Another rumour lacking any kind of evidence from the Daily Mail, but worth a look if just for the yucks: Joe Cole to Tottenham for £3m.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1394332/Joe-Cole-sign-Tottenham.html

Glen Johnson has a career re-think:

http://www.badlefthook.com/2011/6/5/2207807/froch-vs-johnson-video-recap-highlights

Has anyone been following what's going on with Ballack and Germany? Low has offered him a farewell against Brazil next month and then won't be considering him. Ballack has rejected the idea.

I think if it had of been his 100th and last cap he would have said yes, getting a farewell on 99 seems empty. I actually think it's silly not considering him anymore anyway. I realise he has created some discord with Lahm in recent times but I reckon he still has a lot to offer. I'd take him to EURO2012 just in case they got into a shootout. I think that pen at Blackburn last season was the first one he had missed in something like 10 years, he is an absolute iceman from the spot.

Hope it turns around for him next season at Leverkusen. He still has the ability to push his way into the squad if he stays injury-free IMO, much the same way as Beckham did. I actually watched them a lot this season when he was playing, they can make a real push to win the Bundesliga next season if they keep Vidal I think. It would be good to see him leave with a trophy. He was underrated here I thought, that day against United at the Bridge under Grant he was just something else.

I love that Ballack has told him to stuff it:-

"To call a friendly match that was arranged long ago a farewell match is a farce. I know I owe my fans this match but I cannot accept the offer."

Ballack added, "The style and content of this piece of news surprised and disappointed me because it does not in any way reflect what the coach told me. If now they say that I and my role were treated openly and with honesty then that is hypocritical."

Good on him for not just doing it beacuse its the done thing. I still think it was a massive mistake by us to let him go last season.

Funny fact, the Dutch commentator kept referring to Carew as "Karef"

I know I'm picking on a post that was posted a while ago, but it caught my eye when I clicked on the last page of this thread. Well, anyway...

English commentators usually get it wrong(Shock! Horror!). In Norway his first name is not pronounced like the English name John, but more like "Yonn" and the last name is more like "Kaa-rev". Sorry about that... :D ...carry on!

I know I'm picking on a post that was posted a while ago, but it caught my eye when I clicked on the last page of this thread. Well, anyway...

English commentators usually get it wrong(Shock! Horror!). In Norway his first name is not pronounced like the English name John, but more like "Yonn" and the last name is more like "Kaa-rev". Sorry about that... :D ...carry on!

You are, of course, not excused.

On the same note, Berbatov's name is universally mispronounced.

On the same note, Berbatov's name is universally mispronounced.

I've heard several versions, but I'm not sure what's the correct way. I pronounce it "Ber-Baat-Tov", where I pronounce "Ber" like the English name "Ben", but with an "r"(not a rolling "r") instead of an "n", "Baat" like the English word "bar", but with a "t" instead of an "r" and "Tov" like the English word "ton", but with a "v" instead of an "n". As for his first name, I usually pronounce the "Dimi" part a bit like Jimi(as in Jimi Hendrix), but with a "d" instead of a "j". A bit like an English person would say "dimmy" if such a word existed. And I don't pronounce the "tar" like the English word "tar", but more like the "ta" bit in "ta-dah!", but with a hard(not a rolling) "r". Not sure if I managed to explain myself properly and I'm even less sure about how close or far my way of pronouncing it is from the way it's suppose to be pronounced. :D

What's the correct way?

Id-le-sh-eit

What's the correct way?

As far as I am aware, most Slavic names have emphasis on the second syllable. I imagine the correct pronunciation of Berba's name would be something along the lines of "Dee-Meter Ber-Bat-Off" with stress on the emboldened syllables. I would also expect rolled 'r's - in the surname at least.

Maksimov, that is actually spot on. I am impressed.

( I wanted to explain it myself, but really couldn't be bothered to think of examples for every single syllable. So... thanks for that )

Couldn't think of a better place to put this, but I stumbled across this earlier: Albert Ferrer's Dream XI

http://fourfourtwo.com/interviews/perfectxi/209/article.aspx

There are a few other ex-Chelsea who have also done it, such as Ruud Gullit and Marcel Desailly.

Apparently Juliano Belletti has hung up his boots after various injuries problems.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ5WQIdKEFU

Just a video to remember some of the good times he gave us.

Grant says it's easy to work for Roman:

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11668_7007387,00.html

I wonder if he really means it or if he's still hoping Roman might give him a job.

It might only be Metro, but I think this little rumour puts the recent "exodus" to Hamburg in its proper perspective:

Joe Cole 'offered Liverpool exit' by Hamburg

Found this interview with Marcel Desailly, talks about Chelsea a fair bit and the proposed UEFA fair play rules and the Qatar world cup. Comes across as real intelligent as well... at least until the guy asks him who he thinks will win the premier league :|

JFH appointed first team coach at Nottingham forest, I hope we get them in the FA or Carling cup now. Good luck Jimmy, you big arsed angry sod.

JFH a coach? I never would have thought that'd be an interest of his.

One of my favourite players we've had here, I was always Jimmy when we used to play at lunchtime at school back in the day, 25 yards offside having a yarn to the keeper poking one away when the opportunity came.

His second-half hattrick against Wolves is a very fond memory of mine, might have even been the first game I watched in a bar. God I feel old now that was nigh on 10 years ago.

JFH a coach? I never would have thought that'd be an interest of his.

One of my favourite players we've had here, I was always Jimmy when we used to play at lunchtime at school back in the day, 25 yards offside having a yarn to the keeper poking one away when the opportunity came.

His second-half hattrick against Wolves is a very fond memory of mine, might have even been the first game I watched in a bar. God I feel old now that was nigh on 10 years ago.

I always loved his perfect hat trick against Spuds, and the penalty he "got" against them also. Watching a montage of his goals no Youtube is brilliant, I forgot just how many magnificent goals he actually scored. He was still an angry sod though.

He was never one for a pass that required him to move in any direction other than forwards. I swear 30cm either side and he'd be turned around abusing whomever had passed it.

That hattrick against Spuds was better than the one against Wolves, two absolute stunners from outside the box I think. But I think the Wolves one was in about 20 minutes after he came off the bench. The first one that day was a rocket as well.

Selfish to a tee but f**k could he finish. I still wonder how he ended up playing right midfield that horrible night in Monaco.

He was never one for a pass that required him to move in any direction other than forwards. I swear 30cm either side and he'd be turned around abusing whomever had passed it.

That hattrick against Spuds was better than the one against Wolves, two absolute stunners from outside the box I think. But I think the Wolves one was in about 20 minutes after he came off the bench. The first one that day was a rocket as well.

Selfish to a tee but f**k could he finish. I still wonder how he ended up playing right midfield that horrible night in Monaco.

See, now youve just ruined my lunchtime. I had successfully blanked that night out of my mind. JFH at right midfield and Huth up front, the hell was Claudio thinking.

See, now youve just ruined my lunchtime. I had successfully blanked that night out of my mind. JFH at right midfield and Huth up front, the hell was Claudio thinking.

Haha sorry about that. I broke my television remote when they scored the last goal. I never knew they were so hard to replace.

Here's those two hattricks we were talking about. Consider that my apology.

Wolves

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHvxoCoeSso

Spuds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DoYY3LlLSY

Edited July 20, 201114 yr by Spiller86

The thing that stands out the most for me with that hattrick against Spurs is not the awesomeness of his two belters from outside the box (although they were very very good) but the headed goal; a great cross from Gronkjaer - now those were few and far between :D

The thing that stands out the most for me with that hattrick against Spurs is not the awesomeness of his two belters from outside the box (although they were very very good) but the headed goal; a great cross from Gronkjaer - now those were few and far between :D

Agreed. That was a thing of beauty.

a great cross from Gronkjaer

A what from whom?!

A what from whom?!

One of these from Jesper:

http://youtu.be/ZRFgyWziMJw&start=85