In his exclusive column for CaughtOffside, former Aston Villa attacker Stan Collymore discusses some of football’s biggest talking points, including why Man City’s owners must be taken on, why Jose Mourinho loves a pound note more than himself, why Jack Grealish must be picked for England and much more. 

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Man City owners must be taken on for the good of the game

Let’s detach Man City as an old historic football club, with supporters that support a team they would all support, whether they’re in the National League or wherever, from the ownership, who have acted disgracefully to work within rules that they’ve been wildly successful under.

They’ve won trophies including four out of the last five Premier Leagues, so by NO measure whatsoever, have the ownership of Manchester City Football Club, in their attempt to make Manchester City successful, had their job hampered by the rules and regulations.

That’s the first thing.

Other clubs such as Aston Villa, Liverpool and Newcastle all agree to operate within the rules, despite, in the Magpies case, they could spend as much as City or arguably more.

You don’t then turn around and go, ‘we’re going to blow the doors off the whole place, and we’re going to sue you.’ The inference from Man City was that they would have to spend less on the academy and less on youth teams and less on youth development but that’s what every other club has to do.

I think that we’re at the time and the place where the red button, the nuclear button may well need to be pressed. And I would say this if it related to any club, such as Aston Villa, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, Manchester United, Bournemouth…

If any club is trying to change the material structure of the Premier League to be able to make it a space race ‘free for all,’ then they should be expelled from the league and not come back until they accept the rules as they are.

It’s called a meritocracy and what we all hope and pray for is that when our teams line up on match day one, that we’ve just got a chance of doing something. And this would take away any single remote, lingering hope of any club being able to do what Leicester City did, any club being able to win an FA Cup, any club being able to win a League Cup.

We would have a situation with 40/50 man squads of the best players in the world, whereby one squad plays in the FA Cup, one squad plays in the League Cup, one squad plays in the Premier League, one plays in the Champions League, and you would get quadruples every year.

The reason why these records are breaking is not because these teams are better. It’s because the teams are deeper and better.

And so from my perspective, it’s really simple, the ownership of Manchester City Football Club has to be taken on.

If this was the club I support, Aston Villa, doing what Man City had done over the last 10/12 years, and were now arguing that they will sue the Premier League, I would genuinely, and it’s important to say this, advocate for my own football club to be temporarily kicked out the league until they saw sense.

That’s how serious the situation is.

Grealish brings something different for England and needs to make the cut

After cutting James Maddison from the England squad this week, Gareth Southgate has a few more decisions to make with the next few days.

There’s rumours that Liverpool duo Jarell Quansah and Curtis Jones will be next to be given the bad news.

In terms of Jack Grealish, he doesn’t now have the bells and the whistles to drive past people in the box, but what he does have is he keeps the ball very well in that left position.

He’s not as incisive but as we saw with Trent’s goal, he picked his head up and dinked the ball over.

Everybody was getting very excited about Eberechi Eze against Bosnia and Herzegovina, but I didn’t think had a good game. I think he ran into roadblocks time after time. Yes, he got the ball, showed pace, dropped his shoulder and did a couple of step overs, but then he lost the ball and we were counter attacked. Against better teams that’s going to hurt.

Therefore, I’ll probably say that those who won’t make the final cut are Maddison, Quansah, Jones, Eze, James Trafford, Adam Wharton and Luke Shaw. That would be my seven.

If player welfare is important, scrap the ‘breaking new markets’ nonsense

Darwin Nunez scored a hat trick on Wednesday and we’re only less than two weeks after the Premier League finished.

Other than for international tournaments, which tend to start mid June – as we’ve seen with the Euros and their equivalent – I think that we need to have a serious look at post-season friendlies and almost ban teams from going because for the amount of money they get (£2m-£5m a pop) I don’t think it’s financially worthwhile.

When people say ‘Oh, we’re breaking new markets,’ no you’re not. You’re just going for a little greedy couple of million pounds payout, which which will go into the coffers.

I think that any games in the domestic leagues, the Champions League and all European football should be done by the end of May. That can be done. The FA Cup could be in the middle or towards the end of May, and then, like what used to happen with teams winning the European Cup, they’d literally get on a flight and go the next Wednesday or the next Saturday.

There should be a moratorium for end of season friendlies and pre-season friendlies. The calendar should stop at a certain point and proper breaks put in.

When there is no mandated European Championship or World Cup tournament, or if you are not included in those squads for those tournaments, you get four to six weeks off. No exceptions, no tours, no nothing.

All of the superfluous tournaments, lucrative games and the Nations League would be scrapped.

Mourinho loves a pound note more than he loves himself

Jose Mourinho is very clever. What he does is that as his managerial abilities wane, his mouth works over time. We know from the ‘Special One’ thing that he’s having himself, but he was winning major trophies with major clubs at the time.

Let’s not beat about the bush, he likes a pound note. He’s getting paid €21m over two years by Fenerbahce, so he’s not going anywhere for other than top, top, top dollar. You have a look at the deals that he signed with Roma and Fenerbahce and with the greatest respect, neither are getting anywhere near the Champions League. They’re not getting anywhere near the Europa League either.

If you’re a chairman and you see Mourinho popping up on Sky Sports or any television channel around Europe to tell you how great he is, you go ‘Brilliant. We’re going to get him,’ and fans will be lining the streets.

The way to judge him though is when he leaves your club and he left Manchester United and Tottenham much worse off, in my opinion. Of course, the revisionists are now saying he was right about United but Mourinho left the dressing room fractured. At Tottenham, he did nothing. The football was turgid.

So watch this space Fenerbahce fans. You’re all getting very giddy and very excited, but let’s see, in two years time, if your thoughts and memories of Jose Mourinho are the same as when he waved the shirt and kissed the badge.

Pardew chase is a surprise because ‘old school’ managers don’t have a place in a modern Premier League

Old school managers have no place in the modern game, although they should because the Premier League should be about different styles and different systems.

Whether it be longer ball versus Pep ball or 4-4-2 versus 4-3-3, most clubs, on the back of a three plus goals per game Premier League season, want a manager now with all the bells and whistles and whose team defend on the halfway line. Who are a guarantee of three or four goals a game, so the clubs can get punters In.

It’s somewhat of a surprise that Alan Pardew would be considered for the Burnley job because I don’t see his of play being conducive to anything exceptional for Burnley as they’re trying to get back into the Premier League.

You look at the clubs that they’re going to be competing with, pretty much most of them are going to be those that can finish at the top. They’re going to be footballing teams.

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Maybe Burnley have identified something and said ‘We’re going to be a bit more industrial. We’re going to be a bit more pragmatic. We’re going to have use old school management to get into them a little bit more,’ and maybe they see something of a Sean Dyche in him, but I just think that what got Burnley out of the championship into the Premier League in the first place was quality on the deck football.

The Sam Allardyce’s, the Neil Warnock’s, the Harry Redknapp’s and the Alan Pardew’s are great at going on podcasts and telling the great tales of yesteryear, but I don’t think in reality, they have the attention to detail or the energy levels that a modern coach has.

The post Collymore’s column: EPL must head off Man City threat, Mourinho loves a pound note and more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

In a recent interview on the “No Tippy Tappy Football” podcast by William Hill and Footy Accumulators, former Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock unveiled a startling detail that could have reshaped the club’s history.

The legendary English manager Warnock disclosed that during his tenure, the Eagles were on the brink of securing the services of Virgil van Dijk from Celtic for a mere £3 million, a fraction of his current astronomical value.

“Van Dijk was at Celtic and I nearly signed him to Crystal Palace for £3 million,” recounted Warnock. However, the club’s heavy reliance on statistical analysis ultimately led them to pass on this golden opportunity.

The statistical analysis department at Palace deemed Van Dijk not fast enough to thrive in the demanding environment of the Premier League; a decision that would later haunt the club as Van Dijk’s career has since soared to unprecedented heights winning the Premier League and Champions League with Liverpool.

Crystal Palace rejected the chance to sign Virgil van Dijk from Celtic

Neil Warnock strongly contested this decision, asserting, “I told them why he doesn’t look quick, he reads the game that well that he doesn’t have to break a sweat!” His astute observation of Van Dijk’s exceptional footballing intelligence was subsequently proven correctly.

Southampton would swoop in and secure Van Dijk’s signature from Celtic for a modest fee ranging between £4 to £5 million. It was a move that proved to be a masterstroke for the Saints, as Van Dijk quickly established himself as one of the most dominant defenders in the Premier League.

The culmination of Van Dijk’s exceptional performances at Southampton led to Liverpool breaking the bank to acquire his services for an eye-watering £75 million, setting a world-record fee for a defender. Since joining the Reds, Van Dijk has been instrumental in their success under Jurgen Klopp.

The post Crystal Palace rejected chance to sign Liverpool star for being “too slow”; former manager reveals appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Neil Warnock is in line to make a surprise return to football management with a Championship club.

According to The Sun, the 75-year-old has been approached by several Championship clubs following his recent departure from Aberdeen.

Warnock, known for his ability to steer clubs away from relegation, is said to be open to joining a struggling Championship side battling for survival, similar to his successful stint at Huddersfield last season.

Neil Warnock’s brief stint at Aberdeen

Warnock was appointed as Aberdeen’s interim manager last month following the sacking of Barry Robson.

In the 8 games, he managed, he won two games, both coming in the Scottish Cup.

But after an hour of guiding them into the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup, he announced his departure.

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Warnock brings a wealth of managerial experience

With an illustrious managerial career spanning various English clubs such as Crystal Palace, QPR, and Cardiff City, Warnock boasts a wealth of experience.

His most notable achievement includes leading Cardiff City to promotion to the Premier League in the 2017/2018 season.

He is remembered for quite a few iconic moments, the most recent of which was the stare-down with the referees after the Chelsea defeat in 2019.

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Less than an hour after guiding Aberdeen to the Scottish Cup semi-finals, Neil Warnock has announced his departure as the club’s manager.

The news is reported by BBC, who report that the club are already in advance stage in their search to replace Warnock.

Warnock, 75, was appointed as Aberdeen’s interim manager just last month following the sacking of Barry Robson.

In his short tenure, Warnock managed to secure victories in two out of eight games, both of which came in the cup competitions.

The experienced manager had been without a job since September after parting ways with Huddersfield.

Despite turning down several offers during his time away from management, Warnock took on the challenge at Aberdeen to assist the club during their transition period.

In a statement regarding his departure, Warnock expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to lead Aberdeen, stating:

“I was honoured to lead Aberdeen for a short period to help Dave and the board get themselves into a position where they could get closer to making a permanent appointment.”

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Following Warnock’s exit, Peter Leven will assume full control of the Aberdeen first team until a new manager is appointed.

Warnock is highly regarded in English football having managed various clubs, including Crystal Palace, QPR, and Cardiff City.

He notably guided Cardiff back to the Premier League in the 2017/2018 campaign.

The post Neil Warnock steps down as Aberdeen manager after guiding them to Cup semi-finals appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Neil Warnock is in line to make a surprise return to football management.

The seasoned manager has been without a job since parting ways with Huddersfield in September, turning down various offers that came his way.

In a recent interview with The Athletic, Warnock hinted at the possibility of a comeback, expressing his openness to taking on a managerial role if the right opportunity presents itself.

He confirmed that he has received several offers since leaving Huddersfield, with the most recent ones coming in the last couple of weeks.

When asked about the nature of the offers he has received and what kind of job would entice him back, Warnock shared:

“Oh, aye, there’s been a few of those.”

“Two or three came in October-November, almost straight away. Then, there’s been a couple more during the last couple of weeks.”

Regarding the type of job that might tempt him, Warnock mentioned,

“I’ve had everything from Championship through to League Two; there were tempting offers among them. But I also fancied having that time with the family for Christmas and also my 75th. Then, if something cropped up in February, maybe we’d have a look at that.”

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Warnock brings a wealth of experience to the table, having managed various English clubs, including Crystal Palace, QPR, and Cardiff City.

He notably guided Cardiff back to the Premier League during the 2017/2018 season, although they faced relegation the following year.

He is remembered for quite a few iconic moments, the most recent of which was the stare-down with the referees after the Chelsea defeat in 2019.

The post Neil Warnock in line to make stunning return to management appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Neil Warnock has said that he would rather take his Huddersfield team’s defence over Tottenham’s after their 6-1 loss to Newcastle on Sunday.

Warnock made the claim on Talksport Breakfast this morning, two days after Spurs were embarrassed by the Magpies at St. James’ Park, finding themselves 5-0 down after 21 minutes, before going on to lose 6-1.

Speaking to Ally McCoist and Laura Woods, Warnock said that nobody saw the result coming.

“Listening to the show this morning, you couldn’t predict Tottenham going five down after 20 minutes.”

The 74-year old Terriers boss then said he asked himself the question of whether he would have any of the Spurs defenders in his team.

“I thought to myself, would I have any of Tottenham’s back four playing for me? I rather have Huddersfield’s, to be honest!

“If I was in that position, at 3-0 down I would have gone home – that would never happen in my team, though.”

???????: “I’d rather have Huddersfield’s back four than Tottenham’s, right now!” ?

?????: “What would you’d done differently?”

???????: “I would have gone home!”@WarnockOfficial reviews #THFC’s 6-1 thrashing to #NUFC in classic fashion. ? pic.twitter.com/1SIWk6Cd2l

— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) April 25, 2023

In typical Warnock fashion, he got the Talksport studio cracking up, before ending by saying that he wouldn’t be jealous of anybody taking the Spurs job next after Cristian Stellini was dismissed yesterday.

“That Tottenham dressing room must be gutted, but I wouldn’t envy anyone coming in. If Pochettino’s got any sense, he’d go to Chelsea because all they need is a striker.”

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A rough few days for Tottenham, and they’ll be looking to put things right when they face Manchester United at home on Thursday evening.

The post Neil Warnock makes claim that he’d have Championship team’s defence over Tottenham’s appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Leeds United should avoid rehiring former manager Marcelo Bielsa.

That is the view of Neil Warnock, who believes the possibility of Bielsa returning to Elland Road is one that should not be considered by the Whites’ owners.

Bielsa, 67, guided the Yorkshire club back to the Premier League but struggled to implement a style of play that focused on defence as much as it did attack – and that led to the Argentine being dismissed around 12 months ago.

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Replaced by American coach Jesse Marsch, Leeds United were given a new lease of life at first. However, with the American struggling to kick the side on, despite making several decent signings, Marsch was sacked by Andrea Radrazzani on Monday.

Ahead of their search for a new permanent boss, Bielsa has been heavily linked with a surprise return. Warnock has had his say though.

“If they could get someone who gets that physical attribute out of them, they need to win the battles first,” the ex-QPR boss said.

“I don’t think there’s time for someone from abroad until the end of the season. I think Bielsa would be a disaster coming back. I listened to someone previously and I think the players were desperate for him to leave when he left, so I don’t think that would be the answer either.”

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Neil Warnock has expressed his surprise at Darwin Nunez’s missed chances against Manchester City on Thursday night in the League cup tie.

Nunez had a night to forget as Liverpool’s Carabao Cup defence was ended by Pep Guardiola’s side as City won 3-2 at the Etihad. The game could have easily finished in Liverpool’s favour if it had not been for the Uruguayan who had at least three clear chances to put the ball inside the net but he dragged all three wide.

Nunez has had a difficult start to his English football career since joining the club from Benfica in the summer, but he has still managed nine goals in 19 matches across all competitions. However, he can’t help but be judged in comparison to Erling Haaland’s work for City.

And Neil Warnock also compared him to City’s monster striker suggesting that if Liverpool had Haaland, they would have easily won. He told talkSPORT:

“If Liverpool had Haaland they would’ve won easily, the chances Nunez missed I can’t believe the chances he missed.”

“But I thought what a good sign for Liverpool, the best I’d seen for a while and I just thought with the players missing they might try get something at the back in January if they can. I just thought it was promising for Liverpool.”

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Haaland has scored an insane 18 goals in his first 14 Premier League games and opened the scoring for his side against Liverpool as well.

The post Neil Warnock slams Liverpool star after League cup defeat against Manchester City appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Former Premier League manager Neil Warnock has been discussing Leeds United and some of their defensive issues and is not convinced by two of their stars. 

Speaking on the Die For Three Points Podcast, the former Leeds boss named Liam Cooper and Luke Ayling as two players he’s not sold on.

“They have a good game like that, but they’re so open on the counter. In some games they play well and lose a couple of goals. I’m not convinced by them at the back, even in my time there were issues,” Warnock said.

“Ayling and Cooper, I know they’re regulars, but I wasn’t convinced about the defensive side of Leeds.”

Leeds secured a huge victory over Liverpool at the weekend but are still in trouble in the league as a whole.

The Yorkshire side have struggled to score goals this season but Warnock believes it is their defence that is letting them down.

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The post Former manager Neil Warnock says he’s ‘not convinced’ by two Leeds players appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Neil Warnock has revealed that Wilfried Zaha once told him he didn’t speak to Sir Alex Ferguson once during his time at Manchester United.

The Crystal Palace star is now one of the top talents in the Premier League, but he had a difficult start to his career at the highest level when he became Ferguson’s final signing for Man Utd.

Zaha ended up never playing under the legendary Scottish tactician, as he retired that summer, and Zaha then struggled to get many first-team opportunities under David Moyes.

This led to the Ivory Coat international eventually returning to Crystal Palace for a second spell, and he’s been there ever since.

Warnock brought Zaha back to Selhurst Park, and told talkSPORT that he was surprised to find out from the player that he never once spoke to Ferguson.

The former Eagles boss regrets that Zaha didn’t really get the support he needed at a young age at a big club like United.

“I signed him when I went to Crystal Palace. He’s always loved there. I would have liked to see him go to another top club.

“When he came back to me when I re-signed him. I remember talking to him in the chairman’s office.

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“I said to him, ‘Did you get on alright with Sir Alex?’ He said, ‘He never spoke to me once’.

“He was only a young lad and went there and didn’t get a lot of help.

? EXCLUSIVE ?

?? Antony to Man United could be made official today or tomorrow. The fee will be €95m guaranteed plus €5m – a record Eredivisie sale.

? Next for #MUFC should be a new goalkeeper, with Martin Dubravka pushing to join.

Full story ??

— CaughtOffside (@caughtoffside) August 29, 2022

“I’d love to have seen him [at a top club]. When he’s got an arm around him, he’s so exciting to watch and so dynamic.

“I think he’s going to have an excellent season this year.”

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