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RODGERS - RYAN IS A BIG TALENT

Reading boss Brendan Rodgers feels he has signed the next Ashley Cole in new loan capture Ryan Bertrand.

Rodgers has raided his old club Chelsea for the 19-year-old left-back, who has agreed a season-long loan at the Madejski Stadium.

"He's a big talent. He's a boy who has been groomed to fill in for Ashley Cole in the future," said Rodgers.

"I was involved in Ryan coming to Chelsea when we took him from Gillingham at 16, I worked closely with him for three years or so and nurtured his development and he's developed into a top-class player.

"He's very much the Ashley Cole type. Great going forward, very good on the ball, quick and aggressive in defence - the modern-day full-back.

"If you look at the Patrice Evras and the Ashley Coles, those are the mark of the top players in the game and Ryan has the potential to be the same."
 

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GORMAN PLAYS DOWN BRIATORE INFLUENCE

John Gorman insists he and QPR boss Jim Magilton are under no illusions about the task facing them at Loftus Road.

Magilton this summer became the fifth permanent manager to be named by Flavio Briatore in less then two years.

Briatore's reign as chairman has been controversial, with reports suggesting his influence at times stretches to selecting the team, but assistant boss Gorman is not fazed by the Italian's reputation.

"Jim and I knew what we were taking on when we took the job," said Gorman.

"We feel we are strong enough to handle it and have a good relationship with the people above us."
 

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McKENNA SET TO SEAL FOREST SWITCH

Preston midfielder Paul McKenna is on the verge of completing his switch to Nottingham Forest.

The 31-year-old has agreed personal terms and passed a medical at the City Ground and will be officially unveiled as a Forest player on Monday.

McKenna opted to leave Deepdale, where he has spent his entire career, after the two clubs agreed a fee of £750,000 earlier this week.

He will be joined at Forest by Chris Gunter, who is joining in a £1.75million deal from Tottenham.
 

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HULL DISMISS BARTON LINK

Hull have dismissed reports linking them with Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton.

Newcastle are thought to be keen to offload the 27-year-old after a troubled two years on Tyneside following a £5.8million move from Manchester City.

Hull are anxious to strengthen their squad ahead of the new season but say they are not planning to offer Barton a Premier League lifeline.

When asked if there was any truth in the rumours, assistant manager Brian Horton said: "No.

"Joey Barton is a very good footballer. I know him, I have done things with him in Manchester.

"He has obviously had issues and that is a shame because he can be a very good footballer but at this present time I don't think it's an area that really needs to be looked at."

Hull have endured a frustrating summer in the transfer market having seen three high-profile targets opt for other clubs.

City were close to agreeing deals with Fraizer Campbell and Marc-Antoine Fortune but lost out to Sunderland and Celtic respectively. An audacious attempt to sign Michael Owen also came to nothing as Manchester United stepped in.

Horton added: "It is frustrating, we are trying like hell.

"But they have gone to three big clubs. If we were losing Joe Bloggs from Division Three it would be a different matter.

"We want to bring someone in but we need to have a bit of patience, things will evolve.

"It's not the fact we are not trying to get better players in."

Horton also said nothing should be read into Brazilian star Geovanni's absence for Saturday's pre-season friendly at UniBond League neighbours North Ferriby.

Geovanni also missed the club's recent training camp in Italy for personal reasons but will be with the squad for Sunday's friendly at Winterton Rangers.

Horton said: "He's trained this morning and will be with the team tomorrow.

"He didn't come to Bormio with us for various reasons so we'll assess his fitness tomorrow and if he feels capable of playing 45 minutes he will."
 

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OWEN DEFENDS CONDUCT AT NEWCASTLE

Michael Owen has launched a passionate defence of his conduct at Newcastle.

Owen ended four unhappy years at St James' Park this summer when his career appeared to move backwards at a rapid rate.

A couple of major injuries in his early years did not help and then when he was fit, the Magpies had descended into chaos under the ownership of Mike Ashley, ultimately ending in the humiliation of relegation into the Championship.

As his contract ran out, Owen knew he would not be following them and instead took up a surprise offer from Sir Alex Ferguson to join Manchester United.

But the star striker has been stung by repeated criticism of his behaviour, particularly helicopter flights back to his Cheshire home from the north-east and a fledgling horse-breeding business being run by his wife Louise.

Both have been used as evidence Owen's heart was not with the Tyneside outfit, a damning verdict on their £18million record signing which he is anxious to counter.

"You learn to understand the reaction but if you do step back, you think it is strange or unfair," he said.

"When you are being relegated, nobody is interested in listening to you. But I knew it was all to do with me not scoring.

"If you don't score and you don't win, you are wrong to have a helicopter and fly home each week to see your kids. You are wrong to have a business outside of football. You are wrong to plan for the future.

"If the goals had been going in I would have been a great lad, popping home to see my three kids and be a family man on a Tuesday after training. I would have been thoughtful and innocent little things would not be misrepresented."

In fact, for the team Newcastle became, returns of 13 and 10 goals respectively during the past two seasons were not bad totals.

Yet Owen knows he was capable of much better, as he hopes to prove at Old Trafford.

His affection for Newcastle ensures he will not launch an all-out attack on a club that seems on a mission to self-destruct.

However, mere commonsense dictates the backdrop to live on Tyneside meant producing his best form was impossible.

"There is no hiding from the fact it was disappointing at Newcastle because the team got relegated," he reflected.

"I played 33 games, so I will not shirk my share of the blame. What I would say is whether you are the best or worst player in the world you are a human being. You are affected by the surroundings, the mood of people, by confidence.

"I could have done more and score more goals but the team was lacking in confidence. It was not playing well, there was a manager every two minutes and unrest at board level.

"In a situation like that you cannot name many players who have played well on a consistent basis over the years. Everyone's standards drop.

"I don't want to say I was dragged down by Newcastle because I have a lot of respect for the club and had some good times but I do believe I play better in a team full of confidence."

As a striker, once things start to go wrong, individually and collectively, blame soon follows at Newcastle.

The club of Jackie Milburn, Malcolm MacDonald, Kevin Keegan and Alan Shearer needs its forwards to be heroes. That naked desire is why so many turned out to welcome Owen's arrival from Real Madrid four years ago.

That a cruciate knee ligament injury suffered at the 2006 World Cup with England kept him out for a year only made matters worse.

"It was Newcastle and it was me, so maybe it was worse," he said.

"If another player had flown home to see their family it would not have been such news.

"They had paid a record fee for me and I broke my foot trying to score goals for them. But when I was out for another year playing for England it hindered me.

"Probably if I had done my knee playing for Newcastle, there may have been more support.

"I was on the back foot straight away and reversing it was difficult."
 

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HUGHTON: FORGET ABOUT TURMOIL

Newcastle's caretaker boss Chris Hughton has ordered his players to forget about the turmoil off the pitch and concentrate on the start of the new season.

The Magpies cruised to a 7-2 friendly victory over League Two Darlington today, three weeks before their Championship campaign begins at West Brom.

They did so with managing director Derek Llambias among the crowd as efforts to sell the club continued behind the scenes with a series of potential buyers yet to come up with the £100million owner Mike Ashley wants.

The travelling fans among a crowd of 6,698 repeatedly sang the name of manager-in-waiting Alan Shearer, and were equally vociferous in their chants against Ashley.

Llambias, who was unaware that a pair of underpants had been thrown in his direction by a disgruntled fan at one point, said after the game: "We are trying hard. There is serious interest and it's a case of first past the post."

While Ashley, Llambias, Shearer and the Toon Army await developments, Hughton has been handed the task of preparing the team for the season, and he has been delighted with the way they have managed to put all the speculation surrounding their club and their own individual futures out of their minds.

He said: "There are enough people discussing it and as it gathers more momentum, it will be more in the press and on television.

"Their escape from it all is where it should be, on the football pitch.

"We will just get on with the business in hand. We are very much working from day to day, waiting to find out what will happen.

"All we can affect is what goes on on the training pitch and on the football pitch."

Goals from Damien Duff, Kevin Nolan and a Shola Ameobi double either side of a penalty from 40-year-old Dean Windass gave the visitors a 4-1 half-time lead.

Hughton made seven changes at the break and Jonas Gutierrez and Steven Taylor made it 6-1 before Windass' second and Andy Carroll completed the scoring.

The caretaker was happy to have emerged from the game with a decent performance and no serious injuries, and although there is no certainty of all those players being available on the first day of the season, he admitted he would be confident of a positive start if they were.

He said: "We have certainly got a good enough squad and a good enough team to acquit ourselves very well in this division, that I have got no doubts about.

"If that's what we have come the first day of the season, we would be delighted."

However, there was one problem for Hughton as his side, having used all of their substitutes, was forced to play the final 27 minutes with 10 men after half-time substitute Nicky Butt went off with a thumb injury.

Hughton said: "He has partially-dislocated his thumb which, in injury situations, is not a particularly serious thing.

"He has gone to hospital and normally what will happen is they will put it back in. It will be quite painful, but I would think he would be training in the next few days.

"He's tough boy Nicky and if anything, he would have stayed on. But we have to do things right and I am sure it will be okay."

Meanwhile, Hughton revealed that French defender Sebastien Bassong, who was not in the squad, could play at Leyton Orient next weekend but like striker Obafemi Martins, is not expected to be included for the midweek trip to Huddersfield.

He said: "He [Bassong] was one who came back later than the others because he was away with the Cameroon side, so it was just a precaution with him."
 

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ARSENAL HIT BY LATE LEVELLER

Arsenal were held to a 2-2 draw by Barnet in Saturday's traditional pre-season friendly at Underhill.

Barnet looked to capitalise on some lacklustre pre-season defending by Arsenal in the early stages but were carved open themselves in the 44th minute when Sanchez Watt picked out Andrey Arshavin with a pinpoint cross that the Russian buried.

The lead lasted only a minute, however, as Ismail Yakubu met Danny Hart's free-kick with an athletic glancing header that evaded Manuel Almunia on its way into the top right corner.

Individual brilliance by Dutchman Nacer Barazite restored Arsenal's lead shortly into the second half as he weaved his way to the edge of the area where he chipped the ball home.

However, the Gunners cracked with eight minutes to go, Elliott Charles capitalising on the ongoing confusion to stab home from close range to earn Barnet a deserved draw.

Michael Owen marked his Manchester United debut with a late winner to seal a 3-2 win over a Malaysia XI and save his side's blushes in Kuala Lumpur.

Manchester City kept their high-profile signings out of sight as they slumped to a 2-0 defeat against Orlando Pirates.

Carlos Tevez and Roque Santa Cruz were not even named on the bench for the match at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, South Africa.

And Gareth Barry, although named as a substitute, did not make an appearance.

Aston Villa ran out comfortable 3-0 winners in their first pre-season friendly at Peterborough.

Austrian forward Andreas Weimann opened the scoring for Martin O'Neill's side with a neat header midway through the first half from Marc Albrighton's cross.

Curtis Davies provided the highlight of the match with the second goal eight minutes after the interval, the defender coolly slotting past James McKeown following a slick one-two with Marlon Harewood.

Midfielder Steve Sidwell blasted home to complete the scoring 19 minutes from time at London Road.

Loan signing Jo struck a brace as Everton continued their pre-season campaign with a thumping 4-1 triumph at Rochdale.

Youngster Shane Duffy tapped home the opener after seven minutes and the visitors' advantage was doubled midway through the first half courtesy of a Craig Dawson own goal.

Chris Dagnall pulled one back for the hosts from the penalty spot just before the half-hour mark but then Jo got in on the act with two goals to seal Everton's victory.

Trialist Jerome Thomas made a positive impression on his first start for Hull with a goal in a 6-0 victory over North Ferriby United at Church Road.

Thomas, who made just five appearances last season for Portsmouth, scored the only goal of the first half in the 34th minute while Craig Fagan also hit a post.

But goals after the break from from Jamie Devitt, Nicky Featherstone, Nick Barmby and a brace from Caleb Folan ensured a comfortable start to the Tigers' pre-season preparations.

Colin Nish netted a double to hand new Hibernian boss John Hughes a pre-season victory over Dunfermline.

Hibs ran out comfortable 4-0 winners with Derek Riordan and Jonatan Johansson also on the scoresheet against the Irn-Bru First Division side.

Crisis club Newcastle routed League Two Darlington 7-2 as they put their off-the-field problems to one side.

Goals from Damien Duff, Kevin Nolan, Jonas Gutierrez, Steven Taylor, Andy Carroll and two from Shola Ameobi eased the Magpies to victory, although, worryingly, Nicky Butt departed early through injury.

Paulo Sousa enjoyed a winning start to life as Swansea boss as his new side ran out 3-1 winners against FC Twente.

Nathan Tyson helped himself to a 10-minute hat-trick as Nottingham Forest ran out 4-1 winners against Football League new-boys Burton.

Reading's pre-season preparations took a dent when they fell to a 2-1 friendly defeat at non-league Kettering.

Chesterfield came from behind to regain the Derbyshire FA Centenary Cup with a 2-1 victory over county rivals Derby at Saltergate.

Jon Parkin scored twice as Preston maintained their 100 per cent pre-season record with a 2-1 win at Tranmere.

David Clarkson earned Bristol City a 1-1 draw in their pre-season friendly at League Two side Cheltenham.

Lewis Guy and Robbie Clark were on target as Doncaster's pre-season preparations continued with a 2-0 win at Barrow.

Leon Best and Freddy Eastwood were on target as Coventry claimed a 2-0 friendly win at non-league Hinckley United.

Late goals by Julio Arca, Marvin Emnes and Jonathan Franks lifted Middlesbrough to a 3-0 win at Macclesfield.

A youthful West Ham XI drew 1-1 at Cambridge United, Ahmed Abdulla with the strike for the Premier League outfit, while a young Watford side drew 1-1 at Hampton & Richmond.

Leeds won 3-1 against Glentoran thanks to goals from Robert Snodgrass, Jermaine Beckford and Enoch Showunmi while Southampton lost 4-1 at home to Dutch side Ajax.
 

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ROBINS SET FOR BOZANIC SWOOP

Cheltenham manager Martin Allen is close to signing midfielder Oliver Bozanic from Reading.

Bozanic, 20, signed a new one-year contract at the Madejski Stadium just last week but is set for a loan spell at Whaddon Road.

Allen said: "We're hoping for a left-sided player to come in and he is Oliver Bozanic.

"He is a tidy young left-footed player.

"Reading want to send him here to get some experience and hopefully he'll be joining us on Monday."
 

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POSH SNAP UP PEARCE

Peterborough have signed Birmingham defender Krystian Pearce on a season-long loan deal.

The 19-year-old spent the majority of last season on loan at Scunthorpe and Posh boss Darren Ferguson believes he will prove to be a quality addition at London Road.

Ferguson said: "He is one that we have had watched over the last two years and he has made real progress.

"He is willing to learn, he is still young and fits in with the criteria we are looking for in new players.

"He is quick, powerful and in my opinion a very good signing for the club."
 

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WALTON LEFT OUT OF TOUR

Plymouth boss Paul Sturrock has revealed that he has left Simon Walton out his squad to tour Scotland.

Walton became Argyle's record signing just last summer when he moved from QPR but enjoyed a troubled first season at Home Park.

The 21-year-old has played most of his football in midfield but has decided he sees his future as a central defender.

Sturrock said: "He wants to play centre-back and there are other players ahead of him at centre-back.

"Everybody was told that, performance wise, 22 players were going to get taken on the tour and Simon's been left behind.

"Simon and I have had a good discussion about his whole scenario here and I think it's vitally important that he appreciates the situation."
 

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IRVINE HAILS STRIKERS

Preston manager Alan Irvine has admitted he is delighted with the form of his strikers in pre-season after Jon Parkin's brace against Tranmere.

Parkin and Chris Brown have both scored four goals apiece in just three games this summer and Irvine hopes they can carry that through into the start of the Championship campaign.

Irvine said: "I'm delighted about my strikers because you want everybody to be scoring goals.

"They are all working very hard, and they've come back showing that they've done a bit of work over the summer.

"Pre-season is going okay. I'm a little bit disappointed because of a few little injuries we've picked up but it's important that we don't slacken off."
 

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KILGALLON SET FOR NEW DEAL

Matt Kilgallon has revealed he is set to sign a new contract with Sheffield United.

Recent reports have suggested the defender is a summer target of a number of Premier League sides.

However, it is claimed Kilgallon will put pen-to-paper on a four-year Blades deal he has described as "the most important of my career".

The 25-year-old told the Sunday Mirror: "I anticipate that, anytime now, it will all be resolved."

Kilgallon joined the Blades from Leeds in 2007 and has since made 86 league appearances for the Championship club.
 

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TAYLOR: PROBLEMS BRING US CLOSER

Newcastle defender Steven Taylor has revealed the club's off-the-field problems have brought the players closer together.

Several of Taylor's colleagues revealed their misgivings over the club's ownership saga and their lack of a permanent manager after last weekend's friendly against Shamrock Rovers in Dublin.

However, the 23-year-old insists the adversity into which the Magpies have been plunged since relegation from the Premier League has simply served to forge a tighter bond between the players who remain on the books.

That unity has come from a week-long training camp in Ireland during which caretaker boss Chris Hughton subjected the squad to three training sessions a day, the first of them at 7am.

Taylor said: "After the Shamrock Rovers game, they [the players] were asked these questions, and people might think that's what the fans want to hear.

"But it isn't because they don't realise what it's like. Dublin was the best thing that's happened to Newcastle United this pre-season. It's the best thing we could have done.

"We had to stick together. All these training sessions, I know they have been tight and close together, but we are not complaining.

"We have got no moaning any more. In the Premier League, maybe for some players it was a bit easy-going, but it's been difficult, it's more strict and people are realising that.

"The fans at this moment probably think the club is a shambles and the players haven't got a clue what is going on. They probably think we are fighting in training.

"But with us, it is completely different and I just wish they could even spend one day just looking at the training ground and the way we are going on with each other.

"It's a much better team-bonding."

Taylor's comments came after Saturday's 7-2 friendly victory at Darlington in which he scored his side's sixth goal.

Shola Ameobi grabbed a double and Damien Duff, Kevin Nolan, Jonas Gutierrez and Andy Carroll also struck as the League Two side were swept away despite two goals from 40-year-old assistant manager Dean Windass.

Newcastle were without Sebastien Bassong and Obafemi Martins, both of whom have been at the centre of speculation over moves away from St James' Park this summer, although Hughton insisted they were left out only as a precaution after resuming pre-season training later than the majority of their team-mates.

The only down side for Hughton was an injury to midfielder Nicky Butt, who partially dislocated a thumb, although he is expected to miss only a few days of training.

But with less than three weeks to go before the opening day trip to West Brom, there is a growing optimism, coupled with a healthy realism, within the dressing room.

Taylor said: "We are just thinking about one game at a time. We have got West Brom as our first game and we have just got to win that game.

"I don't care how ugly it gets, we need to get the result we need, and that's all we are going to look for."

Meanwhile, efforts to sell the club are ongoing with Alan Shearer still waiting to see if he will be appointed manager.

Whoever does eventually get the job will have to radically re-shape the existing squad simply to reduce the wage bill, but Taylor is adamant he is not agitating for a move.

He said: "I have got two years on my contract and unless Newcastle sell me, I am still a Newcastle United player."
 

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IPSWICH SLIP TO DEFEAT

Roy Keane was disappointed on his return to his hometown as Ipswich fell to a 2-0 defeat at Cork City.

The hosts went ahead five minutes after the break when Tommy Smith pulled down Fahrudin Kuduzovic in the area and the Bosnian stepped up to convert the penalty.

Gavin O'Neal sealed the victory for the League of Ireland side three minutes from time.
 

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JOHNSON TIGHT-LIPPED ON BREZOVAN

Bristol City manager Gary Johnson is refusing to commit to a deal to sign free agent Peter Brezovan.

The Slovakian 'keeper has turned out for the Robins in their pre-season campaign following injuries to Adriano Basso, Dean Gerken and Stephen Henderson.

Brezovan has been looking for a new club since leaving Swindon at the end of last season, but Johnson will not rush into snapping up the 29-year-old to provide cover.

"To ask me about a deal for Peter Brezovan is a leading question and I'm not going to answer it at this time," he told the Bristol Evening Post.

"But the situation with our 'keepers is a concern and we are having to monitor it carefully. The season is nearly upon us and all three of our 'keepers have injuries.

"Let's say Brezovan has helped us out and we've done him a favour at the same time. But I won't be saying any more on that until I've spoken to him."
 

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RANGEL FOCUSED ON SWANS

Swansea defender Angel Rangel insists he is focused on the new season despite attracting attention from a host of clubs.

The likes of Wigan, Hull and Celtic have all been strongly linked with the highly-rated full-back this summer.

Rangel has established himself as one of the best attacking defenders outside the top flight after impressing at Swansea since his arrival in 2007.

The 26-year-old, who struggled with a niggling heel injury last season, says he is fully fit and happy to stay at Swansea.

"I still think I will be a Swansea player next season," Rangel told Wales Online. "I spoke to the gaffer and he said he wanted me here and I said that I wanted to be here.

"There have been so many rumours over the last few weeks. But, as I have always said, they are only rumours and my mind is fully focused on Swansea.

"I have been training really hard and I haven't spoken to any other clubs. So, hopefully, I will be here and fit for the start of the season."
 

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CLOUGH HOPEFULL ON RANDALL

Nigel Clough is eager for Mark Randall to link up with Derby for their pre-season tour of Devon ahead of a possible loan move.

The Rams revealed earlier this month that they wanted to bring in the young Arsenal midfielder on a 'long loan'.

And the Gunners are now set to allow Randall to play for Derby in two of their friendlies in the south west this week.

Derby face Yeovil on Tuesday, Torquay on Thursday and Exeter on Saturday and Clough hopes to push through a deal for Randall.

"I think we've got the okay from Arsenal that he will be joining up with us on Tuesday and hopefully he will feature in two out of the three games, probably Tuesday and Saturday," said Clough.

"This week will be ideal to have a look at him with a view to a loan - maybe to January or maybe for the whole season.

"There is no point coming training. You can only see a certain amount in training but this way we can see him in games."
 

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BORO REJECT ALVES BID

Middlesbrough have rejected an offer for Afonso Alves, but are still waiting to receive bids for Tuncay Sanli.

Following relegation to the Championship, Boro are expecting strike duo Alves and Tuncay to leave the Riverside, with Stewart Downing having already been sold to Aston Villa.

Alves was a club-record signing for in excess of £12million from Heerenveen in 2008, but the Brazilian has struggled to make his mark in England.

He is understood to have been the subject of a £3million bid from a club in the United Arab Emirates, but Boro boss Gareth Southgate says the offer is not good enough.

"We've had a bid for Afonso, but it wasn't something we deemed to be acceptable," said Southgate in the Northern Echo. "To be honest, it wasn't anywhere near what we would accept."

Regarding Tuncay's situation, Southgate added: "We haven't had a bid for Tuncay, but we're waiting to see what happens.

"We're assuming that he'll move on, but nothing is guaranteed."

Meanwhile, Southgate confirmed that Egyptian striker Mido has still to return for pre-season training and will not be paid until he is back with the club.

"It's very simple - Mido has to get himself back and into training with us," continued Southgate.

"This club will not be paying anybody who is not in training with us.

"We'll deal with what happens after that as and when he's ready to join in with that training, but nothing will knock us off what we want to achieve."
 

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POWELL JOINS FOXES COACHING STAFF

Leicester have announced the appointment of Chris Powell as their new first team development coach.

The 39-year-old former England international was on Leicester's books last season and helped them to the League One title, making 12 starts for the Foxes.

It originally looked as if Powell would be leaving the club, but boss Nigel Pearson has asked him to join his backroom staff, whilst also re-registering him as a player.

"Obviously I will not be looking to play too often and I am also taking one or two sessions which has been exciting and a great learning curve for me," Powell told the club's official website.

"I am going to be a development coach around the first team and also registered as a player so I have got the best of both worlds.

"I want to become a manager in the future and I don't see a better place for me to learn."
 

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BEYE SYMPATHY FOR NEWCASTLE FANS

Newcastle defender Habib Beye has admitted the club's fans do not deserve the turmoil they are being put through.

Around 3,500 supporters made the short trip to Darlington for a 7-2 friendly victory on Saturday and they are certain to travel in their numbers to Huddersfield on Tuesday night and Leyton Orient at the weekend.

Beye has publicly declared his desire to leave St James' Park, with Greek side Panathinaikos reportedly on his trail, but he is calling for a quick resolution for the sake of the fans.

He said: "The fans were brilliant at Darlington. I feel for them because they deserve better, much, much better. They need to know what the future is at this club, and it must be terribly hard for them.

"The fans were better than us last season. But it's important to have a good relationship between the fans and the players.

"We will always try to communicate with them. They are brilliant."
 
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