The Independent from London, Greater London, England • 73

SATURDAY 15 DECEMBER 200? THE INDEPENDENT 111 TT jCfootball What there saying about this weekend's games EllllkSSODl meals Guns Juande Ramos Spurs manager on today's trip to Frattorr Park to play Portsmouth Little by Tittle, the team is improving. The most important thing is the confidence in the players has got respect fiw AneDka much better. Jermain Defoe's winning goal against Manchester City was very important It brought a victory and three very Important poi nts. Where we are. in the league table is very condensed at the moment The first thing we have to do is lookat the teams directly above us, and go little by little.

We have to make short-term plans, lookingat the teams above us, looking at the teams in Europe and trying to get as high as we can. was Lazfo manager he tried to sign Nicolas Anelka (right) 'He has everything you can wish from a striker' pa terday. "He was avery, very young footballer and I certainly don't hold that against him. He has everything you can wish from a striker quality; technique, pace, he scores goals, big and strong." Eriksson has asserted several times his belief that City proprietor Thaksin Shinawatra would only lay out big money on young players and the 25-year-old Brazilian Adriano, whom the Thai indicated his interest In last week, would appear to be on the outer limit of his age range. But Eriksson Said that age would not be a factor if a player like Anelka were under consideration: "Dr Thaksin is a businessman.

He is more likely to spend huge money onyoung players than others but Anelka who is 28 would not be a By Ian Herbert Sven Goran Eriksson has spent more time than most managers trjong to sign the striker who poses the biggest threat to his sixth-placed Manchester City side today. Eriksson joined the Lazio directors for the best part of a Sunday in the home of Arsenal director David Deiri back in the1 summer of 1999, trying to strike a deal with Arsene Wenger for athen youthful Nicolas Anelka from the Gunners and the talks also took the French striker's family to Italy, where he met the Sweda But the deal to sign Anelka, with whom City havebeen linked in recent months, fell through, "At a certain point it broke down," Eriksson said yes bottom to 14th in the league. But they remainaplace off the relegation spots, leading Megson to caution against over-optimism "Weteout of the relegation zone but one bad result for us and a couple of decent results below us and we're back in it again, so we've certainly not achieved anything yet," he said. City have inflicted one of Megson's two defeats so far, with Elano's late penalty giving them a 1-0 Car ling Cup win at the Reebok. Sam Allardyce Newcastle manager on the speculation surrounding Michael Owen's future The first and only thing on our minds is making sure Michael is available to start playing for us as quickly as possible and staying fit and available It is December, it is speculation time ItisVolatileln terms of what is being bandied about In the football media.

The speculation goes with agents or anybody ringing you up and mentioning one particular player, and straight away you are either going to buy him or another rumour comes around and you are selling My squad coming to January is going to be depleted by four players going. to the African Nations Cup; and there is no room for me moving any players out If anything, I'll be bringing some players in. Alex McLeish Birmingham City manager We are trying to impress on the players that we have to make St Andrews a Very difficult place for teams to come We want the tempo of our play up high, we want the fans behind us, we want a full house For my first home game. I'm really excited and we have to take the game to Reading, even though we know they are a good team. I which Anelka missed a penalty and ere' defence looked rudimentary at times and City will hope to capitalise, German also comes back into contention after being suspended, though Stephen Ireland sits out the first game of his three-matchban after being sent off at WhiteHart Lane.

Bolton have taken nine points from six league games under their new manager Gary Megsonsee-ing them climb from joint- Watford will showits solidarity at today's home game against Plymouth. Players will wear t-shirts with Bangura's picture on thefront and "Save Al Bangura'' on the back, while 7,000 pictures of him will be distributed. Bangura will appear at half-time alongside local MP Claire Ward, who has received a letter from former Home Secre Elton John intervenes on Bangura's behalf have watched games at St Andrew's and By Mike Rowbottom Elton John is backing the appealby Watford midfielder Al Bangura against the decision to deport him to Sierra Leone. The singer; formerly chairman of Watford and now the club's honorary life president, has written to the Sports Minister; Gerry Sutcliffe, to ex When Sven Goran Eriksson from his then club Arsenal. problem.

Age wouldn't matter" Bolton badly need Anelka to add to his nine-goal tally this season as they arrive at a stadium where City have chalked up eight straight Premier League wins ahome record unmatched by any in the by the return of Mano after a two-match absence because of a hamstring problem Despite a40 thumping of Wigan last weekend, in ciety which hadbeenled by his father, who was murdered during the civil war. "I am just praying every nijght that the Home Secretary will review this and aUowmeto stay because, inside of me, I know Fm supposed to be here," Bangura said. Iwould love to beacitr izen here. If I was given the chance to be British, I would take it with both hands." Keane: Interest in Evans and while Keane has said in recent weeks that Sunderland may have to look abroad for recruits, yesterday he emphasised the need for "players with Premiership Keane has seen his side ship 31 goals so far in the Premier League, which is wiry they are third-bottom as they prepare to face Aston Villa at home today. it is an old English-type ground in the traditional sense, with the fans very close to the pitch.

They generate a great noise. It will be great if they can shout the house down and give the Coventry to be saved from administration Keane desperate for defensive additions to aid relegation fight tary David Blunkett questioning the deportation, "I am at a loss to understand why he is being deported," Blunkett wrote, "given the circumstances of Bangura's presence in the country.Heisavalued member of the The Watford chairman, Graham Simpson, has written to the Prime Minister on his player's behalf Retiring chairman Joe Elliott said: "This is a very exciting day in the long; proud history of Coventry City Football Club. I am sure that Ray Ranson and SISU Capital will help drive Coventry CStyforward into a brand new era for the club, "I ask that remaining shareholders return their signed forms or attend the special office at the Ricoh Arena, as per instructions within the shareholder's document, by Monday evening'1 Headded: Tdlikefopay special thanks to Iain Dowie, his management team, the players and all the staff who have supported the club in a difficult press his support for the 191-year-old, who heard this week that he had lost his ease at the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal. Bangura, whose girlfriend had a son a fortnight ago, insists that he will be killed if he has to return to the country he left four years ago when he was threatened with death after refusing to join asecret so United full-back who was on loan on Wearside last but the Reading winger, Stephen Hunt, is also believed to have joined Keane'slist, Hunt signed a three-year extension in the summer but if Sunderland offered an appropriate sum, then Reading might be prepared to sell the 26 year-old. For Hunt an undoubted attraction would be that Sunderland will pay bigger wages.

Keane refused to name any target, though he said of the former Reading, now Chelsea midfielder, Steve Sidwell "He's a good play- players extra energy. The onus Is on us to win and to go and make things happen. David Moyes Everton manager on contract discussions Me and the chairman have, just mentioned it weVe not got any further but I have a great relationship with him and we're both comfortable with the situation. The team are playing the best in the six years I've been here. I think, that's a message to a lot of chairmen out.

there Give your managers a bit more timet instead of having a knee-jerk, reaction Over sackings. We're a little short in one area and If the right player wasavailable in January, we'd look to do same-thing but it would be more likely to be a loan than a buy. Steve Bruce Wigan manager In 10 games we have got a single point against Man City a couple of weeks ago. So it is a difficult challenge. We have got to arrest it and get back into that, pack We have got four out of the.

next, six at home and we have got to come out of the game at Derby on January 15 with 10 orll more points. If we do that, we will have 20pts and then we will give ourselves a chance of getting out of pur situation. We have seen what Bolton have done They have gone back-to-backwlns in home games. All of a sudden they have given themselves a chance By Gordon Tynan Coventry are set to avoid administration after Ray Ranson's SISU Capital consortium completed their protracted takeover at the Ricoh Arenayesterday. The Championship club had been given until 4pm to complete the deal and prowtheir solvency, or face a 10-point deduction.

Ranson has proved to be City's saviour in the fece of a reported 38m debt. The takeover is subject to theac-ceptanceof90percentofall sharehokiei but major holders Qigavon and Derek H3ggs own 7L4 per cent, have already agreed. By Michael Walker With the Niall Quinn, having secured further funding from the Dru-maville consortium which owns Sunderland, Roy Keane met with the club's chief executive, IterWalk-er, yesterday todiscuss possible targets for January Keane said that Sunder-landrequire defenders with Premier League or topflight experience and he has been interested in Celtic's Bobo Balde" recently and would like to re-sign Jonny Evans, the Manchester.