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“Taj President. Call me anytime”, came the text message, minutes after I asked Hemang Badani if we could have a word before the Ranji Trophy final. With the big game starting only on May 4, Badani could have been at his Chennai home, putting his feet up, playing with his 10-month-old son Hrishit and enjoying a lazy May-day lunch. Instead, he was in Mumbai, impatient for the game to begin.You would expect Badani to be keen. The Wankhede Stadium has done more for him than for most Mumbai cricketers. It was here in 1999 that Badani first exhibited his hunger, and ability, to bat at the highest level. In a tense match that Tamil Nadu eventually lost, Badani drove, threaded and whipped his way to a career-best 162 in the Ranji Trophy semi-final. His captain, Robin Singh, made 183 and Tamil Nadu threatened to walk away with the game. Threats, however, don’t work when Sachin Tendulkar is around. Tendulkar played with passion and verve to carve out 233, and Tamil Nadu were beaten – by one man.This time around, though, there’s no Tendulkar to worry about – he’s away getting medical attention in America.”Even the last time,” says Badani, “we were so close to winning. It was always touch and go, even with Sachin [Tendulkar] batting so well. He stole the game away from us, but we did ourselves no favours with our fielding. He was dropped in the slips – a sitter – when he was just 34 and we also missed a few run-out chances late in the innings.””Even after all that, we were never too far away from winning. You know as well as I do that a few decisions went against us,” adds Badani with a rueful chuckle. Perhaps he is speaking of the time S Mahesh had Santosh Saxena trapped plumb in front, only to be denied by the umpire, when Mumbai still needed a run to take the all-important first-innings lead.But despite Tendulkar’s absence, there’s still plenty for this Tamil Nadu team to mull over. The brisk medium-pace of Ajit Agarkar and Avishkar Salvi, on a wicket that has been relaid recently, will ask a few questions of Badani and his team.”I’ve played with Ajit [Agarkar] since the Under-16 level and I know his game really well,” said Badani. “We first toured England together as teenagers for Star Cricket Club and we go back a long way. Salvi is another one to watch out for, with his height and the bounce he generates.””They’ll prepare a wicket that has something in it for the mediumpacers. Their best spinner is Sairaj [Bahutule] and he’ll be wondering how to bowl to all the left-handers in our side. So you would have to say that Agarkar and Salvi are the biggest threats. But we’re not scared, or worried about them,” a confident Badani says.You have to believe Badani when he says so. Despite being out of the Indian team in recent months, he has been discussed at every selection meeting. “The frustrating part about playing for India and then being dropped is the fact that you know you can perform at that level, and you still have to sit out. Whatever anyone might say, there’s a huge gap between playing domestic cricket and playing at the international level. You can make all the runs you want in domestic games but only when you make them at the highest level do you really know that you have it in you,” says Badani.Tendulkar certainly thought Badani had it in him. It was after that memorable 1999 Ranji semi-final that he marked Badani out for higher honours. “Sachin spoke to me after the game and told me one thing. You have a fantastic downswing and follow-through, he said. Whether you’re going through a bad patch or not, never change that. This will make all the difference at the highest level.”Badani will walk out to the middle on the fourth of May with those words in mind. “It could be a very big match for me. I feel this could be the best thing that happened to me – something that needed to happen. If I can make a hundred, and help Tamil Nadu win … ” he trails off. He doesn’t have to say more. You know what he means: this match could be the one that propels him back into the Indian team.

England’s victory over Australia in the fourth Ashes Test has been a shot in the arm for New Zealand fans eagerly awaiting the arrival of the English team this summer.While most England tours of New Zealand create more interest than all but visits by Australian Test teams, the recent successes by England in Pakistan and Sri Lanka had suggested the once proud nation was in recovery mode.Then came the deflation of being 3-0 down to the Australians with nowhere to go.However, the return of Nasser Hussain to add steel and leadership to the side, the ability to chase a target for victory personified in Mark Butcher’s innings, the recall, at last, of left-arm spinner Phil Tufnell, and the decision by Graham Thorpe to be available for the tours of India and New Zealand, all add up to an even spicier tour.All the characters are falling into place to give the tour a profile that will make it one of the most interesting in recent New Zealand Test history.Added factors of interest will be provided by the possible absence of Mike Atherton, and should he retire at the end of the Ashes series, the hunt for a long-term opening replacement for him. Similarly, the prospects for Alec Stewart. He has said he wants to play at least until the next World Cup, but do the selectors share that feeling, or do they want to develop another wicket-keeper?England also have on their agenda their desire to beef up their one-day game to improve their chances of competing successfully at the World Cup in South Africa in 2003.That also adds flavour to the New Zealand summer as the home side is still casting around for the winning formula to lift it back into a credit position on the win/loss ledger in One-Day Internationals.New Zealand won’t lack preparation on either the Test or one-day front.Both the Test and one-day sides will have been through campaigns in Pakistan and Australia, with a breather against Bangladesh over Christmas. There is every chance that Chris Cairns and Daniel Vettori will be restored to full match fitness, with even the prospect that Dion Nash’s encouraging progress will have been sufficiently tested to make him available for the longer aspect of the game.New Zealand also has the incentive to back-up its 1999 effort where it won the Test series in England 2-1.Injuries have meant that New Zealand hasn’t fielded a fully fit side at home since the 2-0 series win over the West Indies in 1999/2000 but if the side can put the crisis of last summer behind it, then a much-needed highly-competitive summer may be just what the game in New Zealand needs.Several significant initiatives are underway in the advancement of the game in New Zealand, especially at levels below the international and first-class ranks, and if cricket could have a summer of positive play at the showpiece level of the game then it stands to reason that the benefits will be felt across the board.

Former Derbyshire batsman Hamza Siddique is forging a new career as an actor with the help of the Professional Cricketers’ Association.Hamza Siddique says cricket hindered his need to show emotion•Getty Images

The 24-year-old, who had two seasons on Derbyshire’s staff and played three first-class matches for Cardiff MCCU, is currently completing a one-year Masters degree in acting at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London.Siddique’s course has been part-funded by the PCA as part of the Association’s Personal Development and Welfare Programme educational funding.The PCA have also part-funded a short film ‘Glow’ which Siddique and three other students have just written and filmed as part of their final assignment.Siddique stars in the film as Elijah, who is taken to see the Northern Lights by his friends after he has been diagnosed with a brain tumour. The film will be shown at festivals around the country which Siddique hopes will help him land acting jobs when he completes the course later this year.”Ultimately this project is going to be shown at festivals and going to be a massive kick-start to our careers as actors,” Siddique said”The PCA’s willingness to help out with the funding was a massive help to us and we are very appreciative of their support.”We are now in the process of meeting with agents. We had our final showcase a few weeks ago and agents came to watch. That is what it is all about, getting an agent and starting to get paid professional jobs in acting.”Siddique studied philosophy and theology at Cardiff and only decided to switch to acting after he was released by Derbyshire three years ago.”From the age of nine all I had wanted to do was to play cricket. I got contracted to Derbyshire at 19 and it was amazing,” he said.”But I did feel there was a gap in my life and, for one reason and another, I felt that I needed to try something else.”I studied philosophy and theology at Cardiff and played on the MCCU scheme there but I started thinking that I would really like to give this media thing a go.”I decided to give it a really good crack. I stopped playing cricket for a while to give acting a go. The whole thing was pretty alien to me. I locked myself in my room and put my cricket stuff away and learned some Shakespeare monologues and some more contemporary pieces and auditioned to a number of drama schools”I had never done drama at school or acted so I had no idea what it meant to get into one of these drama schools To me it was: ‘wow, this is different to facing 90mph balls coming at my head.'”I thought: ‘great, let’s give it a go and see what happens’. It was only when I realised that people were flying in from South Africa and India for a 40 minute audition that I realised what a big deal it was.”Siddique opted for a place at Central, an acting school that includes Kit Harrington (Game of Thrones), Riz Ahmed (Four Lions) and Andrew Garfield (Spiderman) among its recent alumni.Although he initially struggled with aspects of acting, Siddique has found that his experiences in professional cricket have helped him in his new career.”I am actually writing an essay for my thesis titled In What Way Does Conditioning Inhibit an Actor’s Ability to be Spontaneous?,” Siddique said.”It’s amazing how conditioning , nurture and my sporting environment massively hindered me early on because when you are playing sport at the top level you are taught not to be vulnerable and to have this self-assurance and to absolutely back your skills.”But starting drama school was something bizarre to me because whatever emotions you have been taught to shut off in front of people you have to get rid of. There were times in class when I struggled with that early on.”To have to portray emotions to people in a classroom I found really tough but the dedication, the commitment and the work is absolutely comparable to that of professional sport. If you do not put in the hours you will not get the best out of it.”But I feel like I am a step ahead and I felt a step going into it because of cricket. Because of what I learnt in a team environment and the pressure of going out to bat on my first-class debut for Cardiff MCCU I have no qualms about going out and pretending to be someone else.”The stakes in professional sport are comparable to very little else. The things that go through your head, what it means to each person, the preparation that goes into the competition it’s a really great thing and I am really grateful to the part cricket played in helping me in this industry.”

Bologna playmaker Gaston Ramirez is on the radar of Liverpool, but the Reds may have fallen behind in the race for his signature to Italian giants Juventus reports Talk Sport.

The 21 year old Uruguayan lit up Serie A last season, with a fantastic campaign for Bologna, guiding them to a 9th place finish.

Ramirez also finds himself linked to Premier League champions Manchester City, as well as moves elsewhere in Italy in the form of AC Milan and Napoli.

Liverpool are set to be looking for a playmaker as their move for Brendan Rodger’s Hoffenheim favourite Gylfi Sigurdsson has been hijacked by Spurs.

Bologna have slapped a £16 million price tag on their Uruguayan number 10, and are all but resigned to losing him to a bigger club.

Despite the probable move to a bigger club, Ramirez had stated he wouldn’t mind staying another year with the 9th place finishers; ‘The people love me, I love the club, so I’m very happy being in Bologna.’ – however Bologna are willing to sell Ramirez in order to earn some big money.

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Should Liverpool overtake Juventus in the race for Ramirez, it would be Rodgers’ first signing since taking over at Anfield.

With a surge of young talent being both produced in, and brought over to the Premier League, there seems to be a fixation among the media and press to draw comparisons between these players and those of the previous generation. As stars of the game grow older and eventually retire from football altogether, there is almost an obsession with discovering the ‘new’ so and so, or the ‘next’ whoever, rather than focusing on the ability of the player themselves. It seems unfair to draw comparisons between players of such a young age and those with a wealth of experience in the game, and will inevitably add to the unwanted pressure that is already on these players.

Most recently, the 18-year-old Belgian forward Romelu Lukaku has been branded the ‘new Didier Drogba’. Lukaku is currently in West London finalising his move to Chelsea where, should everything go smoothly, we can expect to see him paired up with Drogba in the near future. Perhaps only then will we see just how similar the two are in their playing styles, but physically Lukaku does appear to have the strength and power that we have become accustomed to from Chelsea’s number 11. Another comparison that may be drawn between the two is that they are both proven goal scorers. In just 73 appearances for Anderlecht, Lukaku scored 33 goals and helped his side to the Belgian League title last season. At 33, Drogba’s time at Chelsea is believed to be coming to an end sooner rather than later, and with Lukaku coming in as his ‘replacement’, there will be high expectations on the youngster to impress as well as the Ivorian has done over the past 7 years.

The retirement of Paul Scholes has left a void in the Manchester United midfield that will be difficult for Sir Alex Ferguson to fill. While speculation surrounding the possible transfer or Wesley Sneijder remains rife, it is the 21-year-old Tom Cleverley that has been tipped to ‘filll the boots’ of Scholes. Ferguson himself claimed that Scholes could not be replaced, however after a fine performance in the Community Shield on the weekend, newspaper reporters were quick to draw comparisons between Cleverley and the veteran. Cleverley has been a United player since the age of 15, however similarities between himself and Scholes have only really been made since Scholes announced he would be retiring, and a ‘new Scholes’ was deemed a necessity at the club. Highly rated for his passing, vision, and composure on the ball, Cleverley, like Scholes, is also known for scoring the odd wonder strike. Whilst the youngster appears to be adamant that he can fill the void in the centre of the United midifeld, being branded the ‘next Paul Scholes’ is likely to raise expectations even more around Old Trafford, when really, Cleverley’s talent should be appreciated regardless of who played that position before.

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Earlier this week Real Madrid signed a seven-year-old boy from Argentina who has already been tipped to become ‘the new Messi’. Messi himself was once referred to as ‘the next Maradona’, and these kind of comparisons have been evident for years now. While a lot of players might relish the opportunity to become ‘the next’ so and so, those players that fail to live up to the expectations placed on their shoulders are likely to suffer. While it seems perfectly reasonable to hold some level of expectation of players, and to assume these players can fulfill the roles that they are given at their clubs, it is surely unfair to draw comparisons between them and some of the footballing greats, especially those that were popular among the same set of fans.

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To label Lukaku ‘the new Drogba’ will only encourage Chelsea fans to compare the two, and should the youngster take a while to settle, or perhaps not prove to be as prolific as Drogba has been, then questions may start to be raised, unfairly in my view, over Lukaku’s abilities as a player. The same goes for Cleverley. If fans and the media start to expect ‘Scholes-like’ performances week-in week-out from the youngster, then a failure to do so could have its repercussions. While expectations for players are going to arise at any club, the added pressure of being compared to one of the best around is not necessarily warranted. Players should instead be encouraged to make a name for themselves without the burden of living up to the standards of another footballer hanging over their heads.

2010 has been a mixed year for Manchester United. At the turn of the year, Manchester United looked favorites for the Premier League title, but Chelsea’s win at Old Trafford in April effectively sealed the title for the West London club. By the end of 2010 Manchester United remain unbeaten in the league since that game and are top of the table. However, there are still question marks being raised against Sir Alex Ferguson’s side, and who would bet against Ferguson proving everybody wrong again. Here at Football Fan Cast, we have put together 10 things that 2010 has taught us about Manchester United. Read, enjoy and join in the debate below.

Strength of character

This Manchester United squad may not have the same quality of a few years ago, but the spirit and character of the players can’t be called into question. Time after time in 2010, Manchester United have taken knocks but have managed to stand up to them. A classic example was the comeback at Villa Park in November. It took a lot for United to come back that day, seasons hinge on moments like that. By May, that could be the most important point of the season for Sir Alex Ferguson’s men.

Nemanja Vidic has been captain marvel

It was a very brave decision from Sir Alex Ferguson to drop both Gary Neville and Rio Ferdiand in place of Nemanja Vidic as Manchester United captain, but what an extremely wise decision it has been. Vidic has been superb all season; playing with a new responsibility that has improved his game – if that was possible. The United captain has been a rock at the heart of the defence so far this season, and Manchester United fans are starting to witness the passion the Serb has for Manchester United.

Rafael looks set to be a Manchester right back for years to come

The development of young Rafael Da Silva has been a testament to the Manchester United coaching system and Sir Alex Ferguson’s man management skills. The young defender could easily have blamed himself for Manchester United’s quarter final exit of the 2009/2010 Champions League, but he got back up and has played himself back into the squad. However, he has done more than that. He has been an ever present this season, he has developed going forward and is a much better defender now. The Brazilian has allowed Manchester United to have a solid back five for most of the season – a key reason why Manchester United have remained undefeated this season.

Nani is ready to be a world beater

Finally the penny has dropped with Nani. The Portuguese winger is a fantastic talent and is now starting to show his worth to the Manchester United team. He is without doubt their best chance of winning the Premier League this season, if his form continues, Manchester United may have also have European success. Nani has added both goals and assists to his game this season, no longer is he the frustrating winger who can’t cross the ball. It is good to see Nani pulling out of the shadow of Cristiano Ronaldo.

What is the point of Dimitar Berbatov?

The man for the…. small occasion. Why pay a club £30m for a player that is not trusted to play in the big games of a season. Dimitar Berbatov’s form this season has been excellent, but who has he scored his goals against? The vast majority have been netted against teams in the bottom half of the table. His performance’s against Manchester City and Aston Villa were diabolical, and if he hasn’t the drive to play well in these games, what is the point in having him? Coming off the back of goalscoring form, Sir Alex Ferguson picked Wayne Rooney ahead of Berbatov for the clash with Arsenal. No doubt he will do this when Chelsea and Manchester City come to Old Trafford.

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Manchester United have lost the fear factor

Having thrown away points against Fulham, Everton, Bolton and West Brom in the Premier League and Rangers in the Champions League are clubs now finding it easier to play against Manchester United. In all of these games, the defensive unit has looked fragile (not the back four but the whole team) and Manchester United could have had the title sown up by now. The reality is the Manchester United squad isn’t as good as it once was, and Wayne Rooney was not in any form during these games. Maybe with Rooney on form, teams will be less inclined to attack Manchester United?

Manchester United MUST replace Edwin van der Sar with a top quality goalkeeper

Over the past year, Thomas Kuszczak has proven himself incapable of holding down the Manchester United’s number one jersey. The Pole is a decwent under study but no way should Sir Alex Ferguson install him as van der Sar’s replacement. He looks nervous playing in front of huge crowds, and very suspect when dealing with crosses. Manchester United need to invest in a top quality goalkeeper if they are to have a smooth transition after van der Sar.

Champions League success is not beyond this squad

If Manchester United had held on against Bayern Munich who knows what could have happened. They would have had a relatively easy semi final against Lyon and would have been expected to challenge in a third Champions League final in a row. However, it didn’t happen, but this squad is not a million miles away from another final. The squad knows how to win away European matches, something that is vital. Old Trafford is still on the the hardest places to come and get a victory so added together there is no reason why Manchester United will not challenge in 2011.

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Manchester United need Wayne Rooney to fire

Manchester United have got away with Wayne Rooney’s form being off during the first part of the 2010 season but it can’t happen again if Manchester United are to challenge for success in 2011. All through 2010, we were waiting for the goals to dry up for Rooney, and until that Champions League clash with Bayern Munich it didn’t look like they would dry up. Manchester United need Rooney to fire if they are to be successful on all fronts. They do not have a striker that can score in the biggest of games and Rooney’s all round play scares the life out of defenders. 2010 was a mixed year for Rooney and Manchester United – if Rooney hadn’t got injured in Munich who knows how successful 2010 could have been.

Antonio Valencia is the most underrated player in the Premier League

Look what happens when Wayne Rooney finds a team mate who can consistently put a ball on his head – he scores ten headed goals. Valencia is by no means a one trick pony. He has blistering pace, trickery as well as all the skills of a combative central midfielder. Valencia came to Manchester United as a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo and it took time for Manchester United fans to see what Valencia was about. However, he has is growing into a real star for Manchester United, and his return in 2011 will no doubt please Manchester United fans, Sir Alex Ferguson and Wayne Rooney.

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Carlos Tevez has claimed that he is very happy in England and has no plans to switch clubs this summer.

The temperamental forward had a rollercoaster 2011-12 season, going AWOL for a large period and then returning to help the Etihad Stadium team win the Premier League.

Tevez has been repeatedly linked with a move away from the English champions, but he has stated that he is happy where he is for the time being.

“My biggest wish is to finish my career in the Boca Juniors shirt,” he told Sky Sports.

“I am still thinking the same as when I left, I want to retire here. I am here for whatever Boca need.

“But the truth is that I finished the season very happy in England.

“I am feeling good, I have no desire to be thinking that I want to leave, my family are happy,” he confessed.

Tevez’s absence from club duty has seen him lose a place in the Argentina national set-up, but this is not a huge concern for the forward currently.

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“I did not miss the Seleccion. I was happier watching from outside.

“I liked the team but for now I do not want to be there. When I am called I will be there, of course,” he confirmed.

By Gareth McKnight

The battle for the title next season looks like it will once again come down to London versus Manchester, but where does the future of the Premier League power lie and which city will be home of the champions 2011/12?

The top four who are most likely to be challenging for the title next season either come from the capital or Manchester, Arsenal and Chelsea down south and Manchester United and Manchester City up north. Whilst there are still outside bets including fellow Londoners Tottenham or Merseysiders Liverpool, the most likely scenario would be one of the top four being victorious come the end of next season.

The power in the Premier League has been shifting back and forth from Manchester to London over the last ten years. Since 2001 the title has changed hands seven times between Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal. Last season’s winners Manchester United claimed back their prized possession from the grips of Chelsea and London but will the trophy stay in Manchester next season? My gut feeling is that it will but United are not the only Manchester based team now firmly in the hunt.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s side have been joined by Manchester City at the top and I believe one of these two fierce rivals will be champions come next May. The history, experience and investment at United means the reigning champions will again start as favourites. Ferguson has focused on young signings this summer in a bid to freshen up the squad and whilst still possibly needing one or two more players, Fergie has the team capable of challenging for honours over the next few years.

Rivals City have taken player investment to a whole new level in a bid to be competitive year-on-year. So far Roberto Mancini has brought in Stefan Savic and Gael Clichy to sure up the defence and transfer speculation is rife that the City boss wants to add even more attacking flair to the team, most probably in the shape of Atletico Madrid’s Sergio Aguero and Arsenal’s Samir Nasri. The possible loss of captain Carlos Tevez would be a blow but the City players that stay at the club have a taste of silverware after last season’s FA Cup triumph. They managed an impressive third in the league last season and I think City are well placed to do even better next year.

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Despite my belief that the power in the Premier League is now based up north, you can’t right off the capital’s main contenders. New boss Andre Villas-Boas should give Chelsea a new lease of life and whilst they have been quiet in this summer’s transfer market so far, I would expect a few quality players to arrive. Their title push may also depend on whether Villas-Boas can have the Mourinho effect at Chelsea in his first season. Expectation will be high for the Blues and if Villas-Boas can add to the squad and get the likes of Fernando Torres, Frank Lampard and Florent Malouda back in top form then Chelsea will always have a good chance.

Arsenal’s title hopes are a more complex point to consider. Much will depend on who leaves over the next month, with their two best players Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri rumoured to be close to an exit. Losing both would effectively halt Arsenal’s chances of getting close to the title but if Wenger can keep at least one (and reinvest in new players) then they could be an outside bet. But both London clubs seem to be going through periods of transition, whether it be under new management or with potential changes to the squad.

Based on their title winning experience and significant investment, I think it is both Manchester clubs that are best placed to win the title next season and go on to possibly dominate the Premier League over the next few years. Though for the neutral fan a title challenge involving all four clubs from both London and Manchester will keep the league a lot more interesting next season.

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If you want to read more of my bite size, 160 character views and thoughts follow me on Twitter @jennyk5

Yesterday I wrote an article on three players Arsene Wenger should consider signing this winter, this one is simply the opposite – which three should be on their way out?

Arsenal do have a number of players within their squad, who are injury-prone, inconsistent, or just plain garbage. I posted a weekly poll on my site to see who the visitors think should leave this winter. There were 10 possible candidates (not implying that we need to sell all of them) on the list in which voters could select between one or all ten players, and surprisingly the results matched the three players that I think should be walking out of the Emirates this January. The players listed in this article were in my mind prior to the poll going up (I swear). Anyway, I await the barrage of horrible messages and abuse from the readers, here is my list:

Manuel Almunia

Do I really need to explain why he has to go? I think the nickname ‘Manure’ (given to him by the Arsenal fans) says it all really. The 33-year-old is not Arsenal material (never has been) and has not featured for the club since late September, and appears to be out of the Arsenal picture for Wenger and the fans. He has made countless mistakes last season and a few this one (when he’s played of course) and quite clearly Wenger has run out of patience with him. As a result, Lukasz Fabianski and even youngster Wojciech Szczesny have leapt ahead of Almunia in the pecking order. Simply put, Almunia is not what you would call a reliable set of hands between the posts and has dropped to third choice goalkeeper very rapidly. We have two better goalkeepers in our ranks and because of this the Spaniard should be sold this winter…even if it’s for a small fee.

Denilson

The 22-year-old Brazilian midfielder has shown that he is not capable of performing at the highest level and here are my reasons for saying this. When in possession of the ball, he seems to have a liking of looking back instead of forward. I will admit his distribution of the ball is exceptional and the Brazilian has been known to belt in a few goals for the Gunners. However, he is a very inconsistent performer, and has a very poor reading of the game in general. His defensive attributes are abysmal and has shown he is unable to keep up with the pace of the game at times. On several occasions this season Denilson has looked very flat-footed and has lost possession of the ball very cheaply (have a look at the games he has played in so far, and you will get what I’m saying). We have better options available, and with the introduction of Jack Wilshere, who has impressed, Denilson’s chances have been damaged even further. Many fans may believe that he is capable of cementing a place in the Arsenal line-up. However, after witnessing recent events it’s about time the player looked for another club…of course this is just my opinion.

Nicklas Bendtner

It was either him or Carlos Vela, but I believe the Mexican has more to offer than the Dane. Nicklas Bendtner claims to be the next best thing since sliced bread, when quite frankly he isn’t. The 22-year-old has demanded more regular starts as he feels he deserves a place in the Arsenal starting XI, but with poor and inconsistent performances the Danish international deserves to be shown the exit doors at the Emirates. I’m not saying the guy is useless, because he does have some good attributes, but the truth is he is not lethal enough. As well as that, Bendtner has to somehow try and get ahead of Marouane Chamakh who is on form and Robin Van Persie, who is looking sharp on his return from injury…its not going to happen is it? Wenger, sell him to one of the clubs who are interested in him, make a profit and then spend it on a much more valuable asset in the near future.

Voters were allowed to tick all ten players if they wanted to, hence the confusing percentages you are about to see. At the time of writing this there were a total of 45 voters (yeah, I know it’s not a lot) who took part in the poll. Results showed that there were 38 ticks for Manuel Almunia who topped the list with 84%, Nicklas Bendtner was second with 29 ticks (64%) and Denilson came in third place with 25 ticks (56%). If you would like to see the full table of results, check out the site Gunnersphere.com.

Read more Arsenal blogs at the excellent Gunnersphere website

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There has been some potentially positive news coming out of the club in the past week or so with SISU’s Joy Seppala finally deciding to communicate with the fans.

We as supporters have been calling for communication and the relationship between SISU and the fans and it would potentially be a lot better if they had done this from the very start.

Certain aspects of the interview she gave offered interesting and potentially positive steps that the club are looking to take. The main thing that stood out for me was the suggestion that they would be looking at ways that they could transfer an ownership stake in the club to supporters.

A fans stake in the club is an essential aspect to have at any football club and it helps to make fans feel more involved with the club. It also ensures that people who have the interests of the club at heart are able to have some say in what goes on at the club. Fans are the lifeblood of every club and without them the club would not exist so it seems right that fans should have at least some stake in the club, not just for financial problems, but for our voices to be heard.

There are issues to consider in relation to the transfer of this stake in the club. Obviously there is the fact that relations between fans and SISU are now at an all time low. The circumstances of SISU’s initial takeover of the club is also a factor in that in order for the takeover to happen, fans had to give up their shares in the club for nothing. I’m sure because of this the fans would want SISU to return the favour and give them back for nothing but with the financial situation of the club I cannot see this happening. I hope I am wrong because giving back the fans stake in the club will go some way to repairing a relationship which at times has looked irreparable.

Another issue that has been of concern is that of the Ricoh Arena. SISU have now missed two months worth of payments on the rent which has been seen by some as a protest to the unquestionably high rent of £1.2million and by others as SISU just not having the funds to pay it. The rent is not sustainable for a League One club though and I think every one involved knows that.

Negotiations have and are supposedly continuing between SISU, ACL and the council over multiple issues surrounding the Ricoh Arena. The club itself does need to be able to make some form of income off of the stadium or at the bare minimum break even which we as a club haven’t done since we moved to the Ricoh.

It has to be said that this actually isn’t SISU’s fault, in that the rent on the Ricoh was agreed before they came to the club. However they did promise to buy into the Ricoh when they took over so in that sense they are partly to blame.

Politics has become an issue in the debate. The council have previously stated that they would be unwilling to do any sort of business with SISU over the Ricoh. It has been suggested that they are jumping on the band wagon and publicly criticising SISU in an attempt to win votes in the upcoming elections. There is every possibility that this is true but one thing we can all agree on is that some sort of agreement has to be reached for the sake of the football club.

These negotiations need to come to a conclusion sooner rather than later so the club can begin to look forward to next season. With the transfer embargo still in place the plans for next season in terms of the playing squad remain on hold. The accounts need to be filed to the Football League for this to be removed and this will not be done until the issues surrounding the Ricoh are sorted.

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Whilst I am remaining sceptical over SISU’s running of the club it looks like they are going to be the owners for the foreseeable future. With no takeover bids in the offing following relegation to League One we as a club need to try to pull together. The council needs to consider how detrimental it would be for the city as a whole if it no longer had a football club.

Whilst there is clearly a lot of unresolved issues surrounding the club there has to be a starting point in which the club can move forward from. The reduction in the rent of the Ricoh is this potential starting point and could put the club back on a more solid basis so we can finally start considering a future for our club.

PUSB!!

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