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Cardiff City remain hopeful of holding on to Marshall

Sky Bet Championship club Cardiff City remains hopeful that they can keep hold of goalkeeper David Marshall despite the interest of several Premier League clubs.

It has been reported in the media that the Bluebirds have had to field enquiries about their Scottish shot stopper ever since their relegation from the Premier League but they retain hopes that the player will snub the advances of the Premier League clubs and remain in Wales.

The Scotsman was one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League last season, and was arguably the most consistent player for the Bluebirds alongside the likes of Steven Caulker, Jordan Mutch and Frazier Campbell.

But despite his heroics in goal, Cardiff failed to retain their status as a Premier League and was relegated to the Championship after just one season in the top flight. He has been tipped with a big money move to a top club with the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal all interested in the player.

Southampton has become the latest Premier League to inquire about his availability but Cardiff City remain confident about retaining the player they first helped secure his first taste of top flight football.

Arsenal has been widely tipped to make a formal move for the player any time during this transfer window for the Cardiff number one but it is expected the club will hold out for a significant transfer price, in the region of £ 15 million.

Although the former Celtic goalkeeper has drawn transfer interest, Cardiff City insiders have said that no club has come forward with a formal bid for the player but it is also not clear which clubs have asked about his availability.

Sources close to the ‘keeper has indicated he would be open to helping the club mount a challenge for the Premier League as well.

Caulker Looks To Leave Cardiff

Cardiff City’s season in the Premier League did not last long as they are now heading back to the Championship League after being relegated and some players might be seeing their way out of the club as well.

Steven Caulker is a 22 years old defender who has attracted the attention of Liverpool and the possibility of him leaving Cardiff is becoming more realistic as the summer transfer window inches closer and closer.

The top 5 spots of the Premier League are being battled it out with Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Everton but it’s the team of Brendan Rodgers which has conceded more goals in this season and this one of the main reasons on why Steven Caulker is being taken into consideration that can help out the defensive department of Liverpool.

Cardiff City’s relegation will see them playing once more in the Football League Championship while Liverpool on the other hand is going to be fighting in Europe in the Champions League.

Brendan Rodgers is well aware of the abilities that Steven Caulker has to offer as they have already worked together at Swansea City.

Caulker has a contract with Cardiff City that extends until 2017 which means that Liverpool will have to make a substantial offer in order to lure him away from the Championship League club.

The future of Daniel Agger at Anfield remains unclear meanwhile Kolo Toure has not enjoyed an impressive spell since making his way to Liverpool and Brendan Rodgers is now in search of player who can improve the squad for the upcoming season and especially now that they will be competing against some of the best teams in the world as they will be battling it out in the Champions League.

CELLINO TAKES OVER AT LEEDS

Massimo Cellino is close to taking charge at Leeds United and the prospective owner says that manager Brian McDermott should not be worried about losing his job because he will get the opportunity to prove himself under his regime. Leeds United are going through troubled times yet again, but the arrival of Cellino promises to bring in a period of good fortune.

However, it will most probably result in the manager McDermott losing his job as is the case with several other takeovers. The former Reading manager has failed to take the club to the Premier league in the first instance. Continue reading CELLINO TAKES OVER AT LEEDS

BAD SEASON FOR FLETCHER

This is indeed becoming one of the worst seasons ever for Manchester United after they are set to finish outside the top four and also miss out on Champions League football next season. This was after the club were knocked out of the Europe’s Premier competition after suffering a 4-2 defeat on aggregate to Bayern Munich, who have gone from strength to strength in the last five years. David Moyes will be aware that it may even take United a few years to get back into the Champions League.

Meanwhile, midfielder Darren Fletcher says that most of the United squad is fighting for its future and that they need to step up their game in the remaining five matches of the season in order to earn their place in the squad next season. Moyes is expected to make significant changes to the United team with a number of players – especially the older ones – likely to depart. The likes of Patrice Evra and Ferdinand are expected to join Nemanja Vidic, while the future of star names like Ryan Giggs also appears unclear.

Robin van Persie is also linked with a move away from Old Trafford after apparently going tired of Moyes’ tactics. Fletcher only recently made his comeback from a long-term injury, and he is expected to stay.

“It is time to show the manager that you deserve to be at this club. Go and put in performances because the manager will be thinking of next season, no doubt about that. You have to make sure that you are one of the names that he still wants. If you get a chance to play, you have to go and impress the manager and show him that you are capable of being here next year. He will definitely look back on this season,” said Fletcher.

PEP TALK HELPS

Cardiff City manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says that the pep talk from owner Vincent Tan will certainly help the club to help in the remaining 10 matches of the season. It is understood that Cardiff owner Tan made an appearance in the club’s dressing room after their 1-0 defeat against Tottenham. He was not critical of the players for this defeat, but instead said that they had performed admirably well against a top team. Solskjaer says that the involvement from the owner and also the talk he had given to motivate the players will certainly show its benefits from next match.

Cardiff were unlikely to come away with nothing from the visit to White Hart Lane. They were beaten only by a solitary goal from Roberto Soldado. However, it is results that count in this business and Cardiff find themselves very close to the bottom of the table. Since replacing Mackay as the manager of Cardiff, Solskjaer has not been able to produce the kind of results many expected him to do. Cardiff have won only one out of the last five matches. As a result, they already find themselves three points adrift of safety. Further, teams like Crystal Palace, West Brom, and Sunderland have games in hand over Cardiff and could potentially be several points ahead of the bluebirds.

“He’s committed and supportive” he told http://www.ilovemanutd.com.  ” It’s the first time since I’ve been here, it was a good time. They were pleased to see he came. We all appreciated it. We’re all sticking in it together, that’s the key. If you’re going to get out of this, it’s not one performance, it’s a 10-game run. It’s a 10-game season now. This run-in, it needs every single one of us,” said the former Manchester United player. Cardiff next match will be against fellow relegation rivals Fulham.