Jeffrey Ntuka stabbed to death in South Africa

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Page last updated at 12:12 GMT, Saturday, 21 January 2012

Ntuka captained South Africa's Under 23 team Former Chelsea defender Jeffrey Ntuka has been stabbed to death in South Africa.

The stabbing occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning in a local nightclub in the township of Kroonstad in the Free State province.

He was on the books at Stamford Bridge as a youngster before returning to South Africa to play for Kaizer Chiefs and SuperSport United.

Ntuka's clubs

•2003-2009: Chelsea
•2003-2009: KVC Westerlo (Belgium) (loan)
•2009-2010: Kaizer Chiefs
•2010-2011: SuperSport United

The 26-year-old was capped five times by the South Africa national team.

A representative from his agent Stella Africa confirmed the news.

Stella Africa's Michael Hughes told South African sport website IOL: "I spoke to his wife for a couple of minutes and she confirmed that Ntuka has passed away after being stabbed in a township in Kroonstad.

"Unfortunately, trouble seemed to follow Jeffrey around. He tried hard to surround himself with the right people and club-mates. But he struggled to really shake the image and stories that dogged his career.

"When his contract expired with [SuperSport] United, he had an unsuccessful trial with a second division Belgian side. We have been motivating him and he has been keeping fit."

Ntuka spent six months at Chelsea playing for the reserve team in 2003 before being loaned out to Belgian club Westerlo for five years. He spent two months at Stamford Bridge from December 2008 before returning to South Africa two months later to sign for Kaizer Chiefs.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/16665369.stm

AVB wants B teams in lower leagues

January 19, 2012
By ESPNsoccernet staff

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has called for feeder clubs to be admitted to the lower leagues to help provide the "missing link" in English football's development of top young talent.



With highly-rated Chelsea youngster Josh McEachran sent out on loan to Swansea to gain valuable experience, Villas-Boas said he believed the academy system and "not competitive" reserve team league currently in place in England do not prepare young footballers for the transition to the first team.

Instead, the Portuguese manager would like to see the introduction of the feeder club model seen in Spain, where the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona have 'B' teams competing in the second tier.

There has not been a significant graduate from Chelsea's youth set-up, despite heavy investment, since John Terry's emergence more than ten years ago, where-as at Barcelona, Pep Guardiola has given first-team debuts to 25 players who have been promoted from the club's feeder team since he took over as manager in 2008.

Asked why there was such a big disparity, Villa-Boas told The Independent: "Because the gap between the reserve team and the first-team is immense here. Barcelona 'B' play in the equivalent of the Championship. If the European model is applied in England, it could be tested. The reserve team serves the first-team, but it doesn't serve the progression of talent coming through."

"It [buying a feeder club] could be a solution. There is more of a cultural identity [with the parent club] if it's called a 'B' team. It's the same name, the same environment. If it's a feeder club, I couldn't call a player up to my team until the transfer window opens.

Villas-Boas added: "The youth development system in England is not right, in my belief. There is plenty of effort and talks to get it right but in my opinion it is not. The reserve team league is not competitive. The youth levels are not competitive enough. The FA Youth Cup: does it favour talent or competition?

"In my opinion there is a missing link between age groups in all competitions. There should be national championships played between teams from around the country. The older ones should play nationally. The younger ones should play regionally. You promote more talent and competitiveness and it is that which generates talent and willingness to drive."

"What happens in Barcelona 'B' is a good model in terms of competitions. If the talent is playing in [a feeder club] in a competitive league you can call up players, There is immediate identification by the players with the process you're trying to implement in your first team. And it could be a great benefit because you don't have to work with a 26-man squad, but a 19-man squad and just recall the best young guys. If Ryan [Bertrand, who has had seven loan periods] and Josh [McEachran] could make the jump from Championship to Premiership every week, their involvement would be better."

However, Villas-Boas did declare that a new batch of talent was emerging from Chelsea's youth team, which won the FA Youth Cup in 2010 for the first time since 1961.

Villas-Boas said: "They are coming. They are coming. There's a generation coming. I think so. I believe so."

And the Blues boss wants all his loan players to flourish at the clubs they have been sent to, telling them it is not good enough for them to return to Stamford Bridge having failed to establish themselves elsewhere.

As well as McEachran, Patrick van Aanholt and Gael Kakuta were farmed out again this week, moving to Vitesse Arnhem and Dijon, respectively.

The latter two are at their second loan clubs this season, having made just a handful of appearances each at Wigan and Bolton.

Villas-Boas said: "If they're unable to triumph over there, it can't just be a manager's decision. They have to show they are capable of triumphing in a difficult environment. It is never a good option if you come back early - it means something went wrong."

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1010565/andre-villas-boas-wants-a-chelsea-b-team-in-the-championship?cc=3436

Chelsea ready to let Alex move F

rom: AdelaideNow January 13, 2012 12:09PM

CHELSEA are determined Brazilian defender Alex won't leave in a cut-price deal as west London rivals QPR try to make him the first signing of the Mark Hughes era.

Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas confirmed an offer had been made for Alex, with QPR understood to be the interested club.

It has been reported that QPR made an initial $4.5 million offer for Alex but Chelsea are understood to want more for the 29-year-old.

"From what I know from my chief executive, there has been an approach from a Premier League club,'' Villas-Boas said.

"We have respected Alex's transfer request so the market's open for him.

"We're just trying to reach the level of proposal we think is good for the player. Nothing has happened up to now, but we'll listen to all offers.

"We'll present anything to the player.

"He has to make a decision. He has generated interest from a lot of clubs.''

Hughes, appointed in succession to the sacked Neil Warnock, said Wednesday of Alex: "There is interest in top-quality players and the player you mention is very much in that level. "

Alex, dropped from Chelsea's first-team squad along with Nicolas Anelka after both submitted transfer requests, has previously been linked with Juventus and Paris St-Germain.

He has also said he would consider a return to Santos, in his native Brazil.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/soccer/chelsea-ready-to-let-alex-move/story-e6frectc-1226243474263

Chelsea tell Lampard he can leave: But not to Man Utd

Submitted by tribalfootball.com on Tue, 01/10/2012 - 11:17

Chelsea have told Frank Lampard they won't block his departure - so long as its not to a Premier League rival.

The People says that has alerted Paris St Germain boss Carlo Ancelotti, who is desperate to sign a top-class midfielder in the January transfer window after the collapse of his club’s move for David Beckham.

Manchester United did make an enquiry to Chelsea about Lampard’s availability on Thursday – but the question was met with a flat ‘No’.

But after the breakdown of his relationship with manager Andre Villas-Boas, Chelsea are willing to release Lampard, who still has 18 months to run on his contract, on a free transfer abroad to get his £150,000-a-week salary off the wage bill.


http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/chelsea-tell-lampard-he-can-leave-not-man-utd-2616561?utm_source=feed_newsnow.

AVB’s £150m Xmas present

By GEOFF SWEET

Published: 26 Dec 2011

ANDRE VILLAS-BOAS will be handed a £150million transfer war chest in the New Year.

Chelsea and owner Roman Abramovich are hell-bent on closing the gap on the runaway Manchester clubs.

Top targets include £50m-rated striker Edinson Cavani and his Napoli midfield team-mate Marek Hamsik, who is valued at £30m.

Ironically, Chelsea face the Italian side in the Champions League last 16, with Hamsik, 24, insisting: "They are a great club — we are up against a very strong team."

The Blues have come up short so far in AVB's first season in charge.

But Abramovich is determined to stand by his man and give him the ammunition to make them title contenders again.

Chelsea are also reportedly interested in Juventus winger and Manchester United target Milos Krasic — rated at £20m.

However, the Blues' first signing of 2012 will be far cheaper in the shape of Gary Cahill, who is set to leave Bolton for £7m.

Struggling Wanderers have indicated they are ready to sell the centre-half, 26, and he is expected to link up alongside England partner John Terry.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/4020635/Chelsea-news-Andre-Villas-Boas-to-be-given-150m-to-spend.html

Revival yet clear faultlines at Chelsea

December 14, 2011
By John Brewin


The sight of John Terry delivering a Churchillian on-pitch speech before Chelsea's victory against Manchester City was familiar. He had performed the same function just five days previously, prior to a crucial win against Valencia.

Terry perhaps believes he has redefined the idea of doing his talking on the pitch but while Chelsea have revived their campaign with three vital wins a note of discord still rings from Stamford Bridge. "Team spirit is an illusion only glimpsed in victory," as former Spurs and Barcelona striker Steve Archibald once said, though he pointedly did not include managerial relations in that classic idiom of footballing cynicism.

"Andre Villas-Boas is a friend to the team and to every player," said one of his players, but that player was Helton, FC Porto's goalkeeper and that was ahead of Dublin's Europa League final in May, an already distant time of harmonic happiness that must conjure nostalgia in Chelsea's manager.

With Nicolas Anelka heading to China, Alex banished from first-team duties before a January exit, and Frank Lampard claiming he has not been given the reasons for his dropping from the two most crucial matches of the season so far, Villas-Boas has clearly not only fallen out with Gary Neville.

"This is not a one-man show," said Villas-Boas himself in Dublin, as journalists quizzed a nascent coaching talent who had guided Porto to an unbeaten Portuguese title, and would soon lift the club's fourth European trophy. He might well say the same about life at Chelsea. In the aftermath of his team ending Manchester City's unbeaten run, Villas-Boas all but admitted that his defenders had altered his favoured 'high-line' philosophy of their own accord.

It is not difficult to surmise which of his defenders could have effected this change. Mario Balotelli's early goal had seen a beleaguered Terry turned by Sergio Aguero high in his own half. Soon after, Terry and Branislav Ivanovic were to be found camped in front of Petr Cech while Ashley Cole and Jose Bosingwa's ventures into the City half had the look of being strictly rationed. It was a strategy that played to the strengths of Chelsea's onfield leader, while their manager could only resume his stock crouched position and twitch in exasperation as victory was achieved almost in spite of him.

"It was not the best in terms of what we are trying to achieve, but the best in terms of spirit," Villas-Boas had said after victory against Valencia was achieved by similar means, before describing his team's achievement as "a win of personal values and human values" rather than his chosen "philosophy". That philosophy appears in diametric opposition to those of the players still said to boss the dressing room.

While Villas-Boas has been delivering a "slap in the face" to journalists, somebody has been telling tales. Twice, Villas-Boas has been forced to react to press leaks from the Cobham training ground he has challenged Neville to find his way to. And his denials have not entirely convinced, either. In dismissing reports of asking players to celebrate goals with him, he said: "I told the players that when we score a goal, the bench lives the same emotions. The bench competes with them, with the same desire. We are for them, we want to play but we can't play."

It was a rebuttal with something of David Brent about it, and there is a notable edge of middle-management babble to his public pronunciations. It is little wonder that the unreconstructed likes of Terry may not have warmed to him. The feeling appears mutual.

Didier Drogba's centre-forward wrecking-ball act against Valencia was damned with faint praise. "As long as he performs then perfect, but the other ones are there as well," said Villas-Boas in failing to supply a ringing endorsement. The laziest possible comparison to make when mentioning Villas-Boas is to Jose Mourinho, yet his predecessor usually gave the impression of enjoying the moment of victory, and of sharing it with his players. The same could also be said of Carlo Ancelotti, and definitely about the lurking-with-possible-intent nemesis of Guus Hiddink. Villas-Boas would surely flinch at being compared to Avram Grant yet there have been marked similarities between the pair's respective reigns.

Villas-Boas' Grant-like picking of fights with the media has been curious in the light of his Dublin admission that "I would have been a journalist" had Bobby Robson not have given him his chance in football. It is suggested that pressure has been removed from his players by "AVB" and his stated belief of "continuous persecution", but were he still around, Robson might well have offered from bitter experience that a manager's life is easier with the press on his side.

And the same is true of Chelsea's senior players cabal. They remain influential to the extreme that Terry often acts like a man with his eye on the position that Andre Villas-Boas currently occupies, if indeed he doesn't already think he is more important than him.

"I give them room to express themselves because that's how they develop. I promote their talent and let them make their own decisions. There are no dictators," said Villas-Boas in May. But that was before he made the reacquantaince of Terry and friends. Three excellent results have rebuilt a season's expectations, yet the success of Villas-Boas is too closely interlinked with a Chelsea set all too comfortable with calling their own tune.

When such an uneasy alliance is apparent through the prism of victory, then a major faultline is still apparent at Chelsea.

Follow @JohnBrewinESPN

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story/_/id/996441/john-brewin:-revival-yet-glaring-faultlines-at-chelsea?cc=3436

Lampard: I'm going nowhere

December 13, 2011
By ESPN staff


Frank Lampard insists he has no intention of leaving Chelsea despite his frustration at his failure to hold down place in the Blues' starting XI.



Lampard came off the bench to score the winner as Chelsea ended Manchester City's unbeaten start to the Premier League season. The 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge saw Andre Villas-Boas' side move to within seven points of the league leaders.

Lampard was left out of the starting XI for the second match in succession, but despite reports linking the England international with a reunion with Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid, Lampard insists he will honour his Chelsea contract.

"I want to play and I'm at my best when I play, but now I'm in and out. I'm 33 - I understand that - but I want to keep playing regularly because I know I've got a lot to give," Lampard told Sky Sports. "I've got 18 months left and I'll be here that long, and I'll keep trying my hardest."

Villas-Boas revealed after the match that Juan Mata was the designated spot-kick taker, but Lampard had convinced the Spaniard to step aside. And having missed with his last two attempts, Lampard admitted he was relieved to find the target.

"I missed a penalty a few weeks ago and it's always tough, especially having taken so many against [Joe] Hart with England," Lampard said. "He's the last person I want to take a penalty against but thankfully it went in.

"You've got to be big enough to take them. You can stand on the side and let somebody else take it but you've got to do it for the team and I was relieved when it hit the back of the net.

"We needed a win to stay in the race because 10 points was a huge gap and luckily we've closed that. Man City have been the top team in the league this year, some of the football they've played - even tonight - has been brilliant and we needed to win really.

"The way they started was sharp but once we got into the game I had a feeling it was going to be our night."

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/995924/i'm-going-nowhere,-insists-chelsea-hero-frank-lampard?cc=3436

Soccer
Six for sale in Chelsea clean-out

by: Daily Mail From: Herald Sun December 05, 2011

CHELSEA will listen to offers for six senior players in January as owner Roman Abramovich backs manager Andre Villas-Boas to rebuild the club.

Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou, Jose Bosingwa and Paulo Ferreira are available for transfer, news which follows the weekend announcement that transfer requests from Nicolas Anelka and Alex had been accepted.

Anelka and Alex have been banned from using first-team facilities at the club's training ground, with Anelka set to sign a $10 million-a-year deal with China's Shanghai Shenhua.

Drogba and Kalou scored in Saturday's 3-0 win at Newcastle United but are out of contract next year and are free to sign a pre-contract deal with a foreign club in January.

The Ivorian strikers are also destined for the Africa Cup of Nations, which starts on January 21 and could rule them out for up to six weeks of the season.

A lucrative move to the Middle East is understood to appeal to Drogba, who is 34 in March but will not be short of offers to extend his career.

Arsenal have always shown interest in Kalou and Italy's Juventus remain keen on Alex, despite his alarming loss of form.

It proves owner Abramovich is preparing to back Villas-Boas, who is so anxious to refresh the squad that Alex and Anelka were told on Friday they could not use the main training centre when the first team are in the building.

It is the ultimate humiliation for two players who have been a huge part of Chelsea for the past three years.

Chelsea players were stunned when the pair, both popular characters in the dressing room, had their lockers cleared. Both have also been told they are no longer welcome to park in the first-team car park.

They believe they are being deliberately humiliated after being told to put their cars in the communal parking area next to the academy.

Villas-Boas has also told the pair they are no longer welcome to train with the first-team squad after they put in transfer requests. Instead they have separate training programmes, which are thought to include working with the reserves, academy and on their own.

Chelsea's win at Newcastle eased them back into the top four of the Premier League but competition for the Champions League places looks set to be intense.

Chelsea's first concern is to extend this season's Champions League campaign by beating Valencia at Stamford Bridge on Wedn esday morning AEDT.

The key to the longer-term project will be whether Villas-Boas, who insists he has been promised three years to complete his work, is allowed full control over his transfer targets.

The Portuguese manager reputedly has a good eye for players, dating back to his scouting past, yet Abramovich continues to listen to advice from a disparate selection of independent advisers.

Chelsea are expected to win the race to sign Gary Cahill from Bolton Wansderers next month, with the intention of pairing him with John Terry and releasing Branislav Ivanovic to play at right back.

Some within the club believe it may be the right time to elevate highly-rated defender Nathaniel Chalobah, 17 next week, to the first-team squad.

Josh McEachran and Ryan Bertrand will be allowed out on loan in January if reinforcements can be signed.

Villas-Boas would also like to add left-sided Porto utility man Alvaro Pereira to his squad, and Chelsea have opened talks for Universidad de Chile striker Eduardo Vargas, according to reports in Chile.

Vargas, 22, may face work-permit issues and is unlikely to be a top target to fill the boots of Drogba and Anelka.

Tentative enquiries were made for David Villa in the summer and the striker has slipped out of favour at Barcelona.

There is a long-standing interest in Lille's Eden Hazard. Chelsea were told to come back in 12 months when they made contact last January.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/soccer/six-for-sale-in-chelsea-clean-out/story-e6frfg8x-1226214138181

Anelka, Alex hand in transfer requests

4 December 2011-PA Sport

Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas has confirmed that the club have accepted transfer requests from Alex and Nicolas Anelka.

The pair were missing from the squad for the 3-0 Premier League victory at Newcastle amid reports that they had been ordered to train with the reserves after being told they are no long part of the manager's plans.

Villa-Boas confirmed after the final whistle that transfer requests had been received and accepted, and that Brazilian defender Alex and French striker Anelka are no longer training with the first team.

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/1083937/Anelka-Alex-hand-in-transfer-requests

Drogba wants money, says agent

29 November 2011-PA Sport

Didier Drogba's agent has revealed he has snubbed Chelsea's offer of a one-year contract extension and vowed to "go where he is offered the most money" after turning down a loan move to AC Milan.

The 33-year-old Ivory Coast striker looks increasingly set to walk away from Stamford Bridge for nothing when his contract expires next northern summer.

And his agent, Thierno Seydi, is weighing up lucrative options including possible moves to America, Russia or Asia.

"Didier has had the offer of a one-year extension from Chelsea. That does not suit us," Seydi is quoted as saying by The Sun.

"We know what we want, where we want to go and what offers we have.

"AC Milan came in for Didier on loan with an option to buy but I said 'No' straight away. Their offer did not interest us.

"At Didier's age, he has nothing left to prove as a player. He will go where he is offered the most money.

"It could be the United States, Russia, Qatar or somewhere else in Asia. Once you are well into your thirties you have to go to a club where you can be certain you'll be able to pay your bills.

"LA Galaxy are a possibility among many others. He has been linked with Anzhi Makhachkala in Russia, as they pay well. But neither Didier nor I have had an offer from them."

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/1083323/Drogba-wants-money,-says-agent

Soccer briefs: Blues' crisis talks

November 27, 2011

CHELSEA coach Andre Villas-Boas revealed on Friday that he had held talks with owner Roman Abramovich, as he bids to turn around a spell of form that threatens to derail the Blues' season. Chelsea has lost four of its past seven games in all competitions and is experiencing its worst start to a Premier League season since Abramovich bought the club eight years ago. The 2010 English champion has slipped out of the top four and face a battle to qualify for the last 16 in the Champions League after a last-gasp 2-1 loss at Bayer Leverkusen last week. However, at a press conference on Friday, Villas-Boas said he had been given the full support of his employer.




Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/sport/soccer/soccer-briefs-blues-crisis-talks-20111126-1o0i3.html#ixzz1epSClbWq

15mil to hire him
25 mil to fire him? :lol:

Lamps keen on new Blues deal

Published: 22 Nov 2011

FRANK LAMPARD says he wants to extend his Chelsea contract and commit his future to Stamford Bridge.

The 33-year-old has been in and out of Andre Villas-Boas' Blues team this term but is the club's top scorer with seven goals.

And despite talks of a potential move abroad, Lampard is looking to increase his Chelsea deal which is set to expire in 2013.

The England midfielder said: "As it stands I have this season and next season and I would love to extend that.

"As long as the club want me, I will be here.

"Whatever anyone says about me going anywhere else, I will be here, without a doubt."

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/3951996/Chelsea-news-Frank-Lampard-keen-on-new-contract.html