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Wigan Athletic manager Roberto Martinez has insisted that he sees his long term future lying in the Premier League at the DW Stadium.

There was intense speculation in the summer that the Spaniard was set to move to this weekend’s opposition, before he decided to commit to the Wigan project.

The 41 year old insists that it is natural for a manager to consider their prospects at a football club, from time to time, but now he believes a bright future lies ahead for him with the Latics.

“Everyone has to consider their future and assess the direction of the football club. I am very honoured to be the manager of this football club. With the new facilities and training ground we are in a very good place.” Martinez told talkSPORT.

“I believe in building football clubs. You can only leave a football club when it is right for the football club for you to leave it

“I can never break that loyalty with my chairman, when I leave he will make that decision for me”

The former Swansea boss was also questioned upon what the key to his side’s late rally was at the end of last season and the Spaniard was keen to hail the successful change in formation.

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He added “You need to get the right balance with enough bodies forward and enough to defence whether it is 4-3-3 or 4-3-2-1”.

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“Football, bloody hell.” Alex Ferguson’s famous line is befitting of most things in the game: Chelsea’s Champions League triumph, Bayern’s annihilation of Barcelona, Lionel Messi in general.

The Premier League won’t like to admit defeat, even if the game is up. But Bayern Munich’s destruction of the (former?) best team in the world wasn’t something European football was about to ignore quickly. It seems, going into next season, that the Champions League is Bayern’s to lose and absolutely no one, whether from England, Spain or Italy, is about to stop them.

It’s also funny that this huge shift of power (cue Sky Sports) has pushed Chelsea’s victory in the Champions League to the recesses of the mind, almost as if that unbelievable night in Munich was an age ago.

And it’s not that the Premier League is particularly weak at the moment. Is Jose Mourinho not one of the top two or three managers in Europe? Look at the impact he made at Real Madrid in the Champions League. Sure, there are no trophies for reaching the semifinals, but it’s far, far better than what the club did in the years prior to his arrival.

More so, the spending capabilities of Manchester City, and their appointment of a manager who’s a bit good in Europe compared to his predecessor, makes them a good shout. Arsenal are always in there, and their summer spending should make them a decent threat too.

But no club in England quite has it from top to bottom in the way Bayern does. And that “it factor” wasn’t lost on Barcelona, either. The Catalans had the quality in abundance to triumph convincingly over Manchester United, both in Rome and in London. And the thing about the Champions League is that when there isn’t an obvious winner – a team who have that otherworldly aura like Pep’s Barcelona or this current Bayern – it just comes down to whoever has luck riding beside them for the whole journey.

Inter Milan of 2009-10 were a fantastic team, and maybe in hindsight they were always going to win the European Cup. The Barcelona of that year had something of a hangover from the prior season, despite picking up the La Liga title again, while the Bayern who Inter met in the final at the Bernabeu were a far cry from this current monster.

Then there’s Chelsea’s win and that thing about lady luck attaching herself to a club when there is no obvious winner. Real Madrid had quite clearly exhausted all their efforts in wrestling the La Liga title away from Barcelona; Bayern Munich didn’t have the attention to detail as they did last season, notably with Jupp Heynckes adjusting his managerial approach and creating a greater sense of belief among the entire squad; Barcelona, well as good as they can be, games like the semifinal at the Camp Nou are one of those inexplicable occurrences in sport.

Even the Premier League’s flag bearer in Manchester United haven’t come close in a few years to putting together a team that can legitimately challenge the best in Europe. That isn’t likely to change this season either, as David Moyes will head into his maiden season in the Champions League proper and is almost guaranteed to come unstuck at some stage.

In every case with the three teams who are in the hat for the group stages plus Arsenal, who have to navigate the qualifying round, there is a clear weakness that prevents an obvious charge against the power from Bavaria. The fact that Bayern have changed managers along with many other clubs around Europe is trivial at best. I know, and I’d hope the sensible ones understand that preseason games are as meaningless as anything you can get, but Bayern don’t look jaded, ill-equipped or lacking in focus and intensity. If they continue on in the same manner then they’re still the team that only lost three domestic games in the whole of last season.

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Can any of the Premier League’s best match Bayern Munich in the Champions League?

Join the debate below

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Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has waded into the Raheem Sterling contract saga, stating that the Liverpool starlet and all other players have a price.

The 20-year-old England international caused quite a stir earlier this week when he stated in an interview that Arsenal’s reported interest in him was flattering and confessing that he had turned down a new deal at Anfield.

With Sterling’s future unclear, Chelsea have been linked with an audacious bid for the sprightly forward at the end of the season.

When asked on his opinion about Sterling’s situation on Merseyside, Mourinho stated that every player can be sold if the correct price is put forward.

“I don’t like players that don’t want to play for me and my club, clearly,” the Portuguese manager is quoted as saying by The BBC.

“Every player has a price. It doesn’t matter which player. If you ask me now, for example, Eden Hazard, we can speak about him because he’s signed a new contract.

“Do I want him to leave Chelsea? No. If he wants to leave, if he doesn’t want to work with me, if he doesn’t want to play for Chelsea, does Eden Hazard have a price? I think he has a price.

“I also understand the philosophy of managers and clubs who want to keep the players at any price, who want just to say, ‘there is no price to sell – the player stays, whatever’.

“My philosophy is not better than that – it’s just different. Either way, when a player has a contract with a club, the club, the manager and the board have the power to decide what to do.”

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Sterling is set to step out for the Reds today in a crunch clash against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, with the youngster set for a mixed reception.

His current deal runs until the summer of 2017, with his future set to be determined this summer.

Never quite at full physical fitness, Tottenham Hotspur will have to manage Mousa Dembele’s game-time this week as they take on Manchester United at Wembley and face Liverpool at Anfield in what will likely be two high-intensity games that could have a huge bearing on the Premier League table come the end of May.

Indeed, the 70-cap Belgium international has lasted the full ninety minutes on just four occasions since September and has been brought off in all of his last three appearances.

But the 30-year-old is still a key player for Tottenham, someone who offers them vital control in central midfield through his physicality and technical quality, so it’s essentially a question of which fixture needs him more and which game should take priority.

Manchester United will undoubtedly provide a tough test at Wembley, where Spurs have struggled against defensively-organised teams this season, but beating fourth-place Liverpool is arguably more important to the north London outfit’s hopes of Champions League qualification.

So, Tottenham fans, which opponent would you start Dembele against? Let us know by voting below…

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According to Corriere dello Sport, AC Milan are desperate to sign Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Mousa Dembele during the January transfer window.

What’s the story?

Dembele, who is valued at £16.2m by transfermarkt.co.uk, is still very much a key figure at Tottenham, but he has actually only started nine Premier League matches for the London club this season.

Talk that the 30-year-old is considering his future at the club has gathered pace in recent weeks, and according to Corriere dello Sport, AC Milan will test the waters with a bid during this month’s transfer window.

It is understood that Dembele is open to moving to Italy as he looks to sample a different league, and Tottenham could sell as they are well stocked in the middle of the park, especially considering the fact that Victor Wanyama has recently returned to first-team training.

Dembele is widely regarded as one of the best technicians in the Premier League, but it is often said that he falls just short of the top level due to the lack of goals in his game.

Just how good is Dembele?

There are few midfielders in the Premier League that can protect a ball like Dembele. The Belgian combines physical strength with technical ability, and it would be fair to say that he is one of the best players to watch in England’s top flight when driving through the lines.

The 30-year-old has only ever scored seven Premier League goals for Tottenham, however, and only netted once throughout the whole of last season.

When considering that the Belgian has an explosive strike, it is bizarre that he does not find the back of the net on a regular basis.

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Tottenham are a better team when Dembele takes to the field, but he is not getting any younger, and his lack of goals and assists are a problem for a team looking to challenge for the biggest prizes.

Over the past five years, it has been a whirlwind experience for everyone at Crystal Palace. On the brink of administration, a fierce relegation battle and Championship survival on the last day of the season, winning a play-off final to get promoted to the Premier League and surpassing everyone’s expectations by finishing 11th in England’s top flight are some of the highs and lows that the Eagles fans have gone through. It’s safe to say that there is never a dull moment at Crystal Palace.

At the start of the 2013/2014 campaign, many were shocked at the sacking of the eccentric Ian Holloway, with his character alone seemingly being the main reason why fans trusted in the former Blackpool boss. But no one knew how much of a success Tony Pulis was going to be. Sitting at the foot of the Premier League table when Pulis took over the club in November, the ex-Stoke manager used his credentials and fantastic football knowledge to maintain his record of never being relegated as a manager. The South East London club were a force and struck fear into many an opposition manager when the Welshman was at the helm.

Now times have changed with former Sheffield United, QPR and Leeds United gaffer Neil Warnock returning for his second spell at Palace after Pulis had disagreements with chairman Steve Parish over transfers which forced him to resign, something that shocked English football. Currently sitting in 16th place, two places above the dreaded relegation zone, the Eagles are no longer the force they once were under the stewardship of Warnock, and the risk of a season back in the second tier of English football for the 2015/2016 season looms.

The comparison between Warnock and Pulis at Palace show the latter’s Eagles side conceded less goals, had both more shots and more shots on target, produced more accurate crosses and won more tackles and interceptions. However, it doesn’t matter what club Pulis is managing, the former Plymouth Argyle chief will always be associated with long ball football. Under the guidance of Warnock, Palace have had more possession, scored more goals, made more successful dribbles and are fouled more often than the Crystal Palace under Pulis. The anthesis of ‘tika-taka’ football, Pulis set up his sides in a superb defensive manner, while Warnock likes his sides to play more open.

Last weekend’s defeat at home to table toppers Chelsea was a prime example of what could have been. Palace were aiming to emulate what they achieved last season when they took maximum points from Jose Mourinho’s men thanks to a John Terry own goal. It could have been the same again, had it not been for the sending off of centre half Damian Delaney. Unlike the management of Pulis, Palace will not be picking up as many unexpected points against the top teams. Nevertheless, Warnock’s Palace are more likely to beat the teams around them, especially at home where they benefit from fantastic support, as he encourages his teams to attack. This is why Palace will spend another season in the top flight.

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Theo Walcott wants his Arsenal team mates to try and ease the pressure on Arsene Wenger as he believes it is their responsibility to start winning, reports Sky Sports.

Arsenal were knocked out of the FA and Capital One Cup by lower division sides this season and face the possibility of finishing an eighth season without a trophy especially if they fail to turn around the defeat against Bayern Munich in the second leg of the Champions League.

Despite being unbeaten in their last five games and moving slightly up the table, it hasn’t silenced Wenger’s critics and the manager is still very much under-fire.

Walcott was interviewed for the Arsenal magazine in March and he spoke passionately about repaying Wenger for having faith in him.

“The boss has always had so much belief in me from a young age, but we haven’t won anything for a long time now, so we want to pay him back by winning something,” Walcott said.

“If we don’t perform he always takes it back on himself, but at times it is not fair because we are the players that go out there and do it.

“He definitely lets us know when we are not performing, though, which is the right way to do it.”

The Gunners have sold some of their best players over the last few years and this has had an detrimental effect on the team. Robin van Persie, Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy are just some of the Arsenal greats that have left for other teams so they can achieve their ambitions.

Theo Walcott almost became one of those players to leave after he refused to sign a new contract with the North London Club but he appeared to have a change of heart last month and signed a new deal, stating that he now believes with the other English players that make up the core of the team, they can start to win trophies.

“Once the team wins the first trophy, you will start to see us coming back to where we should be,” he added.

“When your team is playing well it makes your job easier and when you are winning games it is fantastic to be a part of it. However, it is when things aren’t going too well that you need to stand out and get your team back involved.

“We have got players in the dressing room who can create something out of nothing, and I want to be part of that backbone.

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“I think we will get to a stage when we win games even when we haven’t dominated.

“We are starting to get there and as soon as we hit that target, I am sure we are going to be flying.”

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After plenty of well-documented managerial turmoil at the start of the current campaign, Neil Redfearn became Leeds United’s third manager of the season on November 1st.

It certainly seems to be a case of third time lucky for the Leeds board, as the former caretaker manager, who now finds himself in full charge of first-team matters, looks to be taking the club back in the right direction.

The Leeds fans, who have had more than their fair share of ups and downs in recent years, will know anything is possible at Elland Road. After relegations and numerous fizzled promotion bids, as well as an array of different managers all trying and failing to get the Yorkshire club back to the promised land, the Whites finally look like they have found the right man who can take the club forward.

Since Massimo Cellino took over at Elland Road, he’s earned a reputation of being extremely trigger happy when it comes to sacking managers; Brian McDermott, Dave Hockaday and Darko Milanic have already been shown the door during Cellino’s tenure.

But despite all the off-field upheaval of late, Redfearn has got on with the job on the pitch, and has really started to stamp down his managerial authority. The former Barnsley player may have had an indifferent start managing the club, but after Leeds have secured five wins in their last six Championship games, there hasn’t been this much optimism at Elland Road for a number of years.

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Saturday’s hard-fought 1-0 win at Middlesbrough epitomised the way Leeds have turned their fortunes around under Redfearn. They may have rode their luck at times, but there is a togetherness among the players that has certainly been lacking in recent years. The clean sheet at the Riverside made it three clean sheets in as many league outings, and just four goals conceded in their last eight Championship encounters.

The Whites now sit 11th in the Championship table, 10 points off the relegation zone and 15 off the play-offs. After Leeds’ 2-0 defeat to Derby County in late December, Redfearn’s side sat perilously close to the drop zone, just one point off in 20th place. But United have only dropped seven points from a possible 24 available since, which has seen them move up to mid-table and, most importantly, away from the relegation zone.

Leeds United are still a million miles away from their glory days of yesteryear, and the run of positive results could be just that – a run. But results and good performances breed confidence, and the Whites will be hoping to finish the season extremely strong.

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Cellino will surely know by now that the Yorkshire club are still in transition – but if the controversial owner can give Neil Redfearn the time and backing he needs – then there’s no reason whatsoever why the 49-year-old boss isn’t the right man to take the club to the next level, and give the luckless Leeds fans something to cheer about after far too many years of heartache.

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On Tuesday 5th July 2005, Steven Gerrard handed in a transfer request to leave Anfield for Chelsea Football Club; just weeks after leading his boyhood club to the much-celebrated Champions League victory against AC Milan in Istanbul.

The transfer request came at a time when Chelsea were at the start of something huge. They had just been crowned league champions and Roman Abromovich was an owner with plenty of ambition and stacks of money to go with it as well. The Blues also had one of the most talented managers in the world in Jose Mourinho, who led Portuguese side Porto to Champions League glory the year before.

In light of Gerrard’s recent announcement, is there still a slight part of Gerrard that wonders what might have been? 2005 was as good as it got for Gerrard in terms of winning trophies for Liverpool. Chelsea, on the other hand, have grown from strength to strength since then, becoming one of Europe’s powerhouses. The one title that alludes Steven Gerrard is probably the most important, the Premier League. If he led Liverpool to glory last season, he may have considered that job done. However, when you are a player possessing Gerrard’s ability, the absence of a league title to your name is almost farcical.

Joining Chelsea would have undoubtedly been a risk, but one that could have paid off. A Chelsea team with Steven Gerrard included would have been sublime, and having a player of that ability in the side could have resulted in more trophies arriving at Stamford Bridge over the years. Although the offer to move to West London would have been a hard one to turn down, Gerrard eventually opted for a heart-over-head decision to stay put with Liverpool.

Some may say that it was the wrong decision. However, Gerrard has become one of the greatest Liverpool players of all time and his commitment to the club will never be forgotten.

His association with Liverpool is similar to the impact Alan Shearer had at Newcastle United. Shearer was offered the chance to sign for Manchester United from Blackburn Rovers in 1996 before deciding to join his beloved Newcastle United. He then went on to become the Premier League’s all-time top goalscorer with 260 goals. Shearer will always be remembered for just how good a player he was, not for the amount of trophies he may have lost out on by joining Newcastle.

The same applies to Steven Gerrard, if he is remembered for not winning a Premier League title in 30 years time and not for being one of the finest footballers of his generation, something has seriously gone wrong with the world.

He has enjoyed a glorious career where he has shone at his hometown club, leading them to levels that would have been unachievable in his absence – think of Cardiff in 2006. He became a great England captain and has continued to perform brilliantly on a consistent basis both domestically and internationally.

The only regret that may be in his mind at the moment is the possibility that he is leaving Liverpool football club too early. Realistically, he is still Liverpool’s best player. As he has got older, he adapted his game slightly to suit his tiring legs, yet he is still the club’s top goalscorer this season.

Although Liverpool may feel like it’s the right time to let their captain leave, Frank Lampard has proved at Manchester City that he is still one of the league’s best at what he does. The same applies to Steven Gerrard, there is an overriding sense that he is joining the MLS prematurely and fans of the Premier League are missing out on another couple of seasons of Gerrard at the highest level.

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Overall, Gerrard may look back on what happened in 2005 and wonder if he made the right decision. However, since then he has cemented himself into Anfield folklore and is easily one of the best central midfielders the Premier League, and the world, has ever seen.

He may not have a Premier League title to his name but Gerrard remains one of the greatest talents this country has produced and his achievements in the game will be fondly remembered for a long time to come.

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With four games to go Swansea City are up in eighth with 50 points which is already eight more than they had at the end of last season and Swans supporters know they have Garry Monk to thank for their success.

Following ten years as a centre-back for the Swans Monk crossed over to management when Michael Laudrup was sacked from the job. It wasn’t always easy but in his first season, four months of which he was in charge, the Swans survived a relegation battle and Monk was rewarded with a three year contract.

This 2014/15 campaign started well with Swansea winning all of their August fixtures including a famous 2-1 win against Manchester United at Old Trafford and they cruised into the 3rd round of the League Cup by beating Rotherham United. Since then Monk’s men have lost 12 times in the league which is only twice more than both Liverpool and Tottenham who currently sit in the Europa League spots a feat that all at the Liberty stadium should be proud of.

As this has been his first taste of management Garry Monk has had to learn on the job. The fact that it is a Premier League team that he has been leading has made the job that much more difficult and therefore his achievement is even more inspiring.

Monk spent a decade at the club and had the honour of being their captain so you could say it has been easier to manage Swansea, a team he knows inside out, but a genuine aptitude for getting the most out of his players has also had to exist. Remarkably he is only a few years older than some of his squad and at 36 Monk could still be playing professionally like fellow defender Rio Ferdinand, who is four months older than him, but instead he has sacrificed his own career to begin life as a coach.

With the Swans likely to finish above Everton and Newcastle Monk is considered to have the potential to be a future top manager and whenever managers of small clubs get their teams to punch above their weight then invariably they get associated with a move to a bigger club and this case is no exception. Sam Allardyce is expected to leave West Ham as his contract is nearing its end and yet negotiations for a renewal have not begun. The Hammers are sitting in 11th so a move right now to Upton Park really doesn’t look like a step up and Monk was right to recently distance himself from these rumours.

After all he is happy where he is. And with only eight points separating Swansea from a possible place in the Europa League that should be their target in the coming years. But not yet and Monk has rightly claimed that his side are not quite ready to play in a competition which would see them playing fixtures on a Thursday evening when they should be preparing for the weekend games. Where the tournament was once seen as a good chance for an emerging club to make a name for themselves now many Premier League teams actually think it detracts from their domestic campaign and thus would rather avoid it.

Swansea need to focus on the league for another season and of course strengthen first in the upcoming window then the following year perhaps it’d be a good time to dip their toes in.

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It is still early days for the young manager and the next few years will prove whether he has what it takes to survive not only in the role but in this league. But so far he has shown Swansea were right to give him a chance, now we’ll have to wait and see just how far he can take it.

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