Football Update

The Labour Bristol South MP said that she would prefer to see the Championship club's current ground become an affordable housing development, the Bristol Evening Post reports.

Bristol City want to raise money for a new stadium known as Ashton Vale by redeveloping the existing ground, but plans for a large Tesco store on the site have caused controversy among local residents.

In a statement cited by the newspaper, Ms Primarolo said: "I would prefer to see affordable and social housing at Ashton Gate. I do not believe there is a shortage of supermarkets in the area."

However, she also claimed that the Robins' new 40,000-seater arena would be "fantastic for the future of our city".

Bristol City chairman Steve Lansdown recently urged fans to show their support for the new stadium proposals before councillors announce their planning decision on November 4th.

Writing in the League One club's match-day programme The Glovers, Mr Starnes said that concerns over football finance issues were raised at the Leaders in Football conference in London earlier this month, This is the West Country reports.

He admitted that the prospect of sharing wealth between clubs is a "complex issue", but claimed that the sport will suffer if promoted clubs are unable to compete with their rivals in terms of finance.

"There was widespread acknowledgement of the financial problems in football and of the expanding gaps appearing in the Premier and Football League," Mr Starnes wrote.

"The game needs to find a way of closing the funding gap."

After three successive draws in League One, Yeovil Town got back to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over Carlisle United at Huish Park on Saturday (October 17th).

The former Magpies manager successfully claimed £2 million for constructive dismissal earlier this month, when an arbitration panel ruled that the club had been in breach of contract prior to Keegan's departure in September 2008.

Owner Mike Ashley launched a counter-claim against the 58-year-old, but the Premier League tribunal has now ruled that the club must pay Keegan's costs after making "entirely unfounded allegations" against him.

"We direct that the club should pay Mr Keegan's costs on an indemnity basis given the manner in which it conducted this litigation," read a statement from the tribunal.

The overall football finance situation remains uncertain at St James' Park, with Ashley recently challenging local businessman Barry Moat to make an £80 million offer for Newcastle United or drop his interest in the club.

Ashley claimed that Moat has been "driving me mad for two years" and said that he would be given a "one-off opportunity" to find the necessary funds for a buyout.

Written by Terry Mitchell

The Reds have been tipped to mount another strong challenge after finishing just four points behind champions Manchester United last season.

Rafa Benitez's men had a good record against the other top teams in 2008/9 and Torres insists he is not worried about the clashes with United and Chelsea.

He feels Liverpool can make up the difference by claiming wins rather than draws in some of the other tricky fixtures, and he is targeting a fast start at Tottenham on Sunday.

"We have no problem beating Manchester United or Chelsea but it is games like Sunday's at Tottenham where we need to show our real title intentions," the Spaniard told The Sun.

"Tottenham is not an easy place to go but these are games we must be winning if this is to finally be our year."

Torres is convinced that Liverpool can win the title and admits it would be devastating for both the players and supporters to miss out again.

He said: "I am not thinking can we win the title, I am thinking we have to win the title.

"We came so close last season but for many of the players it was their first time experiencing the pressure of a Premier League title race.

"We have experience and if we don't bring the title back to Anfield I won't be offering up any excuses at the end of the season.

"We don't need to improve a lot on last season to win the title. There is only a slight improvement needed to give the fans and players the title they have wanted for so many years now.

"This is the best Liverpool team there has been in years, that is what many of the experienced players are saying.

"Now is our time. Second best is just not going to cut it with me any more."

"We can always talk about the top four.but Manchester City are doing a very good job and have bought some excellent players.

"I can understand why Mr Ferguson at Manchester United is a little bit worried.

"Aston Villa and Tottenham have also spent some money, so there will five, six or more fighting now."

Benitez went on to outline the importance of tying his most important performers to Anfield, something he started on Friday after Fernando Torres signed a new deal.

"The important thing was to try and extend the contracts of key players" he said.

"And that is what we did. We had 86 points last season to finish second, and we have more or less the same squad, so maybe we can do the same again or better.

"But we will need to improve at home, and [Glen] Johnson as an attacking full-back is the sort of player who can make the difference in difficult home matches when opponents are defending. We have lost Sami Hyypia, he will be a big loss because he was a good player, but if Skrtel and Carragher are fit I thought we could manage.

"As for our title chances, the players know we were very close last season and they want to improve. We know what this team can achieve and they will be ready."

He also suggested that Javier Mascherano's Argentinian teammate Leo Messi had been trying to persuade the midfielder to move to Barcelona.

"Javier has a very good friend in the national team and that is Messi. Messi was on to him every day and that is not easy, but Javier knows what we think of him and he will be .

"I talked with Javier, his agent and Barça. It is normal they see him as such a good player, and an option for them.

"We told Javier he was so important for us and we wanted to keep him. We were not talking about any price. He was a bit disappointed as it was a fantastic opportunity with a big club. But he is happy here, and as a player and a person you can trust him 100%."

Alonso has been a long-term target of the La Liga giants, who have been restructuring their squad with a number of high-profile big-money signings throughout the summer.

Rafa Benitez was initially unwilling to part company with the talented midfielder, but his stance softened when the former Real Sociedad man handed in a written transfer request.

The Spanish giants have so far been unwilling to meet Liverpool's asking price for the Euro 2008 winner, which is believed to be in the region of £30million.

Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow met with Madrid executive director Jose Angel Sanchez in Barcelona on Sunday to discuss Alonso, with the Reds in the city for a friendly against Espanyol.

Purslow confirmed to Spanish newspaper AS that he had spoken with Sanchez but that no agreement had been reached.

The Reds supremo admitted the meeting had been arranged by Benitez, with everyone at Anfield becoming frustrated with the ongoing press speculation over the possible switch.

He said: "This (meeting) has only served to put our positions on the table. We need to continue talking.

"Rafa arranged this knowing what was coming. It was important that we know. So far, most of what is being said is a lie. We were negotiating through the press. It makes no sense.

"Now, I have been impressed by Madrid and Jose Angel. They are friends and will remain so."

Alonso claimed he was unaware of the meeting but added: "It's reassuring to know that Madrid and Liverpool are talking seriously now.

"I decided a long time ago to stay on the margin of everything that was happening.

"My stance has been clear, as you all know. I'm a professional and I must wait for an agreement to be reached, but I hope it is resolved soon, for better or for worse."

The 44-year-old was fired by Inter last summer despite winning three League titles in a row..

He has been repeatedly linked with some of the biggest jobs in Europe, but a year later Mancini is still out in the cold..

Asked if he thought it would be this way, Mancini replied: “No, I did not expect it, but on the whole it's only a year since I stopped, a year in which I took a break and waited for a great opportunity from abroad..

“Every now and again I think about it and I don't have a clear response. There is no logic. Anyway, it can happen..

“But if an interesting proposal were to arrive from a club with an important project - not necessarily a title-winning one - I would have no problems signing a part from the contract..

“Every now and again I think that certain attitudes are penalising me. Someone, hopefully, has thought about me and then remembered something that I said or did and decided against calling me..

“Anyway, I don't believe I ever broke the rules. I have always said what I thought without being offensive. Sure I exposed myself, but I believe I showed that I know how to train and do my job well..

“Whoever wants me has to take me analysing the values I express on the bench. I have won with Fiorentina, with Lazio and with Inter. If arguments count instead, then amen. I don't know what to do about it. I can only say it wouldn't be right,” Mancini told Il Corriere dello Sport..

The former Sampdoria striker also said he didn't regret resigning and then not after Inter's defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League in March 2008..

“Are there still people who believe that I distanced myself from Inter because I said - in a great moment of tension - that I would no longer be Inter's trainer?.

“I already knew Moratti and Mourinho had seen each other. It was the right of the President to change Coach. It's Inter who have made people believe that they got rid of me because of that outburst, but that's not the reality,” Mancini concluded.

Milan have seen every one of their attempts to sign a goal-getter thwarted this summer much to the frustration of their fans.

Baptista is the latest name to be linked with the Rossoneri after Edin Dzeko, Luis Fabiano, David Trezeguet and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.

The 27-year-old only signed for Roma last summer, but the Giallorossi have made it clear they are open to selling him.

According to Il Corriere dello Sport, there has been contact between the two parties, though talks are at a primitive stage.

Milan are said to be preparing an £8m offer for Baptista in a transfer that will also include the exchange of Ignazio Abate.

The Ivorian, the last remaining member of their 2003/04 'invincibles' squad, believes the failure to replace a host of star players has made the club a less attractive proposition than Mark Hughes' City.

The 28-year-old said: "I came to Man City because when you look at Arsenal you see all the great players have left the club and are now in the past.

"Look at what has happened there. Thierry Henry has gone, Patrick Vieira has gone, Ray Parlour has gone.

"These were the players that brought success to Arsenal and I believed it was right at this stage of my career to also move on.

"We lost too many leaders at Arsenal. When we were winning the league title the spirit was fantastic, we were like a band of brothers."

Toure also defended City's spending policy, which has seen them criticised in some quarters for distorting the market.

"The best teams are at the top only because they have the best players and to get those players you have to spend a lot of money," he said.

"You can't be successful in football without money. This is the football business. City have a project to build a big team and so it is natural it is going to cost money."

“The offer of £7m plus Pizarro is not satisfactory and with these conditions Pirlo is not for sale,” Vice-President Adriano Galliani told Sky Italia television on Saturday.

With that very public warning, Carlo Ancelotti has asked his club to increase the price and bring in the 30-year-old midfielder.

The wording of the Rossoneri’s statement suggests they are more than willing to sell if the right figure is met.

According to newspapers in both Italy and England this morning, Chelsea are raising the stakes to £16m cash or £10m plus Pizarro.

Galliani does not want to be accused of selling another star for a cut-price fee after losing Kaka to Real Madrid for ‘only’ £56m compared to Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

It is also reported that Pirlo’s agent Tullio Tinti has already agreed personal terms with the Stamford Bridge side over a four-year contract worth £4.5m per season.

In turn, the cash injection would allow Milan to finally raise their bid for Sevilla’s Luis Fabiano or Klaas Jan Huntelaar of Real Madrid.