Luca Toni departed the Italian league back in 2007 but it looks as if the striker could be leaving current club Bayern Munich pretty soon.

Toni was subbed at half-time in the German giant’s 1-1 draw with Schalke and reportedly opted to leave the Allianz Arena rather than watch the second-half from the bench with his team mates.

Uli Hoeness, the general manager of Bayern, confirmed that Toni’s behaviour was not acceptable following the draw with Schalke.

He said: “That was wrong and we have taken note of it.”

Oh dear, so could Toni’s German adventure be over after just two years? It really is starting to look that way as he isn’t getting regular football at Bayern and this latest incident may see his chances restricted even further.

Toni was a part of the Azzurri side who won the World Cup in 2006 and he will be eager to be a part of Marcello Lippi’s squad for South Africa 2010.  At 32-years-old this is probably his last opportunity to play in a World Cup and he may well look to leave Bayern to ensure he can make the final cut.

The main question is if Toni decides to head back to Italy, which Serie A side will take him?  I doubt he’ll return to Fiorentina in all honesty, despite a cracking goal scoring record for La Viola his departure left a bitter taste and they’re fairly well staffed in attack.

AC Milan and Inter probably have no need for his services either and Juventus are going well with their current attacking line-up so I doubt any of those three clubs will make a move. 

It may force Toni to look at the Premier League in England or a smaller Serie A side.  Perhaps one of the struggling Rome clubs, Lazio or Roma, will offer Toni an escape from Germany but whether they can raise the necessary funds remains to be seen.

In all honesty it is extremely hard to pick a possible destination for the former golden boy of the Italian attack.  However, it does seem almost certain he will be on the move in the next transfer window following his latest bust-up in Munich.

Written by Gareth Freeman, a sports writer promoting Irish horse racing tips and the Cheltenham 2010 festival for Betfair.

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The agent of Andrea Dossena has released a statement denying that the player is in talks with Napoli ahead of a potential return to Serie A in the January transfer window.

The Italian international has struggled to settle in the Premier League following his £7m transfer from Udinese in the summer of 2008 and has failed to hold down a regular starting place in a Liverpool shirt. 

The defender has been identified by Napoli as a key man in their bid to push for a Champions League spot.

However, Dossena’s agent Roberto La Florio told tuttomercatoweb.it: “We will wait until the international break to evaluate and talk to Andrea.

“One thing that is certain is that no agreement has been reached with us, I don’t know if the clubs have spoken to each other but for sure we have not been informed.

“Andrea wants to go to the World Cup.

“Napoli are doing well and in the eyes of everyone it would be a good choice.”

Written by Danny Watson, a sports journalist who blogs about cheap football shirts.

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If he were an opera star, he would be il divo.  If he were an American sports star, he would be called a prima dona (yes, Americans don’t speak other languages well) and be compared to Terrell Owens or various NBA figures.  If he was a politician, he would rise to stratospheric heights only to quickly fall to the ground.  In brief, il Talentino di Bari is a great calcio talent, but a head case and a pain for his managers.  The story of his temper is, to put it politely, .

And once again, his personality has reared its ugly head.

This week Italian national team manager Marcello Lippi refused to call up Cassano for two friendly matches against the Netherlands and Sweden.  Cassano’s stat line for international matches is not exciting, having not scored a goal since 2004.  However, he has done well for Sampdoria so far this year, notching six assists and a goal for the surprising squad.

But it is likely due to his latest outburst that he is on the outside looking in.  After his team’s 0-0 draw with Bari (his hometown) that saw Sampdoria drop to third in the Serie A standings, Cassano threatened to leave his team after he was booed mercilessly by some of the Sampdoria fans.  “In the past three or four matches the supporters have jeered me at times. Sampdoria are second in the standings and certainly should not be chasing Inter,” he said according to Goal.com.  “I did it in Rome and I also did it in Madrid. If this keeps happening I will pack my suitcases and leave from here.”

Surprisingly, that quote did not warm the hearts of Sampdoria faithful.  What may have excited them was the almost immediate report that EPL club West Ham had an interest in him, as fellow Italian Gianfranco Zola is keen on bringing such a talent (and personality) to his club.

To his credit, Sampdoria President Ricardo Garrone has defended Cassano from his fans’ boos and from the exclusion from the Italian national team.  But if Cassano’s goals are to win the scudetto and make the Italian national team, it may be best that he leave this toxic situation.  A transfer to the EPL would probably not work, as he would play for another high-profile club, and that experiment has failed before.

Plus it would remove him from the Italian soccer scene. He would probably be best served on a team with an adoring and uncritical fan base where he could lead the club to European competition qualification.  It would have to be in Italy so he could be right under the nose of the Italian national team.  And he would have to be the biggest name on the club.

Should Cassano play for….Bari?

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David Beckham signed for AC Milan on loan last season and proved such a hit that the England midfielder will again pull on the AC Milan shirt for the second half of this season to give himself the best possible chance to reach the 2010 World Cup and  Milan coach Leonardo is looking forward to adding Beckham to his squad.

“I’m very glad to have him on my team within a few weeks,” said Milan boss Leonardo after the match against Real Madrid

Beckham had always stated his desire to go back to Milan in fact he didn’t really want to leave in the first place but contractual arrangements meant that the fee would just have been too high for Milan to meet. Although Beckham was linked to a number pf Premiership sides he always wanted to return to Milan with the sole goal being to gt to the World Cup.

“The coach (Fabio Capello) made it clear to me that I have to play on an European top level if I want to play in South Africa next year,” according to Beckham. “And I’ll do anything I can to accomplish that, otherwise I will regret it.”

An agreement for Beckham to return to Milan was completed on Monday.

“We’re very satisfied with that,” said Leonardo. “Last season, he was very important for us. He has enormous talent, a great charisma and a good motivation.”

Leonardo felt mixed emotions, regarding the draw against Real Madrid. The result itself was quite positive but Alexandre Pato’s canceled goal caused a bad taste in the mouth for Milan. Afterwards, Leonardo refused to criticise referee Felix Brych.

“These kind of things just happen. The most important thing is my team made a next step and continue to improve their game every match.”

Written by Danny Watson a Sports writer who also blogs about football kits.

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I think it is fairly safe to say things are not going to plan at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu.  After a summer of unprecedented spending they were supposed to challenge for honours on all fronts and regain their place at the top of La Liga from Barcelona.

In all fairness they’re only a point behind Barca but the Real hieracrhcy are known for being a bit trigger happy when it comes to managers.  Current Real boss Manuel Pellegrini’s situation in the Spanish capital was put under increased pressure following a frankly humiliating 4-0 loss at third division side Alcorcon in the Copa del Rey, while the Champions League loss to AC Milan at home will have done him no favours either.

Rumours have begun to circulate that former Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini is being lined up to replace Pellegrini should results fail to improve.  It would seem a logical choice should the Real board decide to wield the axe as Mancini is perhaps the most respected manager without a job at the moment in the world of football.  His domestic record with Inter was fantastic as he guided them to three successive Scudetti and picked up seven trophies in total, with a win percentage of over 60%.

However, his agent seems to have no idea about a possible move to Spain for his client.

“I know nothing about Mancini at Real,” agent Girogio Di Giorgis told the ANSA news agency. “If it would be true, he would have told me. Anyway, I wish this for him.”

Mancini himself was coy on a possible link to Real Madrid but suggested he would be willing, if not eager, to manage outside of Serie A.

Speaking to Sky Italia he said:  “I have said it once before, at times you never think that you’ll train a certain team and then you end up training that very team.

“I think that, for me, an experience abroad could be really useful, considering that I think it’s the right moment. But we’ll see.”

At just 44-years-of age it seems highly likely Mancini will return to management and considering his reputation it could happen very soon indeed.  If not Real Madrid another European side may seek his services and there could well be other sides in Serie A which would appeal to Mancini.  In a slightly ridiculous link English football league club Notts County have been mooted as a possible destination.  For those unaware of the goings on at the County Ground they have just been boosted by a massive investment with former England boss Sven Goran Eriksson employed as a director of football.  However, Notts County are in the fourth-tier of English football and I can’t see a man with Mancini’s reputation wanting to manage at that level, if there was any truth in that rumour in the first place.

Written by Gareth Freeman, a sports writer promoting Irish racing betting picks and advice for Betfair.

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A Halloween weekend for the 11^th matchday saw tricks and treats for various clubs, players and managers.  In honor of the holiday, we will take a look at those who got their candy this weekend and those who got toilet papered.

Treat: Inter Milan on Top

An expected win by Inter over Lavorno coupled with a Juventus loss to Napoli and Sampdoria tie with Bari has left the Nerazzurri seven points up on the top of the table.  And with their next two matches against an inconsistent Roma squad and relegation-possibility Bologna, they have a chance to add to their points before facing Fiorentina and Juventus.

Trick: Lazio Manager Davide Ballardini Could Be Fired Next

Lazio gained only a point against last place Siena, running their winless streak to over two months.  After a goal by Mauri in the 8^th minute, Lazio only had one more shot on goal.  Sitting at 15^th in the table, their next two matches against streaking Milan and top 6 Napoli do not look like chances to end their slump.  Their two following matches against Bologna and Roma could be more critical than they had thought at the beginning of the season.

Treat: Milan Will Have Timely Reinforcements

Despite their third match in six days, Milan continued their hot streak with a 2-0 win over Parma.  Leonardo succeeded in keeping his squad healthy ahead of their rematch against Real Madrid on Tuesday.  But Milan also had good news on the transfer front this weekend – Gareth gave the update on the Beckham signing plus they completed a deal to acquire Dominic Adiyiah from the Norwegian league.

Trick: Bari Settles for Controversial Tie

Bari once again settled for a tie against a top-flight club, this weekend Sampdoria, but they Galletti faithful have to be left asking what could have been.  Scoreless in extra time, Leonardo Bonucci seemingly scored the winning goal in the sixth extra minute, only to see the offside flag go up.

Trick: Palermo Manager Says Scudetto Race Wide Open

It’s not very often a manager proclaims that his team can win a championship after a scoreless draw at home, but that is exactly what Palermo coach Walter Zenga said to Sky after Sunday’s draw with Genoa.  While he’s right that this early on points can be made up, the 5-3 loss to Inter last week should have helped him realize that his squad has a long climb to the top.

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Guidolin has revolutionized Parma, with young Italian players like Paloschi and Galloppa, mixing with older players that share their experience like Panucci and Zaccardo, Parma has turned into a team that is ready to shine. With an experienced coach like Francesco Guidolin, Parma look to be a consistent side that won’t die out after a few more games.

Having just been promoted from the Serie B, Parma looked to take another crack at staying in the Serie A. Statistically, Parma are doing wonderfully, in Italy, the usual point minimum to not be relegated is 40, when at 40 points, a team celebrates and knows that they will remain in Italy’s top teir. At the eleventh game week out of 38, with five wins, two draws, and only four losses, Parma are already at 17 points, almost half of what their goal is. Parma look to be one of this seasons revelations, like Hull City was in the English Premiership last year, and hopefully they can re-establish themselves in Italian football with Guidolin at the helm.

What do you think of Parma’s recent results? Comment below!

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Midweek matches see some excitement and some scoring that has been absent in many match days.  The top of the table also has a familiar look with Inter, Juventus, and Sampdoria in the lead, but watch for an approaching AC Milan in the rearview mirror.

AC Milan is Rolling, but Defense is a Concern

AC Milan blitzed Napoli for two goals in the first five minutes…followed 80 minutes later by Napoli grabbing a point with two goals late in the match.  Napoli actually had a chance to cut into Milan’s lead in the fifty-fifth minute except for some incredible stops by Dida.  I mentioned a month ago that Milan should worry about its defense, and the lapses last night should be worrisome.  Yes they were down to 10 men, but Napoli had multiple quality chances.  However Milan is still on quite a roll with 16 points now in Serie A.

Juventus is a Legitimate Scudetto Threat

Despite losing Iaquinta to injury, Juventus netted five goals from four different players against a Sampdoria team that was facing “its first true test” according to manager Luigi Del Neri.  This match could have been over even earlier if Fabio Grosso could have hit his shot at the ten minute mark (or Diego hit the follow up).  Such domination of a top three club is quite impressive.

And if you don’t believe me about the scudetto, ask David Trezeguet.

Rome Needs a Stimulus Plan

Both A.S. Roma and Lazio lost again on Wednesday and both are in danger of entering the relegation zone.  Lazio lost a match where they had seven shots on goal and nine corners and were playing in Rome.  Roma was beaten by Antonio Flores, who scored twice, in an odd contest that saw Roma stave off Udinese with ten men the entire second half but give up the go ahead score after Dusan Basta was sent off to even the sides at ten each.  Roma has already fired one manager this season, but both Ranieri and Davide Ballardini have to be worried about their current positions.

Bologna, Livorno the Best of the Worst

Bologna and Livorno improved their positions in the standings as Bologna defeated current bottom-sitter Siena and Livorno pulled even with Atalanta in points.  Siena played like a team desperate to avoid relegation, but could not pick up their second win in two months as Franco Colombo gains his first win with Bologna.  Livorno needed the three points as Atalanta has a better goal difference, but the match saw more fouls than shots and was witnessed by less than 10,000 fans.

Scoring is all the rage

After seeing only one team net five goals in a match this season (Inter over Genoa on the 17^th) both Inter and Juventus scored five in their matches this week.  What happened to the deliberate Italian style of play?

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A week or so ago the news broke that David Beckham would probably be returning to the San Siro in the new year for a loan stint.

AC Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani has now revealed it is certain the former Real Madrid and Manchester United man will rejoin Leonardo’s men in January.

He said: “It’s 100 per cent certain, the only thing that is missing is the signatures but the agreement is complete.”

It has been reported the move will be exactly the same agreement that saw Beckham join the Rossoneri at the tail end of last season.

Galliani also revealed Beckham will be the only player he expects to arrive in the Italian capital in January, adding: “External forwards? We have (Alexandre) Pato, Ronaldinho and then we have a young player called Simone Verdi, then (Ignazio) Abate, (Davide) Di Gennaro, (Clarence) Seedorf. This is the absolute reality,”

When asked whether the misfiring Klaas-Jan Huntelaar would be departing he rejected the rumours: “Huntelaar? He will remain. He isn’t on the market.”

Personally I reckon Huntlaar should be given more time to adjust to Serie A and establish himself in Italy.  He had a great record for Ajax in Holland and although that league is below the standard of the Serie A he should not be dismissed so quickly.  A striker’s game is based a lot around confidence, especially in terms of scoring goals, and he endured a tough time in Madrid where he was hardly given a chance by Real.  I’m fairly confident that once he does find the target he will score on a regular basis and be a great addition to the Milan side.

The fantastic result at the Bernabeu seems to have picked Milan up somewhat.  They came back from a goal down to sink Chievo 2-1 with late strikes in Verona in what was a decent result for Leonardo’s charges.  They then disappointed by throwing a two goal lead away in Napoli as they returned to the San Siro with a single point but things are certainly looking up for the Milan side.

They have now joined the chasing pack at the top of the table and it seems they may indeed make a title challenge, though a lot will depend on their results against the teams around and above them.  It was always going to take time to get used to life without Carlo Ancelotti after his eight years at the club and Leonardo was never going to have an easy task but it seems, finally, they are starting to get their act together.

Written by Gareth Freeman, a sports writer promoting Irish racing betting tips and picks for Betfair.

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Roma signed Stefano Guberti in the summer from Bari however he has since only made 3 appearances which have resulted in a lot of rumours that the player will be sold in January however the midfielders agent describes his player as unsellable.

The 24 year old played a starring role in Bari’s promotion to Serie A but has only appeared once in a Roma shirt having started the match and had another two substitute appearances.

Gubertis former club is said to be interested in taking the midfiedler back but his agent insists his player will not be leaving Roma.

“For Roma, Guberti is unsellable. Actually, he is playing thanks to his desire. He has never given up and has always given his best,” De Nicola said.

“At the beginning, the Coach had to get results, and trusted in the old guard, but with time he has begun to respect Guberti.”

Written by Danny Watson a Sports writer who also blogs about football kits.

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