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Stylish City down Sunderland

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Manchester City produced a blistering performance to defeat Sunderland in the third round of the League Cup.

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London - Manchester City produced a blistering first-half performance to win 4-1 at Sunderland in the League Cup third round on Tuesday, inflicting more misery on Dick Advocaat's struggling side.

There were also victories for Leicester City, who needed extra time to beat West Ham United 2-1, Aston Villa, who won 1-0 at home to local rivals Birmingham City, and Everton who came from behind to beat Reading 2-1.

Swansea City suffered a surprise 1-0 defeat at Hull City, Stoke City booked a spot in the next round by winning 1-0 at second-tier Fulham and top flight Bournemouth came through a penalty shootout with Preston North End.

There was never even a hint of an upset in the offing at Sunderland, whose lack of confidence after a poor start to the season was ruthlessly exposed by a rampant City.

Black Cats coach Advocaat was feted as a hero after steering the north-east club to safety last season, but his star has waned at the start of the current campaign as his side are without a win in six Premier League games.

They fell behind after nine minutes to a Sergio Aguero penalty after Patrick van Aanholt clattered into Jesus Navas and the Argentine forward dispatched the spot kick with a deft chip.

The floodgates then opened as three goals in 11 minutes from Kevin De Bruyne, an own goal by Sunderland keeper Vito Mannone and a Raheem Sterling strike put City 4-0 ahead at halftime, before Ola Toivonen headed a consolation in the second half.

Swansea were the only Premier League team to exit at the hands of lower league opposition on Tuesday as Hull's David Meyler struck four minutes before halftime for the side relegated from the top flight last season.

The midfielder stretched for a rebound and swept the ball into the corner four minutes before halftime to seal the tie.

Everton survive

Everton avoided a similarly embarrassing fate as second-half goals from Ross Barkley and Gerard Deulofeu helped them come back to beat Championship side Reading.

Roberto Martinez's Everton were trailing at halftime, but Barkley netted with a low volley and Deulofeu curled home a free kick to settle the encounter.

Leicester's unbeaten start to the season continued as they knocked out West Ham with Wales international Andy King scoring deep into extra time to secure a 2-1 win after the match had finished 1-1 after 90 minutes.

Twenty-year-old Joe Dodoo sidefooted Leicester ahead after six minutes before Mauro Zarate levelled for the visitors with a deflected left-foot effort.

Villa's Midlands clash at home to Birmingham proved to be a predictably scrappy dogfight with the Premier League side having played poorly before Rudy Gestede powerfully headed Jordan Amavi's cross into the net after 62 minutes.

Bournemouth went through on penalties after their match with second-tier Preston ended 1-1 after 90 minutes and 2-2 following extra time but Daniel Johnson failed to convert Preston's fifth spot kick, handing victory to the visitors.

Peter Crouch scored Stoke's winner against Fulham in the first half, steering his finish home from 10 metres after a neat one-two in midfield.

Middlesbrough beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-0 in an all-Championship clash.

The third round action continues on Wednesday when Tottenham Hotspur host London rivals Arsenal, Manchester United welcome second-tier Ipswich Town, holders Chelsea visit Walsall and Liverpool entertain fourth-tier Carlisle United.

REUTERS

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Fergie’s book raises many questions

There is a story in Sir Alex Ferguson's new book which is a tantalising hint at what went on at Manchester United.

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London - There is a story in Sir Alex Ferguson's new book Leading which, even now, more than two years on from his retirement, is a tantalising hint at what went on at Manchester United in those days when their Scottish manager's contentment with life at Old Trafford was perhaps not all it was supposed to be.

In a chapter that deals with Ferguson's career history he reflects on the fact that he has rarely had a job interview, listing only those at Queen's Park in Scotland in 1974, Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1982 and Barcelona in 1983. There is a nod to his well-documented rejection of Tottenham in the early 1980s while the United job in 1986, he points out, was offered to him without the convention of a formal interview. Then, finally, Ferguson throws in a detail that has you double-taking.

At an unspecified time, “later in my career” he says that he met with a representative of Massimo Moratti, the Internazionale owner. Discussions went as far as Ferguson being given a list of players leaving the club, and those whom they planned to sell and then all mention of this episode ends with a joke that his wife, Cathy, would never have been persuaded of a move to Italy.

Rather more pertinent was why her husband might have been, or even why he felt compelled to meet with an associate of Moratti. Perhaps it was after the treble of 1999, the year in which Ferguson's United beat Inter on the way to the first of his two Champions League triumphs when his stock in Europe was high. Or it could have been around the midpoint of the last decade, when Inter embarked on a period of domination in Italy at the same time Arsenal and then Chelsea were eating away at Ferguson's control of English football.

Either way, he lavishes just a paragraph on a meeting recalled as sufficiently serious to constitute a job interview of sorts - and one that could have changed the history of United. The Inter interview went unmentioned in both his 1999 and 2013 autobiographies and, frustratingly, in Leading, which is published today, it is dealt with in the space of 56 words.

The book itself is, as with everything that Ferguson has committed to paper over his career, a compulsory read for those who take the modern history of English football seriously. It is not supposed to be the orthodox football book, instead billing itself variously as “an inspirational guide to great leadership” and, perhaps most surprising, for those of us who saw Ferguson at his least magnanimous, promises methods for “dealing with failure”.

It is natural that successful people, given the time to look back on their lives, try to make sense of what came instinctively to them and understand how and why they came to accomplish so much. The book is co-written with the chairman of a private investment firm specialising in Silicon Valley start-ups and you are left wondering whether it might just be a step too far to try to force Ferguson's blend of ruthlessness and paternalism into the oft-bloodless theories on modern corporate success.

In Leading, he confidently drops in mentions of Snapchat and Instagram when talking about his grandchildren and it would be fair to say he has changed his position on Twitter. When Ferguson suggests that young managers could bypass newspapers and communicate with supporters directly through Twitter it is worth pointing out that Manchester United only launched their own club account seriously on the day he retired, so vehemently was he once opposed to it.

With Ferguson it is not the theorising about success but the details and observations of his life that are most arresting. The recollection of the tension in David Moyes when he came for an interview to be Ferguson's assistant in 2001; the day Ferguson told the Glazers it was unfair that Wayne Rooney was earning double his own salary; Gary Neville's “Arthur Scargill” nickname.

Yet, there is no meaningful discussion of the effect of the Glazers' ownership on a significant number of the club's supporters. Ferguson rehearses some of the core arguments against the American owners, that they have paid out vast sums in interest, that they will eventually cash in, but then the issue is dismissed in little more than three paragraphs, less of an examination than it merited in his 2013 autobiography.

The Glazer ownership may feel to Ferguson like a tiresome issue that pales in comparison with the scope and breadth of his remarkable career, yet it remains central to the life of United today. In a book aimed at the crowded market of management it seems more than a little strange that this particular challenge, among the greatest he faced, with complex factors on both sides, is not afforded more attention.

The intractable issue at the heart of the Glazer takeover was that Ferguson was not responsible for it, and nor could he change it. He was placed in an impossible position and an examination of those factors - with supporters' groups on one side and his loyalty to the continued success of United on the other - would be worthy of a book on its own. His tendency is always towards a robust defence of the Glazers, with no real examination of their opposition among United's support.

That said, if history is to be written by the victors, then this a man who has chalked up more victories than anyone else in his field and is telling the story his way, and his way only. He jokes at one point that in North Korea or Cuba it might be possible to control the press but “it is sheer fantasy to think that anyone in England is going to be able to do the same”. At least, I think he is joking.

Costa entitled to ask if the same rules apply to all

Diego Costa overstepped the mark with that slap/gouge on Laurent Koscielny, and the subsequent appealing and card-waving to get Gabriel and later Francis Coquelin in trouble do him no favours either. Goodness knows, he will pay a high price when the Football Association rules on that violent conduct charge.

Costa would be entitled to ask, however, if his transgressions were worthy of a charge, then why not Fernandinho's elbow on him in August in Chelsea's defeat to Manchester City? Just as last season Costa took an elbow from Martin Skrtel in the league game against Liverpool at Anfield in November that went unpunished. It does not excuse his behaviour on Saturday, but it might go some way to explaining the burning sense of injustice he nurtures.

Why would anyone want to walk in Advocaat's shoes?

There will always be someone prepared to step into the place of a departing Premier League manager, even if that place happens to be as manager of Sunderland. But you do wonder, when the time comes for Dick Advocaat to decide he has had enough of the club, just how the next incumbent will go about convincing himself it's a good idea to step in.

The Independent

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Mashaba confident ahead of friendlies

Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba announced the squad to travel to Central America for two matches next month against Costa Rica and Honduras.

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Johannesburg - Bafana Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba has announced the squad to travel to Central America for two friendly international matches next month against Costa Rica onOctober 8 at Boltodano Bricenio Stadium in Liberia and Honduras at Metropolitano Stadium on October 13.

The Costa Rica match will kick off at 4am SA time on October 9 while the one in Honduras will kick off at midnight in South Africa. “This is the first time I will be leading this squad out of Africa and it is an exciting prospect. The main idea is to try and gauge our level of performance. Also I think it's a good experience for us to play teams ranked above us like Costa Rica because to continue improving our rankings, we must play and beat the best,” said Mashaba.

This will be Bafana's first ever meeting with Honduras while they have played Costa Rica once - in the Nelson Mandela Challenge clash in 2003 at Olen Park Stadium in Potchefstroom. South Africa won 2-1, courtesy of second half goals from Siyabonga Nomvete and Patrick Mayo.

That was also the last game Mashaba was in charge of the national team in his earlier stint.

“If you look back then at the Costa Rica team, you will see they had a very strong team and it was not a fluke that we beat them. It is good that we are playing them again and see how both teams have progressed so far. I know for a fact they are much better and stronger; they are no longer the same team that we beat then; so it will be tough. But I have confidence we will do well because our boys can also put up a very good fight,” said Mashaba.

“We will do our best to go there and get victories. We want to take the Senegal outcome forward and try to win all the games going forward. But we have to be realistic and acknowledge that along the line we will encounter turbulence - win some and lose some, but our intention is to win all our games.”

Bafana assemble for camp on October 4 in Johannesburg and depart for Central America the next day.

They return to South Africa on October 15 - two days later they face Angola in the first of four matches of the 2016 Chan as well as 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

The squad to play the Chan qualifiers will be announced in the next few days.

“I would like to appeal to the nation to rally behind the team. We know that sometimes it hurts to lose but we are rectifying that and bring positive results,” concluded the Bafana Bafana mentor.

Bafana squad: Goalkeepers: Jackson Mabokgwane (Mpumalanga Aces FC), Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs), Ronwen Williams (SuperSport United). Defenders: Eric Mathoho (Kaizer Chiefs), Rivaldo Coetzee (Ajax Cape Town), Thulani Hlatshwayo (Bidvest Wits), Siyabonga Nhlapo (Bidvest Wits), Anele Ngcongca (Racing Genk), Mzikayise Mashaba (Mamelodi Sundowns), Clayton Daniels (SuperSport United), Thabo Matlaba (Orlando Pirates). Midfielders: Dean Furman (SuperSport United), Andile Jali (KV Oostende), Bongani Zungu (Sundowns), Mandla Masango (Randers FC), Jabulani Shongwe (Bidvest Wits), Mpho Makola (Orlando Pirates), Ayanda Patosi (Lokeren), George Lebese (Kaizer Chiefs), Oupa Manyisa (Orlando Pirates). Strikers: Thulani Serero (Ajax Amsterdam), Thamsanqa Gabuza (Orlando Pirates), Sibusiso Vilakazi (Bidvest Wits), Tokelo Rantie (Bournemouth), Prince Nxumalo (Ajax Cape Town) - ANA

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Benteke adds to Liverpool’s woes

Liverpool striker Christian Benteke is set to undergo scan after sustaining a hamstring injury during their 1-1 draw to Norwich.

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Liverpool striker Christian Benteke is set to undergo scan after sustaining a hamstring injury during their 1-1 draw to Norwich City on Sunday, first team coach Gary McAllister has said.

The Belgium international, who was withdrawn at half-time against the Canaries due to tightness in his hamstring, has scored two goals for the club.

McAllister also confirmed captain Jordan Henderson had a successful operation on his broken metatarsal.

“Christian will have an MRI scan today and hopefully they'll find the problem - he's got a little problem with his hamstring,” McAllister told reporters ahead of their third round League Cup tie with Carlisle United.

“Everybody (else) is good. Jordan's come through fine. There's not really a timescale on that, but everything went well there,” he added. – Reuters

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Rooney changed United’s salary policy

Sir Alex Ferguson reveals in his latest book that Wayne Rooney's salary was raised to twice that of his manager's in 2010.

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Sir Alex Ferguson reveals in his latest book, published today, that Wayne Rooney's salary was raised to twice that of his manager's in 2010, prompting Manchester United's owners the Glazer family to introduce a rule that no player at Old Trafford could earn more than the Scot.

In Leading, the second book Ferguson has published since his retirement in 2013, the United manager makes a number of revelations about his 27 years in charge of the club, including a conversation with director Joel Glazer over the new contract for Rooney. The deal was agreed after a stand-off between club and player precipitated by a statement from Rooney publicly questioning United's ambition.

Ferguson writes: “When the Glazers and David Gill agreed to a big increase in Wayne Rooney's salary in 2010, they wanted to know how I felt. I told them I did not think it fair that Rooney should earn twice what I made and Joel Glazer immediately said: 'I totally agree with you but what should we do?' It was simple. We just agreed that no player should be paid more than me. We agreed in less time than it takes to read this sentence.”

Ferguson states that in his last 15 years at the club he was on a one-year rolling contract which entitled him to two years' salary if he was sacked. He writes: “In the Premier League I imagine that only Arsène Wenger and Jose Mourinho pull down the amount of money earned by their best players. That probably explains why nothing much is written about a manager's compensation. What message does it send to a team, if most of them are being paid more than their boss?”

The book, co-authored by Sir Michael Moritz, an investor in Silicon Valley technology firms, is presented as a guide to business leadership.

He reveals that the key to Paul Pogba leaving United in 2012 was the young Frenchman engaging the services of Mino Raiola, who also represents Mario Balotelli. Ferguson calls the first meeting with Raiola a “fiasco”, writing: “He [Raiola] and I were like oil and water. From then on our goose was cooked because Raiola had been able to ingratiate himself with Paul and his family and the player signed with Juventus.” – The Independent

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Struggles of Premier League A-Listers

Six players who shared 109 goals in the Barclays Premier League last season are all misfiring this season.

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Six players who shared 109 goals in the Barclays Premier League last season — Sergio Aguero, Harry Kane, Diego Costa, Alexis Sanchez, Eden Hazard and Wayne Rooney — are all misfiring.

Six games into the new season and the attackers have just three goals between them from a combined total of 35 games — and one of those was attributed to Hazard when it could easily have gone down as a Calum Chambers own goal.

The prolific marksmen have lost their accuracy. Centre forwards Kane (Tottenham), Aguero (Man City) and Costa (Chelsea) were the top three in the Premier League last season.

Sanchez (Arsenal), Hazard (Chelsea) and Rooney (Man United) play wide or in a deeper attacking role but all contribute vital goals when confident. Rooney became England’s greatest international goalscorer this month but has scored only four league goals in 2015.

Tired old excuses...

All strikers need confidence. It can disappear without good reason and take time to return. Or it can be damaged by a permanent change in circumstances, which might be physical (age) or mental (ambition) or a bit of both.

Managers, it seems, like to condition everyone to consider fatigue, even at the start of the season. Players who don’t feel tired are being told they are tired. Kane, Aguero and Sanchez were at summer tournaments. Kane came home from the European Under 21 Championship after England’s last game on June 24. Aguero (Argentina) and Sanchez (Chile) went on to the final of Copa America on July 4. They were excused summer club tours and started the first game of the season on the bench.

Aguero has spent less time on the pitch than the other six but played two international friendlies in the USA earlier this month, while Sanchez was in Chile for a match against Paraguay.

Players were supposed to be weary last year after the World Cup but it did not stop Costa scoring eight in his first six or Aguero four in six.

Commercially driven club tours mean it is hard to summon much sympathy. Modern footballers compete around the year and travel in luxury.

Their clubs boast hi-tech equipment and armies of medical experts to lavish care and attention on bespoke recovery programmes.

If players are not in top condition, their clubs have a squad big enough to supply an alternative.

We know your tricks...

The strikers who have what is needed to succeed in English football usually do so with a bang. Costa, Sanchez and Kane were new to the Premier League last season and ensured the novelty worked in their favour.

Many hours spent analysing opponents are, however, devoted to finding ways to nullify the goal threats.

Of last season’s top five scorers, four were new to the league: Kane, Costa, Sanchez and Charlie Austin of QPR. Only Aguero was not.

The ability to perform consistently under pressure and scrutiny marks out the best and nobody doubts the six in question will find their groove again soon. Something will click.

For Kane, expectation is a fresh burden, increased by the fact Tottenham disposed of their other recognised centre forwards. Goals from Son Heung-min suggest he will share the load but Kane does not shirk responsibility. Two goals for England prove the knack has not deserted him but they came in a gentle qualification campaign, against inferior opposition. The same might be said for Rooney’s Champions League hat-trick in Bruges, his one recent flourish in United colours.

Support acts struggle

This is most obviously a factor for Kane and Chelsea’s Costa and Hazard. Costa’s form cooled at the end of the last campaign — during which he struggled with hamstring problems — in correlation with his creator-in-chief Cesc Fabregas.

Costa has eight league goals in 2015. Kane has 16, Aguero 13, Hazard eight, Sanchez six and Rooney four.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho drove the core of his squad hard last season. They went on a post-season tour to Thailand and Australia, returned later than usual and went on a pre-season tour to North America.

With hindsight, Mourinho accepts this was a mistake, although Hazard bucks the trend. He has created more chances in the first six league games of this season than last, according to Opta.

Chemistry is important. Kane has missed the creativity of Christian Eriksen for a month. Aguero must learn to understand new players in the City side and Rooney has appeared more isolated over time as United have shelved their cavalier traditions and become a more functional unit.

Move to Leicester!

Opponents always strive to improve and are setting up, probably more than ever, to sit deep, smother space around the penalty box and spring quickly on the counter-attack.

In tight areas, passes must be more accurate and shots taken cleanly. ‘Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything,’ as Wyatt Earp said.

Like Earp, Sanchez loves to shoot. His 31 shots in 437 league minutes this season comes in at an average of one effort every 14 minutes. Nearly half were blocked before they reached goal. Eight forced a save, and two hit the woodwork against Stoke, on a day when goalkeeper Jack Butland was inspired.

Sanchez is a natural risk-taker but does not always show against the best teams. Perhaps the better defensive units force him into areas where his shooting is less potent. Perhaps when he is slightly below his peak, or when opponents are especially well drilled, he cannot perform the usual heroics.

City have played already against some of the most effective counter-attackers: Crystal Palace, Watford, Leicester, West Ham and West Bromwich. Aguero’s only goal came against Chelsea.

After six games, the Premier League’s top scorers are: 5 — Riyad Mahrez (Leicester), Callum Wilson (Bournemouth). 4 — Bafetimbi Gomis (Swansea), Odion Ighalo (Watford), Graziano Pelle (Southampton) and Jamie Vardy (Leicester). Leicester, Bournemouth and Watford rely heavily on the counter- attack. Gomis and Pelle are strong in the air and capable of punishing the fashion among the bigger clubs for more mobile and less physical centre halves.

Arsenal, perhaps the most extreme example, lack height and three of the seven goals they have conceded in all competitions have been from set-pieces, while four of the eight goals conceded by Manchester United have been headers.

P.S. Top of the charts in Spain is Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, who had gone 500 minutes without a goal in La Liga before scoring five against Espanyol. Barcelona’s Lionel Messi has three in four while, in Germany’s Bundesliga, Thomas Muller of Bayern Munich has six in five. – Daily Mail

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Arsenal must keep their cool

Arsene Wenger has warned his players not to lose their composure again when they face Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup.

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Arsene Wenger has warned his hot-headed Arsenal players not to lose their composure again when they face bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup third round on Wednesday.

Wenger's side head to White Hart Lane for the first north London derby of the season after two successive defeats featuring three red cards for the Gunners.

France striker Olivier Giroud was dismissed in last week's Champions League loss against Dinamo Zagreb, while Brazilian defender Gabriel and Spanish midfielder Santi Cazorla were sent off in Saturday's painful 2-0 defeat at Chelsea.

Wenger largely blamed Chelsea's Diego Costa for provoking Gabriel into the kick that led to his dismissal.

But the centre-back has since been charged with improper conduct for his protests after being sent off and the Arsenal manager acknowledges his team need to do a better job of keeping their emotions under control even in the face of extreme provocation.

“It's true that we played the last two games with 10 men in the second half and I hope we play the next one with 11 v 11,” Wenger said.

“But it's another derby and that's not guaranteed as well.”

Yet there are few more testing environments in which to do that than White Hart Lane on derby day, when the hatred and bile will pour down from the stands towards Wenger's players.

Another factor that could negate Wenger's attempts to clamp down on the rash of red cards is Arsenal's desperation to get back on track after a pair of defeats that raised renewed questions about their ability to win the Premier League and Champions League.

Although the League Cup is traditionally well down Wenger's list of priorities and he often fields inexperienced starting line-ups in the competition, Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey suggested he wouldn't mind skipping an evening's rest to help his club to a morale-boosting win.

“It's not good enough for a club like Arsenal to lose two games in a row,” Ramsey said.

“Hopefully now we can put things right on Wednesday. It will be a feisty game with hopefully some goals in our favour.”

While Arsenal's spluttering start to the season has taken a turn for the worse over the last week, Tottenham have recorded three consecutive victories to revive hopes of a successful season after a sluggish opening.

And Tottenham's Belgian defender Jan Vertonghen believes boss Mauricio Pochettino is building a young team capable of great things.

South Korea forward Son Heung-Min, 23, is the new idol of the Lane after his first Premier League goal -- and third in just three appearances in all competitions -- clinched a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Son's fine start following his transfer from Bayer Leverkusen is part of a youth movement also including 19-year-old Dele Alli, 21-year-old Eric Dier, 22-year-olds Ben Davies and Harry Kane and 23-year-olds Erik Lamela and Christian Eriksen.

“Things are looking very good. We have great young players and a good mix, so there are great things for the team if we can keep working like this. It looks very good for the future,” Vertonghen said.

One concern, however, remains the usually-prolific Kane's disappointing form.

The England striker is without a club goal this season but Vertonghen is confident he will rediscover his touch soon.

“He has just been a bit unlucky,” Vertonghen said. “He scored for England and in the training sessions he has been doing very well, so the goals will come.

“He's not a guy who will just have one good season and then you never see him again. He has the qualities to perform and the goals will come eventually.” – AFP

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Fergie wanted Pep, not Moyes

Alex Ferguson has revealed that David Moyes, his successor at Manchester United, was sixth on a list of ideal replacements.

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Alex Ferguson has revealed that David Moyes, the man chosen as his managerial successor at Manchester United, was sixth on a list of ideal replacements headed by Pep Guardiola and four others, who were all “unavailable” at the time.

In his new book “Leading”, United's longest-serving manager outlines the selection process behind Moyes' ill-fated appointment at Old Trafford, which lasted less than a year after he replaced the retired Ferguson in 2013.

“I asked Pep to phone me before he accepted an offer from another club but he didn't and wound up joining Bayern Munich in July 2013,” Ferguson wrote.

“When we started the process of looking for my replacement, we established that several very desirable candidates were unavailable.

“It became apparent that Jose Mourinho had given his word to Roman Abramovich that he would return to Chelsea, and that Carlo Ancelotti would succeed him at Real Madrid.

“We also knew that Jurgen Klopp was happy at Borussia Dortmund and would be signing a new contract. Meantime, Louis van Gaal had undertaken to lead the Dutch attempt to win the 2014 World Cup,” he added.

Moyes was sacked after 10 months at United but Ferguson defended his fellow Scot's record prior to joining the club.

“We chose David Moyes. He had been consistent in his job at Everton, had a good spell there - 11 years and showed appetite.

“Unfortunately, somehow it didn't work out for David. The process was perfect. It was a good process,” Ferguson said.

Instead, the former United manager reserved his criticism for Moyes' decision to overhaul his backroom staff after taking charge.

“I'm sure there are things that David would do differently if he had the opportunity to relive his time at Old Trafford,” Ferguson said.

“Such as keeping Mick Phelan (Ferguson's assistant), who would have been the invaluable guide to the many layers of the club that Ryan Giggs is to Louis van Gaal today.

“There is no point suddenly changing routines that players are comfortable with. It is counterproductive, saps morale and immediately provokes players to question the new man's motives,” he added. – Reuters

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Chiefs must forget MTN8 final - Gaxa

Kaizer Chiefs defender Siboniso Gaxa wants his teammates to forget the past and look forward following the 2015 Telkom Knockout draw.

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Johannesburg - Kaizer Chiefs defender Siboniso Gaxa wants his teammates to forget the past and look forward following the 2015 Telkom Knockout draw on Monday.

Amakhosi were drawn to play Platinum Stars away from home in the opening round of the competition, the pick of the last 16 ties. The competition is scheduled to kick-off on September 30, with the opening round of matches also set for the weekend of October 3 and 4.

“We want to do well this season,” Gaxa said. “We want to be remembered as one of the great Kaizer Chiefs teams.”

The Soweto giants are still reeling from Saturday's 1-0 MTN8 final defeat to Ajax Cape Town in Port Elizabeth, a result that saw them surrender the title they won 12 months ago.

“We played against a side that wanted it more than us on Saturday,” Gaxa added.

“We need to forget about Saturday and move on. Obviously the loss is still on our minds.”

Meanwhile, defending champions SuperSport United will launch their campaign with a short trip to Polokwane City. Bafana Bafana midfielder Dean Furman is expecting a tough battle in the Limpopo.

“There are no easy games in the PSL and Polokwane City will be tough,” he said. “We have a good squad. We will have a good season if we apply ourselves accordingly.”

Matsatsantsa recently lost 4-1 to Chiefs in the Absa Premiership having a lead 1-0 at the break and Furman added: “We had a fantastic 1st half against Chiefs. We need to take the positives from that match. We have been working hard. We need to bounce back.” Chiefs' Soweto rivals Orlando Pirates will begin their Telkom Knockout assault with a home tie against University of Pretoria. The Buccaneers have been in poor form recently, losing two out of their last three games and failing to win a single game in that time. Defender Patrick Phungwayo believes it is time they improve on their domestic performances after doing well in Africa this year.

They are scheduled to play in the CAF Confederation Cup semi-finals this weekend.

“I don't think as a team we are playing badly,” he said. “The media say we only focus on CAF matches, it's time we redeem ourselves in SA.”

“The Tuks game will be interesting.”

In other opening round fixtures, Mamelodi Sundowns host Chippa United, Maritzburg United play Jomo Cosmos, Bloemfontein Celtic lock horns with Mpumalanga Black Aces, Free State Stars have home advantage against Bidvest Wits and Lamontville Golden Arrows face Ajax. - ANA

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Spurs relishing Arsenal Cup clash

Tottenham will host Arsenal in the League Cup on the back of two consecutive wins, while Arsenal have slumped to two defeats in their last two outings.

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London - Just over a week ago Arsenal's season was gaining momentum while their arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur were still looking for their first win but they meet in the League Cup on Wednesday with that scenario completely turned on its head.

Tottenham will host the first north London derby of the campaign in high spirits after three wins in eight days while Arsenal make the short trip to White Hart Lane beaten in their last two games while having three players sent off.

Spurs, beaten by Chelsea in last season's final, have beaten Sunderland and Crystal Palace in the Premier League and FK Qarabag of Azerbaijan in the Europa League and discovered a new scoring hero in Son Heung-min of South Korea who has scored three times in those games.

Arsenal, who made a bright start to their campaign, lost at Dinamo Zagreb last week in the Champions League and were then beaten at Chelsea where they had two players sent off.

While the League Cup, now called the Capital One Cup, is regarded as the season's lesser prize, both Tottenham and Arsenal would find defeat an unpalatable prospect.

As would Aston Villa and Birmingham City who meet in another derby - their first for five years - on Tuesday.

Villa were booed off when they lost 1-0 to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday are 17th in the Premier League.

Birmingham, in contrast, have made a solid start in the Championship with just one defeat in seven and are just outside the playoff positions.

Villa manager Tim Sherwood told reporters at his pre-match briefing on Monday the game gives Villa the chance to kickstart their season.

“It's a great occasion and we're looking forward to it.

“It's been a difficult start points-wise and it's a good way to send our fans home happy because they've not had many of those this season.”

Villa have won this competition five times but lost to Birmingham in the 1963 final, Birmingham's last major honour until they beat Arsenal in the 2011 final.

Blues manager Gary Rowett said on Monday he would be putting out his strongest possible team for the trip to Villa Park even though promotion is a priority.

The third derby of the round will be at Selhurst Park where Crystal Palace play Charlton Athletic, who ground-shared with Palace for six years in the 1980s and early nineties while their own ground, The Valley, was out of commission.

Palace, despite losing their last two Premier League games to Manchester City and Tottenham, start as strong favourites to see off their neighbours who are 15th in the Championship.

Holders Chelsea begin the defence of trophy at League One (third tier) Walsall.

The Saddlers, forever linked with one of English soccer's greatest upsets after beating Herbert Chapman's Arsenal in the FA Cup in 1933, have made an excellent start to the season but a victory over Chelsea, no matter what team Jose Mourinho fields, would surpass even their famous Thirties exploits.

Liverpool, who have won the League Cup a record eight times, play Carlisle United from League Two at Anfield while Manchester United host Championship promotion contenders Ipswich Town. – Reuters

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Costa, Gabriel charged by FA

Chelsea’s Diego Costa and Arsenal's Gabriel have both been charged by the Football Association after Saturday's bad-tempered Premier League derby.

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London - Chelsea striker Diego Costa and Arsenal's Gabriel have both been charged by the Football Association after incidents in Saturday's bad-tempered Premier League derby at Stamford Bridge.

The FA said on its website that Costa had been charged with an alleged “act of violent conduct” after television replays showed him catching Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny with his arm in an incident not spotted at the time by the referee.

“Off the ball incidents which are not seen at the time by the match officials are referred to a panel of three former elite referees,” an FA statement said.

“For retrospective action to be taken, and an FA charge to follow, the decision by the panel must be unanimous.”

Brazilian defender Gabriel, who was sent off after tangling with Costa shortly after that incident, was charged with “improper conduct” following his straight red card which Arsenal have since appealed against.

Spain international Costa has until 1700 GMT on Tuesday to respond to the charges while Gabriel has until 1700 GMT on Thursday to respond.

Both Chelsea and Arsenal were also charged by the FA for failing to control their players.

Chelsea won the fractious game 2-0 with Arsenal ending the match with nine men after Santi Cazorla was also dismissed for a second yellow card after a foul on former Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was critical of Costa after the derby, saying he is “always involved in provocation”. – Reuters

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Insights, revelations in Ferguson’s book

Remember the stand-off between Alex Ferguson and Wayne Rooney in 2010? It was all about money.

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London - Former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has revealed that he refused to allow Wayne Rooney to be paid more than him during a contract stand-off with the striker in 2010.

Rooney vowed to leave United after accusing the club of a lack of ambition, only to perform a sudden U-turn and sign a new five-year deal reportedly worth £180 000 a week.

But that was less than United initially offered him, with Ferguson revealing in his new book, Leading, which is released on Tuesday, that he told United's owners the Glazer family and then-chief executive David Gill he “did not think it fair that Rooney should earn twice what I made”.

“It was simple. We just agreed that no player should be paid more than me,” Ferguson said.

Rooney fell out with Ferguson prior to the Scot's retirement in 2013, but was appointed United captain by current manager Louis van Gaal last year.

Ferguson says that Everton pulled out all the stops to prevent Rooney joining United in 2004, including an emotional phone-call from the player's mother.

“After we gave them our final offer, (Everton manager Bill) Kenwright got Rooney's mother on the phone and she told me, 'you are not going to steal my boy',” writes Ferguson, who is now a United director.

Other revelations in the book include the disclosure that Ferguson considered a move for wayward Italy striker Mario Balotelli in 2010, only to be dissuaded by his contacts in Italy.

“In 2010, I briefly flirted with the idea of signing Mario Balotelli, the talented but controversial Italian striker,” Ferguson says.

“I did my homework on him, speaking to a few Italian contacts, but the feedback I got confirmed it was too big a risk.”

Balotelli subsequently joined Manchester City from Inter Milan, returning to Italy for a second spell at AC Milan this year following a disappointing season with Liverpool.

Ferguson hits out at Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy's handling of Dimitar Berbatov's move to United in 2008, describing the experience as “more painful than my hip replacement”.

He also has choice words for Mino Raiola, the agent of French midfielder Paul Pogba, who left United for Juventus in 2012 and has since become one of the world's most coveted players.

“There are one or two football agents I simply do not like and Mino Raiola, Paul Pogba's agent, is one of them,” he said.

“I distrusted him from the moment I met him.”

The 73-year-old Scot defends the quality of the squad that his successor David Moyes inherited in 2013, saying criticism of United's players made it sound like “I had left 11 corpses on the steps of a funeral”.

He also echoes a recent comment from Van Gaal by backing Ryan Giggs, United's current assistant manager, to enjoy a successful managerial career.

“Ryan Giggs is eventually going to be a great manager,” Ferguson writes. “He has intelligence, presence and knowledge.”

AFP

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DA lays charges against Danny Jordaan

Police are expected to investigate two senior SA soccer officials in connection with the 2010 World Cup.

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Johannesburg - South African police are expected to launch criminal investigations into two senior football officials in connection with the 2010 World Cup, following a request from the main opposition party, officials said on Monday.

The probe is linked to an alleged bribe paid to secure the rights to host the World Cup.

The Democratic Alliance on Monday laid corruption charges against South African Football Association (Safa) president Danny Jordaan and his predecessor, Molefi Oliphant.

The charges arise from two letters, one written by Jordaan, who was in charge of the country's World Cup bid chief, to Fifa about South Africa's plan to donate funds to a Caribbean football development programme, and another by Molefi, who was Safa chief at the time.

South Africa then paid $10 million (8.9 million euros) through Fifa into an account controlled by Jack Warner, a disgraced former Fifa vice-president from the Caribbean accused by US authorities of accepting bribes.

US investigators believe the money was a bribe to secure South Africa's selection as host of the 2010 competition.

“We laid charges of corruption and fraud against the two individuals relating to their complicity in the $10 million that were meant for South Africa but were actually redirected to CONCACAF,” DA lawmaker Solomon Malatsi told AFP, referring to football's governing body in North America, Central America and the Caribbean.

At the time, Warner was CONCACAF president.

Police “can now begin to initiate a criminal investigation that will help clear the cloud over this matter”, he said.

In the 14-page affidavit filed with the police in Cape Town, Malatsi said it “appears that Jordaan and Oliphant were complicit with, and indeed seemingly central to the bribery scheme”.

South African government and national football officials have strenuously denied accusations that they paid a bribe to secure the right to host the first such tournament on the continent.

Authorities insist the $10 million payment was an honest donation to support football among the “African diaspora” in the Caribbean.

Malatsi said the DA was forced to turn to the courts after attempts to summon football officials to Parliament were thwarted by the ruling African National Congress.

Accusations of bribery to win the World Cup triggered an angry response in South Africa, where the event is remembered as a moment of national pride.

AFP

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Hazard will come good - Matic

Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic backed team mate Eden Hazard to rediscover his scoring touch.

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Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic backed team mate Eden Hazard to rediscover his scoring touch after the Belgian international netted his first goal of the Premier League season in their 2-0 win over London rivals Arsenal on Saturday.

Hazard scored in the stoppage time when his shot took a huge deflection off Arsenal's Calum Chambers before it ended up in the back of the net.

The Belgium was adjudged Premier League's Player of the Year last season after he scored 14 goals and provided 10 assists as Chelsea clinched their fifth league title.

Hazard has been criticised for failing to replicate that form this season but Matic backed him to find the back of the net more frequently.

“It's a big goal for Eden. He needs to score goals for his confidence and to be on his top level. He is very important for our team,” Serbian Matic told London Evening Standard.

“I am very happy he scored his first goal and I hope it gives him more self-belief.

“He needs to know that he is the best player in the Premier League and use his qualities. When he scored it was an important moment in the season for him,” Matic added. – Reuters

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Klopp rules out ‘Gladbach job

Jurgen Klopp will not take over at Borussia Moenchengladbach, the agent of the ex-Borussia Dortmund coach confirmed.

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Jurgen Klopp will not take over at Borussia Moenchengladbach, the agent of the ex-Borussia Dortmund coach confirmed on Monday, as Gladbach seek to replace Lucien Favre following his shock resignation.

“Jurgen Klopp will not be the Borussia Moenchengladbach coach,” Klopp's agent Marc Kosicke told magazine Sport Bild.

After losing their opening five Bundesliga matches to go bottom of the Bundesliga, Champions League side Gladbach need a new coach after Favre abruptly resigned on Sunday in the wake of his team's 1-0 defeat at Cologne the day before.

In a statement, Favre said he no longer felt like “the perfect coach for Gladbach” and wanted to quit after four years in charge, having steered them to third in the Bundesliga last season to earn a Champions League berth.

But the Swiss' abrupt exit has left the club high and dry as Gladbach host Augsburg on Wednesday looking for their first league point of the season, then travel to play Stuttgart on Saturday.

Gladbach, who host Manchester City in their second Champions League game in nine days having already lost 3-0 away to Sevilla last Wednesday in their opening game, will hold a press conference at 1400 local time (1200 GMT) on Monday.

Having walked away from Dortmund at the end of last season to take a self-imposed coaching sabbatical, Klopp is weighing up his options after winning the German league titles in 2011 and 2012.

The 48-year-old Klopp was at his former club Mainz on Friday to see their 3-1 win over Hoffenheim.

Although ex-Germany coach Berti Vogts has said Klopp would be a good fit at Gladbach, experienced coaches Jos Luhukay, Mirko Slomka, Thomas Schaaf and Horst Steffen have all been linked to the club as Favre's possible replacement. – AFP

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