Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Hearts and Midfielders

Phil O'Donnell's death has bought the issue of heart safety sharply back into focus, five years after the shock loss of Cameroonian international Marc Vivien Foe. The Motherwell captain's collapse from heart failure at the end of December is also an untimely remider of why Uefa issued a statement back at the beginning of that month. In it, Europe's governing football body declared players at Euro 2008 will have to take mandatory cardiac tests before taking part. This was in response to deaths such as Foe's and it is unfortunate that O'Donnell's name will be added to that roll call. All players entering the game are routinely scanned at 16 but the Professional Footballers' Association has called, like UEFA, for more screening to be done at the national and club level.

Hopefully more cases such as two young Accrington players who have continued playing after post screening operations will be the norm and deaths like Phil O'Donnell's will be fewer, if not prevented all together.

Phil O'Donnell

1972-2007
God needed a Captain. He got the best.

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I came across the UEFA statement whilst researching players for my transfer window blog series and intended to write that up with Foe in mind. When I heard the tragic news of Phil O'Donnell's I could not believe that it had happened at first. After I realised it was a heart attack, that was even more disturbing. I hope UEFA and the PFA do succeed in making football safer in this area.

I also therefore dedicate the midfielders blog to Phil O'Donnell as one of the most honest of them all.

The midfielders that might impress this January:

Mika Vayrynen

A Finnish footballer who plays for PSV Eindhoven. The 26 year old can play as a defensive or attacking midfielder and can if needed play on the right. He has been capped 24 times for his country and has been linked with a move to Rangers. Vayrynen most recent attempt at a move was to Derby County under Billy Davies back in August. A £2.2 million transfer fee had been agreed when a calf injury quashed the move. Steve Bruce might sensibly try and resurrect the deal, as Davies would have done. Otherwise he might head for Fulham where his former manager Roy Hodgson has just taken charge.

Steve Sidwell

Former Reading midfield maestro who moved to Chelsea at the beginning of the season. Ostensibly signed as cover for the departures of Michael Essien and Mikel John Obi for African Cup of Nations duty appearances have been slim. The 25 year old seems to have been a casualty of the Mourinho fallout as Avram Grant often leaves him as an unused substitute and only gave him a 45-minute run out against Fulham. Sunderland have expressed an interest and Roy Keane will certainly admire his fighting qualities. As an admirer of Sidwell I hope any move would be a loan deal and only completed on the last day of the transfer window. For his career Sidwell may well take any opportunity to play consistent football.

Rafael Van der Vaart

A long admired talent throughout Europe Van der Vaart has been one of the focal reasons for Hamburg’s challenge for the Bundesliga this season. His move from Ajax for 5.5 million euro in 2005 was a shocker; most people believed he would choose one of the top European clubs. Now speculation is rising again the Dutchman might finally make that move. At just 24 years old he is already a seasoned international with fifty appearances to his name. Hamburg angered Van der Vaart by turning down a £15 million move to Valencia last summer. He had set his heart on a move to Spain. Despite claiming he will stay with Hamburg until the end of the season a January move for a player who has scored 87 goals in 201 games for club and country is likely. Chelsea have been said to have prepared a £20 million bid with Frank Arnesen and Henk Ten Cate having strong links to Rafael’s former club Ajax as player and coach respectively. Another manager who may move for him though is his former Ajax manager Ronald Koeman. Now at Valencia Koeman may decide to resurrect Valencia’s interest as he rebuilds Los Che. As for Van der Vaart himself, he has recently expressed a desire to move to the Stadio delle Alpi. Claudio Ranieri is known to be an admirer of the Dutch player. This could be the transfer saga of January.

Diego Ribas de Cunha (Diego)

One of several Brazilians with the shortened expression of Diego, de Cunha is a midfield magician of attacking flair. He has drawn lazy comparisons with his Argentine namesake and had interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid last season. Tottenham Hotspur however were interested in him as far back as 2003. Diego has gone on to prove their initial enquiry, turned down at the last minute by then club Santos FC was on the money. The 22 year old was the Bundesliga Player of the season for 2006-07 and has won many player of the month awards. Tottenham are looking to swoop for him again although an initial rumoured bid of £18million has been rejected. Diego’s refusal to sign a contract extension beyond 2010 though has raised transfer expectation with Liverpool also looking towards the Brazilian. With 22 goals in 50 games for Werder Bremen it is little wonder he is being linked with one of the top four. With a price tag of £18 million Diego looks likely to end up in hotter climes unless Levy does splash some cash, which he has ruled out thus far.


Johann Vogel

The Swiss international was earning his crust at Real Betis last season but has become a free agent after leaving the club by mutual consent. The 30 year old who got to the semi finals of the champions league with PSV in the 2004/05 season is a versatile defensive midfielder. Vogel’s range of passing and ball holding abilities make him a fantastic addition to any team for balance. At a high profile enough club he could rename his position the Vogel position, taking that honour from Makelele. As a free agent he can join any club he wishes. Having 90 appearances for his country, his international and European experience, add weight to a CV that includes a stint at AC Milan. Everton are the favourites to land the Swiss with most rumours suggesting he is a dead cert to sign. If he does not turn up at Everton, Tottenham might be interested, as he would make a great shield for a reorganised defence and a foil for Diego if Tottenham land the Brazilian.

Rio Antonio Mavuba

A true international from the moment of his birth, Mavuba, his passport says he was “born at sea”. Mavuba is now a French international, having become a citizen in 2004. His father was a player for Zaire at the 1974 World Cup and his abilities as a defensive midfielder have seen him touted as Makelele’s heir apparent for the French team. As a 20 year old he made his debut for Bordeaux and immediately became a fixture in the team before his move to Villareal in the summer. Mavuba, 23, has made six appearances for France since 2004 but only one for Villareal this season. This has prompted Mavuba to get itchy feet, desiring first team football in the run up to Euro 2008. Unsurprisingly Villareal want to hold onto the player, publicly to compete in the UEFA cup, Copa del Rey and Primera Liga. Privately the bean counters in charge of the Yellow Submarine know a good Euro 2008 for Mavuba will see his price rocket. Rio Antonio has been linked with Manchester United and Juventus in the past, but Fiorentina have moved into pole position in trying to sign Mavuba. Everton though might try to sign him as Lee Carsley and Thomas Gravesen are beginning to feel the effects of one too many midfield clashes. Portsmouth too might persuade Mavuba to help them challenge for European places particularly with Papa Bouba Diop and Sulley Muntari leaving for the African Cup of Nations. One problem could be the transfer fee; Villareal paid around £11million for Mavuba, they will want to at least recoup the outlay. Chelsea could always go and buy Makelele’s replacement. Then again they let Makelele’s ‘son’ Lassana Diarra move to Arsenal for peanuts.

Shao Jiayi.

27-year-old Chinese international who plays for Energie Cottbus in the Bundesliga. Jiayi has scored 8 goals in 35 internationals and is regarded as a dead ball specialist. Energie Cottbus are just a place off the bottom of the Bundesliga and Shao might be persuaded to move abroad. The attacking midfielder is a natural left footer and could be a decent squad player for one of the relegation threatened sides, Derby, Sunderland, Wigan Birmingham or Fulham. Alternatively he could move to one of the leading Championship sides for example Watford or Charlton. Jiayi should be available for around £3-5 million.

Stephen Appiah

A Ghanaian international constructive deep midfield player, who currently plays for Fenerbahce. Whilst on loan at Brescia in 2003 he scored 7 times in 31 matches and currently has 15 goals in 65 league matches for Fenerbahce in. Appiah has been capped by his country 53 times with 13 goals and was part of the Ghana side that made it into the second round at the World Cup. He was part of the Juventus team that won the scudetto for the 28th time. Unfortunately this was later stripped due to the corruption scandal in Italian football. The Ghanaian captain is currently his country’s footballer of the year and has been linked with a move to Juventus. However West Ham, Everton, Arsenal and Portsmouth have all been linked to the 27 year old who would cost around £5-7 million. A knee injury has just been confirmed which means his move will probably be delayed if at all to the summer.


Future moves but unlikely in January.

Frank Lampard

Yes. I know, let’s start with a big one. Wow where does that come from? Well first of all, stranger things have happened in football. Thierry Henry professed his undying love forArsenal. After the Champions League defeat to Barcelona he was pretty adamant he was staying put. Fast-forward a year and Henry was involved in a £16 million move to Barcelona. So Lampard’s protestations that he wants to stay at Chelsea forever may be good intentioned but I’ll believe it when he retires from football still at Chelsea. Lampard’s agent claimed a deal had not been signed last summer because Peter Kenyon had not sat down with them. The same agent said a deal would be signed during that pre-season. The contract still appears to be in the briefcase without F.Lampard on it. At the end of this season Frank Lampard will be entering a phase where Chelsea can no longer be bullish about a transfer fee and could hold the club to high transfer demands. If they break down a host of European clubs could come calling like Barcelona and Juventus. Lampard’s decision to stay depends on two key factors and a third lesser one. Where Mourinho ends up next, how Fabio Capello picks his England team and his last big move; a chance to play in another top European League and prove himself? If Mourinho ends up at Barcelona, Frank Lampard will swiftly follow. If Mourinho ends up at AC Milan, which might be a possibility if AC make a hash of their games in hand, there will be a tug of war with Juventus. If Fabio Capello plumps for the favoured option among pundits-Gerrard no Lampard, Frank will see even less reason to stay. Indeed, it would be an incentive to show he can play abroad and win his place back that way. Next summer he could leave for £8 million. After all Pavel Nedved retires at the end of this season, Frank would be a good replacement.

Christoph Preuß

German defensive midfield player who can also operate in defence Preuß plays for Eintracht Frankfurt. Despite his defensive position he is renowned for a bicycle kick-winning goal against Bayern Munich. The 26 year old would be a good squad player for a team in the middle of the Premier League like Tottenham, Aston Villa, Portsmouth and Everton or a first team man for Wigan, Birmingham, Middlesbrough or Bolton. Preuß would command a relatively small transfer fee of around £1million.


Sergio Raul Torres

A real Boy’s Own story for this Argentinian. After 2 seasons at his hometown club, shrimps Banfield de Mar del Plata, young Raul Torres decided to up sticks and come to England and play professionally. Undeterred by a knock back from Brighton and Hove Albion he played for non-league Basingstoke. Here the then opposition manager John Gorman spotted him in a pre-season friendly against Wycombe Wanderers. He has since played 48 league games scoring two goals. Torres has extended his contract at Wycombe until the end of the season but will be aiming to help them get into League One. The 24 year old will be keen to test himself at the next level and if Wycombe fail to gain promotion might jump on a free to Leyton Orient.

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