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Monday Kickoff: England eyes Hodgson, Podolski to Arsenal confirmed, and more

RoyHodgson (Getty)

The English FA has not gone far to find a replacement for former England manager Fabio Capello, pegging West Brom manager Roy Hodgson as the leading candidate to manage England at this summer's European Championships.

The FA has sought permission and has been granted permission by West brom to speak with Hodgson, who appears a good bet to beat out former favorite Harry Redknapp for the job.

Hodgson is most recently remembered for managing Liverpool during a disappointing stretch that came as the club was in the midst of a takeover attempt, but prior to that he also had the distinction of helping lead Fulham to the 2010 Europa League Final.

Here are some other stories to get your Monday going:

COLOGNE CONFIRMS PODOLSKI TO ARSENAL 

The long-rumored move to Arsenal by German striker Lukas Podolski has been officially confirmed by his current club Cologne. Podolski will join Arsenal via transfer this summer.

Podolski has enjoyed a strong season for Cologne, scoring 18 goals in the Bundesliga, and should be a key figure in Germany's Euro 2012 plans this summer.

LIVERPOOL SET SIGHTS ON DUTCH OPTIONS

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish is sure to be busy this summer on the transfer market and there is already buzz about the Reds spending most of their money in the Netherlands, where two transfer targets have emerged.

Liverpool is reportedly interested in FC Twente striker Luuk DeJong as well as AZ Alkmaar midfielder Rasmus Elm. The two could cost an estimated Â£20 million in transfer fees.

MUAMBA COULD ATTEND BOLTON-TOTTENHAM WEDNESDAY

Just six weeks after suffering a heart attack that nearly killed him, Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba could attend the very match-up he was playing in when the incident occurred.

Bolton manager Owen Coyle says Muamba might attend Wednesday's Bolton-Tottenham match, which would give Muamba an opportunity to thank both sets of fans for their support at the match on March 17 when he fell ill.

That match took place at White Hart Lane, but Wednesday's match would allow Muamba to be received by Bolton's home fans at the Reebok.

GROUP BACKED BY FANS SUBMITS BID FOR RANGERS

Two weeks after withdrawing its original bid for financially troubled Rangers, a group of fans has submitted a revised bid. Forced into bankruptcy in February, Rangers is looking for a new ownership group and now administrators of the Glasgow club have two to choose from. The other bid put forth was by American businessman Bill Miller, and it is expected to be worth around $18.2 million. 

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What do you think of these developments? Like Hogdson as England's new manager? Think Podolski can make an impact at Arsenal? Hoping Liverpool makes a play for Clint Dempsey instead of some Dutch options?

Share your thoughts below.

 

Comments

  1. Yes, Hodgson has dragged West Brom up to mid table, only 3 points back of Liverpool in case no one noticed. He took them from traditional yo-yo club to a club that looks to stay in the division for year to come.

    Give Roy the financial support King Kenny got and who knows what might have happened.

    Reply
  2. Arsenal is not buying Dempsey. Just like I predicted, we got Lukas Podolski and now we are going after a better midfielder you know like Eden Hazard who Arsene Wenger has made so much noise about the last two seasons. We also have Rosicky who is a better skilled player than Dempsey. So please stop this Dempsey to Arsenal hope! Because he wants to play Champions League does not mean he will be playing for Arsenal.

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  3. I think he was treated poorly and not given a chance, but recognized the team performed poorly with him at the helm. Is he markedly worse than what they’ve got going there now?

    “Mid-table mediocrity” with West Brom is the club’s best performance in recent years. Am I wrong?

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  4. Point one, fair enough–I was thinking of the 09-10 season, starting in 09. Point two–well, there were multiple flag burnings during the anti Hicks and Gillett protests. That really annoyed me.

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  5. CC: LFC
    From: Other USA supporters
    RE: Why you’re scum.

    We haven’t forgotten your countless supporters burning American flags, xenophobic signs at every match and general ignorant rants about our country when protesting the(admittedly incompetent) previous owners.

    Deuce and Jozy are off limits.

    You can have John Terry…he’s one of your own, in every capacity.

    Reply
  6. “He wasn’t treated with a lot of respect at Liverpool, although some of that blame has to go to him, in fairness.”

    He had the worst first-half record of any LFC manager since 1953. For all you people who think Hodgson was underrated in his time at Liverpool, read that sentence again.

    ANY fanbase would be calling for the manager to get the boot.

    Reply
  7. Liverpool finished 2nd in the Premier League in 2009. And quit bringing up the flag thing — it was an incredibly stupid gesture by an idiotic fan. LFC have many, many fans in the USA and around the world.

    Reply
  8. To: LFC
    From: USA supporters
    RE: Dempsey, Altidore, etc

    Look, we gave you Peloski because he’s young and your youth development system is probably better than anything he could find over here. But, please leave our professionals alone. We want them to play Champions League football; and despite your return to King Kenny, you don’t have a time machine to go back to the 70s and 80s (yes, we know about 2005, but we also know about 2009-2012). Also, we like our players to play for teams whose fans do not burn the American flag. Thank you.

    PS: We know it seems unfair that Everton get Timmy and Landon, but we don’t think either of them is likely to improve much more anyway. If Dempsay proves to plateau, you can have him, but he might not like that flag thing.

    Reply
  9. Because he’s not coming off Fulham in the Europa final, he’s coming off of a flop in Liverpool and midtable mediocrity with WBA.

    Also, Hodgson has done enough hop-hop-hop, including leaving the Swiss on the eve of the Euros, where he might be seen as nothing more than a stopgap. Like Caleb Porter there is nothing stopping him going from WBA to England and right back, which doesn’t necessarily create continuity that a team needs.

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  10. Jozy’s not good enough for Liverpool….yet. Let’s see how his secons season at AZ goes, then think of moving to something bigger

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  11. One step up the present ladder (1 win’s difference), goofy situation, team in decay. They are tenuously in Europe based on the secondary cup win, but if they lose the FA Cup I don’t know if Dalglish is retained.

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  12. I agree that Roy’s brand of play would be more effective for England than the more attacking style of Redknapp. England is not going to make it far in the tournament by playing an open style. Hodgson has made it to the World Cup and Euro’s before managing Switzerland. He has the experience. He has also brought Inter and Fulham to European finals. His style is well suited to tournaments and international play.

    Reply
  13. “there is already buzz about the Reds spending most of their money in the Netherlands”

    Hmmm…Dutch League Targets + American Owners = Jozy Altidore?

    And don’t tell me he wouldn’t be better than Andy Carroll.

    Reply
  14. Dear FA,

    Thanks so much for screwing up the second half of Tottenham’s season with rumor and innuendo, only to pick someone other than Harry after all.

    Sincerely,

    Spurs fans everywhere

    Reply
  15. I always wondered why Hodgson didn’t get more buzz for the England job. I thought maybe I was just blinded by Roy-allegiance from his Fulham years.

    When Roy was around, no one envied the task of coming to the Cottage and breaking down the Whites, and I include the likes of Sir Alex and Wenger and the carousel of Chelsea managers. He’s kept WBA, formerly a yo-yo club, safely in the Prem for a couple of seasons now. He wasn’t treated with a lot of respect at Liverpool, although some of that blame has to go to him, in fairness.

    The way I figure, England have to play really organized to make a splash at Euro. No, we’re not talking Greece-levels of negativity, but I think England could use a degree of pragmatism. That’s Roy’s specialty, at least of late.

    Anyway, it’s possible I have no idea what I’m talking about, just that I’m happy that Roy is at least getting a shout.

    Reply

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