Latest Transfer Update at 12-03-2012

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Massimo Ficcadenti: Back at Cagliari

FICCADENTI BACK IN CAGLIARI HOTSEAT

Massimo Ficcadenti has returned to coach Cagliari just four months after he was sacked.
The Serie A strugglers confirmed Ficcadenti's return after Davide Ballardini and his staff were sacked following the 6-3 defeat to Napoli on Friday night.
"The club announces that Cagliari Calcio coach Davide Ballardini has been suspended from his office together with his staff of Carlo Regno, Stefano Melandri, Nico Facciolo and Andrea Rinaldi," a statement on their official website read.


"Training will be now be conducted by Mr Massimo Ficcadenti and Messrs Bruno Conca, Matthias Toffolutti and Hermes Fulgoni."
Ballardini's dismissal comes after Cagliari lost their past three matches, and conceded 11 goals, to slip to a place above the drop zone.
Ficcadenti's return is the fourth change in manager in eight months for the Sardinian club.


Former Italy boss Roberto Donadoni was axed on the eve of the season and replaced by Ficcadenti before he was given his marching orders in November.
Ballardini then managed just four wins in 17 games in charge to prompt Cagliari to recall Ficcadenti.

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Younes Belhanda: Has a confirmed fan in Arsene Wenger

WENGER KEEN ON YOUNES BELHANDA

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed his liking for Montpellier ace Younes Belhanda.
The Morocco international is emerging as one of the best attacking midfielders in Ligue 1 and, as well as Arsenal, has been linked to the likes of AC Milan and Paris St Germain in recent months.
Belhanda has played a key role in Montpellier's title push this season, as they currently lie in second just one point adrift of leaders PSG.
Montpellier have opened contract talks with Belhanda in recent weeks, but Wenger has now admitted his interest in the 22-year-old, who has been likened to former Gunners star Robert Pires.


"Younes Belhanda, I know him well," Wenger wrote in his blog for French Eurosport.
"He plays without any complexities, his real talent is dribbling, passing and he has good technique which can influence any game."
French-born Belhanda has just returned to Montpellier after a disappointing Africa Cup of Nations campaign with Morocco, but Wenger put that down to him being played out of position.
"Morocco did not spend enough time in the competition, and he played in a position that did not allow him to shine," said Wenger.
"He played on the right, because they had many central players - it can happen that a young player misses out in a tournament, but I am sure of his potential.


"I love this player, but I do not want to create problems.
"Montpellier are the ones who will decide if he leaves, once that happens we might look at him but we respect the work done by Montpellier."
The player himself has held talks in recent weeks with the club about extending his deal, which currently has two years to run, but Belhanda has suggested he would love the chance to play in England.
"Milan, I know nothing about. I think it is just rumours," he told French TV station TF1.
"My dream is to play in England or Germany. Everybody wants to play in the Premier League and there are some great clubs like Arsenal, which is almost a French club.


"Germany has a lot of big clubs who deliver good performances in the Champions League. The atmosphere in the stadium is magnificent too."
But he insisted that he would happily remain at Montpellier, saying: "I am focused on Montpellier now because it is the club that gave me fame, I can stay here for two or three years to come."

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Craig Beattie: Opted for Tynecastle move

BEATTIE HAD OTHER OFFERS

Hearts' new striker Craig Beattie has confirmed he had offers elsewhere prior to finalising his move to Tynecastle.
The 28-year-old was a free agent after leaving Swansea and he opted to join Hearts on a contract until the summer.
Beattie has confirmed he spoke with St Mirren manager Danny Lennon, but refused to go into detail over the talks.
The ex-Swans hit-man scored his first goal for his new club in Saturday's Scottish Cup quarter-final against the Buddies and he feels it would be unfair on both clubs to talk about things in greater depth.


"I had a couple of offers and I had some dialogue with Danny but I think it would be disrespectful to St Mirren and Hearts if I spoke too much about it," conceded Beattie.
"All I'll say is there were offers."

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Fred Rutten: Dismissed as PSV coach

FRED RUTTEN LEAVES PSV

PSV Eindhoven have confirmed they have parted company with coach Fred Rutten following the side's poor recent form.
Rutten had been expected to lose his job after Sunday's 3-1 defeat by NAC Breda, which was the Eredivisie giants' third defeat in succession.
And the club confirmed the news on Monday afternoon, with former player Phillip Cocu stepping up from a backroom role to take the reins for the remainder of the season.

Cocu will be joined by Ernest Faber in charge of team affairs until the summer, with the former PSV youth coach returning to the club from FC Eindhoven.
Cocu's backroom colleague Erik ten Hag joins Rutten in departing the Eindhoven club.
PSV announced the news at a press conference at the Philips Stadion on Monday afternoon.


"We regret the inevitable parting and appreciate the tremendous effort and commitment they have shown," said the club.
Rutten leaves the club just four points off Eredivisie leaders AZ Alkmaar but on a poor run of form.
Sunday's defeat at Breda followed a 4-2 loss at Valencia in the Champions League last-16 first leg and a 6-2 hammering by rivals FC Twente.
Around 200 supporters surrounded the team bus on Sunday to voice their frustration at Rutten following the loss to struggling NAC, prompting the club's hierarchy to take action on Monday.

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Harry Redknapp: Unsure over England position

REDKNAPP UNSURE OVER ENGLAND ROLE

Harry Redknapp says he is "not sure" whether he wants to take the England job and admits it would be "difficult" to make the transition from club boss to international manager.
Redknapp is the overwhelming favourite to fill the vacant England manager's job following the resignation of Fabio Capello.
The Tottenham manager has spent the last month dealing with questions about the position, and a number of high-profile managers and players from within English football have backed the 65-year-old to succeed Capello.


Redknapp has blown hot and cold when asked about the job, admitting it is the "ultimate" position for any English manager while also conceding it would be hard to leave Spurs after three and a half years of success.
"I'm not sure," Redknapp said in an interview with L'Equipe when asked if he would like to manage England.
"I have a very good job at Tottenham today and I like it. But I do not know. We will wait and see."
At 65 years old, Redknapp would be forgiven for wanting to give up his daily gruelling routine of driving 125 miles to Tottenham's training ground, but he says his life at the London club is blissful and admits the challenges facing an international manager are totally different to those at club level.
"When you have a club, you are looking for a striker and you take them. When you're coach, you must do with the players you have in your country," he added.


"If you do not have a good scorer, you have none. And you almost never see the players. Two days all two months: it is very difficult."
The FA have said they will wait until the "back end" of this season before making an approach for their preferred candidate as they are keen not to disrupt any domestic manager in charge of a club.
Redknapp is determined to continue with life as normal until the FA come calling, and has revealed that planning has already started on summer transfer targets.
After three successive defeats, Redknapp now faces the worrying prospect of seeing Spurs slip out of the race for Champions League football despite looking certain of a top-four spot at the turn of the year.
Arsenal can go one point behind Spurs if they win against Newcastle on Monday night, while Chelsea trail by just four points after their 1-0 win over Stoke on Saturday.
The Blues are without a permanent manager after the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas, who Redknapp thinks faced an impossible task due to player power at Stamford Bridge.


"He received a group of ageing players who are very close to the owner (Roman Abramovich) and they therefore have a lot of power," Redknapp said.
"I have had some difficult groups to manage but I have never had this problem.
"There can be solidarity between the players. If you leave two players on the bench they become unhappy and it becomes complicated.
"Perhaps Villas-Boas tried to change things too quickly, but he will learn from this experience."