By TRAVIS CLARK
When Fernando Torres pulled up lame in the World Cup final, it was certainly the last thing Roy Hodgson and Liverpool fans wanted to see.
And while Torres looked to enjoy Spain's World Cup celebration, news today wasn't good. Torres suffered a ruptured thigh muscle and won't be available for any of Liverpool's preseason preparations leaves him likely to miss out on the start of the English Premier League season. The Reds are scheduled to open against Arsenal at home on August 15.
The injury to the 26-year-old Spanish striker also throws into doubt rumors of a possible move to Chelsea. It was reported that the Blues have already offered £40 million for Torres' services.
Here are a few more stories for Wednesday:
ERIKSSON FAVORED FOR FULHAM
Former England and Ivory Coast manager is the current favorite for the vacant coaching position at Fulham FC. The Daily Mail reports that the Swede is currently the front runner to take over at Craven Cottage after failing to get out of the group stages with the Ivory Coast in South Africa.
Other rumored candidates include Bob Bradley and Switzerland Ottmar Hitzfeld, but as long as Eriksson can agree on financial terms, he looks set to take over at Fulham.
GUARDIOLA INKS EXTENSION
Two years and seven trophies were enough to keep manager Pep Guardiola at the Camp Nou for at least one more season. News from Spain this morning that Guardiola has signed on through one more season in charge of the Catalan club will keep Guardiola in charge until June 30, 2011.
His future had been up in the air after his current deal expired at the end of the 2009-10 season, and rumors had circulated that he could walk away from the club.
REAL MADRID CHASE COLE
A possible reunion between Ashley Cole and former manager Jose Mourinho could be in the works, with Real Madrid preparing to offer £30 million for the 29-year-old left back. Cole, who has come under fire in England after some critical post-World Cup comments made headlines, would likely welcome a chance to leave England and join up with Mourinho again at the Bernabeu. No firm offer has yet to be made for the World Cup veteran.
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How will Torres' injury impact Liverpool? Will Eriksson head to Fulham? Glad to see Guardiola return?
Share your thoughts below.
Cole is one of the few English players I can see being adapt to do well abroad….
Torres injury could help his prospects. (correction)
It could be in the form of Krisztian Nemeth if he is healthy.
He is a good finisher and provider of goals. The best young player to come out of Hungary in years.
He had a great U20 tournament last year. He is injury prone too. This could help his prospects for finding 1st team football at Liverpool.
Tons of Fulham followers on here and you know it…
Greece’s ranking is even more laughable than Egypt’s. That team does not belong in the Top 50.
I’m pretty much with you, Kev.
Politically, Bradley is probably not the choice, but football-wise, I think he’s the best candidate. ‘It’ is probably the worst possible choice for this squad, as the only thing Sven has proven about himself is that the game has passed him by.
I’ve posted earlier, that my relationship with Fulham may come to an end if they hire Sven. It is self destructive, and I’ve only got 4 years vested in them. If that happens, I’ll become DempseyPete or DonovanPete.
Did I mention, Sven sucks?
Jay Demerit to Leeds…
This whole thread is funny because now Martin Jol is the favorite to the land the job.
Who cares, it’s Fulham!
In the first place, until this is finalized these “announcements” are all just rumours.
In the second place there is no such thing as standing pat. In sports and in life, you either get better or you get worse. If Fulham does nothing to get better they will get relegated in two years if not sooner.
The big hold up with Sven is money as it always is with him. Thattells you Fayed has some semblance of a budget.
BB is under consideration because, SBI posters notwithstanding, Fulham were inpressed that he got so much out of such a mediocre side. This should make him right at home at Fulham. Plus he is comparatively inexpensive and very organized. If Phil Brown was an EPL manager for two seasons, then anyone can be an EPL manager. Finally , look at Avram Grant’s record before he became technical director at Pompey and then manager of Chelsea. He was a pretty good EPL manager and is now back at West Ham.
a question that has come across my mind since last september, and im not even a Philly fan
the Sun is a rag.
(SBI-That’s all you needed to write. No point in spreading their nonsense.)
agreed. he scored 6 goals in 111 apps with chelsea and has never scored for england, despite 82 caps. ramos, in comparison, has 22 goals in 164 matches for madrid and 5 goals in 67 caps for spain.
Not really a great offensive threat for as much as he is ballyhooed as being such….but pretty much all of the England players are ballyhooed and not as good as spun….
Just read Sven may stay on as Ivory Coast’s manager to boot….the owner really likes Bob Bradley from all I can gather…big name in Europe or not…
Nice find. Best news of the day.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1294618/Roland-Benedict-makes-A-Team-Actor-Dirks-son-Manchester-City-trial.html
as a madrid fan, i have mixed feelings about Cole. kind of a lot of money for a 29 year old. i think they should explore other options. but a new left back would be nice.
i saw that too. makes no sense, even for FIFA rankings…
look at the ELO rankings for more entertainment. USA is #25 and Mexico is #11 while Egypt is #9. makes zero sense.
Sven…argh!!!
His proponents always point to his success in Italy. The truth is that other than Lazio his performance was mixed. With Lazio, he was given one of the largest cash hoards on record to build the club. It was the equivalent of what Madrid is like today.
Clearly, he’s not a bad gaffer, but I think he’s overrated given his track record.
Sven?
Anyone but him will do.
Hughes, Bradley, Jol, Curbs.
Please let it not be “IT”!
Every club wants to progress. Fulham came really close to winning the Europa League this year, which would have been unthinkable a few years ago. They really didn’t want to lose Hodgson, but now that they have, my money would be on them going for as proven a name as possible. My point is, I’m not sure they would opt for Bradley given his lack of European experience. Clubs take minimal risks with coaches.
Take me home Al-Fayed,
to the place I belong!
Craven Cottage, by the river.
Take me home Al-Fayed…
He’s pretty shrewd. I hope he avoids Sven.
He wasn’t manager at Notts County. He was Director of Football Operations.
They aren’t trying to become contenders. They are pretty realistic with their situation. They see themselves, barring an insane infusion of cash, as a midtable side, that will occasionally challenge for Europe. Trust me on this one. Al-Fayed splashed some cash to get to the top flight and then wisely dialed it back, knowing full well that to get to the top would require way too much.
I support Fulham and I think most other Fulham supporters are content with what we are.
Hiring Bradley may have been unlikely from the start, but it isn’t because Fulham aspires to crash back into the Europa league spots necessarily. With the traditional big 4, Man City and Spurs all spending big money, we may have to wait a while to get back there.
Any other fans think I’m wrong? FulhamPete?
Yeah, now they can look forward to another underachieving season in which their star striker plays just 20 games. I love Torres, but he’s injury prone as hell. And Liverpool has virtually no back-up (David N’gog?)
Want me to make some up for you?
So the Torres injury might not be all bad for Liverpool. Kind of takes him off the transfer market.
where is my philly dp news?
The Sun says Bradley is still the favorite
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/3051226/Fulham-line-up-US-coach-Bob-Bradley.html?OTC-RSS&ATTR=Football
Erickson is a disaster. Fulham can’t afford him. They don’t need to dump a bunch of money on him when they can get someone who will try harder for cheaper. I don’t think Bradley should go there though. I just don’t think he is ready for the Premier League.
I’m a big fan of Torres. He’s graceful and powerful. Fun to watch when healthy. He obviously wasn’t fit for the World Cup. He needs to take a break and heal completely or he could put his career in danger. He will be out in the winter transfer window. He should just have a goal of getting healthy at some point in September and having a good few months.
Wrong. Al Fayed is an idiot. He thinks that the Queen assassinated his son and Princess Diana.
Unfortunately, FIFA uses their ranking system to seed teams. At least that’s what they did for South Africa, and will probably do the same for Brazil.
It makes no sense that Egypt, who weren’t in the World Cup (world’s best teams), moves up 3 spots.
FIFA is a joke.
Bob Bradley has no track record in Europe. Eriksson has. Fulham is an ambitious club trying to go from also-rans to contenders. Is it any surprise they would favor Eriksson? I’m not saying it’s the right decision.
Don’t get all wide-eyed just yet. He signed with the development squad. Will be years, if ever, before he sees any time with the real team. He’ll ALWAYS be better known as Dirk Benedict’s son.
What about Roland Benedict signing with Man City? American and a stiker
Al Fayed is not an idiot…i think. I’m sure he’ll make the right decision and hire anyone but sven.
He coached Cote d’Ivoire for 3 games! You cant say that he had any impact on them…
“SHUTUP SVEN”
Eriksson at Fulham. Goodbye premiership. Hello Championship. He’ll turn fulham into mini-Leeds, and send them from European Cup Finalists to league 1 in no time. That guy is a dumb bastard…
RUN CLINT! Get as far away from Fulham as you can if they hire him. Good night I hope I have the ability to fail upwards like this one day.
Not relevant, but by my count, Bob Bradley is 1-0 against Eriksson in head to head competition.
Erikson sucks… he’s past his sell on date and will wreck Fulham
Notts County and Mexico were definitely disasters for him. I think the Ivory Coast gig would have gone better had Drogba been 100% and he had more time. That is really a can’t say no situation. Who would turn down an opportunity to coach a World Cup team no matter how doomed the situation may be.
I thought he earned more time than Man City gave him. I am optomistic he would be good at Fulham, though he will always have his eye elsewhere.
I stopped believing in this ranking when the US and Mexico got into the top 5.
I’m sure Bradley was never the favorite. He may have earned some respect for his stint with the USMNT, but clubs are always going to prefer proven names like Eriksson. People forget that Eriksson had big success in Italy, whatever he may have done since.
Fantastic. Fulham about to award Eriksson for turing out yet another lousy stint that had huge expectations. When is England going to fall out of love with that guy?
oh yeah, and Canada -37 to 100.
Somehow though despite similar performances England are 7th, but Mexico dropped 7 places to 24. At least we moved up a place.
My Highlights: New Zealand up to 54 and France 21.
FIFA rankings are always silly. I do think the US are properly rated around 12.
How about the new FIFA Rankings? Somehow Egypt is in the Top 10?
Henry Signs With Red Bulls
Where are the reports that Bob has “fallen away”? Does that mean they decided they didn’t want him?