I went into a state of utter despondency at the end of this transfer window, even allowing for
the entry into the Champions League stages failed to lift my spirits. The 8-2 thrashing by
Manchester United rubbed salt into very big wounds. I took a break to reflect, the International
Break helped in a sense, to enable common sense to dawn.
There is yet more bad news for Arsenal today because midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong has chosen to
play for Ghana instead of England. This means that if he is selected for the African Nations Cup he
will miss vital games during the new year period. Frimpong, 19, has played for England at both
Under-16 and Under-17 [.
Egypt have appointed former United States coach Bob Bradley as national team manager, state news
agency MENA said on Wednesday.
Bradley replaces long-standing coach Hassan Shehata who left in June after holders Egypt struggled
in qualifying for the 2012 African Nations Cup finals. They have since been eliminated.
Senegalese hitman Demba Ba got off the mark for the season in style against Blackburn Rovers at
the weekend, hitting a hat-trick at St. James's Park in a near-perfect performance for both him and
the Magpies as a whole in front of their home crowd.
Andy Carroll's shock departure last winter, along with fellow starts Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton
also leaving Tyneside this summer, has left the supporters in want of another high-profile goal
getter who can propel them to higher ambitions.
