Harry Redknapp has come out and openly stated that his Tottenham Hotspur side are going for a top four finish next season and will do whatever it takes to get there.

Redknapp has worked miracles at Spurs after replacing Juande Ramos as manager. Spurs sat rooted to the bottom of the table with just two points after eight games and Redknapp has transformed their fortunes to propel the side to 10th in the table, just outside the European places.

Spurs are reported to already be lining up summer signings and Redknapp believes the club are only one or two signings away from having a virtually perfect squad. He said: “I am just looking to add one or two more in the summer to give us a real squad that can push on next year.”

“Getting into it is difficult, they are so strong, but we have to aim to be there if we can. Tottenham have great resources and there’s no reason why we can’t do it one day. So let’s see what we can do next year and if we can do it that would be fantastic.”

Spurs are a side filled with endless talent that never quite seems to achieve what they are capable of year after year. Were it not for a refereeing blunder last Saturday then they may also have seriously dented Manchester United’s chances of retaining their Premier League crown for this season.

Redknapp seems keen to emulate the recent success of Everton and become the second side in recent years to challenge the ‘big four’ for the final Champions League place. There is absolutely no reason why Spurs cannot perform in the same vein as Aston Villa did earlier this year, but keep the run going to secure that spot instead of fading away with inconsistency.

If Spurs set this is as their goal for next season then they should achieve it. Redknapp is a shrewed enough manager to know exactly who to buy and when to buy them. The squad is rich in talent and experience so it is well within their capabilities.

Redknapp’s comments today are also likely to fire up the enthusiasm of Tottenham fans all over North London. White Hart Lane is one of the most atmospheric and intimidating grounds to travel to in the country. The fans are always audible and their backing is something which is paramount if Spurs are to make this push.

The power struggle at Tottenham seems to have stopped, something that had become one of the main reasons at Spurs why progress seemed to have ground to a halt. This equipped with the fact they managed to resign one of their most influential playesr in Robbie Keane from Liverpool will be massive to their future European campaigns.

Each individual knows their role at Spurs right now and Redknapp will want to keep it that way. Team spirit is something the side seems to have been lacking in recent memory but it looks as though they have slowly managed to get this back and it will be instrumental in any future success.

There can be no big surprises at the fact that Real Madrid captain, Fabio Cannavaro, reportedly turned down the chance to go and earn some big money at Manchester City.

Cannavaro is just the latest rumoured target for the City merry go round in a football reality where money quite clearly doesn’t talk. Cannavaro’s decision comes without massive shock because once again City are trying to punch above their weight before they have solidified the foundations of the club.

After losing a regular starting place at Real Madrid under their manager, Juande Ramos, Cannavaro’s future has become uncertain. It seems a lot more likely that he will return to Juventus this summer to rejoin the club where he formed his reputation as one of the best defenders in the world.

He made just fewer than 100 appearances at Juventus and should he decide to return then it may turn out that it feels to the club like he had never been away. This personal satisfaction could be just the thing that sways the eventual decision.

You have to admire City’s ambition. Kaka, Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto’o and now Cannavaro have all been approached with unrealistic financial figures being offered to sway a decision they would otherwise not even think about.

Cannavaro said in the Italian media: “I didn’t want to have start from scratch again, not in a World Cup year. That’s why I rejected offers from Bayern Munich and Manchester City.”

The move once again defies the comments made by Manchester City defender, Nedum Onuoha, last month that players will join City this summer for football reasons. Well this instance proves that no amount of money or solid football foundations can prevent a player from going to where he wants to go.

City could have offered Cannavaro the same figures they were reported to have offered Kaka to leave AC Milan and he still would not have thought seriously about joining.

It all points to the fact that City will have to sign less high profile and more experienced players to build the success that will get the attention of better quality players.

This news comes just days after City were reported to be trying to draw Eto’o away from Barcelona in what was quite literally a nonsense attempt. Fair enough City have massive financial backing at the moment but the club’s owners have to realise that the football transfer market is not a candy shop where they can go and buy who they want.

Despite the financial influence in the modern game, money is not what makes day to day club routine tick. Comfort and job satisfaction are clearly valued by players such as Cannavaro a lot more than hundreds of thousands of pounds per week. Far from it, Cannavaro probably has a good couple of million in the bank to fall back on once he retires from the game in Italy.

There will be many more stories like this one but if City sign any big names this summer it will be because those players display more mercenary tendencies than a large amount of sporting ambition.

Manchester United really believe in doing it the hard way.

In front of a crowd of 75,000, the Red Devils could have wrapped up the first leg of their Champions League semi-final clash against Arsenal by slotting at least four goals past Spaniard, Manuel Almunia.
But despite playing some superb passing football at a hectic pace, their only reward was a one nil advantage going into the return match at the Emirates on Tuesday, May 5.

An upbeat Sir Alex Ferguson shrugged his shoulders and admitted that the fans had been frustrated. Yes, Manchester United could have booked their place in the final there and then but he had every confidence they would score against Arsenal and win the day.

“We do tend to do things the hard way,” he said afterwards.

What an under-statement. Manchester United might well rue the night after having 52 per cent of possession and seven shots on target, compared with just one by Arsenal. The game also saw 20 fouls but only one yellow card.

So what was the problem? Just bad luck, nerves or one of those things? Certainly, before the game, Sir Alex said he would be happy to see a good performance and a win. Losing was just not an option.

“We’ve got that so we move on,” he told a press conference.

Over the last few weeks, Ferguson and Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger have been showing each other an awful lot of respect and have refused to get into a war of words. Following the first leg of their semi-final clash, there have been no insults or accusations but more of a psychological approach. Sir Alex firmly believes Manchester United can and will score at Arsenal and Wenger insists his team will score those all-important goals.

It’s undoubtedly going to be a tough match and who would bet against Arsenal levelling the score at 1-0 in normal time to take the match into an extra 30 minutes and then penalties?

Manchester United are likely to be without Rio Ferdinand who was substituted with just three minutes to go and was taken to hospital for an X-ray on a suspected fractured rib. Unless he makes a remarkable recovery, he could be out for the rest of the season.

Ferdinand did sterling work as usual but it was John O’Shea who went on the score sheet when he slotted home a deflected cross from a corner on 17 minutes. It’s his 18th goal for United and he does tend to pop up now and again and especially when needed.

PFA Player of the Year, Ryan Giggs could have been in the headlines again but his goal was disallowed after being judged off-side. This was his 800th appearance for the reds. Another incredible achievement.

Manchester United dominated most of the match as expected at home but those extra goals just would not materialise. Arsenal goal-keeper Almunia was undoubtedly superb, denying both Rooney and Tevez before finally being beaten by O’Shea. He later blocked a point blank header from Cristiano Ronaldo who also rattled the crossbar with a vicious 30-yarder.

Sir Alex was more than happy with the team’s passing and movement and says they will have the edge over Arsenal who will struggle to stop them scoring in the second leg. But Wenger believes home advantage will count and is pleased they only conceded the one goal.

As Sir Alex Ferguson rightly says, this one is going to go right down to the wire.

Their home is called The Theatre of Dreams and those few words probably sum up the heart and soul of Manchester United, one of the most famous football clubs in the world.

Dreams have been made and lost during the club’s long and distinguished history. Dreams have been shattered and dreams have turned into nightmares. Little boys have dreamed about playing for Manchester United and for the lucky few, those dreams have been realised. Great players have been discovered and their names live on in history. Bobby Charlton, George Best, Denis Law, Eric Cantona, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham. These are names everyone knows, regardless of their allegiance. Love them or hate them, Manchester United are the dream team, rich in assets, rich in talent and rich in trophies.

It’s a very far cry from 1878, the year in which the club was formed. Then, it was known as Newton Heath, being the works team for the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway depot. They played in green and gold, faced going bankrupt in 1902 and their ground was even seized by the bailiffs at one point.

How different from today when the Theatre of Dreams stands tall and proud at Old Trafford, a multi-billion pound concern with fans world-wide.

The story goes that the old Newton Heath club could have been renamed Manchester Central or Manchester Celtic but for someone suggesting Manchester United. The new name came into being on April 26, 1902 and the colours changed to the famous red and white strip. It was only in 1960 that the logo of the red devil was added. United’s most illustrious manager, Sir Matt Busby had overheard the nickname being used in relation to the Salford Rugby League team which also played in red. The team has had many strips since but the most unpopular was the all-grey away strip of the 1995-96 season which was scrapped because every time they wore it, they never won.

From 1902 until the outbreak of the Second World War, the fortunes of Manchester United were mixed. There were many ups and downs and several spells out of the top flight. In 1908, the reds had been crowned First Division Football League champions and they won their first cup in 1909. In 1910, they relocated to Old Trafford, later to house the Theatre of Dreams. The trophy cabinet at the stadium is packed to the brim with silverware and there is nothing which has eluded them.

Today’s manager, Sir Alex Ferguson is actually the most successful manger in the history of British football, winning more than 30 trophies during his two decades and more in charge. Even his story is a dream. He grew up in a back street tenement but became a professional footballer, playing for teams such as Glasgow Rangers and Ayr United, before moving into management.

His career has not been without controversy and his comments and actions are constantly thrown into the public limelight, as has his numerous fallings-out with top players. But Fergie, who received his knighthood for services to football, has never hidden the fact that he is a disciplinarian and expects his players to tow the line. He once imposed a fine on a player who overtook a car on a public road and was himself once on the verge of being sacked because of United’s poor performances.

Sir Alex became manager in 1986 following the sacking of Ron Atkinson and inherited a team of under-achievers. How times have changed. One of the team’s many highlights has been the treble winning season of 1998-99 when they achieved the Premiership title, the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League Cup.

Sir Alex has even managed to ride high above the memory of Sir Matt Busby who became United’s manager in 1945. Under his guidance, the team flourished. United became the first British club to compete in Europe, reaching the semi-final but were beaten by Real Madrid. They won the FA Cup in 1963, the League title in 1965 and 1967 and the European Cup in 1968, the first club ever to do so against Benfica.

Those were the Busby years and the age of the Busy Babes – but it was an era filled with sorrow too. In the well-documented Munich air disaster of 1958 which shook the world, eight players lost their lives when the BA flight crashed on its third attempt to take-off from Munich airport in slush and ice. Sir Matt survived but it was a defining moment in the history of Manchester United.

During his career, Busby had signed many illustrious players, none more so than George Best. Many people may believe it is Bobby Charlton who tops the list of the most appearances for Manchester United but it is in fact Ryan Giggs, recently voted PFA Player of the Year. Busby resigned in 1969 and died in 1994.

Sir Alex too has been responsible for a string of high profile signings, including paying a record at the time of 1.2 million pounds for Eric Cantona. The enigmatic Frenchman won a legion of fans but might always be remembered for the time he jumped into the crowd to retaliate against a fan who had insulted his mother. Those actions resulted in an eight month ban.

Manchester United have won the Premiership title more than any other club, first lifting the crown in 1993, and Sir Alex has been awarded a host of honours for the part he has played. However, he has always insisted no-one is bigger than the club, despite its glorious triumphs, brilliant teams and legendary players. It really is what dreams are made of.

When two English sides face each other in any competition other than the Premier League it always brings up elements of the game that we all love. The aggression, the passion, the desire and the entertainment, these are all virtues that the Champions League quarter-final between Manchester United and Arsenal on Wednesday promises to deliver.

United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, clearly wants the Champions League more than anything else, despite having won the competition twice already. Having just been knocked out of the FA Cup by Everton, United will have a renewed fire to go out and dominate this tie from the first minute to the 180th.

Arsenal go into this tie with massive injury problems. Both Mikael Silvestre and William Gallas are out and the combination of Emanuel Adebayor and Robin Van Persie up front are unlikely to play together. This no doubt will satisfy United fans but it places an incredible pressure on the rest of the Arsenal squad in what will be a huge atmosphere.

The current European Champions have only kept one clean sheet in their last seven games and are under huge pressure. United are going through a rough patch, of that there is no question. They have started to play better football but the Premier League game against Tottenham on Saturday showed they are still vulnerable in areas.

They benefit from the defensive pairing of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand, both likely to start the game, who are clearly the best partnership that Sir Alex can offer forward.

The other massive blow to Arsenal is the fact that Andrey Arshavin will be cup-tied, this is a player just starting to justify why Arsene Wenger paid £17 million for his services, he would also have been one of the first names to go down on the team sheet.

It is looking like Arsenal will have to field a much more make shift team than United, placing pressure on their skipper, Cesc Fabregas. Regardless of who Arsene Wenger picks to play in the tie, Arsenal have to consolidate and keep United out. If the big occasion gets to one or two of the less experienced Arsenal players then United could effectively kill off the tie in the first leg.

United will be buoyed by the win they gained over Porto in Portugal, becoming the first English team to win there. This is accompanied by the fact that effectively their reserve side kept out the attack of Everton in the FA Cup semi-final, until eventually being defeated by a penalty shoot-out.

This match is very difficult to call. All of the odds are stacked firmly in Manchester United’s favour but Arsene Wenger is not a stupid man and if he gets his team and tactics right it could be a lot more difficult for United to get through.
One thing is for sure though, it will be one hell of a game.

Manchester United got a good start to retaining their Champions League Title with a 1-0 win over Arsenal at Old Trafford on April 29th.  United came out with guns blazing and should have had a 3-0 lead by halftime, but John O’Shea was the only one who wasn’t firing blanks and scored the winner in the 17th minute.  If it wasn’t for Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia’s great saves in the first half, especially on Carlos Tevez, Wayne Rooney, and Cristiano Ronaldo, then the second leg of this semi final might just have been a formality.

Thanks to Almunia, Arsenal are still in with a shout in the second leg next Tuesday. Ryan Giggs finally came on in the 67th minute in his 800th appearance for United and then promptly scored a beautiful goal, only to be ruled offside. United may regret not burying the Gunners when they had the chance. Things could be a little trickier down in London at the Emirates Stadium.

Not much else happening on the pitch until the weekend, so of course the biggest topic off the pitch is of course money. It seems the taxman in England is up to his old tricks again and is trying to soak more money out of the top moneymakers, such as footballers.

Chancellor Alistair Darling has recently revealed plans to jack the top rate of income tax up to 50 per cent for those who make over £150,000 a year.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes that any changes to the British tax system might stop foreign players from heading over to the English Premier League. And the fact the value of the English pound is sinking against the euro is also another concern as each club’s spending power has been significantly reduced.

When Wenger was asked if the English football leagues depended too much on foreign players, he said: “Don’t worry, that time will soon be over because with the new taxation system and with the collapse of sterling… the domination of the Premier League will end. The pound was at 1.45 or 1.60 (euros) at one stage…from one day to the next it will be a financial problem for all the English clubs.”

Birmingham City co-owner David Sullivan chirped in and told the Sunday Times he agreed with Wenger and predicted that England may soon suffer in the transfer market because of the low pound and tax situation. Sullivan added that players will likely seek higher salaries than they’re already making if they’re going to be losing more to the taxman.

Over in Spain, Real Madrid defender Pepe was force fed a 10-game suspension on the weekend for going berserk and kicking out at two Getafe players in a league match on April 21st. Pepe pushed Javier Casquero to the deck in the 88th minute and conceded a penalty. He then proceeded to kick him in the back and stamp on him a few times for good measure, just in case the ref missed anything. But he still wasn’t finished. Pepe then decided to drill Juan Angel Albin in the head with his fist and then insulted the fourth official while finally leaving the pitch.

Pepe got one game for the original foul, four for going bananas on Casquero, four more for the shot to the head of Albin and one for hurling insults at the official.

Pepe said he lost the plot because he thought giving away the penalty would cost his team a chance of winning their third straight league championship. Of course, to add a twist to the story, Casquero missed the penalty and Real’s Gonzalo Higuain scored in injury time to pull a 3-2 win. If only Pepe would have known.

After battling out for a 0-0 draw last night at the Nou Camp in Barcelona, Chelsea will take a slight subconscious advantage into the return leg of their Champions League semi-final.

In one of the most entertaining goalless draws that are ever likely to be seen, Chelsea played magnificently as they endured a Barcelona onslaught from start to finish. Theirry Henry was the most noticeable of the Barcelona players as the rest of his teammates were kept admirably quite by the entire Chelsea side.

Guus Hiddink’s men could even have stolen a one-goal advantage as Didier Drogba had clear chances to score, only to be denied by the tactical positioning of Barca keeper, Victor Valdes.

Chelsea will be buoyed by the fact they became the first team this season to go the Nou Camp and come away with a clean sheet still in tact, everyone else who has been there has been pretty much ripped apart.

Chelsea would have liked the away goal but they can now switch the pressure on Barcelona who will be disappointed not to take anything to Stamford Bridge when the teams meet for the second leg in a week’s time.

The match delivered everything that it was expected to deliver; passion, aggression and some Oscar award winning play-acting. Chelsea must be credited for a disciplined performance when they could easily have been over run and conceded more than just a single goal. If Barca had been 3-0 up at half time then not many would have complained.

Hiddink’s tactics can be marginally criticised but there is no dancing around the fact that his team got the job done. True enough they did not score themselves but the succeeded in keeping out one of the most talented attacks at the other end.

The draw allows Chelsea to go into the second leg in London with a more expansive attitude. They have played their disciplined performance to keep things level for when they unleash the atmosphere of Stamford Bridge.

Barcelona also picked up a key injury when defender Rafael Marquez pulled up with not a single person near him before hobbling off with what looked like an intensely painful knee injury. Josep Guardiola will no doubt have a headache or two over which tactics to deploy in West London but his side showed last night the dominance over a game they are capable of.

This game could well go right down to the wire. Barca are not going to go to West London and park the bus in front of goal the entire night and neither will Chelsea. If Chelsea play with half the discipline and passion that each of their players showed last night then they could well run away with the tie.

However, the match showed why Barca are touted as European favourites. If Chelsea have an off night in the return leg then it could well be a cricket score victory for the Spanish side.

One thing is for certain, we are in for a special game this time next week.

West Ham United manager, Gianfranco Zola, and assistant manager, Steve Clarke, have both signed contract extensions to stay at Upton Park, which could result in a number of benefits for the club.

The pair have quietly helped West Ham reach 8th place in the Premier League table and the guarantee that they will both be in place at the start of next season is massive news for Hammers fans all over the country.

Both have signed four-year contracts and will be looking to develop the grains of success that they have sewn this season. Zola has shown all of the passion and energy that we loved him for in his time at Chelsea and Clarke arrived in East London hot off the Chelsea press and rated as one of the best coaches in the country.

Their new contracts are the clearest sign yet that the new men in charge are looking to propel West Ham to silverware next season and their innovative ideas and coaching could be just the methods needed to achieve this.

The pair have blooded some of the most talented youth players this season that the league has seen in recent times. James Tomkins and Freddy Sears are just two of the names on everyone’s lips but it proves that the management at West Ham must be doing something right to produce such gifted players.

Clarke spoke openly in the media after signing his contract saying: “I have had a great time since I came here. We have done OK. There is a lot more still to be done and the contract reflects that. It is a long-term contract and what Gianfranco and myself and the rest of the coaching staff look forward to is improving things and working hard every year to make things better and better at this football club.”

“The manager and his staff have to be close and they have to believe in the same things. That is what we do and we try and give that message to the players and so far it has been OK.”

The reason this is such significant news for West Ham is quite simple. It virtually eradicates the days of a power struggle between the club’s owner and then manager, Alan Curbishley that saw the latter leave of an argument about transfers.

When that squabble was going on the team were not performing because the focus of the management and staff was elsewhere. This will not breed success and Zola and Clarke can now funnel every single bit of enthusiasm they both have into making their side better than they currently are.

Centralisation is everything in a football club and it allows success to grow. If each member of the management knows their individual roles then there are no undisputed areas and the team can focus on performing to the best of their capabilities.

Keep an eye on West Ham, they could well break into the top 6 next season and I don’t think many open-minded football fans will be too surprised.

Howard Webb’s decision to award Manchester United a penalty in Saturday’s Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur has led to calls for the introduction of technology in the game to be rapidly stepped up.

The decision was made based on an apparent foul by Spurs goalkeeper, Heurelho Gomes, on Michael Carrick when TV replays after the incident showed that Gomes had clearly touched the ball.

Subsequently the penalty was scored by Cristiano Ronaldo and from 2-0 down United went on to win the game at a canter. Since the event Webb has come out publicly in the media and admitted he got the decision wrong.

He said: “I have looked at it again and I think it was a mistake but we make these decisions honestly. It’s not always easy to see the way the play pans out from pitch level.”

Webb’s mistake prompted fury on the Spurs match as manager, Harry Redknapp, said the incident changed the entire face of the game. He later called for the 4th official on the sidelines to be paying particular attention to TV monitors around him and being in constant touch with the referee on field.

Redknapp said after the game: “The referee made a terrible mistake. You should have technology. The fourth official should be watching the TV monitor and talking to the referee.”

Redknapp’s cries of outrage have once again opened up the debate on the use of technology in the modern game. For the last few years the demand for goal line technology to decipher whether or not a ball has crossed the line has been high.

Especially after ‘Reading’s Phantom Goal’ when referee, Stuart Atwell, awarded the Royals a goal in their Premier League fixture against Watford, despite the ball having flown yards wide.

Technology in football will happen at some point. The problem is it is a painfully slow process for all involved. It took years for referees and linesman just to be allowed microphone technology to be able to talk to each other without having to run from one end of the pitch to the other.

It is baffling why football seems so reluctant to let the help of technology seep into the modern game. Everyone wants to see fairer and more accurate games. None of the entertainment or excitement value will be lost by allowing its introduction to the sport.

Only when it is introduced, and mirrors the examples of other sports such as cricket, tennis and rugby, will we see fairer and more correct decision being made. The decision on Sunday could have been remedied in a matter of seconds and everyone would have been satisfied that the right out come had been made.

High profile managers sitting in the stands are allowed small monitors in front of them at most games so why not the 4th official?

This is clearly something the FA have to investigate. If they do not then sooner or later it could be the fine dividing line between a club going up to the Premier League or being relegated from League football entirely.

Swansea City cannot afford to lose the services of Spanish midfielder, Jordi Gomez, as his current loan deal from Espanyol reaches its final few weeks.

Gomez has been instrumental in Swansea’s first season back in the Championship and rumours are already circulating that the Swans have had a £1.5 million bid for the player turned down.

He has featured in 37 of Swansea’s 45 league games so far, scoring on 12 occasions, hence making him one of the most productive and valuable midfield players in the division.

Gomez was recently voted into the Professional Footballers Association Championship team of the year, proving just what a class act he has been for Swansea this city.

The Spaniard had a bright start in football and was signed by Espanyol as one of the country’s brightest prospects, often tipped for an international role in his youth. However, things did not fully work out and he moved to England where he has adapted to the game and passion magnificently.

Swansea’s manager, Roberto Martinez, recognised the potential of Gomez from very early on and if Espanyol lose their relegation battle in La Liga then the signature of Gomez could become a permanent one. Currently sitting 16th in the Spanish table with 35 points, nothing is yet certain.

There is a good chance however that Gomez will choose to stay on. He has proved his value to the current Swansea squad and after spending a year in the country he may well be settled and not want all the hassle that moving back home would bring with it.

Swansea Chairman, Huw Jenkins said on Monday: “As we have said all along, Jordi’s situation is going to depend on what division Espanyol are playing in next season and that is still a long way from being decided.”

Martinez takes incredible pleasure from signing such a gifted player, even if it turns out to have just been on loan for a single season. He said of Swansea’s success this season: “We came up from League One, with probably the lowest budget in this division, and we have managed to develop our own players because we weren’t able to go out and buy big-name players.”

“I’m very proud for doing so because it is difficult to unearth talent and we’ve managed to do that with a number of our squad. We have lacked a little experience this season, which has cost us a top-six finish, but you either need to earn that or pay a lot of money for the experienced players.”

Gomez will be strongly missed by Swansea fans if they do not manage to keep him but should he return to Spain then he will no doubt take a number of important lessons back with him that could see him stand out as a bright individual, regardless of the division that Espanyol find themselves in next season.

Nothing is decided as yet but here is a player that will be missed by Swansea fans and neutrals if the Swans don’t work out a deal to keep him.