13/01/2018 Football Focus

Welcome to Football Focus -

back in the studio after our cup

travels and looking forward

to a bumper Premier League Saturday.

We have all this on the show for

you.

Manchester City's Kyle Walker

on getting to know Sergio.

URL little bit starstruck, you

think, I have played with you on

Fifa, now I am playing with you in

real life.

Playing the West Ham way?

David Moyes has other

inspirations in mind.

I want is to play like Tottenham

Chelsea, say we are having a game

with you and see if we can beat you.

Huddersfield's Mathias Jorgensen

on when Zanka Claus came to town.

I thought, OK, it would be nice to

show that we appreciate them. What

would be better than buying

everybody a drink?

And when the Newport County manager

is being interviewed on the training

ground but just can't help himself.

When they keep giving me the efforts

they are giving me, I can't praise

them highly enough.

What a finish that is!

Plenty more

from South Wales later.

And we've a couple of big

dogs in the studio -

Joleon Lescott and Martin Keown

are here to provide some

defensive solidity.

After last weekend's FA Cup third

round, it's back to a packed

Premier League this weekend.

No early game today.

We'll be live at Stamford Bridge

to look ahead to Chelsea against

Leicester with Motty shortly.

And we'll be live at Palace

against Burnley too.

Bottom of the table Swansea

travel to Newcastle,

whilst West Brom will be desperate

for a first league win under

Alan Pardew against Brighton.

The late game is Tottenham

home to Everton.

Tomorrow Bournemouth

are home to Arsenal,

while Stoke are Hughes-less

as they go to Old

Trafford on Monday.

We start with that cracker

at Anfield tomorrow, though,

as Liverpool try to dent Manchester

City's march to the title.

The City full back Kyle Walker

has been speaking to

Juliette Ferrington.

MUSIC PLAYS

5-0 last time out here, it will be a

different proposition going into

Anfield on Sunday?

As a defender, if we go to Anfield

and keep a clean sheet, I will be

over the moon. It is something we

are working hard on in training to

try and stamp on their striking

force, really.

Their home record is pretty

phenomenal this season. Manchester

City's record at Anfield is not that

great?

We have been told, the manager has

said numerous times in the meetings

that we need to change history,

really. We have not had a good

result at Anfield in a number of

years. Hopefully we are the team to

put that right and get the victory

we want.

I am liking what you are saying, the

manager wanting to change his to be,

I guess that

I guess that is a reason that you

came up north?

The manager, what he has won and how

he coaches people speaks for itself.

What he has done for me as an

individual bit season, it has

improved my game and hopefully I can

keep improving under him.

With the players I have managed, to

have to of my heroes, it was a bit

nervous for me to come here and work

underneath him. But I had to take it

in my stride. I knew he would

improve me as a player and I was

eager to learn and start the season.

Why nervous?

With the move, I have

been somewhere for nine years. I was

part of the furniture, as they say.

I was not in my comfort zone, but I

knew the place inside and out. So

coming to a new team is like

starting a new job, I didn't know

anybody really except the England

lads. I was a little bit nervous,

but excited as well.

What was a lie, the Aguero movement,

first time? Nervous excitement? --

what was it like?

You are a bit

starstruck, you think, normally I

play Fifa with you but I am kicking

a ball around with you on a Monday

morning.

Who is Baghdad Fifa?

I

think outpace him.

Aguero surges

into the box.

Daesh who is better at Fifa? What

type of impact has Pep had on you?

Basically, save your energy. We have

players in the team that can do

that, Raheem Sterling has been on

fire, Leroy is fantastic and can

only get better.

Sane will go for

goal.

Brilliant.

It is controlling,

picking your times and not just

running for the sake of running, run

with a purpose. Make sure you will

get an assist auricle, which will be

very rare for me.

You have not

scored this season, one of the few?

I think I am probably the only

player in Manchester. I think

Edelson will score before me.

Do you rewind when you were younger

and think you almost quit? Your mum

wanted you to carry on?

I was 15 and I just said, I have had

enough. You see all your mates going

out and hanging around on the street

and going in at stupid o'clock in

the morning, there was me going in

at nine o'clock because I had a game

the next day. My mum said to me, we

can't quit now, we have come too

far. I was there since six. She made

a good decision for me and I am

probably forever in her debt.

There you have said you would like

to do the normal stuff?

Sometimes I miss it. When I am with

my friends I want to act

my friends I want to act stupid, you

have to real me in a little bit

sometimes.

What is the stupid stuff?

Simple stuff, I just want to walk to

the shop without people asking for a

picture. It is good because they are

looking up to me and they want a

picture of me, but sometimes I wish

I could have a magic coat and go and

do normal, stupid stuff.

Walking

your dog is at 11pm in short in the

pouring rain?

That would be lovely,

exactly.

I try to keep ground. There are

certain things I can't do that in

normal 27-year-old man could do, but

it is part and parcel of the job and

I would not change it for anything.

I love playing football and I am

loving playing for Man City at the

moment.

Comes across really well. Martin

Keown through one into the pot

earlier, you think you could be the

best full-back in Europe at the

moment?

None of them.

You have wrote

back a little bit?

I think he is. He

was going to be, if he is not

already. He has taken the directive

from his manager on board. Not to

bomb on too much, he will pick and

choose on this one against

Liverpool. May will test, he will

have to be sensible. Go and express

yourself and play, that is the

message from the manager. -- Mane

will test him. Picking up as is, the

approach play. He has had the pace,

people have said about his defensive

qualities, but look up the ball he

is putting in. He is now a winger.

You have been doing some work at

Manchester City, Joleon. The inside

we're getting from Kyle Walker into

the attention to detail that Pep

Guardiola has brought, that be

crucial this week. Martin mentioned

May, and with Mosul and Firmino, it

will be interesting to see how that

develops?

It will be interesting how

they combat Manchester City's

attacking full-back, Kyle Walker,

how he contains Mane. It will be

tough all individuals. It will make

an exciting game.

What about Philippe Coutinho, the

fact he is not there any more? He

will be a big miss for Liverpool?

No

doubt. Jurgen Klopp has been talking

highly about the player. He lost the

100% focus, it is about moving on. I

have been impressed with Jurgen

Klopp, he says look at the past but

do not let it affect the future.

Liverpool fancy their chances. It's

City drop their guard they will

lose, that is how good Liverpool are

at attacking.

Is this City's biggest

test?

For me. If they can get

through this game, I think every

other team in the league will be

looking at them and saying if

Liverpool do not have enough

attacking players to stop them, they

will struggle.

I know you are fully

paid-up members of the centre-back

club, it will be interesting to get

your take on Virgil van Dijk. Uber

Man of the Match on his debut, was

he tested enough by Everton? -- he

won Man of the Match on his debut.

This is the winning goal, he

threatened to score from a couple of

set pieces. He was like a

Rolls-Royce. He has everything in

his game. He has been mothballed,

really, most of the end of last

season.

Partly through choice.

He

went through the gears, looked for

the move and switched it on. I think

he is with the right club at right

manager.

Definitely, if you could

pick a game to be involved in in

your debut, it will be a derby. He

came at scoring the winning goal.

I

know he is trying to stop them going

in, but there are always goals in

this game. From a Man City

perspective, an interesting

statistic, they have not won at

Anfield since 2003, since Nicolas

Anelka scored those goals. The

record stacks up against them.

Timing, the way the fixtures have

come out, the fact Coutinho has just

left, is it therefore City to win?

They are that good, but this is a

head-to-head, a heavyweight, like a

heavyweight boxer. Whoever connects

buyers can knock out the opponent.

Liverpool can score in quick

succession, it will be interesting

to see it City can respond.

Going

back to Kyle Walker, everybody we

speak to a Man City seems so content

and happy with life. Is that because

of the club set up because they are

winning everything?

I think a

combination. As players you buy

anything if you get results, if you

are winning you do not care what

time you train or how hard you

train, as long as you win on match

day. Speaking to the staff is the

key, knowing how much they enjoy it,

knowing how much Pep is involving

every member of staff.

Life cannot

be better when you are winning

games, everybody is making a

contribution. Lots of people have

played, that is the good thing. They

are up there because of the group.

A big game to look forward to

tomorrow.

Some sad news this week

from Liverpool with the announcement

that their former Scotland

international goalkeeper

Tommy Lawrence had died aged 77.

He won two league titles and an FA

Cup in the great Bill Shankly side.

He was affectionately

known as "The Flying Pig"

because of his large

yet acrobatic frame.

A lovely nickname!

He played 390 times before making

the short move to Tranmere.

Three years ago, BBC

reporter Stuart Flinders

was on the streets of Liverpool,

asking for memories

of a game in the 1960s.

Look at this. I'm just wondering

whether you remember the derby match

in 1967 at Goodison, FA Cup, fifth

round, shown on a big screen at

Anfield?

I do, I played in it. I was

the goalkeeper for Liverpool.

Really?!

Yes.

That is a stroke of

luck on any meeting you. Can you

remind me of your name?

Tommy

Lawrence.

Nice to meet you, what do

you remember?

It was a great game.

Tommy Lawrence was well loved, he

died this week at the age of 77.

Tommy's Liverpool and Manchester

City successfully negotiated the FA

Cup third round last weekend.

Stoke didn't.

Mark Hughes has been sacked this

evening after his Stoke side were

knocked out by leaked to Coventry

City.

The writing was on the wall

may be before Christmas, November

time.

He dropped his allegedly best

players at Chelsea, fielded a

weakened team.

Chelsea five, Stoke Nel.

We were in difficult circumstances,

playing today with so many defensive

players missing. I take

responsibility, it was my decision.

We are in better shape for Monday.

If we win, which we intend to, we

have had a decent Christmas.

Is it

justifiable for you? About not

throwing a game, but saying they

will save it for the next one?

It

will only be right if they win on

Monday.

Newcastle lead! Having almost turned

it into a must win, Mark Hughes'

side have been beaten by relegation

battling rival, you can see what the

supporters think of him.

Are you confident you can do it, and

quickly?

Who else will do it? I made the

decision in the second tab at

Chelsea to say, OK, we can't win. I

am going to get criticised the lack?

I think it is unfair if I do. -- I

am going to get criticised for that?

It is in! A famous win for Coventry

City, and just how damaging a defeat

will it be for Mark Hughes?

When a Premier League side goes out

to a non-league side, it is news. --

to a lower league side.

Mark Hughes has gone after a double

century of games in charge. We heard

in the commentary he made that

Newcastle gain a must win for

himself by making the change at

Chelsea, then saying I have done

that because we need to play

Newcastle on Monday, and then they

lost.

More pressure on himself?

Definitely. He went into the game

hoping to win, but emphasised how

important it was by making the

changes. The way they have lost some

of those games, conceding seven Man

City, five at Chelsea, the fans can

accept that some players can accept

it if it is close, but by massive

margins, change needs to happen.

A brilliant win for Coventry, but

the Stoke win rate has been down

this season. Under Mark Hughes they

have finished ninth couple times,

13th, it feels like there has been

something different this season.

What has been missing?

Look at what

they bought in the summer, an ageing

group. Performances from the

players, I think they need to look

themselves in the mirror and ask if

they have done enough for Mark

Hughes? He seems to manage with a

great deal of dignity. Berahino came

in, scored no goals yet. They are

relying on 37-year-old Peter Crouch.

He has been good but you want to

regenerate and he does not seem to

come. To lose games like they did to

a division two team, Coventry, there

is only one way it would that end.

After they play Man United on

Monday, they have a good fixture

list coming up after that game on

Monday. In terms of the manager,

they are trying to bring in the

former Watford Barsky K Florence, he

is favourite at the moment if they

can get away from Espanyol. But it

is that crucial time of the season

where if they are to get away from

trouble and stay in the Premier

League it has that crucial time of

the season where if they are to get

away from trouble and stay in the

Premier League ties to start

happening?

Manchester United away on Monday.

We'll talk about the spat between

Conte and Mourinho. From a

Manchester United perspective and a

former Arsenal player, Alexis

Sanchez has been all over the papers

for the last few days. There were

rumours about the Manchester City

move. Is it because for the play-off

of that quality, it's hard to say we

shouldn't be going in for him?

That's right. Even Conte at Chelsea,

there's recriminations there.

Sanchez is causing a lot of

problems. He is a great talent,

there is no doubt. If Arsenal allow

him to go to Manchester United, he's

going to one of their rivals. If he

goes to City I'm not sure how much

is going to improve Man City but I

feel that's probably where he'll end

up.

He is free in the summer, that's

their other issue. That might be

putting some people of because they

say they'll get him to virtually

nothing if they wait awhile.

It's a

good investment now because he can

play Champions League. A player of

that magnitude can obviously...

FA

Cup as well. Jesus is coming back

from injury as well so I'm not sure

they need Tim.

Certainly want to

watch in the January transfer

window.

Seven Premier League sackings

already this season.

David Moyes one of those

managers who's stepped in.

And he's enjoying life

at the London Stadium.

He's been speaking to Mark Scott.

COMMENTATOR:

COMMENTATOR: Great result the David

Moyes and West Ham. West Ham United

are ahead against Chelsea! 3-0, that

finishes it! What an unbelievable

strike! And West Ham United win it.

The recent upturn in form, the

question is what have you

implemented in the squad that wasn't

there before?

I don't think I've

done anything different than what

I've done before. I've said to the

players, don't be coming back

moaning when you find it too hard or

you want something else. If you

don't want to do it, you can see the

door. To be fair they have all

jumped on board.

jumped on board. Stuart Pearce,

Billy Allen have all made sure

they've done a great job behind the

scene is.

COMMENTATOR: Good

atmosphere now inside the London

Stadium. STUDIO: How important was

to get the fans on board especially

at home?

It was really important to

me. Maybe a lot weren't sure about

David Moyes coming in. The stadium

has been rocking. I think they

realise that we've got to make sure

we get through trouble, support the

team, support them staff, give them

a real opportunity of getting the

job done as best they can. I think

in turn the players are responding

to that.

COMMENTATOR:

West Ham have

been defending and defending and

defending and got themselves ahead

with an absolute screamer from Pedro

Obiang!

You said yourself you're

still miles away from how you'd like

West Ham to play, I thought that was

really interesting.

I've got an idea

in my head of how I wanted to look.

I want us to be playing like

Tottenham, Chelsea. I want us to go

to those teams and say we are having

a game with you. At the moment we

have the same level of quality

players as those teams do. But

Burnley are the top six or seven.

Sunderland confirming David Moyes

has resigned.

You came in in you

felt you felt you had a point to

prove. I know it's early days but do

you feel already you've gone some

way to achieving that?

Of course I

had a point to prove because I've

had a bad year or two. I think

you'll never get through it always

doing well. There's been a couple of

years I'd have liked to go better.

You can only win by having good

players and getting the players to

work correctly and get results.

Sometimes that doesn't work, not

anything I'm doing differently.

Sometimes it doesn't work.

Has it

made you a better manager?

Yes.

Experience of being in Spain has

given me a great insight...

May be

the tough times as well?

I don't

know if there's any managers who

don't go through tough times. I hope

it makes me better with it. It's not

easy, because all your work is done

in the public. If you're not doing

so well when everybody knows about

it

COMMENTATOR:

Its David Moyes'

500th Premier League game, a

landmark only three other men have

ever reached.

To be in the Premier

League long time shows you've had

some level of success. Sometimes

people forget about the years you've

done and what you've done. I've

pleased I've done 500 games, I hope

I can get many more. I'm really

enjoying it.

That seems like a very upbeat David

Moyes. Smiling a lot, enjoying

managerial life and hinting about

staying beyond the end of his

contract, planning for the future.

Yes, I think his main objective is

to stay in the league. After that he

can see himself as a long-term West

Ham manager. If he does keep them up

I think the fans will be happy and

the players will be happy.

I'm not

sure some fans will be happy if he

says they want to play like Spurs

and Chelsea, you can see why that

would anger some West Ham fans!

Of

course. Yes, choose but comparisons!

If you look at the statistics,

Martin, they are scoring more goals

than they did under Slaven Bilic and

conceding fewer goals. He's tidying

things up at the back, working with

Stuart Pearce and they are being

more fruitful at top as well.

I

think he's a really good manager and

they've done him a favour by giving

him six months. They've compress the

time for him to make quick

decisions. It seemed to take ten

years for his success to be

formalised at Everton. He watched

this man 54 times before he decided

to sign him.

When you were at

Wolverhampton, David Moyes scouted

you 54 times.

His career was nearly

over!

It still took them two weeks

to confirm the signings.

I think

he's got the strength of his

convictions. His confidence does in

the world of good. How good a

manager was he?

In terms of

attention to detail of opposition,

he's the I've worked with.

It's

about you, isn't it. It's about

don't get obsessed with the

opposition.

It's different with

Arsene Wenger and David Moyes

managing different teams. I think in

the greatest respect West Ham, that

objective now is trying not to lose.

There's a lot of teams in the

Premier League playing not to lose.

I think that's what their objective

is. Arsenal and Man City play to win

and that's what separates the great

managers.

Is he a better manager in

that situation than in the Arsene

Wenger role?

I think so. I think

that's been proven over his career

as a manager.

He put three at the

back. He's changed the team around

and tactically they are stronger

now.

West Ham are at Huddersfield

this afternoon.

We'll be hearing from their defender

Zanka a bit later -

ever present and the man who bought

all their away fans

a pint over Christmas.

We've already seen how the FA Cup

ended Mark Hughes' reign at Stoke.

The Cup holders had

an equally miserable weekend.

I knew before the game that a game

like that away from home would be

different.

Asked nor our FA Cup

winners a record 13 times and come

to the City Ground as

winners a record 13 times and come

to the City Ground as the holders.

COMMENTATOR:

He's got it! Off the

post, Per Mertesacker scores!

Defensively you cannot afford the

mistakes we made today, to get away

with a good result.

We were

horrendous at the back, I'm afraid.

COMMENTATOR:

That might be the one

that seals Arsenal's fate. Smith

lost it and Danny Welbeck has rolled

it in! There is hope again for

Arsenal. Penalty Forrest again! Four

thug Forrest.

You've got to play

your strongest side. This is the

lesson Arsene Wenger needs to learn.

It was a massive gamble.

It would be

easy to just think that was the

problem today is.

The best thing

about today was the fact I couldn't

see any of the because I'm blind.

Arsenal out of the first round for

the first time since 1996. The big

story of the FA Cup third round

weekend.

Just a focus on Forrest, one of the

goals of the week from Eric Lichaj.

His wife said they would get him a

dog if he scored a hat-trick in this

game. This has brought about a great

Twitter hashtag. We got

#GetEricADog. And then after this

picture, we got #GetEricHasADog and

he called the dog Gunner. Arsenal

were terrible.

Listen, I think it

started with the selection.

were terrible.

Listen, I think it

started with the selection. It was a

team that were really on a hiding to

nothing. Per Mertesacker has been

magnificent in the FA Cup. It was

his finest hour when they won it

last season against Chelsea. He was

totally exposed within the game. I

thought Forrest had some really good

youngsters on the day. To good

advantage of that. Brian Clough

would have been really proud looking

down on them, that's how good they

were. They rolled back the years.

Arsene Wenger is looking at another

challenge in the Europa League. He

feels it's going to be a long

season. The winner of that now goes

into that competition. The FA Cup

alongside that would have got in the

way. Looking at him since, I don't

think he's that perturbed about

going out of the FA Cup.

It saved

him in recent seasons.

We've grown

used to that but I think now it will

be the Europa League, if we are

talking about saving his job at all.

This isn't Arsenal. One win in six,

fans are already upset with the way

they feel the team are moving. They

play a team like that and play like

that against Forrest and they aren't

having results in the league either.

It shouldn't be the way Arsenal go

about their business but it's the

state of Arsenal's last three or

four seasons. It slows a prize they

lost and Nottingham Forest. There's

a lot of players in that team that

belief before that game they should

have been playing more often. That's

going to confirm Arsene Wenger's

decision.

Per Mertesacker is at the

end of his career. Theo Walcott,

talking of him being up until three

o'clock in the morning partying,

Iwobi.

After hearing that you would

expect him not to be involved.

I

think it was only allowed to play

because it was going to hurt Arsenal

more if he wasn't. He looked like he

was playing to a higher level

against Chelsea than he did against

Forrest. That would concern me.

Bournemouth are unbeaten since

Christmas but scoring goals has been

a problem for them. There are

Christmas but scoring goals has been

a problem for them. There are ten

fewer goals than at this stage last

season. Is that a big issue for

Bournemouth?

Yes, I think that's an

issue for the majority of teams. Not

scoring enough goals. Obviously they

signed Jermaine in the summer to try

to help that situation.

Unfortunately he's injured at the

moment but they've got enough

goal-scorers in that team.

It's

going to test them. We talked about

how good the manager is. It's about

sticking together in these difficult

moments and keep believing in the

group. You

moments and keep believing in the

group. You can quickly fall out of

love with your players. Jermain

Defoe is out and we need to get him

back quickly.

Everyone can bring in

players in the January window. We

talked about some of the big players

involved. Theo Walcott will be one

to keep an eye on. In talks with

Everton. Strange that no start for

him this season. 49 minutes he's

played in the league from five

substitute performances. Where is he

at the moment?

He cannot be happy. When you are

playing football every week, if

you're at the bottom of the table

the top, you have to play football

each week. He does not get that

reward each week. It seems like

Wenger does not believe in him any

more and it might be his chance to

take the exit door. Everton is a

great club to play for, by the way,

maybe he is trying to come to terms

about.

Would it be a good move for

him?

him?

Definitely. He wants to go

somewhere he feels loved, Sam

Allardyce has done that in the past,

got the best out of players into

situations. Theo is one of them.

Tottenham against Everton

is at 5.30pm today,

in two weeks' time they'll be

travelling to South Wales

to face Newport County

in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup.

The League 2 team's win over Leeds

last Sunday capped a remarkable

turnaround under manager Mike Flynn.

Mark Clemmit has been to see him.

Go longer! There it is! Great ball!

Brilliant, 3-0!

Has this been the

key, being so hands-on?

We get the

information across to them all the

time, but Wayne Hatch will does most

of the coaching, if I'm honest. He

is off today, I make sure I keep the

points across. Keep playing!

Brilliant!

Just organise, just talk to them.

Brilliant tackle!

It is remarkable the pace at which

they are playing, they are really

working hard? Football fans do not

see this?

They are like this every

day, I have an outstanding group of

players. They take everything on

board. When they keep giving me

these efforts, I cannot praise them

highly enough.

What a finish that is!

I can't get over the contrast

between this, and the feeling here,

and this time last year when you had

just lost seven in a row.

Amazing.

Big turnaround. The boys

are smiling. A good time to be part

of Newport County.

And the lift this week must have

been extraordinary?

Huge. Watching

the draw on Monday evening,

obviously after the result against

Leeds. Lots of excitement. We are

onto the big game on Saturday

against Grimsby, then we will worry

about top very soon.

2-1 to Newport County! Newport are

in sight of a famous, famous FA Cup

victory!

How on earth did you get that high?

It was just brilliant! To be honest,

I can't even remember most of it. I

threw my body at it and hoped that I

had got connected to the ball.

They

did not cover the back post. We show

them on the analysis the day before

the game.

Get in there with your

shooting practice.

He does not score

in training, he says that for the

games!

Get a drink! The Reds are more

interested in your positions when we

lose the ball, so concentrate on

this.

Don't take this the wrong way, but

ten months ago when you took over,

were you the last resort?

Probably.

Probably, I will not dress it up. I

had no managerial experience. I have

done my badges, they knew I had a

good rapport with the players. I

think they saw how much I have come

on over the last 18 months, two

years.

You have quite a famous alum live

from the coaching course he went on,

Thierry Henry, Mikel Arteta, all

Arsenal, you're playing Spurs in the

next round. Have you had texts of

opposite help?

I have had texts back

and forth. Thierry is such a

gentleman, he has always been

approachable and we kept in contact.

There were some fantastic people on

the courses.

You both can get too advance.

You will increasingly rise in the

public eye and, you know, somebody

might come knocking for you?

It is

the nature of the beast. That is not

for me to concentrate on, that is

for other people to look from the

outside in. On the flip side, if we

start struggling, I am sure I could

get sacked as well. I am not

thinking of it. I am just thinking

of doing wealthy Newport County. --

doing well for Newport County.

A real buzz about the place. Mike

Flynn goes around Newport, he enjoys

being part of the community. That

was filmed on Thursday and you both

said how close was that to the FA

Cup win over Leeds, they are still

buzzing five days on?

Maybe he has that X Factor, he might

be a great manager in the making. He

is full of enthusiasm, shouting out

brilliant, he could not do the

interview, by the way, without

encouraging his players. It is

infectious.

What a header this was?!

That is natural ability.

He almost

jumped out of the ground.

Going back

to the manager, you can see his

enthusiasm and passion, that rubs

off on the players, hopefully that

will continue.

They were 11 points adrift at the

bottom when he took over, and he

saved them.

Ryan Giggs and Craig Bellamy have

been interviewed about the Wales

job, Michael O'Neill is into edge

about the Scotland job, and it

looked like Phil Neville 's could be

the New England women's boss. He has

spoken to the FA and he is keen.

That would be an interesting move?

He is passionate about being a

coach, manager, hopefully he gets

the role and can enhance the women's

side for the national team.

Staying with the EFL

and there was a rather big game

in the Steel City last night.

Sheffield United at home

to Wednesday, who were being managed

by Jos Lukuhay for the first time.

It ended goal less so a point

for both the blue and red supporters

in Sheffield this weekend.

Let's turn to Chelsea next,

where head coach Antonio Conte has

been involved in a simmering feud

with Jose Mourinho.

The final whistle blows. Mourinho

talking into the ear of Antonio

Conte.

What did Jose Mourinho say to

you?

It is a private conversation, I

would like to remain private.

We

don't talk about it.

I was demanding a different kind of

football.

Are they quite a negative

side?

I think they are very good

defensively.

Joking, joking.

Has he

got under the skin of Conte?

I think

so, the reaction was unbelievable.

Because I don't behave as a clown, I

don't think you had to behave like a

crazy guy on the touchline.

I think someone forgets.

What never happen to me is to be

suspended for match fixing.

He was a little man in the past,

here's a little man in the present,

he will be a little man in the

future.

When a person insults another, you

can expect a proper response.

I won't forget this.

I've change.

And I am content. That means for me,

and the story.

You don't often get public feuds

that go one for as long as this one?

Not often other than in panto! But

you get them involved with Jose

Mourinho. It is a great image -- not

a great image for either club. The

managers are used to being

outspoken, but neither will be

pleased with the way it has been

handled.

Scudamore should step in if

it goes another step. It looks like

it will end.

What did he say to

them?

Behave yourselves, you are

ahead of the game, you have two

great clubs, act with dignity. When

it becomes this public spat that we

have seen, I don't think it is good

for the game. Mourinho has done this

before, Conte should not rise to it.

But he is a fighter, he wants to

make his point.

Conte, it is fascinating to see what

happens with Antonio Kante, we have

been talking about impossibly

leaving Chelsea. Is he acting in

this way because of that? ... We

have been talking about him possibly

leaving Chelsea?

Mourinho does not

like their tears in Manchester and

Guardiola will win everything before

him. -- does not like that he is in

Manchester. Conte realises that they

change their manager regularly. He

has another year left on his

contract, it does not look like he

will stay.

They have a very busy January. They

have Leicester today. We watch them

make a raptor changes against

Fleetwood, lose any Premier League

momentum and failed to have a shot

on target. From a player's

perspective, how does that take you

into the next game?

Some of the changes were forced.

Vardy would have played if he was

fit. I am sure he will come back

into the team today and cause a

number of problems for Chelsea. The

momentum was important for a team

like Leicester, I am sure they will

be confident going into the game.

Let's go live to Stamford Bridge

to hear from a man who's seen a fair

few managerial feuds in his career -

Motty.

Lovely to have you joining us, John

Watson.

Antonio Conte seems in a bit

of a strange place at the moment.

He is. There are several reasons for

it. The fixture list and the size of

the squad is one of them, but I have

to be honest, I am here, never mind

the cold, I am in a confessional

because for the first time on the

air I had to tell you how often I

watched Chelsea in my younger days.

I have with me two of the heroes,

Stamford Bridge icons, who I saw

play at that time. First of all, Ron

Harris, I will take you back to

1963, Chelsea versus Stoke, a big

promotion match, 70,000 in the

bridge that day. I was here with my

dad and 17-year-old Ron Harris was

marking 49-year-old Stanley

Matthews?

I try to market, but for a

fellow 49 years of age she was

lightning quick over the first

hundred yards -- I tried to mark

him. They beat as 1-0 or 2-1, at the

time, at one stage we were ten

points and friends when you got two

points for a win. With this losing

here we had to go to Sunderland,

practically assured unless we beat

them, and we beat them. Then we

still had to come back here on the

Tuesday or Wednesday and beat

Portsmouth 7-0.

And the manager

Tommy Docherty were celebrating in

the directors box. Bobby Tamblyn, a

real Chelsea hero, record

goal-scorer for so many years. You

played in that game?

I did. We got

off to a great start, we scored in

the first minute. I think it was

Derek Cavlan's one and only goal for

Chelsea.

You won 7-0. I got

promoted. Bobby, I was a big fan of

yours, I once went into a ticket

agency in London and bought a ticket

for an international, England versus

Wales in the afternoon at Wembley.

Did you make your debut?

I did.

Very, very belated. I came in on the

Monday for a bit of treatment, just

felt like a Monday morning. Tommy

Docherty came through the door and

said I didn't know you were injured.

I said, it is only a bit of a

strain, Tom. He said, God, that is

hard work. I said why? He said

Walter Winterbottom has been on the

phone and says he wants you to join

the party at Wembley, because you

are playing on Wednesday, if you are

fit.

Fantastic. They will always

remember your five goals at Aston

Villa, that is an old Ken

Wolstenholme commentary that we do

not have time to show that I

remember back. Ron, Jimmy Greaves

was around when Bobby was scoring

goals? Before he went to Tottenham.

Chelsea have had some great

goal-scoring heroes and it really

took Frank Lampard bringing things

up to date to overtake the

long-standing record of this man?

I

think Bob and Aussie scored some

fantastic goals when, no disrespect

to the modern-day players, when

defenders could tackle and tackle

from behind. Whether these lads

would have scored as many goals,

don't forget that years ago, when I

first came, we used to man mark

people. I follow Jimmy everywhere.

Tommy Docherty used to say to me, if

he goes to the toilet, go with him.

That was my job.

They are quick on

our programme, they have just shown

your goals explanation Bobby, the

fans still love you, you had them

ill-health, I have met your sister

over year from Ireland, how are you?

I am very good. They come over from

every home game, it is fantastic.

It

is my privilege to be here with you

two today. I will hand you back to

Dan Walker, I am getting quite

emotional about the 60s. Thank you

very much.

STUDIO: John, enjoy your final, Jude

Stamford Bridge today. Thank you

very much. Great to hear so many

memories. 1963, marking a

49-year-old Stanley Matthews.

Wonderful memories.

You can see that FA Cup third

Round Replay between Chelsea

and Norwich live on BBC One

on Wednesday night at 7.30pm.

Alongside Gary in the studio -

Alan Shearer, Dion Dublin

and Gianfranco Zola.

Also making an appearance

at Stamford Bridge will

be the Video Referee.

VAR is on trial for the next few

months at some Cup games -

and it was used for the first time

on Monday night.

Brighton play Crystal Palace in the

FA Cup. Video technology will be

used in a competitive match for the

first time. COMMENTATOR:

first time. COMMENTATOR: He shoots!

Bride to lead 1-0. That is a rarity.

24 minutes gone, Brighton take the

lead.

lead. What a shot! He's drawn

Crystal Palace level! 25 yards out

and inside the right-hand post. It's

1-1.

1-1. Bending it around the back.

Header across goal. It is in!

Brighton had scored and who's got

the goal? Glenn Murray.

I think he

went to VAR to see if he's offside

or not.

No handballs or anything

like that. He might have just

questioned it there.

like that. He might have just

questioned it there.

STUDIO: Martin Kearney is ready to

tee off on VAR. I'll come to you

first. That's a good indication of

VAR working and working well, isn't

it? They checked it and it's fine.

Working, yes. Working well, I'm not

sure. It's still not that clear. For

me it's a lot of unnecessary

conversations.

Like anything new,

there's a few teething problems but

once we are into it and we know how

it works...

I think it will get

better but is it needed at this

moment in time and is the game that

bad that we need to monitor

decisions and potentially cause more

problems? Surely clarity?

If

referees get 96% of decisions right,

if we can get to 98%, that's got to

be good for football.

Will it affect

the spectacle? There was a challenge

from Danny Welbeck. I thought it was

a penalty, first incidents, and Cesc

Fabregas. The referee allowed to

play. In that time I asked myself,

that a player sent off, what's going

to happen?

Let's say there was

something that happened in that

minute and then the referee had to

take playback and make the decision.

If it was a goal, that would be

disallowed because it would go back

to the original decision. The only

thing that would stand would be a

red card offence, serious foul play,

or bile and conduct. Let's say in

that extra minute, you are playing

and sent off for denying a

goal-scoring chance. That is not

serious foul play, spitting of

violent conduct. That red card

wouldn't stand.

I understand that

but what I don't understand is why

the play wasn't stopped there and

then because there was so much

doubt. All those possibilities

wouldn't have happened. The ball

went out of play at that juncture in

any way. It was either a minute

before it was allowed. The Nick

stopped the game for the corner

which lost some of the momentum. We

at home had no idea what was

happening. In cricket, in rugby,

there is an explanation. Maybe there

needs to be some sort of rule

change. Maybe the referee needs to

be coming forward and letting us

know why he's making those

decisions, or the guy who sits 60

miles away making that decision.

I

think that's the next step. I think

referees need to speak up.

There's a

problem for those in the crowd who

don't understand. That such an

important connection in football.

That's what we're trying to clarify,

is for the fans.

Now you've retired

you're lucky enough to go to

Twickenham and watch rugby match,

you can buy the headset and listen

to the referee. Why can't we do that

in football?

We've only just started

trialling VAR...

But we're doing it

in a proper competition. For me it

compromises the FA Cup as well.

If a

player gets injured in that time and

has to miss the rest of the season,

how is that resolved? If Arsenal's

most important player gets injured

and misses the rest of the season?

How would the crowd have reacted at

Stamford Bridge? I think we should

stop the game at that moment if

there is a serious concern. They

should be getting that information

quickly.

I feel there's quite a few

issues to resolve! I'm sure it will

happen

After losing in the Cup,

Crystal Palace will be hoping

to keep up their cracking League

form at home to Burnley

this afternoon.

They've lost only one

of their last 11 league matches,

and Steve Bower will be hoping

for some of the usual

Selhurst Park drama today.

absolutely.

They are a good team to

watch. You have to go back to the

start of the season. The

corresponding fixture back in

September against Burnley was Frank

De Burgh's fourth and final match in

charge of Pallas, that dreadful

start to the season with four

straight defeats. Roy Hodgson came

in watching them at the Etta had and

speaking to him afterwards. That was

their second game in charge and he

was saying the size of the challenge

he had ahead of him. Seven without a

win, without a point or without a

goal. Since then, he's picked up 22

points from 18 games which really is

a remarkable record. You mentioned

one defeat in 11. Only six teams

have a better form in that period.

But Crystal Palace, they still have

to keep that going. They are still

only two points above the drop zone.

There is much needed light at the

end of the tunnel. He has quite an

injury list but here is where it's

going to be won or lost as far as

Palace are concerned. Much, much

more optimism than there was the

last time they played Burnley.

We

just saw Christian Benteke behind

you! I want to ask you about

Burnley. He watched them last week

against Manchester City. There he

is! They lost by some distance but

Burnley did well for a while.

They

certainly did. After 55 minutes they

were towed to toe with Manchester

City. They were in front. They

worried the Premier League leaders.

Sean Dyche made four changes. Then

in a blink of an eye, two goals in

two minutes from Sergio Aguero and

the rest is history. They can take a

great deal of heart from that.

People making a loss of the fact

they've gone five games without a

win but let's remember where Burnley

are and how far they've come since

that Palace game. They are the best

of the rest, top of the best of the

rest, sitting there in seventh

place. What will be really

interesting is how both teams react

in the January transfer window.

Nkundu will be involved in the squad

today. A slight worry for me is that

Crystal Palace are being linked with

another Sako in the Crystal Palace

squad, that would make three Sakos

in their squad!

Keep up-to-date with that match on

final score. Frank Lampard making

his debut for this season alongside

Ian

his debut for this season alongside

Ian Wright at 10:30pm.

Let's head to Huddersfield next.

Terriers fans will be happy

to be sat in mid-table

in the Premier League at this

point of the season.

And top of their thank you list

will be Mathias Jorgenson.

Not only has he played every

minute in the league,

he also bought their away support

a pint at Christmas.

Rachel Stringer went to meet the man

they're calling Zanka Claus.

Your name is actually Mathias

Jorgensen, white Zanka? -- Zanka? .

I was coming home from training and

I was sat in front of the passenger

seat. I felt like it resembled a

bobsleigher.

bobsleigher. Therefore Zanka was

born, snowball effect. When I was 18

everyone called me Zanka.

The Winter

Olympics is coming up next month.

You have an eye on the Bobsleigh?

No!

The fans have taken to you after

six months, do you think it has

something to do with your Zanka

time?

I think so. What spurred out

of a moment of chilling and using

Twitter for what I think Twitter is

supposed to be and just getting out

there and talking with the fans.

I've had a look on Twitter and I've

picked a few. Who is the best player

you have faced in the Premier League

this season?

Mesut Ozil probably was

the one that had the best game.

Beating Man United. I think that's

similar for all of us.

You're

someone who obviously wants to give

back to the fans. Tell everybody

about Zanka Claus.

Which had a bad

run of games away from home. But the

support we got was really good. In

Bournemouth we lost 4-0. They were

clapping us and I thought it would

be nice to show that we appreciate

them. What would be better than

buying everybody a drink. Somebody

came up with the Zanka Claus thing

and it was to show the gratitude and

appreciation we feel every time we

step out there. I hope you like the

gift.

Can you explain from inside

the dressing room, what it's like

here?

We might not be the best team

in the Premier League with regards

to individual quality, but we might

be able to be the best team as a

team. Basically all that, this

Yorkshire area is all about. It's

about working hard and taking care

of each other. I think this team

stands for those values.

Next up you

have West Ham at home. You lost 2-0

to them away in September.

I think

that might be one of the worst games

we played this season. I think when

they come up here we'll see what we

can do especially way from home,

they'll get a surprise.

This game at

the weekend, they are calling it

town for all. It's in line with the

kick it out campaign.

Football is

moving towards becoming, like rest

of society, we need to take a stance

at certain points of the year. I

think the Kick It Out campaign is a

great feature in the world of

football and I think we should only

aspire to make it bigger and better.

There's only five black managers in

the top four divisions in English

football. Does it need to change?

I'm sure things will change. You see

it in America, with their sports

over there in the NFL. The NBA is

following as well. There has been

that many people of colour playing

in the Premier League. It's only a

question of time before more people

of colour come into the ranks of

being the head coach or a manager in

the Premier League

or top five divisions.

Really

interesting discussion. He's been a

superstar at Huddersfield but on

that broader point

that broader point of the Rooney

Rule, sporting authorities have two

interview a BAME candidate. They

will enforce that within the England

setup as well. Is it the right way

forward for you?

I think it needs to

happen but more black and ethnic

coaches are involved in football at

the highest level. In terms of that

ruling and how it is dictated, I'm

not sure it's the right way to go

about it. Are we forcing people into

interviewing people for the sake of

it from different backgrounds? I

think it's a level of qualifications

that needs to happen to be able to

get an interview, I think that

should be the first and foremost

thing that needs to happen.

You're

doing about at the moment, and you?

Yes, slowly! That's not the reason

why I'm not pursuing badges but it

is the reason why other bigger names

in the game, I know Ian Wright has

said he doesn't feel he'd get the

England job. People like that need

to be in the game from the things

he's had to face in the past blue I

think it's a step in the right

direction. I think it's a shame we

need that role. I didn't see, in the

dressing rooms, as a player that

racism doesn't exist. Patrick Vieira

was my friend, it didn't matter what

colour he was. It's a shame people

from the ethnic community feel they

can't go on and be managers and

coaches.

I do think the issue is

with players. I think it's the whole

concept of being given equal

opportunity. I know there's a real

issue with fans and racism that is

still alive and active in the game.

But we are to obviously squash it.

I

feel there is much more we could say

and maybe we will at a future date.

Thank you very much.

That's it from us this week.

You can see a couple of NBA stars

taking on Premier League

predictions on the website.

But in a week when Phillippe

Coutinho was unveiled

as a Barcelona player,

we leave you with the updated list

of world record transfers.

Goodbye.

MUSIC

MUSIC

COMMENTATOR: He's done it again!

Paul Pogba is back and back with a

goal!

Barcelona have completed the

signing of Ousmane Dembele for

£135.5 million.

Philippe Coutinho

has agreed to join Barcelona for a

British record fee, £142 million.

Neymar again! Where would they be

without the golden boy?