Bocchetti returns...

After spending 5 years in Russia, Salvatore Bocchetti has returned to Genoa, a club where he spent 2 very successful seasons under Gianpiero Gasperini.

Bocchetti having his medical this morning


Hirst thanks Spartak coach Alex Hancock for the swift negotiations after paying a fee of 5m plus Ezequial Munoz for the Italian International. Bocchetti passed his medical this morning and is hoping to be fit to start at the Luigi Ferraris tomorrow night when The Good Doctor Fox's Hertha Berlin arrive in town.

Frank Hirst commented, "Salvatore was a real favourite of mine as a Genoa fan and now I get to coach the lad, I feel he's going to play a big part in our promotion chase this season. An Italian barman once told me that 'Bocchetti' was slang for 'blowjob', so if he helps us with promotion I'll organise the girls for as many 'Bocchetti' as he wants!"



Kramaric on his way out?

'The Croation international has struggled for form since joining from Rijeka.'
The latest news coming out of the Leicester City camp is that MH and his board have accepted a bid from division 2 side, Athletic Bilbao for 24 year old striker, Andrej Kramaric. The young forward has struggled to assert himself in the Leicester first 11 since MH took over, having not yet made an appearance. When asked about the rumours surrounding the striker, MH replied,


'I can confirm we have accepted a bid for Andrej, and if he and Bilbao can come to an agreement in personal terms, then he will be leaving us. He is a great lad with bags of talent, and we will be sad to see him go but I wish him well for the future,'

the fee is reported to be around the 7 million mark and it currently remains unknown who Leicester will go after to replace him.

In other news, Leicester City have won the race for the signature of 20 year old defender, Alex Davey after beating off competition from European giants Real Madrid, and Frank Hirst's Genoa.

ROY KEANE NOT HAPPY AT PRE MATCH PRESS CONFERENCE.





 At the Live Pre match press conference against Juventus, Roy Keane said..
“Just because you are paid £120,000-a-week and play well for 20 minutes against Dortmund, you think you are a superstar,” Keane said. “The younger players have been let down by some of the more experienced players. They are just not leading. There is a shortage of characters in this team. It seems to be in this club that you have to play badly to be rewarded. Maybe that is what I should do, put my boots on and  Play badly. But i can tell you this, if those players dont change there attitude and start to do there job, ill make them f****** come to training on the f******* bus with the fans , and they can tell them what they think of them.  I expect 3 points tonight in the Champions league, and a good performance or the door gets locked after the match in the dressing room and ill sort those f****** out. “

Real Madrid have issued an apology  to all the viewers on Real Madrid Tv for any offence caused by the language used in this live interview …


Leicester City: The story so far...




The story so far…

The Leicester fans were somewhat nervous having heard about the appointment of MH3009 as Leicester boss, and it came to a shock to many as Claudio Ranieri was hardly there for 2 seconds before being kicked straight back out. This only put extra pressure on MH to make a good start with his new club and so far he hasn’t disappointed.




Game 1

Leicester City kicked off their division 3 campaign against Dutch giants, Ajax and you could feel the anticipation in the air from the Leicester fans as they were all unsure if they could match the visitors, and with Ajax boasting starts such as Yaya Toure, Llorente and Bony, it was easy to see why.

The nervous energy was soon turned into wild support as Leicester battled hard, trying to match Ajax, and they did just that. At half time, the sides went in at 0-0 and Leicester were proving to be more than a match for Ajax. it was much of the same in the second half, a somewhat scrappy game but thoroughly entertaining none the less. As the minutes ticked by, getting closer to the 90 minute mark, both sets of fans seemed to have accepted it was going to be goalless draw and some were beginning to exit the stadium. However, in the 87th minute, mark Albrighton beat his marker on the wing, cutting inside and pulling the ball back towards the edge of the penalty box where Drinkwater was waiting to smash the ball home gave Leicester an unexpected lead. The goal sent Leicester fans wild, and their support was able to carry the team through the final minutes of the gam, to give Leicester a winning start to their season.

Game 2

This time Leicester were travelling to Lille, and full of confidence from the previous game, big things were expected. However, a 36th minute screamer from CB Marko Basa sent their opposition and their travelling supporters crashing straight back down to earth. Little else happened and the score at half time was 1-0 to Lille. The second half was a cagey affair, with Lille doing all they could to hold onto their slender lead and Leicester unable to break down their defence. As the game began to creep into the final minutes, Leicester fans started to filter out of the stadium hoping to beat the traffic. However, in the 85th minute, Robert Huth received the ball roughly 30 yards out from goal and decided to have a go. The result was a thunderbolt of a shot which rocketed into the top corner of the Lille goal, and sent the remainder of the travelling Leicester fans into jubilance. The game finished at 1-1, most thought the result was fair regarding the balance of play.

Game 3

Despite the great start to the season, Leicester fans were still unconvinced. The team had needed last minute heroics in each game to rescue themselves some points, and surely their luck must run out at some point? Leicester hosted Stoke City, and expected a tough game, however, the first shot of the game saw Leicester go ahead in the 12th minute, this time courtesy of Argentinian, Leo Ulloa. Leicester controlled the game from there on in, giving Stoke little chance to get back into the game and looked likely to get a second. Fans had to wait until the 89th minute for that to happen though, which saw playmaker, Kante combining with Christian Fuchs down the left hand side, who beat the keeper at the near post with a driven shot to give the hosts the 3 points.

So as things stand, Leicester currently sit in a very respectable 3rd position in the league table after 3 games, with 2 wins and a draw. Travelling to Basel later in the week, Leicester hope they can pick up another 3 points and possibly make a surprise promotion push this season.

Transfers

MH was rather slow to dig into the transfer market, as he was on holiday in the States when learning he had been given the Leicester job. Never the less, as soon as he got back he sent scouts all over the world to find him some players that would fit his criteria.

As of today, 5 signings have been made so far, strengthening in all areas of the park, from defence right through to the forward line. The first arrival, was box to box midfielder, Vadis Odjidja having beaten Club Brugge to his signature, costing Leicester 6 million pounds. He is expected to add some much needed energy in the middle of the park, and will play alongside tricky midfielder, N’golo Kante in the center.

Next to arrive was CB Lewis Dunk, and defensive midfielder, Mohamed Diame from Brighton and Hull respectively. Dunk, a young up and coming defender, will add strength in depth to the Leicester back line and is thought to be a long term replacement for ageing defenders Wes Morgan and Rob Huth. Diame will add some steel to the midfield and will hopefully further improve Leicester’s already impressive defensive record.

2 further arrivals are expected to join later today, in the form of striker Gary Hooper and full back Marcos Rocha. MH is hoping Hooper will form a deadly partnership with Japan international, Shinji Okozaki up top with the two players styles expected to compliment one another. Rocha will, arriving at the expense of current full back, Danny Simpson will add some pace to the back line and will hopefully provide assistance going forward as well.

Transfer overview:

IN: Gary Hooper, Lewis Dunk, Marcos Rocha, Mohamed Diame, Vadis Odjidja

OUT: Danny Simpson, Yohan Benalouane, Leo Ulloa





Real Madrid unveil new signings...

Real Madrid unveil new signings...


Roy Keane has completed the signings of Matija Nastasic and Max Meyer from Schalke and unveiled them this morning to a packed Santiago Bernabeu...



 The deal included Madrid getting 20 million and Isco going in the other direction. Nastasic is a no noncence Centre back, who will play next to Ramos and Pepe, to make a back line every striker will think twice about before trying to mix it up with them. 
Max Meyer is a young attacking midfielder who has everything in his locker, and will be a future star for sure. 

Max Meyer...

Matija Nastasic
Both could make there debuts against Juventus sunday night. Madrid also signed the highly rated Clinton N'jie from lyon who is available for loan. Looking for a team who can give him games.






DIVISION 5 NEWS plus HOT OR NOT

The season is two games old and there are 5 teams that have started with 2 wins. Dynamo Kiev, Anderlecht, Dinamo Zagreb, AZ Alkmaar and Stuttgart have all laid down the gauntlet with a perfect start with Dynamo Kiev sitting top of the table by just 1 goal. Kiev have won 5-2 at FC Twente and then won 3-2 at home to FK Partizan so there is plenty of entertainment for the fans and while Kiev have shown that they can score goals, they also look vulnerable at the back.

Biggest win so far has been River Plate’s opening day 5-0 win over Independiente. They found it tougher in Germany last night though where they were held to a 2-2 draw by FC Augsburg but River Plate could be a team to keep an eye on.

At the bottom, Celtic, Werder Bremen, FC Twente Enschade and Standard Liege are still looking for their first point. Every team in the league has scored at least one goal with only Dinamo Zagreb still to concede.

Dieumerci Mbokani of Dynamo Kiev has scored 4 goals in the first two games and should score plenty more if he can avoid injury. Pablo Piatti (Santos) and Rafael Santos Borre (River Plate) lead the way in the assist table with 3 apiece.
Three red cards have been shown so far with Mohamed Yattara (Standard Liege), Jamel Saihi (Montpellier) and Salif Sane (Dinamo Zagreb) being the bad boys of the Division so far.

This Sunday’s game of the day in Division 5 should be the clash in Zagreb, Croatia, where 3rd placed Dinamo Zagreb entertain 6th placed River Plate. Henry Prudden’s Dinamo Zagreb are defending a 100% start to the season but Patrik Olsson will provide a stern test with his River Plate outfit.
The game to avoid could be the game in Germany between FC Augsburg and Standard Liege. Dale Piero (Augsburg) and Frank Luca(Liege) have failed to get into the groove so far and this could be a drab game with little excitement for an expected 25-26,000 brave soles who will pay to watch this game.


WHAT’S HOT and WHAT’S NOT

In real life

Hot

My daughters new Astra
My girlfriend’s tits
Mark Warburton
Sushi
Days off work

Not

Our pug breathing in my ear
Piles of washing to be put away
Summer weather
Wasps with teeth
Hollyoaks


In Top 100

Hot

Dynamo Kiev’s strikers
Frank Hirst’s work
Leonardo Pisculichi, first hat trick in Top 100
The Top 100 blog
Balotelli (£20m transfer being the highest so far)


Not

Barcelona no points, no goals
Managers that don’t answer to transfer offers
Managers that quit after 1 game (really, why the hell join and prevent a real manager getting a team)
Looking for an external player with a good rating
Forgetting that you had loaned in a higher rated keeper than the twat you already have (doh!)


That’s me for today. Next article from me will be a week on Sunday and will be a full real life/top 100 news blog.

Slaters
Gino at Brugge


Cassano Arrives in Genoa



Genoa may have made the surprise signing signing of the summer in old foe, Antonio Cassano…


Cassano played in the Derby della Lanterna 7 times against Genoa, for City rivals Sampdoria, but only ever managed 1 goal, constantly being overshadowed by Rossoblu favourite Diego Milito.

Antonio is going to have to do a lot to become a fan favourite for Genoa after being on the wrong end of a lot of stick off Genoa fans, including Coach Hirst…

after scouring Hirst's facebook page, this image was found posted on 21/01/2009 
Hirst was quoted as saying, "Antonio may have once been our enemy, but we will welcome him back to the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, a ground he knows very well and is looking forward to his return against Hertha Berlin next thursday, but first will be his debut in Hamburg on Sunday night!"

With Hirst also coaching La Nazionale, Cassano will be hoping to impress enough to work his way back into the Italy squad!

Fener finally get 3 points

Fenerbahce are off and running in Division after beating Sporting Lisbon 2-0 in Gameweek 2.


A tight first half meant both teams went in Goalless.
Two minutes into the second half Nani found Moussa Sow and he buried his chance.
Four minutes later Fenerbahce killed the game when Nani again delivered this time for new signing Giuliano to finish.
Robin Van Persie was named MOTM although my personal choice would have been Nani.
Fenerbahce now look to the next game : (A) Athletic Bilbao

2-1 Griezmann!



2a1 at the  Santiago Bernabeu and the hero of the match it's Antoine Griezmann.!



He could not present himself in a more spectacular,
Sunday, another transfer from creeps vs Barcelona at the Camp Nou but we are Valencia CF!
[youtube=[www.youtube.com/watch](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK9jtz-QTa0&w=320&h=266])

Fenerbahce look to get season started.



After a poor showing on Sunday, Tonight Fenerbahce look to get things off and running in the league.
Captain Bruno Alves is back in the lineup and all eyes will be on RVP to deliver up top.






Sporting drew there first game and will also be looking for the win tonight, keeping there Columbian dangerman Teofilo Guttierez could be an issue for us.

But with the game in a feisty Istanbul I hope we can take advantage and wrap up all 3 points.