Posts Tagged ‘Signature’
From back-up to Leed
With Jermaine Beckford leaving for Everton, the race was on for Leeds to replace the striker. Not the easiest job when you take into account Beckford’s 72 goals in 126 appearances for the Yorkshire side.
Billy Paynter was brought in on a free transfer from Swindon. Although Paynter scored 29 goals last term, he is more of a target man than an out and out goal scorer. Championship betting suggests that Lucciano Becchio won’t get 30 goals in a season but he will work all day to supply other people.
Many players have been mentioned in the press, to replace 30 goal Beckford. Billy Sharp, Leroy Lita and Gary Hooper have all been linked. Hooper, who enters the last year of his Scunthorpe contract this season, has been linked with Leeds for over a year. Celtic, Burnley and Middlesbrough are all supposedly in the hunt for the 22 year old. Scunthorpe are apparently asking for £3 million for Hooper, which may be too steep for Leeds. Chairman Ken Bates isn’t renowned for splashing the cash.
Leeds manager Simon Grayson might be confident enough in what he has already to impact on the Championship and even Carling Cup betting.
American striker Mike Grella, has been used sparingly by Grayson over the past couple of season. It’s been reported that many in the Leeds squad view him as their most skilful player. He has looked promising whenever he has been used and this could be a big season for Grella.
Perhaps the most promising find of last season was South African forward Davide Somma. After signing for Leeds in September 2009, he joined Chesterfield on loan before injury cut his spell short. He was then sent to Lincoln at then end of last season to gain more Football League experience. During his 14 games at Lincoln he scored 9 times. The quality, as well as quantity of the goals impressed Grayson enough, persuading him to hand Somma a one year extention to his current deal.
In Beckford’s early Leeds career, he spent time on loan in a lower division. When he returned from a successful spell at Scunthorpe, he brought that confidence back to Leeds and became an Elland Road hero. Many in West Yorkshire will be hoping Somma follows suite.
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International friendly round-up - Africa
There is certainly no danger of the African teams peaking ahead of this summer’s finals. All six of the CAF qualifiers were in recent friendly action, but only one, Nigeria, were victorious. It now appears even more unlikely that the maiden African finals will be graced by a winner from the home continent.
Cote d’Ivoire, perhaps the likeliest African contenders with world cup 2010 betting odds, are in something approaching disarray. The managerial merry-go-round continues, Vahid Halilhodzic being sacked after a disappointing Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
Sven Goran Eriksson and Guus Hiddink are in the frame to lead the team in South Africa, but a brand new coach, regardless of his pedigree, is not an ideal scenario. A 2-0 defeat by South Korea at Loftus Road did not help preparation.
Ghana wasted a one goal advantage in Bosnia-Hercegovina to lose 2-1. Sulley Muntari scored the Black Stars’ goal. Algeria continued their poor run of form, losing comprehensively 3-0 to Serbia.
Cameroon and South Africa both secured draw, but the former’s goalless stalemate in Italy represents a far better result than the hosts’ uninspiring 1-1 draw with Namibia. A second half equaliser from Katlego Mphela did little to ease the fears that the home nation will struggle in the summer.
Nigeria were impressive 5-2 winners over Congo, a result notable for the two debut goals by Osas Idehen. The Super Eagles have made a good start under Lars Lagerback, who is on a short-term contract similar to the one Cote d’Ivoire hope to secure with Hiddink or Eriksson.
Nigeria have no more friendlies scheduled ahead of the finals, so the wily Swedish coach will need to work quickly to gel his new charges into a team capable of upsetting some World Cup bets and making a good impression.
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