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Kenny Dalglish’s patience with media has become a little strained this season, and the Scottish manager’s latest run-in has done nothing to patch up the situation. Liverpool’s failings on the field of play, the Luis Suarez ‘handshake’ and now rumours surrounding transfers at the club have pushed the relationship to almost breaking point. But is the Reds chief could well be right in his criticism of growing press intrusion.

The world of football has never been the same since the Rupert Murdoch fuelled SkySports intervention transformed and repackaged the sport for the consumerist market of 1990’s Britain. Their alterations to the game centered around a new media aspect, turning the sport into more of a spectacle to infiltrate the living rooms of the nation, moving it away from the purity of its previous form

Since then this effect has snowballed with the creations of SkySports news, an increasing presence of the tabloid press and the internet, all of which are hungry for a story to fill pages an airtime. As a result almost every aspect of the sport is analysed, and dissected, pulling up stories which may not have been there in the first place.

As somewhat of an old school manager, Kenny Dalglish has found the transformation of the game to be disorientating, with the bulk of his previous management experience coming through the 1980’s and 1990’s. During this period the influence of the press was a little subdued as compared to now, allowing staff to go about the day-to-day running of their clubs without interruption.

Rumours surrounding the future of controversial striker Luis Suarez and a perspective move to Paris Saint-Germain, have once again riled the Scot, who believes that media outlets are unsettling his camp ahead of the season run in:

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“It comes as a surprise to myself, that yourselves [journalists] don’t know how the media work,” Dalglish said to SkySports.

“It was a journalist that mentioned the list of names and it was the chairman that said ‘oh they are interesting’. It was a list of names and Suarez’s name was mentioned, but I don’t know if it was Luis Suarez. I don’t know what Suarez it is.

“Also if the guy who sends the story in, if it is not repeated anywhere else and it has no soul and is not attractive to a newspaper, they don’t get any money.

“So I think it will be interesting to yourselves to disclose to the general public where the story comes from, how they get there, instead of asking us questions every time somebody’s name appears in a paper,” he finished.

It’s a frustrating state of affairs for managers across all leagues, with many transfer rumours being completely unfounded, and churned out purely on speculation. Suarez may well be considering a change of scenery, feeling that there may be too much bad blood between himself and various sectors of English football and as a result this has been seized upon to create a story and fill some time. Newcastle also suffered the misfortune of the press in their attempts to keep hold of Demba Ba, as stories were circulated stating the bargain buy-out clause written into his contract, upping the interest in the Senegalese forward. Individual  clubs may well have found this out themselves, but media circulation of the fact alerted them, thus upping the interest levels for one of the Magpies key men.

As the weeks pass, it gets harder and harder to have sympathy with the Liverpool boss, as his talk of a media witch-hunt of his club serves to frustrate fans across the league, but he may well have a point with regards to some aspects of media intrusion. It’s not just Dalglish who has suffered, with the press infiltrating the ranks of clubs across the league system, stirring speculation at each turn. If were not for intervention earlier this campaign the speculation surrounding the demise of Arsenal and Arsene Wenger would have been far less fierce, sparing the Frenchman a fair few sleepless nights over what was ultimately an unfounded story.

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It’s been a tough season for Dalglish and the media, with their relationship pushed to breaking point. However, despite his calls for transparency in and a backing of from many areas of the press, it looks highly unlikely that a change will be made, even if would prove to be to the benefit of those involved in the game.

Follow @Alex_Hams on Twitter for more football based ramblings.

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Dutch Footballer of the Year Theo Janssen has joined Ajax from Eredivisie rivals Twente for an undisclosed fee.Midfielder Janssen, 29, played an influential part in Twente’s season as they reached the Europa League quarter-finals and defeated Ajax 3-2 in the Dutch Cup final.

Twente failed to retain their Eredivisie title by two points after losing away to Ajax on the last day of the season.

And the man who scored 13 goals for them in the campaign will line-up for their rivals next season after agreeing a two-year deal with the Amsterdam outfit.

“I want to become champions again,” Janssen said.

“I leave Twente with a good feeling, they are a top club. They will be at the top again next season.”

Janssen put the reason for an impressive season down to the greater freedom he was allowed under Michel Preud’homme, who replaced Steve McLaren as coach in May 2010.

“When I arrived there, I had a more controlling role but under Preud’homme I was given more freedom. He said from the first day on, ‘You will become the best player in Eredivisie’.”

Bought as a replacement for the out-bound world player of the year, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gabriel Obertan never had it easy when he joined Manchester United. Hit with a string of injuries and being burdened with the task of replacing Ronaldo, the pressure seemed too much for the young Frenchman.

But after what looks like a summer in the gym and some regular football this season, the 21 year could yet prove to be another Ferguson master-stroke.

It’s almost been a coming of age for Obertan. At a time when United really needed their youngsters to prove themselves at the top level, the likes of Chris Smalling, Hernandez and Obertan himself have all shown that they are more than capable.

Dismissed as a spent force without Ronaldo and an in-form Wayne Rooney, United have gone about their business quietly, recruiting and coaching these young players in the hope they will turn into the next best thing. Obertan falls into that category and his progression has been an impressive rise from an unknown quantity to a first team regular.

Now comes the real test for the winger. Antonio Valencia is out for months and Nani’s groin injury could sideline him for a few weeks at least. The United manager seems to favour Obertan as a second striker, working off Berbatov, but his pace and ability to beat players could prove vital for Ferguson’s team at a time where his squad is stretched to breaking point.

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The Frenchman can now use this opportunity to push himself further up the ranks at United. Primarily used as a fringe player, a run in the first team looks likely given the current injury list.

You would hardly call him a last resort, either. An impressive second half display against Wolves in the Carling Cup was rewarded with a start in the Champions League game at Bursaspor. During both games, glimpses of what Alex Ferguson must see in training everyday were beginning to show and his goal was taken with real assurance.

In the aftermath of ‘Rooney-gate,’ many may have been surprised to hear Ferguson declare United unwilling to do any sort of business in the January transfer market. Although, this was not so much of a shock when you consider the unwavering trust he has in his younger players and also in his own judgement.

How often have we heard the Scot say that Manchester United is about developing talent and turning players into the best in the world?  He will argue the club is going through another transition period, with a crop of players who are on the verge of creating history.

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If this is the case, Obertan could be leading the charge of yet another trophy-winning Manchester United side. He may not be a multi-million pound buy or a world icon, but in Ferguson’s eyes, he is the answer to the void left by Mr. Ronaldo. Surely he won’t win anything with kids again, will he?

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After two long weeks of nothing on the pitch, we were finally treated to not just one but two matches in a row as the frosty weather cleared that had interfered with our recent games.

First up was the home fixture on Valentines Day as Oxford made hard work of Dagenham and Redbridge. The first half in truth was a boring affair with very little to shout about, as the many new signings played competitively together for the first time. However the second half saw a change in mentality. United opened the scoring soon after the break with Oli Johnson netting his first for the club.

The Daggers hit back with just 20 minutes to go but this still gave enough time for James Constable to grab the winner and move into double figures for the season at long last. ‘Beano’ had been on a bit of a goal drought with this being his first of 2012 and hopefully it should do wonders for his confidence.

Confidence is a very important thing that we will need to be building up in the next couple of games before the small matter of facing Swindon Town.

Saturday’s fixture against Bristol Rovers saw a stalemate as the weather tried to be a factor once again. The match was actually in doubt as torrential rain poured in the West Country, but after an inspection it was decided the pitch was playable. It finished 0-0 and is another solid point for the U’s to build on with three home games in a row coming up next.

One player to comment on is Mehdi Kerrouche who came of the bench against the daggers and was handed a full debut against the Pirates, Kerrouche helped set up the winning goal on Tuesday and linked up well with the front line against Rovers.

The next two weeks sees three home games against Barnet, Macclesfield and then Swindon, providing there are no more unexpected postponements of course.

After our last home game there is hope that we can push on and transfer some of the brilliant away form from this season to home matches. This season in all competitions we have won only half of the home games and for a team wanting to push for promotion that just is not good enough.

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Not every team can play consistently well for a whole season and you have to think that the clubs above United are sure to slip up sooner or later. Automatic promotion currently looks a long way off but with a few more wins in the next couple of weeks anything could yet be possible.

By Oxford United blogger Mickey Cosier 

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Harry Redknapp is resigned to losing out on the Champions League this season after Tottenham drew 1-1 with Blackpool on Saturday.Spurs are now seven points off Manchester City with three games to go following a disappointing draw and Redknapp was left frustrated following another opportunity missed.

Charlie Adam scored a penalty to put Blackpool 1-0 up but Jermain Defoe equalised with a fierce drive three minutes from time.

It was not enough for Spurs, though, and Redknapp admits his side have a mountain to climb.

“I am disappointed as it was a game we needed to win. We have struggled to score at home lately but we haven’t managed to beat teams,” Redknapp said.

“We haven’t taken our chances. Strikers haven’t scored goals this season and it’s difficult to put your finger on it.”

“Credit to Blackpool, they had a real go and they are a breath of fresh air. They lifted their game and full credit to Ian. We have thrown it away in the last nine games.”

“Whether the Champions League has taken its toll, I don’t know. We played great football in spells. We had half a chance today but it’s going to be very tough now.”

“We will keep going. The Champions League spot is very difficult – you have to be realistic for next season. Manchester United and Chelsea won’t drop out. Manchester City are getting stronger and Arsenal are there every year.”

“We were just short this year and maybe not good enough.”

Ian Holloway said he was proud of his players after earning a point which moves them out of the bottom three.

“Quite a day for us. I feel so proud. I couldn’t have asked for any more I thought my lads were terrific,” Holloway said.

“It’ll go right to the wire, we know that, but we looked today like we could win a game at this level.

“We believe in ourselves again after having a bit of a wobble but there’s a lot of football still to play and if we continue to play like that who’s to say we can’t get out of this.”

“Charlie’s had a tough season. He’s only going to improve, he’s only 24, and that shows the character he’s got. Today shows me there’s massive hope for the future. We don’t want to give up our place in this league. I loved it out there.”

It would be an unenviable task to find a Bolton fan that is not a fan of their battering ram centre forward Kevin Davies. He has been an integral part of their side in recent years with his robust approach aiding them through both chances created and not spurning chances when they come his way. Whenever you think of Bolton, he is perhaps the first player that springs to mind, but whilst his professionalism is to be admired, the decision to include the 33 year old in the latest England squad is a little more puzzling.

The England fans surprise was most likely on a par with Davies’s himself when Capello announced his selection earlier this week as he can’t have seriously expected to play any further part given the “new era” that the country is supposedly entering with the likes of Adam Johnson, Joe Hart and Jack Wilshere being promoted in an attempt to restore the faith of the fans left so bitterly disappointed in South Africa.

It may well be conceived that the selection of young Newcastle striker Andy Carroll would have offered more a step forward than Davies who may well be pulled up with frustrating regularity by international referees for his all action style and use of his body. Another question that may well be raised is whether Capello’s mystifying decision will mean England change their style of play. I’m sure England fans would not want to pay £60 to go to Wembley and see long balls to Davies and players feeding off of it.

However, whilst the decision leaves fans bewildered Davies, understandably, was delighted.

“I was in the expanded squad a couple of times but even when a few players pulled out and I thought I had a chance, someone else got called up,”he said.

“From then on I decided never to get my hopes up. You can’t let it affect you. You’ve always wanted to play for England and if he (Capello) has been watching and you’ve scored you’re like, “wow, you never know…” I just didn’t want to put myself through that again. My half-brother’s Jamaican so I might try for them.”

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And his delight is hardly surprising given the fact that if he plays a part in the game against Montenegro next week then he will become the oldest player for 60 years to make his England debut.

The decision may have been dictated by the failure to lure in-form Villa striker Emile Heskey out of international retirement but ultimately Davies inclusion is probably a step backwards.

Barcelona attacker Lionel Messi won the Ballon d’Or on Monday night for the third consecutive time.

It was revealed at the ceremony in Zurich that the Argentina international received 48% of the votes, compared to Cristiano Ronaldo’s 22% and Xavi’s 10%.

The victory for the South American means he has won the world player of the year award three times in a row, and equals Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten, who also received the accolade on three separate occasions.

Xavi heaped praise on his Barcelona team-mate, stating that he was a worthy winner of the award.

“He’s still young, only 24, and I think he’s going to break all the records that exist in this sport,” the Spain midfielder told reporters.

“He’s going to be one of the best footballers in the history of the sport.”

Meanwhile Pep Guardiola made it a double success for the Catalan side by picking up the Manager of the Year award, beating Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson to the prize.

Ferguson did however pick up the Fifa President’s Award for services in the game, and was praised by Sepp Blatter at the event.

Manchester United duo Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic were included in a world XI however, which was selected as follows:

Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Dani Alves (Barcelona), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Nemanja Vidic (Man Utd), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Xavi (Barcelona), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Wayne Rooney (Man Utd).

Other winners in Switzerland were Japan’s women’s captain Homare Sawa who won the women’s player award; Japan manager Norio Sasaki was given the coach of the year for women’s football accolade; the Japanese FA were awarded the FIFA fair play award and Brazil striker Neymar won the FIFA Puskas award for the best goal of 2011.

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By Gareth McKnight

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Arsenal’s defeat at Stoke last weekend was representative of how the end of the season has gone from bad to worse for the Gunners. Another season has gone by without a trophy for Arsene Wenger’s men, but there has been one positive for Arsenal in this campaign, namely Jack Wilshere. The young English midfielder has been outstanding in the middle of the park and looks like someone who will be wearing the Arsenal shirt and the Three Lions of England for many years to come. Perhaps somewhat understandably seeing that Jack is just 19, the youngster is still a bit raw and doesn’t half like flying into tackles. Here he is getting acquainted with Stoke’s Dean Whitehead at the Britannia Stadium last Sunday, but how are Wilshere and Whitehead making their introductions?

Leave your suggestions below…

This week you can win a copy of Arsenal: The Double 70/71 on DVD!

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the 1970/71 Double winning Arsenal team and to celebrate a special DVD is being released so that you can relive that season in all its glory, or see it for the first time if you’re a young Gunner. Arsenal: The Double 70/71 allows you to take a trip back to the days before the Premier League and relive the season that has gone down in Arsenal’s history and will always be remembered.

Click here to read our review of Arsenal: The Double 70/71

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Check out our Caption Competition Gallery for some inspiration and to see the winners so far.

Last week’s winner: Nils – click here to see all entries

Birmingham City boss Alex McLeish has backed Nikola Zigic to prove his talents in the Premier League.

The Serbia striker joined the Blues in a £6million summer transfer from Valencia but has been restricted to mainly substitute appearances in the early days of his St Andrew's career.

Zigic opened his account during last week's Carling Cup victory over MK Dons and McLeish is confident the capture of giant striker will prove to be a good piece of transfer business.

"Nikola is still adjusting to the English game. It is hurly burly, 100 miles an hour," he explained.

"On the continent he is used to balls being laid up to him and cushioning it and laying it off and keeping the play moving.

"It is a totally different game to the Spanish system and also the Serbian system as well.

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"The players tend to get lazy as well when there is a big guy in the team because they just launch it forward.

"But we've got to try to get into the right positions to give him the right service."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Being stuck in the reserves whilst Michael Carrick continues to get a game in the first team is enough to test anybody’s patience and if rumours emanating from the Paul Pogba camp are to be believed, the talented 18-year-old is set to call time on his Manchester United career when his contract expires next summer.

Despite being lauded as one answer to the Red Devils’ midfield problems, Pogba has found appearances at Old Trafford hard to come by this term. A pair of substitute run-outs in the Carling Cup is all the former Le Havre trainee has been granted so far and with further chances looking sparse a number of suitors are said to be waiting in the wings.

Nostradamus never did try his hand at writing football gossip columns so take what you will from various sources suggesting Arsenal, Juventus, AC and Inter Milan are all keen to add the French under-19 international to their squads.

Given the nominal fee Pogba’s signature would cost and relatively cheap wages he could command, his acquisition would be a low-risk bit of business for anybody so it’s no wonder the midfielder is being courted across the continent.

The conundrum player and club must get right though, is would Pogba be better off remaining at Manchester United?

Even given his limited exposure to first-team football there would be few at Old Trafford prepared to let him go. Pogba was instrumental in helping United’s youth team win the FA youth cup last season and he has long established himself as a key member of the second string.

During the summer Sir Alex Ferguson overtly mentioned Pogba as one of the latest batch of academy graduates he was seeking to integrate into the side, and although that promotion has hardly been forthcoming, all involved recognise Pogba’s natural talent and athleticism mark him out as a potential incumbent into the United side.

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Whilst United are not generally in the habit of stockpiling resource for the sake of it, they have been scorched on a number of occasions in the past when letting players go prematurely.

Giuseppe Rossi and Gerard Pique would both arguably get in the team now but both would cost tenfold the fees they were released for. A Hat-trick with Pogba would not go down well.

Of course, the party line from Carrington would be that a player who does not turn nineteen until next March should bide his time and serve his apprenticeship with an institute who have a long and proven track record of developing from within – and they’d be right.

Pogba’s head may have already been turned by the lure of match minutes and money but if he had the inclination to ask Phil Jones, Chris Smalling Tom Cleverley, Danny Welbeck, Javier Hernandez or Wayne Rooney what to do, he’d still be a red this time next year.

Tales of how Sir Alex Ferguson develops young players is well trodden and one which doesn’t need retelling in the aftermath of his silver jubilee celebrations, but there is a reason the Scot has continually evolved side after side, and that is because he frequently gets the blend right within his squad of youth and experience.

The expectations placed upon the next big things can be overwhelming and often misguided – especially at clubs of the size and stature of United – yet Ferguson has the experience and understanding of how, when and where to involve players for future gains.

Simply playing as much football as you can, as soon as you can is a methodology which has more failure’s than successes and Pogba would be unwise to think that this approach would automatically suit him in the long run.

The number of starlet’s who break into established teams at such tender ages are increasingly rare and more players are now going through and induction progress of lesser cup ties and league games mixed in with loan spells in order to evolve to the the nuances of senior football regardless of any inherent technical skills.

At United, Pogba is cherished within such an environment and personnel around him to inch out his maturity for maximum benefit over a slightly more prolonged period of time.

However, the differences in mentality of player and manager only serves as a metaphor between generation and tradition with Pogba wanting cash and a quick fix whilst Ferguson is religiously well versed in the virtues of patience.

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Pogba can sign a pre-contract agreement from January onwards so time is not on United’s side to convince their starlet to stay, but no convincing should need to be done – with only a handful of exceptions they say the only way is down after leaving Manchester United.

Follow John Baines on twitter @bainesyDiego10

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