Trouble in Turin

Only days after the world cup has finished and the Serie A drama has already began as Antonio Conte has resigned as Juventus manager. It was not long ago Conte assured fans he was going no where and signed a contract extension earlier in the year but fast forward a few months and Conte has walked, failing to give a real reason. So what could have happened and what's in store for Juventus as ex-Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri takes over?

"Right now I'm thinking about the present." Conte's reasoning for leaving his post just days into the pre season at Juventus, but the Italian media is in overdrive and suggests that Conte is just making himself available for the recently open Italian national team job following Cesare Prandelli's resignation after a disappointing world cup.

Other rumours suggest that Conte's mind was altered about staying on at Turin because of the changes he wanted to make in a attempt to mount a serious Champions League challenge, in his time only reaching the quarter finals as a personal best. He is reported to have been unhappy with Juventus' transfer business as it does not match the ambitious projects he wanted to take on with key players like Arturo Vidal expected to depart.

Antonio Conte has left his post as Juventus manager
after three years and three Scudettos 

Conte was worshipped in Turin having delivered a hatrick of Serie A domestic titles in his 3 years in charge and since arriving from Siena has gone on to become one of the best managers in Europe. A manager of his ability will no doubt be without a job for long and will be considered as hot property. But what now? Could the 3 year period of domination in Italian be over for Juventus as key players could depart? Will we see a fire sale of stars like we did when the club were relegated all those years ago in the famous match fixing scandal?

It may not just be Vidal who could leave, with wonder kid Paul Pogba subject to keen interest from Europe's biggest clubs. Massimiliano Allegri arrives at the club  with a task on his hand to try and keep hold of the of the clubs stars, but could fight a losing battle. Juventus CEO Giuseppe Marotta has come out fighting regarding Vidal's situation, saying: "Arturo Vidal is one of the most important players in the squad. He is not for sale."

It will be more than interesting to see how things change at Juventus with the controversial arrival of Allegri. Allegri was deemed a huge failure at AC Milan despite winning the league in his first season, but was in charge as the club spiralled from Italian giants to a mediocre team with the club unable to get European football following his sacking halfway through the season, something Clarence Seedorf could not even salvage. The debt that exists at Milan and Allegri's leadership have been underlined by fans as major reasons as to why the club has plunged into the crisis it suffered last year.

What will happen to this man under Allegri? 

The fast flowing passing game which utilises the attacking wing backs of Lichenstiener and Asomoah that Conte favoured will be scarped under Allegri. The new Juventus manager favours 4 at the back, whereas Conte would play three central defenders with two wing backs on either side of the three getting up and down the pitch in a more advanced position. How Pirlo is now deployed will also be under scrutiny as it was Allegri who foolishly let Pirlo leave Milan and join Juventus for nothing rather than offer him a new contract.

Pirlo has thrived at Juventus and has shown how stupid Allegri was to let him go by playing a key role in all the Scudetto's the Turin giants have won. Pirlo said on reflection: "The real motive for my transfer was something else; Allegri wanted to put in front of the defence Ambrosini or Van Bommel and I would have had to change role. So I said ‘no thanks’ and I chose Juve, which offered me greater motivation." 

Conte's unexpected exit has initiated a time of change at Juventus: a change in tactics, a change in faces and most important of all, a change in management. But is change always good? Allegri will try his up most to prove so, but Juventus' Scudetto crown is the most vulnerable it ever has been...

New coach, fresh start: Mauricio Pochettino

Tottenham Hotspur have installed Mauricio Pochettino as manager for the upcoming season after a disappointing campaign. In Pochettino, Spurs have hired their tenth manager in 12 years, a statistic that suggests the managerial merry-go-round is forever spinning at White Hart  Lane and a long term manager is needed for the club to move forward.

Spurs have installed a young and talented coach with Pochettino, something we have heard before when Andre Villas Boas started last years campaign. Villa Boas failed miserably at Tottenham, failing to implement tactics that benefited the strengths of the players he had at his disposal,  twinned with the failed signings brought in under Franco Baldini's vision. Tim Sherwood also was underwhelming, proving unpopular with fans and failed to snag the final Champions League spot.

Spurs have every right to be excited about Pochettino. Since his arrival at Southampton, Pochettino has been largely credited with the steady improvement at St Mary's, turning them into a fiercely competitive side that finished 8th, only 8 points behind Manchester United last term. The Argentine is known for placing a lot of faith in the youth created by academies, something that made Southampton so successful last term. His preference towards youth could seriously benefit players like Kane, Naughton and Bentaleb. His attacking style and high pressing can cause oppositions real trouble too.

Pochettino will look to give the younger players
a chance to impress in the first team. 

At Tottenham it will be interesting to see if Pochettino continues to favour youth as now he has serious finances at his use, something he did not have at Southampton. During his short reign, Sherwood often spoke how the board were keen to have him take advantage of the talent in the Spurs academy. It is highly likely that Pochettino's ability to nurture young talent was a major consideration when the decision was made to hire him.

Pochettino has not been at a club that has the financial backing Tottenham has. A manager who is not used to such a budget can sometimes mean he abandons the preferences that once made him so successful. How Pochettino spends his transfer kitty is hugely important too, as last year a number of summer signings failed to perform and the team is crying out for strengthening in certain areas. A new left back is a priority and other defensive signings are needed.

Not the first time Tottenham have hired a
exciting and young manager. 

A new coach always means a fresh start for the players. Squad members like Lewis Holtby and Eric Lamela may now get the chance to feature more and impress, something they have been unable to do under previous managers. Last summers signings who flopped in their first season like Soldado and Capoue will also be raring to impress this time around and under a manager like Pochettino, there is no reason why his tactics cant get the best out of them.

Mauricio Pochettino has landed the biggest job of his career so far in Tottenham Hotspur and will need to succeed if he is to show he can manage at a high level. Tottenham need a manager like Pochettino to remain in charge for some time, allowing him to lead a new project which will see the side steadily improve as well as nurture the youth talent. Time and patience is required, lets just hope the axe is not brought down to soon on young Pochettino.

Southampton's invisible Italian: Graziano Pelle

Southampton have completed the signing of Feyenoord's Graziano Pelle for a fee believed to be around £9m. Pelle is no stranger in Holland and has been one of the most prolific strikers in Europe for the past couple of seasons scoring 50 times in just 57 appearances in the Eredivise. With such a impressive goal to game ratio, why has no one heard of the Italian and what can he offer Southampton?

Graziano Pelle arrives at St Mary's, reuniting with former manager Ronald Koeman, as a man tasked to replace Rickie Lambert as the club's goal scorer. Having watched him since making his debut for Feyenoord, Pelle could be an immediate remedy for fans who are upset about the exodus of stars from Southampton.

A question so often asked by many is why he is so often overlooked by the Italian squad who have at times cried out for a striker like Pelle. The answer is short and simple, his goal scoring exploits have not come in Serie A. Considered a flop in his earlier years in Italy, Pelle has become a goal machine since his arrival at Feyenoord and his move to a more competitive league like the Premiership could see him finally be considered for a spot in the Italian national team.

Graziano Pelle poses with a Southampton
shirt after completing his move 

At 6ft 4 and blessed with a stocky build, Pelle is a real handful for defenders. Saints fans should not expect a striker that is nimble and dances through defences as Pelle is poacher that does most of his work in the box. Labelled a poacher due to his ability of being in the right place at the right time, Pelle's strongest attribute is his heading ability and with players like Rodriguez delivering crosses, the Italian won't be short of service.

Pelle will do a number of jobs that Lambert used to fulfil for Southampton. Pelle can act as a target man and will hold the ball up top while team mates get forward, bringing other players into a forward move at the pinnacle of the attack. Koeman recognises the gap Lambert left and said: “Goals mean points, and we needed a good player in that position after Rickie Lambert left. In terms of his qualities, he’s a tall striker with a lot of movement and he’s fast. He’s a player who gives confidence to the team because he keeps the ball, and he’s very dangerous in front of goal." 

Pelle revealed that Southampton were not the only club clambering for his services. He said: “I’m really happy that it’s finally signed, I had some teams interested in me, but this is going to be the best choice for me because the club wants to keep improving every year. The talks between us were only short in terms of how long it took to convince each other. I was pretty sure that, for me, this would be a great step."  

The Italian forward scored 50 times in 57 appearances
in the last two seasons, a statistic not to be sniffed at

Koeman is man who knows how to get the best out of Pelle. The forward arrived at Feyenoord as a player lacking confidence and deemed a flop by many despite showing early promise. It was Koeman who got the best out of him and it will be Koeman who can get the best out of him at Southampton. With so many stars leaving the club, the new manager has began his Dutch revolution by capturing one of the best players in the Eredivise as well as FC Twente's Serbian midfielder Dusan Tadic for £10m. 

Koeman's revolution is well under way at St Mary's and with the signing of Graziano Pelle, it has been kicked off with a fantastic signing. The exciting changes at Southampton under Koeman's vision will continue throughout the summer with plenty of fresh faces expected to arrive, but Saints fans have every right to be very intrigued by their latest signing. Pelle could either be a real hit in the Premiership or prove to be a player who can only succeed in one league, but the previous is the most likely. 

Europe's hottest property: Paul Pogba

There is not a European giant in football that hasn't been linked to Juventus' French midfielder Paul Pogba. Interest in Pogba is duly deserved as he continues to develop at such a alarming rate in Turin and the transfer mill has been in over drive regarding his future this summer with monster bids expected to come in. Will Pogba be at Juventus next year or is a new challenge on the horizon?

Paul Pogba may well be Sir Alex Ferguson's greatest footballing regret. The Frenchman was in the Manchester United youth ranks in his teenage years, but became frustrated at being a fringe player that wasn't being considered for the first team despite impressing. Paul Pogba said he told Ferguson before their 2011 fixture against Blackburn: "Play me, I will show you I'm ready or not."

"Against Blackburn, I was on the bench. Ferguson puts Rafeal in midfield with Ji Sung Park. Then I gave up, I was really bummed." Pogba refused to sign a new contract and left for Juventus on a free transfer, a move that has done wonders for him. Team mate and Turin legend Gianluigi Buffon said Manchester United were "blind" not to recognise his talents whereas his agent Mino Raiola, a man known for engineering moves for his players, said: "Pogba is worth more than Bale. With all respect for Bale, Pogba is better."

Paul Pogba was in the French world
cup squad for Brazil 2014

At Juventus, Pogba was training day in day out with some of the best midfielders in the world in Pirlo, Vidal and Marchiso and even with such a packed midfield, gets regular game time. Antonio Conte could see Pogba was ready and has been a huge influence on Pogba's growth. It is at Juventus, Pogba has gone from a highly rated teenager into one of the most promising midfielders in the world.

Comparisons to Patrick Viera come thick and fast but, in all honesty, Pogba is much better with the ball than the Arsenal legend, something Viera himself even admits. Pogba seems so relaxed on the ball and has the ability to glide past players, twinned with a cannon strike that has so often troubled keepers in Serie A. At 21 years of age, Pogba is no light weight either as his big frame often bullies players much older than him off the ball and the use of his long legs aid him in winning challenges. Pogba has all the necessary abilities that a midfielder requires.  

£50 million, £60 million and even a £80 million bid are all reported to have been readied or submitted for Pogba. The outrageous amount of money touted for Pogba does beg the question, is he really worth such a fee? Simple answer, no. But, in today's modern market with the sky high inflation on footballer's value, this sort of money would not be unthinkable for a player who is almost certain to go on and do great things.

A young teenage Paul Pogba in
the Manchester United strip

 
The Juventus man is seriously being considered by PSG, Chelsea and Real Madrid who are expected to bid for Pogba this summer. It remains to be seen whether or not Juventus will resist bids for Pogba but if a bid comes in which they feel fits his valuation, they could take it. There are doubts surrounding Pogba's long term future, with many doubting if Pogba will be at the club for many more years. He has made no secret about his admiration for other clubs such as Arsenal and PSG  in the past.

Summer transfer windows are known as a time for huge transfers which often sparks a debate over the economic state the game is coming into. That said, there is no reason why clubs won't spend a ridiculous amount of money on Pogba this summer and one thing is for sure, there will be bids.

Is Rooney world class?

With England disappointingly crashing out of the world cup, bottom of the group and failing to even chalk up a win, a debate in the nation was once again sparked. Is Rooney world class? Should Rooney be in the England first team? Will Rooney feature in the next world cup?  

Just like every tournament Rooney has featured in for England, he has been the man the nation looks to. The pressure of a nation is so often placed on his shoulders and when things go wrong, he is so often put in the spotlight. Some see Rooney as a scapegoat for England's poor performances, whereas others feel he is to blame. Rooney's outstanding performances in the European Championships of 2004 left England fans expectant of similar performances every time he pulls on the England shirt, something Rooney has failed to do.  

One of the best in the Premier League, but
not in the world class bracket

However, Wayne Rooney is not world class. A world class player is a player that consistently changes the game with their individual performances. Messi, Ronaldo and Ibrahimovic are all examples of world class players, who so often single handedly win games for their teams, even if they are not giving one of their best games. Looking at this world cup, Cristano Ronaldo gave a perfect example of why he is world class against the USA in the world cup, when he was playing poorly but right at the death, delivered a inch perfect cross which required incredible vision to change the result of the game and earn his country a valuable point. Suarez was the difference for Uruguay against England, Messi has dragged Argentina through games at times and Neymar's influence has changed games. All world class players, all making the difference for their club and country, Rooney does not fit this bracket.

Rooney is a top player, no doubt about it. His raw power and technical ability make him such a potent player for Manchester United, but he isn't world class. In his early Manchester United years, Rooney was world class as he so often changed games for the Red Devils and was at the centre of their success. But as time has gone on, Rooney is no longer the player he once was. It is a difficult task to think of many times in recent years when the Englishman has been the difference in a game for club and country.  Rooney's early promise as a teenager was so great that many had placed such high hopes on him, something some may argue has failed to live up to the hype that once surrounded him. 

Rooney scored and got an assist in a poor
world cup campaign for England

From a tactical perspective, Rooney's change in role at Old Trafford is a major reason why he is no longer world class. As players like Van Persie and Welbeck climbed ahead of Rooney in the striking pecking order, Rooney was dropped into the number 10 role, playing just off of the striker in a attempt to accommodate a player of his quality. In recent years, Rooney has been seen coming deeper and deeper to collect the ball, compared to a Rooney who was at the point of the attack as a striker. Rooney being coached to come in and collect the ball from deep has harmed his game. 

When Van Persie arrived, Ferguson knew he couldn't drop a player of Rooney's calibre from the side so played him off of the striker, something that has damaged him as a player as he no longer has that venomous striking instinct he once had in the box, but now comes deep to collect the ball and start the attacking move, rather than finish it. Rooney is still one of the best players in the Premier League and has been consistently one of the best players over the decade he has been at this level, but he is no longer the player Manchester United look at to make the difference.   

There is no doubt Rooney will continue to feature for England for years to come, whether it be in what looks like a uncomfortable position for him like the wing or in his natural striker role. Rooney is still a top player and could restore his world class status should he consistently be the difference for Manchester United. Under new manager Louis Van Gaal's attacking philosophy, Rooney could do just that.  

Manchester United's late but great signing

Manchester United completed the signing of long term midfield target Ander Herrera for £29m. The Red Devils had been chasing the former Athletic Bilbao midfielder for some time, a deal that was almost completed a year ago under the sacked David Moyes. Fast forward a year and a Fellaini later and Manchester United finally get their man. Could Herrera be one of the missing pieces to Van Gaal's side?  

First, the negatives. Ander Herrera's arrival represents a massive mistake in the investment of Marouane Fellaini. Last summer, Manchester United's focus area for transfers was in the centre of midfield and the list of names went from Fabregas to Thiago to Herrera and finally ending up with what looked like a panic buy in Fellaini for a questionable fee.

By purchasing Herrera, the man Manchester United wanted before Fellaini, the club is recognising that Fellaini was a poor purchase and one they regret. Manchester United have gone back to an original transfer target and paid another huge fee because they overpaid for a Belgian midfielder that flopped. The midfield area was still weak even with the signing of Fellaini and there is no doubt Herrera's arrival will strengthen the side.  Fairly embarrassing for a side like Manchester United to over pay for a player that didn't really fit the football that United play and then go out and have to fork out another £29m a season later to finally get the right man.  

Ander Herrera arrives at Manchester United
for a fee of £29 million

But, in Ander Herrera, Manchester United have captured a intelligent attacking midfielder that can offer Louis Van Gaal something a little different in midfield. Not a midfielder that can be expected to be a deep lying play maker like Carrick, but could line up next to the Englishman as a more energetic bridge in between the defence and attack that creates chances and dictates play.

Herrera is the sort of player that Manchester United were missing this year as he can provide the higher tempo in midfield during attacking phases, something Gary Neville was so critical about last season.  One reserve regarding Herrera is his goal and assist input. Last year, Herrera only scored 5 times and registered 5 assists, not the greatest turn out for a player costing just under £30m.    

The big Belgian was considered a flop
by many under David Moyes's short stint 

Herrera did however, reach the top 5 in the through ball category, level with a certain Andres Iniesta of Barcelona. The Manchester United faithful cannot expect an immediate explosive impact from Herrera. He is a midfielder that will contribute to a majority of their attacking moves, whether it be in a obvious way or not.

The 24 year old will fit perfectly into the set up at Old Trafford and with a attack favouring manager like Van Gaal, Herrera could thrive. With other big names expected to arrive at United, Herrera is a player that fans will need to keep an eye on as he could become a pivotal player for the side.

Hazardous loan: A Borussia coup

Borussia Monchengladbach have completed the loan signing of Thorgan Hazard from Chelsea. Thorgan, the younger brother of international superstar Eden Hazard, is tipped to follow in the foot steps of Eden. At 21 years of age, Thorgan Hazard could make a huge impact for Monchengladbach and here is why.

Known in Germany for giving chances to talented youth such as the departed Marco Reus and Andre Ter Stegen, Borussia Monchengladbach could be the perfect stepping stone to launch the young winger into the contention of the Chelsea first team next season.

Thorgan Hazard has been on loan at Zulte
Waregrem for the last two years from Chelsea

Monchengladbach is the right environment for Thorgan. The Bundesliga is a step up from Belgian League outfit Zulte Waregrem that Hazard has been at loan at in the past two seasons and the competitiveness of such a league could seriously develop the raw talents he so often advertised in Belgium. Monchengladbach offers a competitive side which Hazard will have to break into as they look to challenge for a Champions League spot, something that just eluded them last season but did mean that they will be playing Europa League football this season.

Hazard getting the chance to pit himself against some of the Bundesliga's top stars, embrace a attacking style of footballing culture and develop in one of Europe's best sides in terms of creating youth stars, this could be the step up that drives Hazard into the Mourinho's plans in the future.

Thorgan Hazard has been on what has been a impressive yet relatively unknown two year loan spell at Zulte Waregem. Hazard scored 16 goals in 43 appearances for Zulte last season, in a year that saw him also win Belgium Player of the Year. It is during this spell that Hazard also earned his first full international cap for his native Belgian.

Zulte fans quickly took to Thorgan and
was a fan favourite amongst the terraces

At Zulte, Hazard has shaken off the "little brother" tag that has plagued him for a majority of his career. There are comparisons with his older brother however, both sharing the same winger position, both direct and attacking in their style of play and both blessed with touch tight dribbling. But Thorgan also has other elements to his game, such as refined finishing ability and a eye for goal from distance.

There is something in the blood of the Hazard family and it may not be long for Thorgan before he is considered by Jose Mourinho to join the Chelsea first team. If Hazard continues to progress at the rapid rate he has done at Zulte, could Chelsea have their hands on a potential hazardous duo on the wings in the future?