Official 2012/13 Premier League thread

[Lineker]

Still not news though

Roberto Mancini has signed a new five-year deal with Man City.

[Dingle]

Still not news though

Roberto Mancini has signed a new five-year deal with Man City.

As expected really. Been talking about it with a United friend of mine who hoped they'd can Mancini because he outsmarted Fergie at key moments this season and see's him as a threat. I'm not totally sold on him being able to lead City to win everything like United have, but I hope he can become that character. Couldn't see anyone else as City manager though unless something drastic happened, looking forward to him leading US () to glory next season.

[Summers]

glory hunter.

[Nerf]

When did Mancini join Burnley?

[Pesci]

That's an awful lot of compensation they'll have to pay him when they sack him for doing poorly in the Champions League :/

Still, it's the kind of contract that allows him to build his own foundations for the future, and he has the trust of the players. I don't think there's anybody better suited to manage a group of players then the guy who signed them all and just won the league with them...

[Hobo]

Speaking of new contracts... Jonjo Shelvey signed one!

[Lineker]

West Ham started their pre-season ten minutes down the road from me tonight; a 1-1 draw with Blue Square South side Borehamwood!

[Adam]

Impressive result. Would like to see the line-up.

[Lineker]

Impressive result. Would like to see the line-up.

WHUFC First half XI: Jaaskelainen, Driver, McCartney, Spence, K.Lee, Noble, Moncur, Ruddock, Fanimo, Vaz Te, Baldock

WHUFCSecond half XI: Larkins, Chambers, Wearen, Reid, Potts, Morrison, O'Neil, Turgott, Taylor, Nolan, Maynard

Subs: Baxter, Shaw, Powell

[Lineker]

Our new assistant manager?

Best news to wake up to. Ever.

[TCO]

ARBEIT!!

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Yup, Steffen Freund has been appointed as Tottenham assistant manager. Groovy.

[Adam]

Needs more Willem Korsten.

[Hobo]

The problem there was West Ham were playing Neil Ruddock in that match, by the looks of things.

[Dynamite]

That and the fact John Moncur is still getting in the side.

[Lineker]

An 18-year-old Stoke City FC academy player has been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the death of a teenager at a Bedfordshire house.

Andrew Hall was arrested after the body of a 15-year-old girl was found in Ailesbury Road in Ampthill on Saturday.

Tributes have been left at the scene for the victim Megan-Leigh Peat, of Westoning, in Bedfordshire.

Bedfordshire Police would not confirm the name of the man in custody but said he was known to the victim.

A spokesman for Stoke City FC confirmed Mr Hall was being questioned by police.

Friends of the victim have left flowers, photographs and notes at the house, which is still surrounded by a police cordon.

One friend wrote: "The emptiness and hurt you have left so many of us with is unimaginable. A beautiful girl on the inside and out, whose life was just beginning."

Another note read: "Beautiful Megan, I remember the day you were born, the joy you brought your mum and dad to have a daughter and to give your two brothers a little sister. Then you grew into a happy smiley teenager. Heaven has gained an angel."

Chelsie McAneny, 16, who said she took some lessons with Megan-Leigh at Harlington Upper School, said: "Everyone loved her, she was bubbly and popular and she stuck up for everyone, even when she was down."

The results of a post-mortem examination are expected later.

Bedfordshire Police has appealed for anyone with information about the inquiry to contact officers.

[Lineker]

John Terry racism verdict will be delivered at 2pm tomorrow.

Sir Alex Ferguson says Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher will be given another role at the club if he cannot make a comeback from a chronic bowel complaint.

Fletcher has been out of first team action since November with ulcerative colitis, but had been hoping to make his return at pre-season training.

"He has obviously got great challenges ahead," said manager Ferguson.

"If it doesn't work for him, he knows he has a position at the club anyway."

Fletcher, 28, has been missing from the United first team since scoring in the 2-2 Champions League draw at home to Benfica on 22 November.

Ferguson said the club would provide the Scotland international, who signed a four-year extension with United in March 2011, with "all the time he needs".

"We are happy to be patient but he won't be starting the season," he added. "It is unfortunate because he is such a magnificent professional and such a nice lad."

Ferguson was speaking at a news conference to introduce his two summer signings, England Under-18 international Nick Powell and Shinji Kagawa, who has signed from German Double-winners Borussia Dortmund.

And the United manager is keen to add one more new face to his squad before the start of the season.

"There will possibly be one more," he said. "We have always done well in terms of getting players in at the end of the season. That is the right time.

"But always in a European Championship or World Cup year, there is a delay in the transfer industry.

"That is over now and we are still trying to get one more in."

Kagawa is expected to make his United debut on the club's pre-season tour to South Africa later this month.

The Japan midfielder, 23, is confident he can prove a shrewd signing after winning back-to-back titles with Borussia Dortmund.

Kagawa is embarking on English language lessons to help him settle into his new surroundings.

"Language is very important to me," he said through an interpreter. "I'm very motivated to learn English. I hope I can learn it quickly so I can communicate with my team-mates very soon.

"Joining United is definitely the greatest challenge of my career and I hope to learn and improve every day."

Teenager Powell, who joined from Crewe, has being training with United's first team.

"I went straight into working with the first team on some possession work - although I got nutmegged on my first day," said the 18-year-old.

"It was much more relaxed at Crewe and you felt in a comfort zone there, but now I'm here I know I have to work hard every day and be at my best.

"Having that challenge will only help me progress."

[IAceI]

Poor Darren. Such an enjoyable player as well.

[Crybaby Bunting]

I swear if the the John Terry case gets thrown out for inconsistencies relating to holding the trial about 6 months after the incident then I hope that the FA and everyone responsible with delaying the trial get a bollocking from the police. It has taken one week to sort out the entire scenario from start to finish, and could have prevented so many problems leading up to now.

[Dingle]

Aside from the "Bullet in the mail" thing, which was horrible, I'm struggling to think what else could've been avoided that was particularly bad for the two involved? I'd be more shocked if he was found guilty to be honest, doesn't sound like much evidence to go from.