Paper talk ... the best yarns and videos doing the rounds in football. Source:AAP
Welcome to Paper Talk - your wrap of the best yarns and videos doing the rounds.
This week, we kick off in Colombia, as Deportes Quindio midfielder Hernando Patino submits his nomination for long-range volley of the year against Alianza Petrolera.
In Italy, it looks like Alessandro Del Piero's old mate, Francesco Totti, is still working his magic at Roma in Serie A.
Check out The King of Rome’s exquisite back heel, above, in a 2-0 win over Parma, in which he also scored. Roma are seventh in this year’s league.
We promised the best yarns and videos from around the world. Let's go to Barcelona - if the videos of the Colombian beauty and Totti trickery weren't enough for you, here's a combination of it all, courtesy of Barcelona's youth sides.
RIO EXIT, RIO DOUBTS
Rio de Janeiro is the target, but Rio Ferdinand’s withdrawal from the England squad has sent the media in the old dart into a frenzy as Roy Hodgson’s side tries to consolidate their path to Brazil with a crisis in defence.
England are now left with Joleon Lescott, Chris Smalling, Steven Caulker and Steven Taylor as their central defensive options for games against San Marino and Montenegro, but Hodgson’s botched attempt to recall Ferdinand has been criticised as a big failure at a decisive stage of qualifying.
Ferdinand wants to be involved in the road to Rio, but there’s one giant impediment in his way: Sir Alex Ferguson.
"Because he hasn't been playing international football when the international breaks have come along we have detailed all the things he has to do: when he trains, when his treatments come along. Therefore it is a disruption to his normal preparation," Ferguson said last week.
And with a Premier League match at the Stadium of Light and an FA Cup replay at Stamford Bridge after the international break, Ferguson expects his defender fit, recuperated and available for those fixtures - not fitting an extra two internationals in.
Hodgson treated Ferdinand’s call-up like any other player – by notifying him by text message. The problem is, without any discussion with the defender beforehand, he left himself vulnerable to Ferdinand – publicly – not accepting his selection.
The Guardian reports that Ferguson will support Ferdinand’s bid to be involved in England’s post-season fixtures. But in the meantime, at a crucial stage, Sir Alex has flexed his sizeable muscle once again. Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Wes Brown, Nemanja Vidic …
"Above all this looks like Ferdinand taking a pragmatic decision to prolong his Manchester United career at the expense of an uncertain future with England, without closing the door on a return at some point," The Guardian's Owen Gibson wrote.
Defensive instability, relying on veterans … sound familiar, Socceroos fans?
With eyes on Brazil, Sepp Blatter has assured us once again that they will be ready. But Mark Schwarzer, Joe Hart and co, look out! A bit of gardening has gone array while everyone’s been building stadiums …
REMEMBERING MICHAEL OWEN: A TALENT WHO 'PEAKED AT 18-20'
Despite petering away in recent years, becoming a bit-part player at Manchester United and Stoke City, Owen's retirement was met with glowing tributes for a player whose injuries wrecked a career that reached extraordinary heights at a young age.
The Mirror's Martin Lipton: "Even so, we should remember the player he was. The man who terrorised the best, who scared Germany, Argentina and Brazil witless. The finest of his generation. Michael Owen."
Sky Sports' Adam Bates: "Explosive at his best, he deserves to be remembered as what he is - the only British footballer in the last 30 years to have a legitimate case for having once been the best on the planet. Rarely will this country see a player hit such heights again."
The Independent's James Lawton: "In the end there were just too many tearing injuries, slowing him down and taking away that first searing certainty, but Michael Owen was right to be proud when he announced that he would retire at the end of the season."
Former England boss Glen Hoddle: "He is in the top four of our greatest-ever finishers, along with Jimmy Greaves, Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer. Some might say he is at the top of that list."
Former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier: "He scored practically one goal every two games for the national team and the same for Liverpool. As a manager, I was blessed to have him in my team."
But The Sun's Steven Howard says: "he still leaves the stage with conflicting feelings from the supporters of the clubs for whom he played. Newcastle fans never took to him. Manchester United supporters are still scratching their heads as to why Alex Ferguson ever signed him. As for Stoke fans... Even followers of Liverpool, for whom Owen was the leading scorer from 1997 to 2004, were left perplexed."
WE'VE GOT A JOB FOR RAFA!
Blackburn Rovers' bosses are proving you don't have to have the 'interim' tag to be an interim manager.
The Mirror reports that Venky Group have pinpointed the Chelsea boss as their No.1 target should he leave Stamford Bridge as expected in the English summer.
Other names linked are: Tottenham's Tim Sherwood, Steve McClaren and Sven Goran Eriksson.
TIME FOR A QUALITY RANT
Peter Odemwingie added a bit of drama and intrigue to Deadline Day, driving to QPR to have a medical without permission from his own club. He's back for the next episode of get me our of WBA!
"Keeping me on the bench now is worse than what they did on the 31st," he wrote on Twitter.
"New advisers told me to say it’s all my fault cos its better for me.
"If they like they shouldn’t even give me 10 mins to play. Threatening to ruin my career? Career I closed already last summer? No harm to me.
"Want to treat me like an average player. The abuse and praise I get is it average? So get some extra from me too."
WINTER WORLD CUPS, FICTITIOUS LEAGUES
So it looks like the World Cup in 2022 will be held in winter after all.
Premier League chairman Sir Dave Richards told Sky Sports News: "I think they will play (the World Cup) at a time that is proper for football but they will have to speak to the leagues in Europe. They will have to agree proper times when we can start and finish. At the moment it has a tremendous amount of implications for Europe. For us, at this minute, the answer is 'no'.
"But, if we take a proper view, we have to find a way to have a winter spell where we don't play and I think common sense will prevail. We've got FIFA now saying that medical people are saying that they can't play in Qatar in the summer because of the heat, which is probably right. I think over the next few years, things will change and they will come to a compromise."
The Qatari Football Association said they had "no involvement in any such initiative" and had "heard nothing to suggest such a concept is genuine".
Indeed, it appears journalist Oliver Kay was misled by a source, prompting The Times' football editor Tony Evans to concede: "Over the three days that followed the publication of the story, it appeared increasingly clear that Kay and the paper had been duped. And that the checks from the office in London had not been stringent enough in the rush to publication."
DESPERATE TIMES, DESPERATE MEASURES
What's the strangest thing you've ever done to show your commitment to your footy team?
Bet you haven't gone as far as these Galatasaray fans, who were caught trying to dig their way into Schalke's Veltins-Arena to watch their team train before their UEFA Champions League clash last week.
The frozen ground didn't help their cause as they burrowed with bare hands. Clever.
GUSHING AT STAMFORD BRIDGE
Lampard hails Hazard, Terry lauds Lampard. All’s merry at the Bridge?
Terry told Chelsea TV: "You talk about the (Gianfranco) Zolas and the best players to have played at the club, but for me he (Lampard) is the best.
"We all love him, we'll all be pushing for him to reach the record.'
Terry puts Lampard on Ryan Giggs's pedestal: :You can only single out two players to play consistently well and to score goals over the course of the last 10-15 years and that is him and Ryan Giggs.
"It's incredible, to see the number of goals he's scored at such a high level as well - Champions League goals, Premier League goals - and the hunger."
Meanwhile, after Lampard compared Hazard to Zola, The Daily Mail's Rick Sharma wrote: "Eden Hazard can be the next superstar. The next Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.
"But not in the same way that plenty of youngsters are slapped with these tags before they sign their first professional deal or pick up their first pair of hi-viz name-embroidered boots.
"It's a different matter entirely because Hazard is halfway there already. And maybe more than that."
BEST OF THE RUMOUR MILL:
YAYA TOURE: After six months of protracted contract negotiations, Manchester City's highest wage earner has demanded a new contract by the weekend or he'll leave.
His manager told The Sun: "If he signs a contract in the next three or four days, OK. If not, we will not wait any longer and will start negotiations with different clubs.
"Today is Tuesday, so it means by Saturday. We will say ‘Thank you. OK, Yaya will leave in May.’
"I do not feel he will stay at City. This is not about money. He wants to leave because of many reasons.
"He is one of the best players at Manchester City but does not feel the respect of the staff. Only Roberto Mancini respects Yaya."
ASMIR BEGOVIC: The Daily Telegraph reports that Stoke City will invite bids over £15m for their in-demand goalkeeper, who is keen to progress. But will Manchester United, who broke the British transfer record to snare David De Gea from Atletico Madrid, do so again just to provide competition to the Spaniard? Arsenal and Chelsea are also looming in the race for the 25-year-old.
DAVID VILLA: The Daily Mail hints that Arsenal target David Villa has been offered a new contract. Plenty of English clubs are reportedly interested in the striker, who becomes a free agent in 14 months.
XABI ALONSO: The Express claim that the Real Madrid midfielder will "run down his contract at Madrid until next summer", placing former club Liverpool on high alert for the player, who would be available on a Bosman transfer.
ROMELU LUKAKU: Caught Offside suggest that the giant striker could re-unite with Andre Villas-Boas at Tottenham - the coach that brought him to England. He is currently on loan at West Brom from Chelsea.
SCOTT SINCLAIR: After just 12 appearances for City, the former Swansea player is being linked with Aston Villa.
EDINSON CAVANI: Sky Sports says Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has put a £60million price tag on Manchester City target Edinson Cavani.
The Uruguayan striker has been in fine form this season, scoring 27 goals for the Serie A side, reportedly making him among City's top targets for the summer.
But De Laurentiis insists the 26-year-old will not be leaving Napoli unless the club receives a huge bid for the player.
"We included a very high buy-out clause in his contract as we want him to stay," said De Laurentiis, quoted in The Sun.
"But if some nutter is willing to pay £60m, which would mean a net fee of £54m for Napoli, we are ready to listen to the offer.
"Let it be clear that the final decision lies with Edinson. He knows he's respected here and that the people love him."
FOR THE HAPPY HACKERS OUT THERE
Here are two to make you content with your lot on the pitch ...
One from Mexico, in a league match played on Saturday night between Tigres and Guadalajara, and the second is from Clarence Seedorf in Brazil for Botafogo.
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