Santos confirm interest in Robinho
November 14, 2012
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Robinho is linked with a return to his homeland
Reports in Brazil claim that Robinho, Nene, Pablo Aimar and Diego are all on Ramalho's wishlist for next season as it appears increasingly likely the club will lose talented forward Felipe Anderson.
"What we're going to do is strengthen, so we will," he said. "Now is the time to do it. We've had long conversations about Robinho, it's not going to be easy. But it's an interesting name."
Earlier this week, Robinho's lawyer Marisa Alija claimed Robinho is hoping to return to Santos, but refused to put a timeframe on the move.
"We hear lots of speculation but Robinho has a contract with Milan until 2014," Alija said. "He is happy there and well looked after.
"He hasn't said anything to me about going back to Santos next season. He has never hidden the fact that he wants to go back but at this stage has not said when that might be."
Hodgson: Zaha should be 'thankful'
November 14, 2012
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Wilfried Zaha previously stated "it's 50-50" whether he will represent England long-term
"It is very simple for me. England, for me, is very important. To be asked to play for England is a major honour and a major feather in people's caps. I am not interested in people who are deciding whether England is where they want to be or whether they want to be somewhere else.
"I have a simple attitude towards it. When people are called up I expect them to come running, get on a bicycle and cycle to the training session if they have to. Then they shake hands with everyone and tell everyone how happy they are to be there.
"There is all this nonsense about players receiving phone calls and being enticed away. If they are going to be enticed away, they will be enticed away. But if they are being enticed away they are not the right player for us.
"I spoke to [Wilfried] before he joined up. I explained to him we were interested in him, but only if he was interested in us. He assured me he was. He has played for England at Under-21 and Under-19s.
"It seems to me fairly obvious if you want to play for the Under-19s and Under-21s, and are very happy to accept a call-up to the first national team, then that is where you want to play. Perhaps I am too simple. He has told me that is what he wants to do," Hodgson said.
Meanwhile, Hodgson moved to ease the fears of Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger over Jack Wilshere. The England boss says he will not over-exert the midfielder following his recent comeback from a long-term ankle injury.
"There is no arrangement [regarding Wilshere]," he said. "I'm a bit surprised and pleased we've got him because when I spoke to him two months ago, he was just recovering them and starting to train.
"I said to him then it would be nice in November if he was fit enough to come along and share the journey with us.
"But he has made a quicker recovery than that, he is back in the team and has played three games already so it gives me the chance to use him in some part of the game.
"But there was never intention at this stage of Jack's recovery to start him in the game and play him for 90 minutes.
"I explained that to Arsene, who was concerned, so he was perfectly happy for him to be here."
Gouffran considers Premier League move
November 14, 2012
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Gouffran's current deal at Bordeaux expires next summer
"We are in talks with the club and the president [Jean-Louis Triaud]," the 26-year-old said. "We'll see in a few days if I make a decision. For now, nothing is sure. I always said I wanted to try playing in Premier League and discover something else."
Aston Villa and Sunderland were both reportedly interested in Gouffran in the summer after he had scored 14 league goals last season.
"I need appropriate offers, I need a great challenge. If I leave Bordeaux, I want to play," he said. ''I'm thinking maybe it's the right time to leave. I've been at Bordeaux for five years - it's maybe time to experience something else. I have friends in England who talked to me about this league and it's making me want to go there."
Gomez nears return
November 14, 2012
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Mario Gomez is closing in on a return to first-team action for Bayern Munich
After the game Gomez played down the significance of his comeback, telling FCB.tv: "I've not been away for six years. We shouldn't read too much into this. They weren't the toughest opponents."
Gomez had opened the scoring after seven minutes, and, after Mitch Weiser doubled the score, he hammered a penalty into the back of the net so hard that the ball deflated.
101 days after his last game for Bayern Gomez added two more goals, with the other coming from Claudio Pizarro. "It was a very good game from the team for 60 minutes, not just from Mario, but from the whole team," Bayern boss Jupp Heynckes said.
Heynckes, however, refused to confirm whether Gomez would be part of the squad for this weekend's game with Nurnberg.
"He has been out for three months, and now made his first steps," Heynckes added. "Let's see how he copes with the match."
Meanwhile, centre-back Holger Badstuber is set to return to first-team training on Wednesday after a torn muscle ruled him out for the past few weeks. The 23-year-old is in contention for a return to the squad on Saturday.
M'Vila set to appeal suspension
November 14, 2012
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Yann M'Vila has been banned from all international action until June 30, 2014
M'Vila, 22, was banned for 19 months after he, along with four France Under-21 team-mates, broke a curfew ahead of the Euro 2013 play-off with Norway.
The Rennes midfielder, who has 22 caps for France but has not featured under current coach Didier Deschamps, is set to appeal the sanction despite the risk the ban could be extended.
His lawyer, Maitre Thierry Fillion, told RTL: ''The notification of the decision is set to be issued on Wednesday or Thursday. When Yann M'Vila receives this notification, we will probably appeal.
"When we appeal, we take a risk, but in this case, given the extreme severity of the sanction, the risk is really limited."
Mbaye Niang, Wissam Ben Yedder, Chris Mavinga and Antoine Griezmann were all banned until December 31, 2013, for their part in the incident. L'Equipe reports that Niang's lawyer, Maitre Khalid Ouadi, is also considering an appeal.
Gerrard recalls England heartache
November 14, 2012
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Steven Gerrard missed a penalty as England lost a second successive major quarter-final to Portugal at the 2006 World Cup
And he argues that every England team has under-achieved since Sir Alf Ramsey's side won the World Cup in 1966.
Gerrard has established himself as a key figure for the Three Lions since making his debut against Ukraine in May 2000.
But he has never been beyond the quarter-finals of a major international tournament, suffering penalty shoot-out defeats to Portugal at Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup, and to Italy at last summer's European Championships.
He missed the 2002 World Cup with a groin problem, but believes Eriksson's side of that era - who beat Germany 5-1 in Munich on the way to qualifying for that tournament - could have achieved more.
"I'd probably say that's the strongest England team I've played in," he told the Daily Mail. "It had great balance between young and experienced players. We had some world-class players.
"I know the 'Golden Generation' gets spoken about, which is something I don't really like, but when you look at that team from front to back it was really strong.
"That group of players under-achieved at big tournaments. That team should certainly have got to a semi-final. We were unlucky at times in the penalty shoot-outs but that's certainly a regret. That group of players should've done better."
Gerrard believes that the only England team who can consider themselves heroes are the 11 players, led by captain Bobby Moore, who won the World Cup 46 years ago.
He told the Sun: "As far as playing for England goes, there are 11 heroes. Foe me, the rest haven't really delivered. In football, the hero and legend status is given out far too easily. But they will still always be heroes of mine and heroes of the English public."
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