Sheffield United F.C.

Falkirk sign Sheffield Wednesday captain Lee Bullen on a Bosman transfer. The thirty-seven year old defender played every position for the Owls last season, he even played in goal.

Wigan are keen to sign out of contract Le Mans midfielder Hassan Yebda. But will face competition from a host of clubs throughout Europe for the Frenchman’s signature.

AC Milan were the mystery club that bid, close to thirty million for Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech last month. (Corriere dello Sport)

Tottenham are expected to return for Bolivian striker Marcelo Moreno with a six million bid to the player’s club in Brazil, Cruzeiro. (Press Association)

Liverpool are interested in Manchester City and England U-21 midfielder Michael Johnson in a six million pound move. (The Sun)

The reds have also completed the double signing of Swiss right back Philip Degen on a free from Borrusia Dortmund and installed ex Bolton manager Sammy Lee as assistant manager to Rafa Benitez. Lee has already played and been first team coach at the club before he left to concentrate on his role in the England set up.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Ricardo Carvalho have shocked Manchester United and Chelsea respectively by both admitting that they could leave for Spain in the summer, just five days away from the Champions League Final. Both players have been linked to Real Madrid in recent weeks. (Daily Star)

Rio Ferdinand has signed a new five year contract with Manchester United until 2013. (The Mirror)

West Ham have bid six million for Manchester city defender Richard Dunne. (The Times)

The Irons have also made Anton Ferdinand available for transfer, after manager Alan Curbishley finally lost patience with the former U-21 star. (The Times)

However Alan Curbishley’s job may not be safe with new Italian Sporting Director Gianluca Nani earmarking Foligno manger Pierpaolo Pisoli as a future Upton Park manager. (The Times)

Manchester City owner Thaksin Shinawatra will unload the “deadwood,” at Eastlands. With Paul Dickov, Darius Vassell, Rolando Bianchi, Giovanni, Javier Garrido, Georgios Samaras, Valeri Bojinov and Andreas Isaksson all set to be allowed to leave in the summer. (The Times)

If Gareth Barry leaves for Liverpool, then Martin O’Neil will bid five million for Chelsea outcast Steve Sidwell. But Werder Bremen’s Brazilian playmaker Diego and Bayer Leverkussen’s German international Bernd Schneider remain other alternatives. (The Guardian)

But Middlesborough boss Gareth Southgate is also interested in bringing Sidwell to the Riverside. (Daily Mirror)

In the bidding war for Ronaldniho, Manchester City have bid twenty four million while AC Milan have bid only twenty, although the Brazilian sees the San Siro as his preferred destination. (Gazzette dello Sport)

Samuel Eto’o is also available for thirty million, to fund a big name signing in the summer. (Marca)

Manchester United and France defender Mikael Silvestre would be interested in a move to Bordeaux to rejoin former club team mate Laurent Blanc, who is the Grondin’s clubs manager. (L’Equipe)

Newcastle may rival Sunderland for the signature of Manchester United and Northern Ireland defender Johnny Evans if the Red Devils make him available for transfer. (The Journal)

Wolverhampton Wanderers want to sign Leicester City striker Steve Howard for one million. The Scotland B international only joined the club from Derby County in January. (Daily Mirror)

Feyenoord want Chelsea’s Israeli defender Tal Ben Haim. (Daily Express)

Gary Johnson will attempt to bring Reading striker Leroy Lita back to Ashton Gate if Bristol City win the playoffs and are promoted to the Barclays Premier League. (Daily Mirror)

Arsenal want experienced Barcelona and France defender Lillian Thuram next season to shore up their defence. (Daily Star)

Nottingham Forrest will attempt to bring both, Wales Striker, Robert Earnshaw from Derby County and England cap, James Beattie from Sheffield United to the City Ground. (Various)

However Sheffield United boss Kevin Blackwell is also interested in signing Earnshaw, and unite the pair at Bramall Lane instead. (The Star)

Aston Villa will bid four million for Reading’s Republic of Ireland striker Kevin Doyle. (The Mirror)

At Anfield, Portsmouth are in talks with Peter Crouch over a possible fifthteen million pound deal and Scott Carson wants his ten million pound price tag lowered so he can leave Liverpool. (The Times)

Cardiff are ready to cash in on seventeen year old wonder kid Aaron Ramsey after the FA Cup Final, with bids of one million being muted as enough to prise the youngster from Ninian Park. Liverpool and Manchester United are interested. (Daily Telegraph)

Another Cardiff star that may leave the welsh club is semi final hero Joe Ledley, who is considering his future, after a failed bid from Wolves for the winger in the winter. (BBC Sport)

Portugal international Deco has confirmed that he will leave the Nou Camp this summer with Serie A and the Premier League his preferred destinations. (Sky Sports)

SCOTLAND NATIONAL TEAM

 

GEORGE BURLEY'S STRONGEST XI

FORMATION: 4-3-3

                        Gordon

     Hutton     Weir    McManus   Naysmith 

         Brown     Ferguson   Fletcher 

          Maloney     Miller    McFadden 

Gordon (Sunderland)

The difference at times between a draw and a loss he has that in his game a great shot stopper. Although, he should get his own style fashion wise, the Buffon trademark of cut sleeves is homage to a great, but time to make his own way now. Will feel the heat of McGregor pushing for his place, but Gordon is very much in his own league, could be with time a great.

Hutton (Tottenham Hotspur)

The move will be the making of him by getting away from Glasgow, no more "do you not know who I am you son of a..." lines to unimpressed Scottish bouncers. Hutton has improved already, a very good player who has a real shot at becoming a great player.

Weir (Rangers)

Peter Pan in real time and quite right to...

McManus (Celtic)

Can only get better, his European nights with Celtic have helped him when facing the best international players.

Naysmith (Sheffield United)

Against Italy he was solid but no more, Hutton's play makes him look like a journeyman, he is solid and can do the job.

Brown (Celtic)

"Canny score for toffee" I hear you sing, he will try all day and night for you terrific hunger and has a heat to his play, intensity and anger. Needs to settle into his game more, find his own style he is to anxious to impress "just to be the man who walked a thousand miles, to fall down at your door"... Will be a cornerstone of the Scottish 11 for many years...

Ferguson (Rangers)

The Captain of the ship, his delivery of the final ball has gotten even better this season. Must drive the midfield and take command more often, he has the goods to do so. 

Fletcher (Manchester United)

The real deal and all heart, he has no fear and has that little something extra to unlock denfences, shame about the injury, Man Utd were begining to find out just what he can do.

Maloney (Aston Villa)

Played on the wing against Croatia, gave Luka "whom everybody wants to buy" Modric a run for his money, great to see him playing gives us pace and hunger.

Miller (Derby County)

The white Drogba the white Eto'o, nah he is Kenny "gimme the ball and I'll hit it" Miller. Roma have had a look at him and it will be interesting what kind of summer he has.

McFadden (Birmingham City)

The Prince of Hampden and conqueror of the French on French soil, majestic, daring and modest to boot, unlike this description but it is earnt, he is the wild card and Scotland have not had such a thing for a long long time.

_________________________________

It is a young team, and one of characters the nucleus of which, will be together for some time, at last we have something to call our own. 

Okay, fair enough.

You would have thought that with the game being screened live on BBC1 this afternoon, Middlesbrough would have tried to divert the attention away from Sheffield United's appointment of Kevin Blackwell as new manager, and progress into the last eight of the F.A Cup—in what I would have said all along was to be a one-goal game.

Clearly, however, entertainment was not on the cards for either manager this afternoon, in a game that ended up in both sides walking away from Bramall Lane still unsure of their fates in this wide-open tournament.

There is no reason why Middlesbrough shouldn't be able to take Sheffield United back to the Riverside, finish them off perhaps with a couple of decent goals and with the likes of Bristol Rovers, Cardiff, Barnsley and West Bromwich Albion still remaining in the draw, go on to reach the Semi-Finals of this tournament.

I was a little surprised and disappointed at the BBC's negativity in view of covering Sheffield United's opposition in the game today. A good proportion of the pre-match build-up was focused around Kevin Blackwell's appointment at Bramall Lane and it seemed as though all of a sudden, the signing of Afonso Alves had gone by the by and was second-hand news. Watching the game on the BBC, it appeared as though they had brought Gary Pallister just for the sake of having an extra man in the studio because he clearly did not say a great deal about the game, likewise for Alan Shearer who was also a questionable pundit being a former hero of Middlesbrough's closest rivals - Newcastle! I'm sure many more Teessider's felt the same way today!

It was completely obvious in Gary Lineker's tone of voice that he was bored with the game and I doubt that neither he or Alan Hansen gained many Middlesbrough fans with their comments at the end of the coverage regarding how 'entertaining' the game at the Riverside Stadium would be. Needless to say I hope they're both right but try telling that to both sets of players who just ran around for 90 minutes and I don't think they would still be laughing! To sum the BBC's coverage up this afternoon I feel there was a complete lack of optimism from the pundits for either side to go on and win the game and the more the game went on, the more it became a case of "get this game off the air ASAP". Shame really.

There is no point in trying to pull the cotton wool over the fans eyes today because everybody knows it was never going to be a 'fantastic' game of football and both teams will be, I imagine, satisfied to know they are both still in contention for a place in the next round. In terms of opening everybody's eyes to where Middlesbrough are going though, which is something I discussed previously, it will not have gone very far at all. It may be that Gareth Southgate does not care about the fashion in which we win our games or it may well be that he has one eye on the Premier League clash with Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday which certainly promises to be a tough game. Entertaining will not be a priority in the game against Liverpool either I wouldn't think for Southgate although the story might be different for Rafael Benitez, who will be looking for a reaction from his players following the surprise home defeat by Barnsley in the cup yesterday. He will see the Boro game as a chance to get things back on track and it will be up to Middlesbrough to have the last word!

I'll be in the stands for the replay against Sheffield United, I've no doubt. Will I be expecting to be entertained? I wouldn't hold my breath. If Kevin Blackwell tells his players to play the ' aggression' card again then the word entertaining isn't really the first that springs to mind. More like 'ugly'. It has to be said though, well done to the Middlesbrough players for coming back to Teeside still the only North-East team in the draw for the F.A Cup. The more open this tournament becomes, the more vital it is that we make every effort to ensure that we stay in the hat.