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Mid-Day Ticker: Eto’o could return to Inter, Rafa plays down Fergie success and more

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By CALEB SONNELAND

Just under two months after shocking the soccer world and signing for Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala, Samuel Eto'o is being linked with a return to Inter Milan — on loan.

Eto'o left the Italian giants in late August, but when the Russian Premier League season takes a break in January and February, meaning Eto'o could potentially return to Inter for a Serie A as well as Champions League fixtures.

Eto'o scored 37 goals in all competitions last year for Inter, and the club has found it hard to replace the Cameroonian as it finds itself enduring its worst start to the Serie A season in 28 years.  Inter has taken just four points from five games thus far in the Serie A campaign.

If he were to return, he could be available for up to nine Serie A games and a Champions League tie.

Here are other stories from around the world to keep your Thursday rolling:

"UNITED MONEY DETERMINES SUCCESS, NOT FERGIE" – BENITEZ

Former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez claims that Manchester United's modern success is largely due to its financial support, and not manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Benitez, a long-time rival of Ferguson, believes that Ferguson's ability to spend on players like Rooney and Ferdinand has propelled him to glory and was quick to say that he did not believe it had anything to do with Ferguson's ability as a manager.

Benitez launched an infamous "facts" rant aimed at Ferguson's influence on the Premier League fixture list as well as the club's match officials.

WARNOCK FOR ENGLAND?

Neil Warnock, boss of EPL new boys Queens Park Rangers, declared it "no problem" for him to do the England job.  

The English National Team will be without a manager following the Euro 2012 campaign with current boss Fabio Capello set to step down following the tournament.

Despite Tottenham's Harry Redknapp looking like the current favorite for the position, Warnock asserted that "there's not a cat in hell's chance of them giving me the job because I've got a sense of humor."

Warnock went on to state that he didn't believe that Fabio Capello's style of play was desirable, claiming that it takes the current team 25 passes to get to the halfway line.

TEVEZ RESUMES LIFE AT CITY

After serving his two-week ban from Manchester City, troublesome striker Carlos Tevez has resumed training with the club.

After allegedly refusing to play against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, the club took disciplinary action against the Argentine.

Tevez returned to the Carrington training complex just after 12:00pm in Manchester for what is believed to be a fitness session, as the rest of the squad had participated in the 11:00am training session.

Tevez's future is very much up in the air at the moment, but one thing is certain: he is not wanted by Roberto Mancini at Manchester City.

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Think Eto'o would help out Inter Milan?  Does Rafa have a case against Fergie?  What do you think of his "facts" rant?  Is Warnock right about England?

Share your thoughts below

Comments

  1. It’s obviously a view not shared by the current owner of LFC, who yesterday called Fergie a genius. I’m an LFC supporter, and a fan of Rafa, but he needs to shut up this one.

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  2. Klinsmann gave a very interesting interview to Germany’s “Kicker” magazine with several newsworthy quotes. Klinsmann says the USMNT will definitely play in the next Copa Americana, and that MLS brass has signed off on it and is in full cooperation with him and “is hungry for the next steps forward (in soccer).” He says the USMNT has several areas in need of improvement and that the US Soccer Fed probably would not have brought in a new coach had the team been more advanced. He says that Chandler is a “huge talent” and says that in addition to dual USA nationals in Mexico and Europe there are two players in South America that are on his radar.

    Here is the link:

    http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/intligen/startseite/559158/artikel_es-gibt-richtige-baustellen—aber-das-ist-das-schoene.html

    Reply
  3. I am assuming you’re being sarcastic, correct? Also, I thought Adel Taarabt was supposed to light up the EPL. He hasn’t even scored one goal yet…

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  4. Benitez is such an asshat. What a stupid example to use Rooney and Ferdinand, he had won I believe 7 EPL titles before he bought either of those players. Obviously United has money, but to claim Ferguson is not that influential is mind-boggling. Without him they’d probably be fighting for 4th or 5th place every season once Chelsea got their Russian money…

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  5. It’s funny that Benitez would say that because Liverpool spend the same amount if not more on players as United did during his time there, and Liverpool won, what, 2 trophies during his whole tenure?

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  6. QPR has been setting the opposition up with their early season results. The big clubs drop the gloves after QPR gets demolished by Fulham and then Crazy Joey B strikes…

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  7. “Warnock went on to state that he didn’t believe that Fabio Capello’s style of play was desirable, claiming that it takes the current team 25 passes to get to the halfway line.”

    I laughed out loud at this and almost chocked on the food in my mouth. The Gringott’s Goblin gives Ian Holloway a run for his money!!

    Reply
  8. I remember the first ‘Rafa Rant’ about spending. As I recall, United released a complete listing of transfers from ’04-09 from their PR department and several independent accountants confirmed Rafa’s numbers were way off base. Not sure if LFC ever did the same.

    I thought I saw a statistic (can’t remember where) that said net spending in the last 5 years has been 1) City 2) Chelsea 3) LFC 4) Spurs 5) Sunderland. United and Arsenal were well down the list.

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  9. Agreed that he is very good and also very underrated, but I’d put Fat Ronaldo and Van Nistelrooy up there before him, if we’re discussing last decade strikers.

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  10. Yeah, he’s simply drowns the opposition in spending. And by the opposition, you mean Chelsea and Man City. Give it a rest, Benitez. He finally opened the purse strings a little this season, but he’s been overachieving with role players and Rooney since Ronaldo left. He’s a better coach than you are. Get over it.

    Reply

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