the wes

Fifa have reached a verdict on Chelsea's damages claim against former hitman Adrian Mutu, but have yet to inform each party... Adrian Mutu's past has been dragged up whilst on Euro 2008 duty with Romania. A £15m capture from Parma, the striker was sacked by Chelsea in 2004 after testing positive for cocaine and was hit with a seven-month ban from football. Fifa had ruled that the Fiorentina forward must pay £9.6m (€12million) in damages to the Blues - compensation for breach of contract. Mutu has disputed that decision and Fifa have now stated: "The decision on the dispute at stake has been reached by the Dispute Resolution Chamber and is currently being processed. "The decision will be notified to the parties concerned in due course." Decision Swiss lawyer Gianpaolo Monteneri has visited Mutu in St Gallen to discuss the case, saying on Friday: "We will take a decision on how to act (to defend our client) as soon as a final decision by Fifa is available. Blues spokesman Simon Greenberg added: "Until we have the official decision we cannot say anything officially. "We never asked for a sum. The only thing we ever said publicly was how much in our accounts Mutu was worth. When he left, obviously he had a value in our account. "That value was £13million but when we made our case to Fifa we did not ask for a specific amount." Fifa, backed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, decided on the £9.6m fee themselves.

Deco has confirmed “my future lies between Chelsea and Inter” and Jose Mourinho could prove a decisive factor. The midfielder has been one of the Nerazzurri’s prime targets ever since Mourinho took over at the club, although he had also been wanted by predecessor Roberto Mancini. “At this moment I have only two possibilities – Chelsea or Inter,” the Barcelona man told El Mundo Deportivo. “I have not sealed a deal with either of them, though. I have not yet decided upon my future, as I have to meet with me agent and see what is best for me. “I certainly will not go to a club that I don’t like or that won’t allow me to win trophies, as that is my objective.” Inter have won three consecutive Serie A titles, but that wasn’t enough to prevent Mancini’s dismissal. Mourinho has been brought in with the express intention of aiming for the Champions League victory and he has already won that competition with Deco at Porto. “Undoubtedly my rapport with Mourinho is excellent and that does factor into my decision, but I have to view many other elements too,” continued the Portuguese international. “Inter are a good squad that satisfy the aspirations of any player. So do Chelsea, where many of my friends currently play.” http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/jun9o.html

Chelsea and Milan are still interested in signing Barcelona star Ronaldinho, according to the player’s agent. The Catalan giants look set to sell the Brazilian and Manchester City have been the most vocal in their desire to sign the forward. Chelsea have been long-term suitors of Ronaldinho, but their major concern at present is to find a new manager. "City want him, but there are other clubs still interested," Ronaldinho’s brother and agent Robert De Assis is quoted as saying in the Catalan press. "Chelsea wants Ronaldinho and Milan has still not given up on hiring him." De Assis says that he does not expect his brother's future to be resolved in the short-term. "There will be no important news about Ronaldinho in the coming days,” he added. "He wants to holiday quietly in Porto Alegre [his hometown] and wants to recover well and not rush his recent injury."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtm.../ufnbuck106.xml

Best Staff Member: Blue Lion Best Football Knowledge: EskWeston Best General Knowledge: Tri-Blue Funniest Forumer: Tri-Blue Most-Liked Forumer: Tri-Blue Wisest Forumer: Jim CFC Most Controversial Poster: Blue Lion Biggest Contributor: EskWeston Best Graphic Designer: Tri-Blue British Member of the Year: EskWeston International Member of the Year: bombayblue

Chelsea are close to securing a successor to manager Avram Grant. Bruce Buck, the club's chairman, flew out of Heathrow's Terminal 2 early on Friday morning and admitted that Chelsea were closing in a new manager. Buck refused to reveal his destination - there was a flight due to leave for Milan - but, when asked if Chelsea were closer to making an appointment, the American replied: "Yes I think we are," fuelling speculation that Roberto Mancini could be the next Chelsea manager. Mancini, who left Inter Milan and was replaced by ex-Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho earlier in the week, was reported to have been spotted flying to London on Thursday, and remains the favourite to succeed Grant, sacked following Chelsea's failure to win any trophies last season. It is understood Chelsea plan talks with both Mancini and former Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard early next week and that an appointment could follow before next weekend. Carlo Ancelotti's decision to remain with AC Milan has forced Chelsea into changing direction and while Mancini has not been successful in Europe, with Inter, he won two Coppa Italia, two Supercoppa Italiana and three Serie A titles, becoming the most successful Inter coach of the last 30 years. Rijkaard is also viewed as a potential manager, and following Ancelotti's snub, Chelsea will now consider their options over the weekend before making an appointment within the next week.

Chelsea Football Club will make an offer for Bafetimbi Gomis which St Etienne will find it hard to refuse. The 22-year-old striker has been described in France as the new Didier Drogba, and with the original expected to leave Stamford Bridge this summer, he would make the ideal replacement. Arsenal and Newcastle United have been linked with the French international only to back off following his decision to sign a new contract with Les Verts, but this won’t dissuade Roman Abramovich. The Blues owner, still without a manager, is determined to land Gomis before he becomes a target for a host of clubs across Europe, and he is convinced a bid of £20million will be enough to land his man. http://www.fansfc.com/frontpage/frontpagen...p?newsid=186086

topic closed now

BUCHAREST (AFP) - A commission charged by world football's ruling body FIFA to resolve a conflict opposing Chelsea and Adrian Mutu has ruled that the Romanian international must pay his former club 12 million euros. According to a report on the website of Mutu's current club Fiorentina, cited by the Mediafax agency here, the commission ruled that Mutu must repay the Premier League club for revenues they claimed to have lost following his sacking for drugs use in 2004. Chelsea signed Mutu for 15.8 million pounds (19.8 million euros) in the summer of 2003 but sacked him in October 2004 after he tested positive for cocaine during a doping control. The club estimated that the affair, which led to Mutu serving a seven-month ban, cost them 13 million pounds (16.2 million euros) in lost revenue. Mutu, currently with the Romanian national team in Switzerland preparing for their European Championships opener against France on June 9, is expected to appeal the decision, at a civil court. His lawyer told Romanian news channel Realitatea that Mutu would be doing so. After serving his ban Mutu signed for Juventus only to be transfered to Fiorentina where he has resurrected his career. http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/football/news/a...-12m-euros-fifa

Jose Mourinho Frank Rijkaard Guus Hiddink Didier Dechamps Mark Hughes Marcello Lippi Roberto Mancini Phil Scolari Sven Goran Eriksson i hope its big phil

Giovani Dos Santos has claimed that he will be playing for Tottenham next season and cited the fact that Juande Ramos being the coach as the main reason. The 19-year-old told reporters after a friendly between Argentina and Mexico that he had agreed to move to White Hart Lane and had turned down Manchester City. Barcelona and Tottenham are reported to have agreed an initial fee of just €6million (£4.7million) for the player that was considered to be one of the hottest prospects at Camp Nou just two years ago. That figure may rise to €10million (£7.9 million) depending on clauses being activated in his contract, but the news will be a huge boost for the north London club and their summer rebuilding plans. "Next season I will be playing for Tottenham," Dos Santos is quoted by Sport as stating, before he went on to claim that the main attraction was the chance to work under Ramos. Barca are believed to have opted to offload the youngster after his father and his agent, Pini Zahivi, regularly told the club that he would accept one of the many offers if he was not given a pay rise. The club demanded that he improve his performances in order to earn that rise and made assurances that his pay would be related to how well he did on the first team. With more and more clubs showing an interest, Dos Santos has now chosen to move to Tottenham after revealing that he did have a number of other options on the table. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11675_3653894,00.html

Michael Essien is not to be reunited with former Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho at Internazionale, according to his agent. The Portuguese tactician's appointment as Roberto Mancini's successor at the Italian giants has seen the rumour mill go into overdrive. Inevitable talk of a Stamford Bridge raid has been manifest, with Essien, Ricardo Carvalho, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba, also a target of Milan, linked with possible moves to Inter. Essien has proved to be one of Mourinho's most astute purchases of his tenure in West London, and has been mooted to be at the top of his former taskmaster's summer wish-list. Piveteau promise Chelsea would be loath to lose the powerful Ghanaian midfielder and have been boosted by a statement released by the player's agent, Fabien Piveteau. Essien's existing contract is not due to expire until 2012 and Piveteau can see no reason why the player would move before that date. "Michael is very happy at Chelsea and that is where he will be playing next season. His current contract runs until 2012. There has been no approach from Inter," Piveteau informed Chelsea's official website.

Newly promoted Bologna are looking to sign Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini according to reports in Italy. he shot-stopper has been with the Stamford Bridge club since 1999 when he moved there from Milan for a bargain £166,000. However, he has not been playing regularly since Petr Czech’s arrival three years ago and he now seems set for a return move to Italy. Bologna, who have just won promotion back to Italy’s big-time are looking for an experienced stopper in light of their Serie A commitments next season and Cudicini fit’s the bill. Gazzetta Dello Sport claim that current Rossoblu ‘Keeper Francesco Antonioli is set for a move to Juventus and this would leave the door wide open for Cudicini’s arrival from West London. Claudio Ranieri is looking for a stopper who can be Gian Luigi Buffon’s number two as Emanuele Bellardi is not considered experienced enough to play in the Champions League next season. The Chelsea shot-stopper is likely to be keen on the idea of first team football and he would be guaranteed this with the Emiliani.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/7433211.stm

i pick yes

Gomis for france

AVRAM GRANT has revealed the behind-the-scenes battle plans as Chelsea set out to dominate world football. The sacked boss believed he would be at Stamford Bridge for at least FOUR years after replacing Jose Mourinho. But after being dumped, despite finishing runners-up in the Premier League and beaten Champions League finalists, the Israeli has been opening the lid on Chelsea's strategy secrets. Grant tried to alter the culture of rowing with rival managers like Arsene Wenger and Alex Ferguson that he feels Mourinho used to take the spotlight off his players. And while many feel Grant was weak, he insists he let the squad know who was the boss by giving Didier Drogba the mother of all rollickings in front of his team-mates. He revealed: "When I took over, we set ourselves targets that seemed crazy at the time. "One: Reaching the Champions League final. Clubs with half the budget, such as Liverpool, reached the final a couple of times. "Two: Improving the quality of our game and changing our image. We are living in the era of TV and internet. Chelsea want to be everywhere and therefore must change the quality of play. "Three: Finding a solution to the problems and atmosphere in and surrounding the club. "The club is overshadowed with constant wars as part of its strategy. The coach fights with the owner through the papers, fights with other clubs and other managers. "It is an atmosphere which has not contributed to the club's image. So we had decided on a different path to transform Chelsea to the most attractive and supported club in the world in the next two, three years." Grant, speaking at a Pro licence course in the Israeli capital, also told how he erupted after the on-pitch row between Drogba and Michael Ballack over a free-kick against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge in April. With Roberto Mancini now the bookies' favourite to replace him, Grant said: "In the team meeting after the game, I gave Drogba a b******ing he will never forget. The players all know I am the boss." He retained Steve Clarke as his No 2 as the Blues stalwart was honest with him. Grant admitted: "Steve Clarke, who was a Mourinho appointment, told me 'I don't know whether I can work with you'. As he was straightforward and honest, I decided he should keep his job. "I had come for four years and planned with my staff to change the style as well as the way of thinking. "Over the last three months as manager, this plan began taking effect. If we had played at the start of the season how we finished, we'd have won the Championship. "Our progress was gradual but very clear. We reached our peak right on time."

Here are all the latest odds from bookies SunBET: Roberto Mancini 2/1 Mark Hughes 5/2 Luis Felipe Scolari 4/1 Frank Rijkaard 9/2 Guus Hiddink 9/1 Didier Deschamps 12/1 Sven Goran Eriksson 14/1 Carlo Ancelotti 14/1 Jose Mourinho 25/1 Marcelo Lippi 25/1 Michael Laudrup 25/1 Slaven Bilic 25/1 Dick Advocaat 33/1 Marco van Basten 33/1 Gianfranco Zola 33/1 Harry Redknapp 33/1 Marco van Basten 33/1 Roy Keane 40/1 Arsene Wenger 50/1

MANCHESTER United star Gary Neville saw Red after two Scouse builders created a cheeky Liverpool FC shrine – under his SWIMMING POOL. Brothers Brian and Gary Greer came up with the joke tribute while tiling the pool at arch-rival Neville’s massive mansion. They claim they buried a copy of The Kop fanzine, a match programme and a Liverpool scarf in a plastic tube. Brian said: “We went to Neville-Neville Land to tile his swimming pool. “While we were there we created a Scouse time capsule under the pool and tiled over the top of it. When his house is dug up in the future, archaeologists will see what a passion he had for the Red men.” England defender Gary, 33, is famous for his love of Premier League and European champions United – and revels in their historic rivalry with Liverpool. Two years ago he was fined £5,000 for over-zealous goal celebrations when United beat the Merseysiders. And Liverpool fans once tried to overturn his car. A United source said: “Gary is United through and through. “He might not like the idea of swimming over a Liverpool shrine.” Last night another insider added: “He’s aware of this. To say he is less than pleased is an understatement.” Gary has spent years renovating the 12-bedroom farmhouse near Bolton. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1219623.ece

that would be nice to see that happen :thumbsup:

Khalid Boulahrouz wants to return to Chelsea for preseason training. After being cut loose from the Holland squad this week, the defender said: "The Sevilla chapter is now closed. I am expecting to return to Chelsea." http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=95242

i pick big phil he's got balls of steel and a world cup winner too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Didier Deschamps believes he is on Chelsea's short-list regarding the coaching role at Stamford Bridge, and the charismatic figure is ready for the big move to his old club. Just two days after sacking Avram Grant, The Blues are working hard to name a new manager and France legend Deschamps is part of the short-list. The tactician is a free agent since he parted company with Juventus in the summer of 2007, after having helped The Old Lady to gain promotion to the top flight. Deschamps reckons he is one of the three or four managers that are in the frame to replace Grant, and the tactician dreams of taking over the reins. “It would be hard to refuse Chelsea, unless I stop being a coach,” Deschamps told RMC. “I want to return to coaching. “I needed to rest because I had no break between my playing career and coaching career. I feel capable of doing good things. “The coach’s market is complicated, there are not only the players. “Chelsea is different because the place is vacant. I am flattered to be a possibility. “They are a very big club that I know. We will see in the next few days how it goes. “Three or four managers are on the list, I am part of them. “We speak about [Marcelo] Lippi as well but he does not speak English. All the famous managers who are free can interest them. “We cannot forget that they sacked a manager not because of results but because they want to play a spectacular football, attacking, something different than in the next few years. “[Roman] Abramovich and his directors decide, not the players." Deschamps added: “I have played with John Terry, I know them [the players], you know, you only work with internationals at Chelsea. “I would like to have the chance to choose [between Lyon and Chelsea]. “You have a very competitive team, they fought for the title and played the Champions League final but you have big pressure that forces you to win.” The charismatic captain stopped his playing career to become Monaco’s chief back in 2002 and led the Principality side to the 2004 Champions League final which they lost against Jose Mourinho’s Porto - a time when he was being linked with the Chelsea post along with his Portuguese adversary. As a player, 'La Deche' as he is dubbed in his homeland, won almost everything, from the World Cup to the European Championship, including the 2000 FA Cup with Chelsea. Deschamps played for The Blues during the 1999/2000 season and was approached by Newcastle last January before Kevin Keegan was appointed.

1. Frank Rijkaard Still a young manager at 45, Rijkaard is believed to be ready to embrace a fresh challenge after five successful years at Barcelona, during which he has won the Champions League. 2. Michael Laudrup The Denmark international has achieved startling progress as manager of La Liga side Getafe, who this season have reached the quarter-finals of the Uefa Cup and the Copa del Rey final. 3. Guus Hiddink The Russia manager, whose contract is funded by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, is the bookmakers’ favourite to replace Avram Grant. 4. Roberto Mancini The Inter Milan manager’s future has been threatened by a certain Jose Mourinho. His agent was reportedly in London early this month to sound out interest. 5. Gianfranco Zola The former Chelsea striker is still popular at Stamford Bridge but the Italy Under-21 assistant maintains he does not have enough coaching experience

your a legend JT