The Genova International Academy (GISS) is an exclusive football academy that is out to challenge the conventional pathways of becoming a professional footballer.
GISS is a paid service that employs professional coaching staff to help develop aspiring young footballers and its chief coach has recently revealed what trait he thinks is the most important attribute to have as an aspiring footballer.
Dimitri Koltsov, academy coach at GISS – which specialise in providing developing players “a stepping stone to Europe” – revealed that without this trait in professional football, “you go nowhere.”
The academy is now in its tenth year and operations have expanded from one academy to over one hundred across America, Canada, Asia, Spain and Italy.
Over 82 players who have joined or passed through the GISS Residential Academy doors have signed to professional clubs in the past 6 years.
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Find out what attribute Koltsov deems the ‘most important quality’ by watching the video here:
Instagram: Giss_worldFacebook: Genova International School of Soccer. website. www.issgenova.it
In our poll yesterday, we asked Liverpool fans whether they would prefer to have Trent Alexander-Arnold starting at right-back for Newcastle’s visit to Anfield this weekend or Joe Gomez.
Gomez has been Jurgen Klopp’s dependable choice in the position for most of the season, but Trent Alexander-Arnold has stepped in well in recent weeks to replace the Charlton academy product.
Alexander-Arnold is even younger than Gomez at just 19 years of age, but he possesses a greater attacking instinct than the more defensively solid 20-year-old.
Playing against a Newcastle team that put in a backs-to-the-wall job to seal victory in their last league encounter with a top four side, Klopp may favour the Alexander-Arnold as he tries to break down a tough Magpies rearguard.
Most Liverpool fans who responded to our poll generally agreed with this approach, with 69% of them saying that they would prefer to play the teenager this weekend.
How would you line up the Reds against Newcastle? Let us know by commenting below…
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Every season Harry Redknapp seems to make the right signings but somehow the outcome is always the same.
This transfer window saw the him make some great additions to the Loftus Road outfit but I still have a bad feeling that they will end up back in Championship next season.
On transfer deadline day, Queens Park Rangers reunited two former Spurs boys Sandro and Niko Kranjcar, which in my opinion are great additions but I still can’t see it saving their season from relegation. Similarly to the last time the Hoops were in the Premiership, a squad bursting with talent couldn’t save them from an embarrassing relegation. Stephane Mbia, Chris Samba, Djibril Cisse… Surely enough arsenal to enable a decent run in the league, even mid-table obscurity would have been acceptable. Admittedly, though, Mark Hughes had left the club in a terrible state and low on morale after no wins and sitting rock bottom of the top-flight.
I was surprised that QPR managed to claw their way back to the top tier, with that much needed last minute goal from Bobby Zamora in the play-off final against Derby. Harry himself even admitted that if they hadn’t been promoted back at the first time of asking he would have considered quitting.
I’ve never been one to admire Redknapp’s tactical approach to the game but he has always seemed an effective man manager, getting the best out of the likes of Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe and Gareth Bale from his days at Tottenham to name a few. I’ve even heard him comically referred to as football’s ‘Mr. Motivator’ – definitely not a name I’d ever call him.
Now as much as I rate Redknapp and this array of talent he’s surrounded himself with – including the appointment of former England manager Glenn Hoddle – somehow they never pull together and make it happen. Two seasons ago when they were previously in the top flight they had great players, some of the world’s top stars, but there was no chemistry at all.
I’ve heard it said, from back in his Portsmouth days, that he keeps signing players until he runs the team bankrupt and into administration. He seems to be a good coach with money but otherwise it just doesn’t work out.
The West London club always seem to have stars in their side, such as Julio Cesar, Loic Remy and Adel Taarabt to name but a few. For me that is the one most significant criticism that instantly comes to mind as a reason why they constantly underachieve – the money.
The Premier League is synonymous with big wages that often attracts the game’s biggest stars. Just look at Radamel Falcao and Angel Di Maria going to Manchester United, despite the club not competing in the Champions League this season. Premiership teams have the bottomless purses to pay players ludicrous amounts of money just to secure their signature.
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Just like other top-flight sides. QPR chairman Fernandes is synonymous with it and Redknapp loves it. He just buys to fill voids instead of setting up a strong foundation for the squad.
Last time my assessments of QPR’s Premier League adventure was cruel, but in this instance Redknapp, Hoddle and co. have a whole season to prove me wrong.
Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole has vowed to be a hit at Anfield after two years of struggle to break into the Reds first team.
Cole scored in Liverpool’s Europa League draw with Young Boys on Thursday and after a successful loan spell with Lille last season, the former West Ham youngster will do everything he can to be successful on Merseyside.
“It was nice to be out and playing. It’s been a long time since I got one in front of the Kop.
“It was my third game back from injury and I’ve felt stronger in every game I’ve played.
“But there’s no rocket science about it — if you’re a footballer and you return from injury for one game and after that you play a second, you feel a little bit better and in the third game, you feel better still.
“You have more fitness and match strength. I’ll continue to try my best and we’ll see what happens.
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“I just need to keep going and keep plugging away.”
Belgium are on their way to the knock-out stages of the World Cup after a dominant win over Tunisia, but football fans were not impressed with the performance of Celtic’s Dedryck Boyata.
The 27-year-old defender has been labelled as his side’s weak link so far in the tournament, especially after the clash with the Africans on Saturday.
England fans in particular appear to think he is someone who should be targeted ahead of the clash between the countries this Thursday.
The Hoops man has started both Belgium’s matches so far, part of a back three that includes Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen. Injuries to the likes of Vincent Kompany and Thomas Vermaelen have ensured his selection.
Boyata has generally performed strongly for Celtic over the last two seasons, although high profile errors have led to criticism from some sections of the support.
With just a year left on his contract, there’s also been recent reports he could be on the move this summer, with Lazio credited with an interest.
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Onlookers took to Twitter on Saturday to share their thoughts on his Belgium performance…
Harry Kane played 180 minutes and Dele Alli 168 minutes for Tottenham Hotspur across the course of their 1-0 win against Arsenal in latest edition of the north London derby at Wembley, and their spirited 2-2 draw against Juventus in Turin in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie.
Following those exertions Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino decided to only name the key duo on the substitutes’ bench when his team faced League One outfit Rochdale in the fifth round of the FA Cup at Spotland on Sunday.
The Argentine boss certainly would have been aware that it could prove to be a difficult match even though Keith Hill’s men currently lie at the bottom of England’s third tier, and with his side being taken to a replay by League Two club Newport County in the previous round.
However, Pochettino has a big squad full of quality players and he was willing to give those an opportunity to impress against Rochdale, while giving Kane and Alli a breather ahead of what is going to be a crucial end to the campaign.
The 45-year-old also wouldn’t have wanted a replay and another extra fixture, and with plenty of international experience in the starting XI with the likes of Toby Alderweireld, Danny Rose, Victor Wanyama, Lucas Moura, Moussa Sissoko, Son Heung-Min and Fernando Llorente, he wouldn’t have been wrong to expect a routine victory.
Despite the absence of Jan Vertonghen, Mousa Dembele, Christian Eriksen, Alli and Kane from the line-up, no one could accuse Pochettino of taking their League One opponents lightly in a competition that is renowned for shock upsets.
Some of those players that had an opportunity to impress failed to do so however – especially in the first half – and they found themselves 1-0 down at the break thanks to Ian Henderson’s goal on the stroke of half-time.
They did find a little more rhythm in the second half and quickly took control of proceedings, with January signing Lucas netting his first Tottenham goal when he latched on to Moussa Sissoko’s pass through the middle before confidently finishing past Josh Lillis.
Spurs failed to make another breakthrough in the next part of the match and with 19 minutes left on the clock, Pochettino decided to introduce Alli in place of Lucas, while Kane followed five minutes later as he replaced Llorente following another sub-standard display from the Spaniard.
It didn’t take long for the duo to make an impact, and when Alli was brought down in the area Kane smashed home the penalty kick two minutes from time to give the visitors what looked like a ticket through to the quarter-finals.
However, Rochdale weren’t finished there and Steven Davies’ last-gasp strike saw Rochdale grab a deserved draw, and a dream replay at Wembley.
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While it was clear that Tottenham should have done better throughout the 90 minutes and should have been able to hold on once they took the lead in the 88th minute, Pochettino was criticised by some supporters on Twitter for not starting Kane and Alli from the start, wrapping the game up early and then taking them off in the second half.
Football of course doesn’t always work out like that however, and there would have been huge furore from those same supporters if Kane or Alli had picked up a serious injury against the League One outfit.
Pochettino got it right and it was some of those players that were given an opportunity in the XI that let themselves and the club down, rather than the failure to start the talismanic pair.
While having another match to play is certainly inconvenient given Spurs ambitions to finish in the top four and progress as far as they can in the latter stages of the Champions League, it is not a disaster and with the England duo once again on the substitutes’ bench for the replay against Rochdale at Wembley, they should have more than enough to see off the League One strugglers and set up a quarter-final tie with either Swansea City or Sheffield Wednesday.
With the FFP sanctioning on Manchester City, Manuel Pellegrini will need to make very smart choices in selecting his upcoming signings during the transfer window. They cannot make unnecessary buys unless they really need them and will look add players who can make an immediate impact.
City have a very star-studded side with a lot of friendly competition for places, but is lacking any real stable partnership in the back line. Vincent Kompany is the only centre-back who will be selected week in week out as the club will need to search for a permanent fix.
We take a look at SIX players that can make and instant impact upon joining the club in order to help them retain the league trophy as well as battle it out in Europe.
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Isco
Name: Isco
Age: 22
Position: Attacking Midfield
Nationality: Spain
Club: Real Madrid
Price: £25 – £30 million
Although Manchester City already have a star-studded midfield, the addition of Isco could give Manuel Pellegrini’s squad extra depth in their bids to challenge for more trophies, especially the Champions League.
The fact that Real Madrid will need to balance their books since their signing of James Rodriguez, they could allow the likes of Isco to leave the club for a much cheaper price than expected. His bid for first time football could be another factor pushing him towards a La Liga exit.
Eliaquim Mangala
Name: Eliaquim Mangala
Age: 23
Position: Centre-Back
Nationality: France
Club: FC Porto
Price: £20 – £25 million
Manchester City have their fair share of right and left backs, but somehow lack adequate cover in central defence. Although they have one of the best centre-backs in the English Premier League with Vincent Kompany, they don’t have somehow who is capable of creating a long term partnership with him.
Mangala is somebody who has been impressive over the past season and could easily step into the physicality of the league as he could use Kompany as his role model. Manuel Pellegrini should consider added him into his defence if he wants to avoid any last minute season defying injuries.
Paul Pogba
Name: Paul Pogba
Age: 21
Position: Central Midfield
Nationality: France
Club: Juventus
Price: £40 – £45 million
Paul Pogba recently won the award for best young player at the World Cup and if that isn’t enough to show just how good it is, then nothing will sway you. Having him in the squad will be seen as an instant boost in quality as he won’t need too much time to adapt to the English game.
Having been let go from Manchester United, Pogba could want the chance to hit back at his former employers to show just how big a mistake they made when they considered him to not be good enough to play for United. Since he already made a few Red Devils appearances in the past, he would already know how the game is played.
Diego Godin
Name: Diego Godin
Age: 28
Position: Centre-Back
Nationality: Uruguay
Club: Atletico Madrid
Price: £20 – £25 million
Diego Godin is another centre-back that could easily step into the Manchester City defensive role and make an instant impact with his vast experience for club and country. Having been part of the Atletico Madrid that boast the best La Liga defensive record as well as winning the entire league proves that he is an amazing player.
As a defender he even managed to net seven goals the previous season, only with a vital headed goal for the Uruguayan national team that defeated Italy 1-0 at the World Cup. His aerial presence both in attack and defence is a huge asset to whichever team can acquire his services.
Mats Hummels
Name: Mats Hummels
Age: 25
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Position: Centre-Back
Nationality: Germany
Club: Borussia Dortmund
Price: £25 – £30 million
Mats Hummels made himself one of the world’s best centre-backs with his display at the World Cup as he showcased his talents both defensively and in the attack. He managed to net two goals in Brazil, the most important one being the all important header against France that ended the match at 1-0.
Although being heavily linked with league rivals Manchester United, any concrete deal isn’t in negotiations leaving a possibility he could consider a switch elsewhere. Hummels is someone who can surely form a long-term partnership with club captain Vincent Kompany.
Raphael Varane
Name: Raphael Varane
Age: 21
Position: Centre-Back
Nationality: France
Club: Real Madrid
Price: £25 – £30 million
Dubbed as one of the best young centre-backs in the world, Manchester City should really consider making a move for Raphael Varane. Although only 21, he has a stable role at Real Madrid as well as for the French national team where he continues to impress. If they ever want to find a suitable replacement for Vincent Kompany, then this is as close as they will get.
Latest rumours suggest that Varane is still considering his options and he is still waiting for a new contract offer which will see him triple his current salary so that he can be more in par with other Real Madrid stars. Should talks of a new deal be put on hold, Manuel Pellegrini may want to find a way lure him away from Spain.
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew has confirmed that discussions regarding Danny Simpson’s new contract have been suspended until the new year.
The right-back is a key part of the Premier League side’s defensive unit, but with his current deal due to expire at the end of the campaign, there are serious doubts about his long-term future.
However, Pardew revealed that Simpson’s plans rely heavily on the club’s fortunes in the January transfer market:
“Danny will have to wait and see what happens in the window,” He is quoted as saying by ESPN.
“The club has most players on long-term contracts and Danny is the exception to that.”
The 25-year-old has allegedly turned down a £25,000-per-week deal to extend his stay at the club, leading many to believe that ‘The Toon’ may look for a replacement during the winter.
It’s been rumoured the club may make another approach for Lille’s Mathieu Debuchy during January as a replacement. Pardew actively pursued the Frenchman during the summer, but was unable to conclude a deal despite the player openly wanting to move to St. James’ Park.
If Simpson does find himself forced out, the likes of Aston Villa and Fulham have been suggested as potential interested parties.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding his future, Pardew believes that Simpson is a useful member of his squad:
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“He is underrated by our fanbase, but his defensive work is important,
Nottingham Forest have prioritised a pursuit for Bournemouth forward Lewis Grabban, according to the Nottingham Post.
What’s the word?
Manager Aitor Karanka is believed to be keen to bolster his attacking options for the gruelling Championship season ahead.
The club failed to launch a serious promotion challenge last season, but it will be their main objective for the 2018-19 campaign.
The Nottingham Post reports that Nelson Oliveira and Patrick Bamford have attracted the Reds’ attention, but Grabban is the main target.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”255610″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Five England World Cup games you totally forgot happened”]
The forward has been on Bournemouth’s books since 2016, but he has had loan spells at Reading, Aston Villa and Sunderland.
Last season, Grabban scored 20 goals in all competitions across spells at Sunderland and Villa, and it is likely that the Cherries will consider offloading given that he could not get into Eddie Howe’s recent team.
Is Grabban a good option?
Even though the calibre of opposition is of a higher quality in the Premier League compared to that in the Championship, the second tier is tough to wade through.
The fixtures come thick and fast, and if a team wants to earn their way into the top flight, they need players that can handle the demand.
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Grabban is well-versed in the Championship, and last season he proved that he can score in the competitive division.
Forest need a proven hitman that can be relied on for scoring goals, and Grabban can certainly be that man.
Everton manager Sam Allardyce relieved some of the pressure that was building on his shoulders when his side beat Crystal Palace 3-1 at Goodison Park on Saturday.
Just a week previously, the Toffees had been thrashed 5-1 against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium and with a 4-0 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur also coming on the road last month, the Goodison Park faithful were starting to get impatient with the 63-year-old, who was never really a popular appointment.
The former England boss signed a deal until June 2019 when he was announced as Ronald Koeman’s successor in November, but it remains to be seen whether he will see that contract out given that he is seemingly struggling to win over his own supporters.
If he does continue on Merseyside for the 2018/19 campaign, there will certainly be some Toffees players that won’t be happy with the news and will believe that they will on their way out at the end of the season.
Here are three Everton players that have no future at the club if Allardyce stays this summer…
Davy Klaassen
The Netherlands international was one of the big-money arrivals at Goodison Park during the summer transfer window from whom big things were expected of, but the attacking midfielder struggled in the early stages of the campaign under former boss Ronald Koeman.
When the Dutchman was sacked, the 24-year-old wasn’t given too many opportunities under caretaker boss David Unsworth, and he would finally have been hoping for a clean slate when Sam Allardyce took charge.
It hasn’t been the case though, and he has only made the matchday squad once since the 63-year-old was appointed – playing the full 90 minutes in the dead rubber Europa League tie against Apollon Limassol.
It seems as though the only thing that could save Klaassen’s Everton career now is a new manager, and if Allardyce stays this summer he will almost certainly be on his way.
Ashley Williams
The Wales international’s contract is due to run out in the summer of 2019, and seeing as he is 33 years of age it seems unlikely that he will be handed a new one.
Even though Eliaquim Mangala and Michael Keane – who was hauled off after 45 minutes – both struggled in the three-man defence in the 5-1 defeat against Arsenal, it was Williams who was dropped to the substitutes’ bench against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
If Allardyce does stay this summer he could look to sign Mangala on a permanent basis, and it would be no surprise to see him target another new centre-back too given the club’s defensive troubles this season.
If that happened, it would be difficult to see Williams having a future at Goodison Park beyond the summer.
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Morgan Schneiderlin
Allardyce came out and backed the Frenchman after he was booed when he came on as a substitute in the 3-1 win against Palace on Saturday, but that certainly doesn’t mean that he wouldn’t consider selling the 28-year-old in the summer.
The former England boss decided to drop the midfielder to the substitutes’ bench following another disappointing display against Arsenal – Schneiderlin has struggled for form all season – and the fact that Idrissa Gueye, Wayne Rooney and Tom Davies were all picked ahead of him against the Eagles is perhaps a sign for the future.
His poor relationship with the fans and the fact that he could probably still fetch a decent price could mean he is one that Allardyce looks to move on at the end of the campaign if the manager is to stay at Goodison Park next season.