What's Joe Cole up to these days?

Still doing tricks with golf balls?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-17657964

_{Anelka set to become a player manager.}

_{http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17688465}

_{Good luck to him, always liked him as a player when he was here, probably something to do with how unsettled he'd seemed elsewhere. I wasn't really happy about the way he left either, so I hope he does well.}

_{Can't help thinking he's a bit quiet to be a manager though..}

sorry, didn't see the other thread....

How the hell has that happened, he`s the least likely ex player turned manager I can think off.

Watching the Europa League semi right now (Atletico Madrid - Valencia) and Courtois is doing very, very well in goal for Atletico. For someone so young, he looks very composed and has made some very assured saves. I hope he progresses and we see him in blue in the future.

Watching the Europa League semi right now (Atletico Madrid - Valencia) and Courtois is doing very, very well in goal for Atletico. For someone so young, he looks very composed and has made some very assured saves. I hope he progresses and we see him in blue in the future.

I think he wants another year in Atletico, and with this form of Cech that seems reasonable.

Atletica have made the final! Chelsea players will play in both European finals this year. Let's hope this holds true in July as well.

Good luck to young Thibault!

The Courtois thing is one of those catch 22 situations, isnt it? If he does really well, that means he is worth of displacing Cech which means, IMO, that we might see a great club servant giving up his place. On the other hand, if he does well and Cech remains at the top of his game another 10 years, we will be forced to sell on another promising youngster.

Oh well, rather an embarrassment of riches at GK than go through them like Man Utd

Apparently Fabio Borini is a serious candidate for a place in the Italy squad at Euro 2012. Roma seem to have successfully converted him (at least partially) into a wide player after all; he has 5 goals in 7 starts on the left wing. Whoops...

Please don't talk about Borini, it just makes me upset.

What the hell? Marcelo Lippi has taken over as manager of Guangzhou Evergrande.

Obvoiusly not one of our ex's, but considering Anelka's big splash in Shanhai, and the rumors about Drogba joining him, it seems Chinese football is on a meteoric rise.

It would be awesome if China's league became like an eastern MLS, with old stars going to raise the profile of the game in the country, especially if our former players have a role to play in all that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x76oeuL5oW4

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18211937

Claudio Ranieri and Ray Wilkins in talks with West Brom

Would be interesting to see Claudio back in the PL, nice bloke I always had time for him and thought he wasn't given enough time by Roman (although in hindsight obviously it was a great decision to bring in Jose).

Stoch looks awesome, came here to post that video :(

And agreed, would love either of them to be managing back in the PL again. Ray to West Brom, Claudio to Villa? :)

Frank Nouble has gone to Wolves from West Ham on a free transfer. To be honest I only saw him play a couple of times and thought he was useless.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18547759

He shows you shouldnt always berate the club for allowing young players to leave, sometimes they know more than people on a forum. I remember when he left to go to West Ham, there was much gnashing of teeth and wailing about how we always let our young players go and he is too good to release. Ho hum.

Leon Knight commentates on his goals... O_o

Just quietly there is a difference between Frank Nouble and Fabio Borini, now he might go to f**king Liverpool!

Borini on his way to Liverpool apparently.

Great.

Borini on his way to Liverpool apparently.

So we let him leave because he missed Italy, then he comes back like a year later and joins Liverpool. I shall be looking forward to his first game against us.

He officially signed for Roma just over 2 weeks ago. http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11876/7838434/Roma-seal-Borini-capture

I read somewhere else that he had said he hadn't considered a move to scouseland and was very happy to be a Roma player.

Now suddenly an £8m move to Liverpool looks on, WTF? http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18773700

Unless Liverpool have offered considerably more, I don't see why Roma would sell. A profit on the deal they've done with Parma, but hardly worth letting him go.

So we let him leave because he missed Italy, then he comes back like a year later and joins Liverpool. I shall be looking forward to his first game against us.

No, no he wanted a modest wage rise. So we sold him and paid 18m for Romelu who has barely played.

If he ends up a success at Liverpool it will be nothing short of a disgrace on the part of management.