Fulham v Tottenham: A Familiar Face Awaits Spurs - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Tottenham Hotspur travel across Londonto face Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday, but the Cottagers are not the only familiar face they will encounter. Former boss Martin Jol, faces the task of trying to keep Harry Redknapp's free flowing Spurs team in check.

Bundesliga blog: Cardoso is a ‘no-go' so who'll be next Hamburg boss?

Welcome to our new German football blog, courtesy of BundesligaFussball's Ross Dunbar ***It is safe to say that the Frank Arnesen revolution at the Volkspark hasn't gone according to plan with Hamburg at the bottom of the Bundesliga after eight matches.

On-loan Chelsea defender Jeffrey Bruma got a start for Hamburger SV today. The young Dutchman took advantage of the opportunity by going out and burying a diving header early in the second half. That's three goals in his last six league appearances.

Well done, lad. And, yeah, more of that please.

Aus gegebenen Anlass betrachten wir heute einmal die Ex-Trainer des Hamburger SV. Uns interessiert dabei aber nicht, was sie heute machen oder ob sie woanders den großen Erfolg hatten sondern vielmehr, wie bescheiden die Personalpolitik in Hamburg ist. Sehen kann man das an den vielen Ex-Trainern, die unbestritten nicht alle was für ihre Entlassung konnten.

The Bundesliga was on its' worst behavior ever. According to the referees, who dished out a league record 5 straight red cards. Tim Wiese kicked off proceedings with a foul outside the box, following one of his kamikaze excursions. He equalled Oliver Kahn's 3 career total red cards in the Bundesliga and is only two away from Jens Lehmann's five red cards.

Franck Ribery loves life without Louis. And it starts to show on the pitch. One of the best games of the French winger in a while. Robbery sounds great on paper. In reality it was usually about Arjen Robben cutting inside and scoring decisive goals, while Ribery was doubled, frustrated and ineffective.

Shut the fucking door. El mercato has finally ceased, meaning we can finally get down to the proper business of actually focusing on the football. I, for one, am ecstatic.

That's not to say the summer wasn't enjoyable. A tad chaotic and frustrating at times, yes, but it certainly was an intriguing one for the club.

Featured player Nicklas Bendtner has stayed in London to decide on which club to join and there has been many interested parties. I'm hearing alot of stuff coming from Germany with BVB also known as Borussia Dortmund being interested in NB. Director of Hamburg SV, Frank Arnesen has declared his interest in Bendtner, but has said it will be a tough challenge to get him to the impressive Imtech Arena.

Since sacking Claudio Ranieri in June 2004 to appointing Andre Villas-Boas in June 2011, Roman Abramovich has spent over £69m in various compensation pay-outs to managers and clubs (including the hiring of director of football Frank Arnesen). That £69m does not include wages paid to managers since 2004.

Chelsea have joined the race for Hamburg winger Eljero Elia, according to reports.
The long-term Liverpool target is reportedly unsettled at Hamburg, and is again being linked with the Imtech Arena exit door after a turbulent second season with the Bundesliga outfit.
Former Reds boss Roy Hodgson was first linked with a move for the player in the summer of 2010, with his form for the Dutch national side in the World Cup alerting a number of sides throughout Europe.

Amidst the rumors, the speculation, and the gossip of who might be heading to The Bridge this summer, we take a look at the Exodus of players already leaving the club, along with a list of potential candidates that could be on their way out in the coming weeks. More after the jump:

I gets what I wants.

Frank Arnesen fancies him some Chelsea players, as evidenced by the latest triumvirate to join our former sporting director at his new club, HSV Hamburg.

Troubling? A bit, yes. The fees being paid, though? Pissing me right off.

Our latest departure

Hamburg agreed deals for Michael Mancienne and Jacopo Sala last week.

Frank Arnesen fancies him some Chelsea players, as evidenced by the latest triumvirate to join our former sporting director at his new club, HSV Hamburg.

Troubling? A bit, yes. The fees being paid, though? Pissing me right off.

Our latest departure

Hamburg agreed deals for Michael Mancienne and Jacopo Sala last week.

According to Goal, Michael Mancienne is heading to Germany to have a medical tomorrow at Hamburg and will become their first signing from Chelsea as Frank Arnesen looks to bring some of our youngsters with him.
Mancienne is reported to be sold for around £3m and unfortunately is another player who has failed to break through into the Chelsea first team.

Chelsea's young player of the year and rising star Josh McEachran is the subject of press speculation this morning. In this article in the Express, it's believed that ex-employee Frank Arnesen is trying to take advantage of the uncertainty at Chelsea at the moment as we continue to look for a new manager, by making his interest in McEachran public.

Frank Arnesen's first task this summer will be to try to keep Eljero Elia from Liverpool's clutches - as the Hamburg winger is back on their radar.
Arnesen left Chelsea to take up a consultancy role with the Bundesliga side this summer and he is keen on taking a few Blues youngsters with him to Germany.

Now I am only blogging about this story because of the intense speculation about Ancelotti and this meeting he is having this week about his future. I have gone on record to state that I believe he should stay at the club and have the chance to rebuild and take on the challenges next season as in the two years he has been here, he deserves to.

Frank Arnesen, as we all know, is taking over as Sporting Director at Hamburg next season and if reports are to be believed, is looking to raid his former club to bolster his squad for next season.
According to goal.com, Arnesen is quoted recently as saying:

"We don't have big sums of money available this summer.

The Daily Mail is reporting today that Roman Abramovich has serious reservations about Carlo Ancelotti's ability to take his team forward and he sees Guus Hiddink as the best option to replace him.

The Dutchman impressed the everyone at Chelsea in the three months he spent at Stamford Bridge as temporary manager in 2009, guidingthe team to FA Cup success and very nearly beating Barcelona in their Champions League semi-final.

A report has appeared in the German press and in Hamburger Abendblatt in particular stating that Frank Arnesen believes that he can tempt some of our players to leave the club this summer and head over to Hamburg with him. The players mentioned are Alex, Kalou, Mikel and Bruma!.
He said:

"It may be something we can do together"

Is he having a laugh!

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish wants to beat Chelsea to the signing of Wigan star James McCarthy – the one who got away from Anfield.
Dalglish is determined to land Glasgow-born Ireland starlet McCarthy as part of a major summer overhaul.
And the legendary manager thinks that he can persuade McCarthy to pick Merseyside ahead of London for his next move, which looks increasingly like coming at the end of the season.

It's being reported today following Frank Arnesen's decision to leave Chelsea at the end of the season, that head of Senior Scouting, Lee Congerton has been placed on gardening leave at the club after he has agreed to join Arnesen in Hamburg as Technical Director.
Abramovich is reported to have told Congerton not to come back to Chelsea and has been placed on gardening leave which to me seems like a good move as Chelsea plan for the summer.

Vor gut einem Jahr wechselte der (ehemalige) Weltklassestürmer Ruud van Nistelrooy von Real Madrid zum Hamburger SV. Mit großen Hoffnungen kam der zweitbeste Torschütze in der Geschichte der Champions League zu den Hamburgern – und wurde diesen auch gerecht. In der Rückrunde der vergangenen Saison erzielte der Niederländer in elf Spielen in der Bundesliga fünf Tore.

HAMBURG, Germany — Frank Arnesen will take over as sporting director of Bundesliga club Hamburger SV in the off-season, German media reported on Saturday. The 54-year-old Dane, last employed in the same capacity by Chelsea, will receive a three-year contract, Bild said. Hamburg's first choice, Matthias Sammer, the technical director of the German football association, [.

HAMBURG, Germany — Frank Arnesen will take over as sporting director of Bundesliga club Hamburger SV in the off-season, German media reported on Saturday. The 54-year-old Dane, last employed in the same capacity by Chelsea, will receive a three-year contract, Bild said. Hamburg's first choice, Matthias Sammer, the technical director of the German football association, [.

By Tom Flatt, writing from Chelmsford, England.

The role of Sporting Director is one which has attracted increasing levels of attention in recent years. There's been enough written about it to bore even the most strident follower of backroom-staff-related stories (you know who you are).

Chelsea's sporting director Frank Arnesen says that the capture of Fernando Torres doesn't "close the door" for others, but the club's academy continues to loan out young talent on a regular basis. John Terry was the last player to come through the ranks and establish themselves in the first team.

Frank Arnesen, Chelsea's sporting director has been featured in an interview published yesterday in The Independant and in speaking of Chelsea's recent spending has reiterated Roman's belief in the Academy. He also took time out to have a pop at Arsenal, which is something that doesn't go a miss to liven things up!

I was surprised to read this one I have to say. Reported here in yesterdays Daily Mail as an "exclusive" it seems that Roman has identified Guus Hiddink as Frank Arnesen's replacement at the end of the season as the role of Sporting Director at the club.
It's believed that Roman would see the appointment as a popular one with the players and us fans.

There is this report in the Sunday People this morning that Roman Abramovich will offer Avram Grant a return to Chelsea as Director of Football if he is sacked by West Ham.
Key points of the article state:

Israeli Grant fell out with Abramovich when he was sacked just days after Chelsea's penalty shoot-out heartbreak in Moscow but the pair quickly patched up their differences and could work together again.