrible and I cannot see where they will get a victory from any time soon.
Sunderland are also very poor so far with only the one victory to shout about – the amount of games they have drawn instead of lost will have helped their points tally and avoided them the ill-fate of sitting rock bottom so far but they need to improve vastly to see any chance of avoiding the drop.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
There are too many ‘poor’ teams in the bottom half this season that just do not look like they are good enough to stay up and it will continue to be a very open affair throughout the whole season without a doubt. There is no safe bet for the final bottom three this year and it will be exciting to witness, for us neutrals, what the final outcome will be come May.
As reported in this morning’s edition of the Daily Mail, Liverpool star Raheem Sterling has picked up the prestigious European Golden Boy award for 2014.
The individual accolade, first introduced by Italian Newspaper Tuttosport back in 2003, is awarded each year to the continent’s most impressive player under the age of 21, with the decision process including a lengthy shortlist and a voting system involving 30 independent publications. Previous winners include Lionel Messi, Cesc Fabregas and Sergio Aguero.
The attacking midfielder earned the award for his vital role in Liverpool’s Premier League title bid last season and emergence at the heart of the England national team since the turn of the year, making him the first British winner since Wayne Rooney in 2004
Stelling told Liverpool’s official website this morning; ” It’s a great achievement to win such an award, It’s a really happy feeling for me and my family, of course.
“Something I’ve always wanted to do is to work hard playing football and try to be recognised. I’m really grateful that people have shown me this recognition.
“It’s down to hard work. I’m really happy that people are recognising that I’m trying to work hard and do my best for this football club. I’m really grateful for this award.
There’s always room for improvement. At this moment in time, I should have a few more goals, but I’ve not taken some of my chances. But I’m young and learning all the time.
“This award just shows that hard work gets you where you want to be, and that I’m on the right track for where I want to be in my career. Hopefully I can just keep working hard and try to take my game to the next level.”
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Liverpool take on Arsenal at Anfield tomorrow afternoon, with the 20 year-old expected to feature as an unorthodox centre-forward.
After his goal-scoring exploits against a luckless Hull City side this weekend, Sammy Ameobi may have just found himself a permanent place within Newcastle United’s folklore.
The brother of former Tyneside ‘legend’ Shola Ameobi purposefully took the ball on the edge of the Tigers’ box, made use of the space given to him by Hull’s seemingly unconcerned defence, and sent a rocket of a shot straight into the back of Allan McGregor’s net.
It was simply a great goal that many thought the England U21 international previously wasn’t capable of. Newcastle United fans may well now look to Ameobi as the potential provider for similar feats in the future however.
Now that the 22-year-old attacker seemingly has the attention of the Premier League after his fine finish on the weekend, does Sammy Ameobi have what it takes to really solidify himself within this current Newcastle set-up, or will this fine goal already be the pinnacle of what could be no more than a flash-in-the-pan career?
Whilst the wide-man’s time with the Magpies has so far been pretty uneventful on the whole, as the brother of Tyneside favourite in Shola, a loyal striker who amassed over 300 appearances for Newcastle, Sammy has had that bit more time and flexibility to work with over his counterparts in a similar position.
The Newcastle no.28 has made it through the ranks at St. James’ as a completely different player to his older brother, however. Sammy may be of a similar height to Shola, but his lean build and quick feet make him a different prospect all together. Although the execution of his play has often left a lot to be desired, the latest Ameobi has built his game around daring flair and quick pace on the break. The exciting attacking midfielder loves to take on defenders, put his skills on show, and simply hope for the best.
As Shola Ameobi had several key flaws to his game however, it comes as no surprise that Sammy’s style isn’t short of a few problems either. Yes, the 22-year-old loves to challenge the opposition with all manner of skills, flicks and deft passes, but the ultimate result of Ameobi’s choices often involve giving possession away, missing an easy pass, or simply sending the ball out of play when it should have been kept on. Sammy is just as likely to skill himself up as he is to beat the opposition, and as such unreliability hardly has a place within any Premier League side, should Newcastle really see him as a long-term prospect?
Perhaps that remains in question for now, but after a few seasons of top-flight experience under young Sammy Ameobi’s belt, such problems may well be ironed out, leaving only skill and confidence in their place. Newcastle are a side who have unfortunately seen their better stars move on in recent years, so in order to maintain a degree of loyalty between the club and its players, perhaps the Ameobi legacy really should continue down at St. James’.
If more goals like his one against Hull are on the cards however, Sammy Ameobi might just become a deserving all-time cult figure with the Magpies for many seasons to come.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
From an outsiders point of view West Ham United appear to be having an extremely good season.
The Hammers sit 9th in the Premier League and in December fans were dreaming of the possibility of a Champions League or Europa League place next season. Even though they have now slipped to mid-table, they seem to have overachieved, so what on earth could be wrong?
Last week West Ham’s Vice Chairwoman, Karren Brady, was reported to have said she was unhappy with Hammers boss, Sam Allardyce saying that the club are under-achieving and if things did not improve he could be facing the sack.
Talking in her column for the Sun newspaper she wrote:
“Someone says in the press today that we flattered to deceive up to Christmas – but I 100 per cent disagree. The fact is that West Ham are underachieving and it is Sam Allardyce’s task to identify the reason and rectify it. He would wish it no other way.”
So is Brady right to be concerned about the slip in form or should she be happy with where they sit in the League?
The team started really well but they do not appear to be finishing well. The Hammers are on a dismal run of form which has seen them fall from European contention to mid-table in the space of two months. If the League table showed current form they would sit in 15th only 2 points above the relegation zone. Before beating struggling Sunderland 1-0 last weekend, the Hammers went eight games without a win.
[ad_pod id=’football-friends’ align=’center’]
Things have been getting tougher for Allardyce as people involved in the club got frustrated that the high bar he set could not be maintained. They expected that bar to remain constant throughout the season but the standard has started to slip. Allardyce’s contract is up at the end of the season and he was obviously hoping for it to be extended but talks haven’t even begun towards a new deal.
West Ham have been growing from strength to strength since they were promoted in 2012. After finishing 13th last season, the club was hoping to carry on improving – and they have! This season has seen them beat Manchester City as part of a 100% unbeaten October record and they have achieved some great results playing attractive football. Sam Allardyce has really made his side work and while their form has slipped it is important to remember this is only their third season back in the Premier League.
What we see at West Ham is what we see most seasons in the Premier League: they have been found out. Other teams didn’t know how to play against them during the first half the season. West Ham could offer up a surprise. But now that teams know their style they can defend against it.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
I think Brady needs to remember where West Ham came from, and while it is important to dream and aim for the highest possible outcome, it is also important to be a little more grounded.
I think it would take a while to adjust if Sam Allardyce was no longer in charge. In the last few years he has made that job his own and what he is doing is clearly working. Every year they have gone one step better. Perfection takes time and they are getting closer every year.
Well, there we go…. The summer’s biggest transfer saga looks to be over before the summer transfer window has even opened. Manchester United all but sealed the arrival of Memphis Depay yesterday, ending weeks of rumours and speculation surrounding one of Europe’s finest young talents.
As well as securing one of the most talented emerging players, United also beat bitter rivals Liverpool to the punch, with the Merseysiders having held talks with Depay and made him one of their major targets! It’s all looking rosy at Old Trafford then, and here are FIVE reasons fans in Manchester will fall in love with the 21-year-old. [interaction ]
He’s a pretty good footballer!
Depay🔥 pic.twitter.com/zY2DyoEAYV
— Steven Gerrard (@Gerrard8FanPage) April 29, 2015
21 Eredivisie goals and a champion’s medal, it’s been a good season for Depay. Those achievements don’t come without talent, which the 21-year-old has plenty of. As the above video shows, he has skill, pace and energy and is also capable of scoring from almost any distance.
Although performances don’t always translate from the Netherlands’ top flight to the Premier League, Depay looks to have a bit more about him than others such as Alfonso Alves and Mateja Kezman!
Passion!
Memphis Depay celebrating with a random fan after winning the Eredivisie title. Class! #MUFC pic.twitter.com/2EGcAEPdaJ
— Yakatak Football (@YakatakFootball) May 7, 2015
The above video shows Depay celebrating with a fan after PSV clinched the Eredivise title recently – ending Ajax’s four-year dominance of the division. The passion on the attacker’s face is there for all to see, which is sure to endear him to United fans, who appreciate desire and the willingness to give something back to the crowd almost as much as individual brilliance on the turf.
He’s already wound up Liverpool
Depay was joining Liverpool last week… well according to his Facebook account. Okay, the youngster’s profile only ‘liked’ a comment welcoming him to Anfield, but that brought a feeling of ecstasy among Kopites! Whether or not the act was genuine we’ll likely never know, but it certainly got hopes up on Merseyside, which were then cruelly dashed by Louis van Gaal.
Rejecting Liverpool is sure to have endeared him to the Old Trafford faithful already.
The ‘New Ronaldo’
https://vine.co/v/eaEZgHQAEKE/embed/simple
“He is one of the biggest talents in Europe. He has skill compared to a young Cristiano Ronaldo. He is very lively, technically unbelievable, very skilful, very fast, he has a great goalscoring record, he can shoot from every distance – he has everything.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
“For me, he is without doubt one of the best talents we have.â€
The words of Ronald de Boer – he certainly has some clout in the footballing world. As the Dutch legend says, Depay possesses excellent levels of pace and skill, while his finishing ability and powerful shot from distance are reminiscent of Cristiano Ronaldo, who was pretty popular at Old Trafford.
Should work well under Van Gaal
After working together at the World Cup, Depay and Van Gaal should hit the ground running. The United gaffer certainly knows the youngster’s game, which could be vital in ensuring he makes a quick impact, while his faith – he’s signing him, after all – in the starlet may be enough to ensure that the attacker goes all out to impress, even if the adjustment period is a tricky one.
It is not often that we hear of football players suing each other because of an accident, but it does happen sometimes.
It is difficult for players to prove that their accidents were caused by negligence or that injuries were intentionally caused, and without this proof, a club will not be able to win a case.
All players have a responsibility to behave in a safe manner and try to avoid injuring other players, but this rule is not always abided by. We have listed the top three cases where players have sued other players for injuries that have occurred during a match. Some have been successful and some have not…
1. Manchester City vs Manchester United
In April 2001, City’s Alf-Inge Haaland was carried off the pitch at Old Trafford after a tackle from Roy Keane playing for Manchester United.
In August 2002, City revealed that they were filing for a massive £5 million lawsuit, leaving fans and the media in uproar. Haaland’s right knee was trampled on by Keane during the match, although it was his left knee that had caused him problems leading up to the end of his career and eventually hindered him from being able to play football after the accident.
He retired in 2003 following numerous matches that he was unable to play for the full 90 minutes due to his knee injury.
This feud has now been going on for years – with Keane stating in his autobiography that he intended to injure Haaland during that football match.
It seems that Keane’s heartless statements regarding his intention and non-existent signs of remorse encouraged Haaland and Manchester City’s decision to sue the United player.
It was a nice try, but Haaland had been complaining about the injury in his left knee for a few months before the accident and eventually admitted that it had not in fact been caused by Keane.
Keane received a five game ban and a £150,000 fine after he published his autobiography that revealed he had tackled Haaland on purpose.
2. Manchester United vs Middlesborough
Ben Collett broke his leg when he was playing for Manchester United at the age of 18 and the injury ended his career as a professional footballer.
Gary Smith and his club, Middlesbrough, accepted liability of the injury when it went to court and Collett won a £4.3 million pay-out. During the tackle on Collett, his leg was broken in two places, causing him to lose a three-year professional contract with Manchester United.
It was because of this loss that he was awarded £4.3 million.
You can read more about this case here.
3. Nottingham Forest vs Cardiff City
Nottingham Forest’s striker Dexter Blackstock suffered a knee injury after a tackle from Cardiff City’s Seyi Olofinjana resulting in him being unable to play for over a year.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
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 was during this match in 2010 that Blackstock claimed Olofinjana’s negligence towards the player.
Blackstock is currently trying to seek damages for not being able to earn bonuses and potentially having to end his career early.
The amount he is claiming is not known but exceeds £50,000 and he has been able to play since the accident, having transferred to Leeds.
Dexter was, however, unable to play for 15 months and is seeking damages for not being able to earn bonuses during this time. He returned to Forest in December 2013 and was ruled out of some of the season due to his knee injuries.