Andy Carroll and Jack Wilshere have not been named in the England squad for June’s Under-21 European Championships in Denmark.Wilshere and England have seemingly bowed to considerable pressure from Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who has fought hard to prevent the 19-year-old from taking part.

Wenger believes the tournament could jeopardise Wilshere’s long-term fitness following his first full season as an Arsenal regular and the midfielder has now made himself unavailable.

Liverpool centre-forward Carroll has been ruled out through injury.

“Andy Carroll and Jack Wilshere will not be part of the Under-21 squad which travels to Denmark. Andy has been ruled out through injury,” Under-21 manager Stuart Pearce said.

“I spoke to Jack last week and he explained that while he told me in March that he wanted to be part of the squad, he now feels he is not in the best condition to take part in the finals.”

“That is based on the number of games he has played for Arsenal this season, sports science data which Jack was presented with last week and concerns he has for his fitness looking ahead to next season.”

“Jack has always expressed his enjoyment at being involved with the Under-21 squad, and while I am disappointed not to have him with us for the finals I’ve accepted the situation.”

“I am very conscious of the importance of looking after all our players, and that is why I have frequent conversations with club managers throughout the season.”

Among the players to be included in the 23-man squad were Manchester City defender Micah Richards, Arsenal fullback Kieran Gibbs, Manchester United forward Danny Welbeck and Sunderland midfielder Jordan Henderson, who have all been capped at full international level.

England will submit a final squad to UEFA on June 1, before their first match against Spain 11 days later.

Squad: Goalkeepers: Frankie Fielding (Derby County), Jason Steele (Middlesbrough), Alex McCarthy (Reading).

Defenders: Ryan Bertrand (Chelsea), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal), Phil Jones (Blackburn Rovers), Michael Mancienne (Chelsea), Micah Richards (Manchester City), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur).

Midfielders: Marc Albrighton (Aston Villa), Tom Cleverley (Manchester United), Jack Cork (Chelsea), Jordan Henderson (Sunderland), Henri Lansbury (Arsenal), Fabrice Muamba (Bolton Wanderers), Jack Rodwell (Everton), Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur), Scott Sinclair (Swansea City).

Forwards: Nathan Delfouneso (Aston Villa), Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea), Danny Welbeck (Manchester United), Connor Wickham (Ipswich Town).

Sepp Blatter faced the grilling of all grillings yesterday afternoon as he faced the world’s media for the first time since the decision to suspend two FIFA officials. The President had the gall to suggest that there was no crisis at all within the association’s ranks and it is simply a communication issue within.

In the papers this morning there have been a mixed bag of stories that includes Scholes announcing his retirement from football; Wilshere believes it will be a disaster if Arsenal fail to land silverware next season, while Tottenham look to Brad Friedel.

*

Blatter on a day of drama at Fifa: ‘Crisis? What is a crisis?’ – Guardian

Ferguson wants to close ‘training gap’ – Daily Telegraph

Villa dismiss Houllier report – Sky Sports

Scholes retires from football – Sun

Chelsea want to keep Drogba but Anelka can go – Mirror

Fifa member ‘wanted FA Cup to be named after him’ – Independent

Swans can make the Premier League sing, insists boss Rodgers after play-off glory – Daily Mail

Jack – Disaster if we fail – Sky Sports

Chief executive Gill expects ‘busier summer’ – Guardian

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Unhappy Zhirkov wants Russia return after another season on the bench – Daily Mail

Warnock to go the extra Kyle – Sun

Friedel to replace Gomes in Spurs side –Mirror

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Carlos Tevez has expressed a desire to quit Manchester City this summer, so he can be nearer to his family. It is a decision the Argentine hasn’t taken lightly and has called upon City fans to respect his decision and the reasons he needs to quit Eastlands. Some reports suggest that City will be holding out for some £50m in order to sell him, although whether they will get that remains to be seen.

In the papers this morning there have been a mixed bag of stories that include Paul Scholes writing off Arsenal; Blackpool demand £9m fee for Adam, while Niko Kranjcar believes he is being priced out of a move away from Tottenham.

*

Scholes writes off ‘pretty but pointless’ Arsenal – Daily Telegraph

Blatter’s contempt: Sepp meets tyrant as FIFA are attacked by MPs over conduct – Daily Mail

Tevez seeks City departure – Sky Sports

Arsenal midfielder Song charged with malicious wounding after bar brawl – Daily Mail

Villas-Boas eyes Real Madrid star as his first Chelsea signing – Mirror

No one will Nik me at this rate – Sun

Pool want £9million for Adam – Sky Sports

Hernandez: I’ll be a United great – Sun

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Ireland plans fresh start at Villa under McLeish – Guardian

Spurs boss says Modric and Bale will stay as Harry blasts Blues’ bid for Luka – Daily Mail

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Frenchman Patrick Vieira believes Manchester City can cope with the loss of captain Carlos Tevez and still achieve their goals this season.Vieira, who retired from professional football on Thursday, was unveiled as the English Premier League club’s new Football Development Executive.

The former City, Arsenal, Inter Milan and France midfielder said he expected other players to lift to make up for the loss of Tevez, who was joint-top scorer in the Premier League last campaign with 20 goals in 28 appearances.

“It is never easy to lose players like Carlos. In the last two years he has been fantastic for the football club, scoring goals,” Vieira said on Monday.

“The club has grown that fast and Carlos has made a huge contribution to it, like all the players. But in football, it is not the first time a big club has lost a big player.”

“I believe we can still challenge our target and we still have a really competitive team because the players will take more responsibilities on their shoulders and that will make them better players.”

“Life goes on and if Carlos left, we just have to wish him good luck and everyone should say thank you for what he has done.”

It comes after City boss Roberto Mancini said an agreement for Tevez’s transfer had been reached with Brazilian side Corinthians for the Argentine’s services.

But Corinthians deny the claims, revealing the Eastlands club had offered a counter-proposal.

Vieira, who won three Premier League and four Serie A titles as well as the 1998 World Cup, said he knew the time was right to bring an end to his career.

“Listen, this is a part of football. You get to a time when you have to accept that you can’t perform to the level you want to,” he said.

“When you can’t perform at the level you expect to perform, the best thing to do is to stop and I’m proud when I look back at my career. I’m proud and I’m really pleased with what I have achieved and that’s what made it an easy decision.”

The 107-time France international also played down the public row between Mancini and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

The Italian was accused of being ‘disrespectful’ by Wenger after revealing he was interested in the services of midfielder Samir Nasri.

“I see it from the outside and it makes me smile. It happens all the time. Mancini and Wenger, Wenger and Ferguson the next day, Ferguson and Mancini after that,” Vieira said.

“It’s a part of the game and what is important is not to disrespect anybody and I don’t think anyone has. Life keeps going – every club wants the best players. It’s part of the game.”

Manchester City midfielder David Silva says he would welcome want-away forward Carlos Tevez back to the club.Tevez revealed his desire to leave the club for a second time at the end of last season, claiming he wants to be closer to his family.

A reported move back to former club Corinthians in July failed to materialise and Tevez, nor signing Sergio Aguero, were at training at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.

Silva said his team-mates would not show any bitterness towards Tevez if he chose to return.

“Carlos has to return and that’s great. He’s a very important player for us,” Silva told The Sun.

“I don’t think we’ll have a problem. We know Carlos well, if he stays – great.”

“There are a lot of competitions and we hope to play well in all of them. He would help that.”

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As well as Tevez wanting to leave the Etihad Stadium, fellow forward Mario Balotelli revealed this week he is unhappy in England and that he does not like living in Manchester.

Supporters were able to watch new signings Stefan Savic and Gael Clichy at training as City prepare for Sunday’s Community Shield clash against Manchester United at Wembley Stadium.

Steed Malbranque is set to become the first casualty of Sunderland summer spending spree according to the Daily Mail.

Manager Steve Bruce has deemed the French midfielder surplus to requirements after bringing midfielders Craig Gardner, David Vaughan and Sebastian Larsson in during the close season.

A move to Ligue 1 side St Etienne is now in the pipeline with Bruce looking to free up some funds to continue his recruitment drive.

It will prove to be an unpopular decision with the Wearside faithful with most considering the midfielder a key part of the side.

The former Fulham midfielder signed for the Black Cats from Tottenham in 2008 and quickly established himself as a fan favourite at the Stadium of Light.

However he never could replicate the form he showed at White Hart Lane and Craven Cottage scoring only two goals in 112 appearances during his time in the North East.

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With Malbranque now set to move back to France the Sunderland boss may now turn his attentions to a loan move for Manchester City’s Adam Johnson.

Bruce has been chasing the winger for some time and with the extra money available could force through a temporary deal for him.

England made easy work of a poor Bulgarian side at the Vasil Levski Stadium, with a 3-0 win courtesy of a Gary Cahill strike and a brace from Wayne Rooney.

The victory was a major boost to Fabio Capello who has been under increasing pressure following England’s dropped points against Switzerland in their last outing, but last night’s result has all but confirmed qualification to next year’s Euro Championship.

It was a walk in the park for England and Fabio Capello was certainly justified in his selections of Gary Cahill and Scott Parker – who in particular put in an excellent display alongside Gareth Barry, as Capello chose to overlook Lampard on this occasion. It was a snub for the Chelsea man and questions will undoubtedly be raised over his international future under the Italian.

Cahill fired England into the lead in the 13th minute getting on the end of Gareth Barry’s cross to score his first goal for his country. The Bulgarian defence were struggling with the crosses delivered into their box and it wasn’t long after when Wayne Rooney rose to meet Stewart Downing’s cross to double England’s lead. The Bulgarian’s just weren’t at the races at all and England could have stretched their advantage on numerous occasions until Wayne Rooney finished off a fine team move involving Ashley Young and Theo Walcott to make it 3-0 on the stroke of half time.

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The second half never really got going and at times was played at a pedestrian pace as England saw the game out with consummate ease with Joe Hart arguably having his easiest game in the three lion’s jersey. The result puts England in pole position for qualification ahead of Wales’ visit to Wembley on Tuesday night.

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has stated that he was proud of his team after their 2-1 win over Wigan at the DW Stadium on Saturday, and feels that the side he picked was close to his first choice starting XI.

First-half goals from Rafael van der Vaart and Gareth Bale gave the visitors the three points, in what was their third consecutive league win.

Despite a number of players still on the injured list, Redknapp believes he fielded a top team.

“There’s players missing, but that’s not far away from our best team. I’m not saying it’s our best team, but there’s enough good players in there to make it very difficult to dislodge them out of our best team,” he told Sky Sports.

“We’re very, very strong and I think we’ve got the makings of a really good side. We lost Jermain Defoe, who was ill overnight and had a high temperature. We had to get a driver to drive him back to London to get him home.

“Sandro came back today alongside Scott Parker and I liked the look of that combination in there. It gave us some strength and I think we’re looking strong,” he stated.

The White Hart Lane outfit dominated the first half, which Redknapp was pleased about, but felt that they could have performed better in the second period.

“It was complete domination first half really and we could’ve been at least four-up.

“We absolutely controlled the game from the start to the finish of the half, and then we did exactly what I told them at half-time not to do, and that was to get sloppy and give a sloppy goal away because they needed a lift.

“If we could’ve started the first 10 minutes as we played in the first half it would’ve been game over,” he concluded.

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has stated that he was proud of his team after their 2-1 win over Wigan at the DW Stadium on Saturday, and feels that the side he picked was close to his first choice starting XI.

First-half goals from Rafael van der Vaart and Gareth Bale gave the visitors the three points, in what was their third consecutive league win.

Despite a number of players still on the injured list, Redknapp believes he fielded a top team.

“There’s players missing, but that’s not far away from our best team. I’m not saying it’s our best team, but there’s enough good players in there to make it very difficult to dislodge them out of our best team,” he told Sky Sports.

“We’re very, very strong and I think we’ve got the makings of a really good side. We lost Jermain Defoe, who was ill overnight and had a high temperature. We had to get a driver to drive him back to London to get him home.

“Sandro came back today alongside Scott Parker and I liked the look of that combination in there. It gave us some strength and I think we’re looking strong,” he stated.

The White Hart Lane outfit dominated the first half, which Redknapp was pleased about, but felt that they could have performed better in the second period.

“It was complete domination first half really and we could’ve been at least four-up.

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“We absolutely controlled the game from the start to the finish of the half, and then we did exactly what I told them at half-time not to do, and that was to get sloppy and give a sloppy goal away because they needed a lift.

“If we could’ve started the first 10 minutes as we played in the first half it would’ve been game over,” he concluded.

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Over the last week and a half we witnessed a star-laden Manchester side snatch a dramatic last-gasp victory in the Champions League, and then follow it up by inflicting a crushing defeat at the home of their bitter cross-city neighbours.

If one were to illustrate this scenario just four years ago, it would have been almost unthinkable to ascribe said sequence of events to Manchester City.

However, 48 months and nearly £500m worth of player acquisition later, the previously unimaginable has occurred, with City now leading their long-time tormentors by five points and favoured by the bookmakers to win the Premier League.

Sir Alex Ferguson has of course overseen challenges to United’s domestic dominance in the Premier League era. Both Arsenal and Chelsea have been seen off, but it remains to be seen whether the United dynasty will be able to withstand the threat posed by City.

City manager Roberto Mancini has experience of masterminding a major European city power shift before. Prior to his arrival in the black and blue half of the San Siro, Internazionale had failed to win Serie A in 15 years, with Milan claiming six Scudetti in that same period.

While the consequences of Calciopoli undeniably diminished the potency of rivals Juventus and Milan, Mancini successfully steered Inter to three straight Serie A titles, replicating the feat achieved by Fabio Capello’s early ’90s Milan side.

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Mancini himself has not hidden his admiration of his United counterpart – he described Ferguson as a “teacher” prior to Sunday’s derby match – and it appears that the Italian may even be modelling his approach on that of the Scotsman.

No longer the epitome of functionality and caution, Roberto Mancini’s side sparkle and shine, with their vibrant mix of direct and intricate football bearing more than a passing resemblance to the style synonymous with United under Ferguson.

In David Silva City possess the Premier League’s outstanding player, an individual blessed with a deftness of touch, vision and movement that is without compare on these shores. Old Trafford has played host to several of the Premier League’s definitively exceptional players before – five of the last ten PFA Players of the Year have been United players – but now the mantle of the league’s finest can be found at the Etihad Stadium.

Like their Old Trafford rivals, City have also shown the capacity to dig deep in the face of adversity. A draw at home to Villarreal last week would almost certainly have curtailed City’s hopes of advancing to the next stage of the Champions League, but their persistence, inventiveness and ability to pierce a resolute Villarreal defence bore all the familiar trademarks of Manchester United in Europe’s elite competition.

Mancini’s handling of Carlos Tevez, as well as other dissenting players such as Emmanuel Adebayor and Craig Bellamy, has shown that the Italian possesses a ruthless streak and an unwillingness to work with those who refuse to read from the same page as him. But the way in which he deals with Mario Balotelli also suggests he is capable of nurturing and extracting the best from an enigmatic maverick too.

Given the enduring nature of Ferguson’s success, it would be foolish to prematurely declare a definitive shift of power in English football, especially before the halfway stage of the Premier League season.

However, City’s ominously strong start suggests that they are finally capable of emerging from United’s shadow. And even more worryingly for United, it seems as though City are taking inspiration from the very template that brought such unprecedented glory to Old Trafford.

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Follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/zarifrasul

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His time at Fluminese told Arsene Wenger he was going to be a star, his time with Levante says otherwise. Wellington Silva’s off field antics have overshadowed the Brazilian’s time in Spain, but then again he’s only made a handful of substitute appearances in his time at Levante. When he left Fluminese his Brazilian manager Muricy Ramalho said of him:

“I am very unsatisfied with him. He misses training, arrives late, argues with his father, this has nothing to do with Fluminese. He needs to become a player because right now he still isn’t one.”

At the time Arsenal presumed that the young strikers problems stemmed out of his poor relationship with his manager, just as van Persie’s problems did when he was at Feyenoord. However now it appears that there is a deeper problem that needs to be addressed. Last season reports of an unhealthy penchant for the local pizzeria and an obsession with Twitter were cited as the reason for Wellington’s lack of playing time and little seems to have changed. At first it was put down to problems for the Brazilian in settling in to life on a new continent but Levante manager Luis Garcia insisted that everything has been done to help the Brazilian feel at home. Garcia said:

“I want him to be more professional in his behaviour. Arsenal want us to work and help him and not only in terms of football. We’ve drawn up a programme for him and I want more time spent with his team-mates to help him settle and with the different language. He does have a problem settling in, being lonely. It’s important that he has someone to help and guide him.”

That was last year and despite Levante having a new manager the situation hasn’t improved. One difference this year is the improved form of Levante and it is understandable that because Wellington hasn’t been part of that team that has done so well it would be hard for Juan Ignacio Martinez to pick him. However reports suggest that even if the team wasn’t doing so well there still wouldn’t be a place for the starlet in the team. Wellington compounded the situation recently with an outburst on Twitter claiming he was ‘fed up’ of having to wait for his chance in the first team. His unquestionable talent gives the troubled youngster cause to believe that he should warrant a place in the starting eleven but he is yet to learn how to conduct himself in his private life.

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Work permit issues mean it is unlikely that Wellington will return to Arsenal in January with the FA having reneged on their initial promise to allow a ‘special talent’ work permit for the Brazilian. However there is supposed to be interest from clubs in Greece, France and Brazil. Wenger however will have to look hard for the right solution to the youngsters problems as if they are not solved soon Wenger may begin to regret the £3.5m he spent on the player.

It is by no means the end of the road for the eighteen year old, he has a long way to go before he is a Jermain Pennant type figure in north London but Wenger will be worried nonetheless. It would be easy to blame his problems on adaptation to life in a new country but Wellington has been out of Brazil for almost two years now and shows no sign of progression. If you take another example, someone like Joel Campbell then you can see the difference. Joel came straight from Costa Rica to France were he is on loan at Lorient. Campbell settled in almost immediately and become an important part of the Ligue 1 outfit. He’s even picked up his already scintillating form for his country scoring a brilliant goal against the world champions Spain in Costa Rica’s recent friendly.

So is it time for the Arsenal manager to start getting worried about Wellington? Not yet. Problems will arise if Wellington goes out on loan somewhere else and still can’t get in the team. Ultimately all that needs to happen is for the Brazilian to play enough games somewhere for his British work permit to be granted then under the stewardship of Wenger himself the Brazilian will surely be on the path to progression. This is no definitive method for nurturing young talent; all youngsters have different mental and technical requirements. However if anyone can get the best out of Wellington Silva then surely it is Wenger.

For more Arsenal news follow me on Twitter @H_Mackay

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