West Ham are set to battle for the signing of LOSC Lille centre-back Sven Botman according to a report from the Northern Echo.
The lowdown: Wanted man
Botman played an integral part in the Lille side that lifted the Ligue 1 title in 2020/21 and was hailed as a ‘top player’ by defensive partner Jose Fonte, helping to keep 20 clean sheets.
He earned an impressive 7.08 average match rating from 37 league outings in the process (Sofascore), and has even earned praise from the legendary Paolo Maldini for his form in the last couple of years.
The 22-year-old has already attracted attention from Liverpool and AC Milan in the past and now is the subject of further interest from the English top flight.
The latest: Hammers join the race
As per the report from NE, West Ham are set to ‘battle’ for the capture of the Netherlands youth international.
It’s claimed that whilst Newcastle United remain in the hunt, the east London club will offer ‘stiff competition’ in the summer transfer window.
Having failed in an attempt to land Duje Caleta-Car in January, it’s stated that West Ham are ‘set to switch their attentions’ to Botman.
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The verdict: Solid investment
Irons’ boss David Moyes is believed to have ‘identified’ a left-sided central defender as a top priority and it’s easy to see why Lille’s colossal young Dutchman is among the leading contenders.
Described as a ‘golden boy’ by Francesco Miniero, Botman has gone from strength to strength in an exciting career to date and looks perfectly suited to bolster the defensive ranks at the London Stadium.
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Standing at 6’4 and strong in the air (WhoScored), so far this season the ex-Ajax man has scored three times in 21 league appearances, proving to be equally impactful in both penalty boxes.
Valued at £27million and under contract in France until 2025 (Transfermarkt), signing the Dutchman will be an expensive venture but certainly a worthwhile one.
West Ham interested in ‘huge talent’. Read more here.
Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen has signed a new contract at the club that will keep him in North London until 2015.
The Belgium international joined The Gunners from Ajax back in 2009, and instantly impressed with excellent defensive displays and contributing to the side’s goal tally in his first campaign in England.
The vice-captain has had an injury prone last year, but has agreed to prolong his stay with Arsene Wenger’s men.
“I am really happy to have signed a new contract with Arsenal. I always had the intention to stay here,” he told the club’s official website.
“I feel there is a big belief in me from the club, from the boss and from the fans and that is one of the reasons why I stayed.
“Arsenal is a fantastic club. We have great supporters, we’re doing well financially and we are playing with some quality young players now and they will develop, which is very good for the future,” he concluded.
Boss Wenger is also delighted that the centre half has decided to commit to the Emirates’ outfit, and feels the defender can play a big part in Arsenal’s future hopes for success.
“We are absolutely delighted that Thomas has signed a new long-term contract,” the French coach stated.
“Our plan is always to sign top quality players and with Thomas extending his contract, we have done just that.
“Thomas is a special player, who has always made a huge contribution on the pitch and we are looking forward to him being a part of our future at Arsenal Football Club,” he stated.
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The news will bolster Arsenal amid constant rumours over their best players leaving the club, and Wenger’s next focus will be in convincing star attacker Robin van Persie to sign on the dotted line, as his current deal runs out in June 2013.
Chelsea boss Andre Villas Boas has rebuffed criticism of his side in the aftermath of their 3-1 defeat to Manchester United last Sunday, and has stated that his side are still challengers for honours.
The press were damning of the Stamford Bridge club’s performance at Old Trafford, with Alan Hansen calling The Blues ‘naive’.
However, the Portuguese coach has defended his team and feels the criticism was harsh.
“What came out of that game was that, with that scoreline, we were naive because the others guys [United] created an amount of opportunities to win by the scoreline – but that is completely false, completely false,. We were the team that had seven or eight opportunities,” he stated to The Telegraph.
“They are Man United at Old Trafford. The three goals — two were offside and the third was a ricochet. Where were we naive in that? Or is the person who is writing the article being naive?” he stated scathingly, with Hansen’s comments in mind.
“One thing – it’s untrue. At 30 minutes the most dominant team [in the match] was the least efficient team [United], 13 shots against three. There was no naiveness there, just an unwillingness [from critics] to make a correct comment on the game by having pleasure in criticising the others.
“We weren’t naive. We had the initiative of the game, we could have won the game. We created the most chances. It was a problem of efficiency for us. I would do the same [tactics] all over the season,” he concluded.
Chelsea take on Swansea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, and will look to close the gap on United, who have a tricky trip to Stoke.
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Charlie Adam is a player that divides opinion. Some see him as offering a genuine threat in the final third and in possession of a wonderful range of passing; his detractors often state that he lacks composure against top-class opposition and that he can be too prone to Hollywood balls. As is often with cases like this, the truth lies somewhere in between. What is without question though, is the pivotal role which Adam has in this new-look Liverpool side, which brings me to the point, if you take Adam out of the side, does it affect the balance of this Liverpool side? And is it for the better?
It’s my contention that Liverpool operate best in a 4-3-3 formation with Suarez as the focal point of the team’s attack. It allows a fluidity to their attacking play and it draws the best out of those around the Uruguayan. However, trying to pin down Dalglish to a consistent formation is like trying to nail jelly to a wall.
So far, Adam has started in every single league game this season for his new club and has a respectable three assists and one goal from his first six league outings. Last season at Blackpool, Adam struck twelve times and created nine goals in what was ultimately an exciting but unfulfilled campaign. It’s obvious what he brings to the party – the much-coveted and often elusive ‘end product’.
The Scotland international was deployed in a two-man midfield alongside Lucas Leiva against Spurs, but during his stay at Anfield thus far, he’s predominantly been used as one part of a triumvarite. To put it simply, the theory behind the Lucas/Adam axis is that the Brazilian holding man does the tackling, and that Adam does the distributing. So far, the results have been mixed
It’s worked when this Liverpool side has been on top, but when they’ve been put under pressure, as they were in the game at White Hart Lane, Adam’s lack of pace has been found wanting and he has been guilty of diving in far too easily on occasion.
When Dalglish has opted for a midfield three, Jordan Henderson has come in alongside both Adam and Lucas and the balance struck has certainly been a lot better. It’s somewhat reminiscent of the line-up that Blackpool went for last season with Adam in the side. Lucas doubles as David Vaughan and Henderson as either Elliot Grandin or Keith Southern.
Playing in a three-man midfield, as Liverpool have done at times this season, is what suits Adam best. It grants him more freedom, time on the ball and less of a disciplined role in tracking back. But does this then mean that Adam needs a degree of protection in order to get the best out him?
A fact that is often glossed over, though, is just how poor Adam’s disciplinary record has been since his stay in the top flight. His record of 13 yellow cards and 1 red card since the start of last season is second only to Newcastle’s Cheik Tiote. He finished last season with the third-most fouls in the league, behind just Tiote and Kevin Davies. He’s already joint-second this season, alongside who I hear you cry? That’s right, you guessed it, our man in the north, Cheik Tiote.
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In short, his dismissal against Spurs last weekend had been an accident waiting to happen for quite some time now. His lack of mobility tends to mean that he struggles in a two-man midfield and he was brutally exposed by Spurs high-tempo style of play. This further begs the question, can Liverpool afford to cater their side’s style of play just to tailor to Adam’s needs? And does he represent something of a passenger at times?
It’s worth noting that Adam’s two finest performances in a Liverpool shirt so far have been against a ten-man Arsenal side and when Liverpool were 3-0 up against Bolton and cruising. Does he have the ability to step it up against a finer class of opposition when the going gets tough? It’s fair to say that the jury is still out on that one.
Another potential spanner in the works is this long-awaited return of Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard from a serious groin injury. Gerrard and Suarez have the potential to dovetail brilliantly in the future and the role he takes up in the side on his return could have an effect on Adam’s. in the short-term
Gerrard’s return opens up all number of possibilities, though. He could step into a role just behind Suarez or Andy Carroll up top. He could drop into a midfield three alongside Adam and Lucas, with Henderson making way, or he could play out wide.
Dropping Adam from the side, in theory, affects the balance of the side. His balls from deep are a great way of relieving pressure and the presence of his long-range passing has been seen to bring out the best in both Suarez and Stewart Downing. It makes Liverpool a more expansive, open outfit and as a result, a more attacking and attractive proposition.
The side have lacked a player capable of putting the ball on a sixpence since the departure of Xabi Alonso, and while Adam is nowhere near being in the Spaniard’s class, the point remains. However, if you were to drop Adam from the side upon Gerrard’s return, it frees an extra space up top, with Dirk Kuyt, Craig Bellamy or Andy Carroll the likely benefactors of the England vice-captain’s return to central midfield.
Last season, Dalglish’s Liverpool side built their impressive run of form upon the backbone of Lucas and Jay Spearing. So far, Spearing has struggled to force his way into the starting eleven this season ahead of the glamorous acquisitions of Jordan Henderson and Charlie Adam. He may be as ugly as sin and perform an unglamorous role, but Spearing was pivotal last term and a recall may add balance to a platform in danger of tilting over in favour of attacking intent.
Charlie Adam looks to be a decent signing at £7m, but whether he should be so assured of a guaranteed role in Liverpool’s starting eleven remains in question. The balance of the side looks a lot better with Gerrard and Spearing in place of Adam and Henderson.
The knock-on effect, though, could be a less extravagant style of play. To stick or twist are the options available to Dalglish at present, but for me, Adam’s place shouldn’t be taken for granted. He certainly lacks both the flexibility and adaptability to perform at his best in different systems and formations. His presence may be a necessity for the time being, but whether it does so in the future remains to be seen. As a rotated squad player, Adam has a lot to offer, but as a regular starter, Adam may be causing more damage to the team’s shape than he’s worth in the long-run.
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Whilst everyone focuses on the title, there is a battle going on with just as much intensity at the opposite end of the table, where the prize is not to be champions, but just to fight for your life and remain in the top tier of English football.
The promoted clubs have made starts to life in the Premier League with varying levels of success, yet none currently occupy a place in the bottom three. Norwich currently sit highest up the table in 8th, and under Paul Lambert they have made the transition well. A club more notorious for Delia Smith and her ‘let’s be having you’ rant during their last spell in the premier league than anything, they will be hoping that this time they can make a better impact and avoid the drop.
Likewise under Mourinho protégé Brendan Rodgers, Swansea have made a better start than anyone could have hoped for after their opening day demolition by Manchester City. They have done what is vital to all promoted sides – taken points from the teams around them, and do have a couple of star players in their team. Not to mention a manager who has learnt from the very best and looks more than capable of managing in the top tier of English football. Despite this, Swansea are still most people’s favourites for relegation. Teams that currently sit below them such as Everton and Fulham will climb up the table, and in order to survive, their away from simply has to improve.
Most people would have expected money boys QPR to make the best start of the promoted boys, and whilst not the case, I still think they will finish the highest of the three and have the best chance of avoiding the drop. The victory over Chelsea will have been a great boost in morale for the players, and their form at Loftus Road is something that must be kept up and improved if possible. A Britannia like atmosphere needs to be created, and this along with a slight improvement on the road may well see QPR stay in the big boys league next season – don’t forget they also have what the other clubs threatened by relegation do not – the potential to spend in January and this could make all the difference come the end of the season.
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Things are looking particularly dire for the Lancashire clubs this season, and none more so than Wigan. After escaping relegation ever since arriving in the Premier League, the club look more susceptible than ever to face the drop this season. Martinez plays an attacking style of football, and whilst commendable and easy on the eye, it is questionable if this is the approach Wigan should take. Their defensive frailty and naivety has cost them on more than one occasion, and are currently favourites for the drop. Based on their performances and results, this is not something that will surprise most people.
Another club that have battled relegation whenever they have been in the Premier League is Wolves, and after literally being the last day survival story last time round, Wolves look like letting it go to the wire again. The players have that extra year of experience in the league now, as does Mick McCarthy, yet the fans seem to expect more than a fight for relegation from the team, and expressed exactly how they felt when the team were 2 – 0 down at home after 45 minutes against Swansea, and even though the team managed a draw, it was a game they should be looking to win. Times are tough at Wolves, and if they do escape the bottom three, don’t expect them to place much higher than 16th in the table.
Blackburn are a club that in days gone by, teams would fear the trip to home ground Ewood Park, yet under the hapless Steve Kean, this is not the case anymore. Despite a good win over at the time a flailing Arsenal, Rovers have looked tactically clueless and disappointing this season. It is not due to a lack of quality players – in Samba, Robinson and Salgado they have quality seasoned professionals, not to mention the youth and talent of the likes of Hoilet, yet they sit 18th in the league.
Under Sam Allardyce Rovers would look for a middle of the table finish, yet under Kean, will be lucky to avoid the drop. Normally, I resist in saying that the manager should face the chop so early into the season, but for Rovers, it is something that has to be done in order to secure Premier League status, and with quality managers like Martin O’Neil out of work and possibly tempted to take on the club on a temporary basis until a more permanent solution is found, the Venky’s must act now to avoid the situation becoming any more dire.
Lancashire rivals Bolton are a club that you expect to see in the Premier League, and under former manager Sam Allardyce they were a top six club. Being taken apart by Chelsea is one thing, but losing to Swansea and Sunderland is something than Bolton simply cannot afford to do, and with little hope of beating the bigger sides in the division, they must start beating the teams around them if they wish to have any chance of surviving.
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Whilst West Brom may linger at the bottom half of the table, Roy Hodgson is an astute manager who, although it may not have clicked for him at Liverpool, is able to bring the best out of players of medium quality, and keep a club that may flirt with relegation in the premier league. Yes, things may look worrying but the baggies are able to beat the sides in and around them and it is this that will see them safe this season. The game against Bolton in two weeks’ time is a must win, as either side of that they play both North London teams, and will be lucky to pick up points against either of them.
Sunderland are another club that may consider themselves too big or good to go down, yet under Steve Bruce since the latter half of last season they have been in free fall and have struggled to put together a winning streak since. With the signings of Peter Crouch and what seemed to be most of the Manchester United rejects, Bruce brought quality in, and there is a spirit in the team and a will to win – displayed by coming back from behind twice against Villa, and this coupled with the board and manager should see Sunderland climb the table towards the second half of this season.
If any club are ‘too big’ to go down, it would be Everton, who are having their customary slow start to the season, which was not helped by the loss of Arteta to Arsenal, yet Moyes still has quality in the squad and always manages to do great things with the pittance he is given at the club. In no way would I be surprised if Everton pushed for a UEFA cup spot this season – with the money and resources other clubs in the league have, a top four place seems beyond Everton.
This early on in the season it is hard to conclusively say who will be in a relegation fight, one thing is certain, no club is too big for the drop – who do you think will go down? Comment or follow me on twitter @RebeccaKnight01
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For many fans, the problem with the power structure at Arsenal is that, since the departure of David Dein, the club has been lacking individuals willing to contradict Arsene Wenger. From Pat Rice and Boro Primorac to Ivan Gazidis and Peter Hill-Wood the Arsenal manager appears to have all of them eating out of the palm of his hand. So what then should Arsenal fans expect of Stan Kroenke? You’re as likely to see ‘Silent’ Stan around The Emirates as you are to see Ed Miliband delivering seminars on charisma, but that does not mean that the largest sports mogul in the world will not be keeping a keen eye on the club he paid close to a billion dollars for in April last year.
His NFL franchise the St. Louis Rams have recently finished a disappointing season, similar to the one Arsenal are enduring at the moment, what better way to understand the north London club’s new owner than to observe his behaviour towards his other teams. So what was Kroenke’s reaction to the Rams having such a poor season? A major restructuring of the club. Head coach Steve Spagnuolo and general manager Billy Devaney were both shown the door in what Kroenke described as a ‘difficult but necessary’ change for the club.
This begs the question: could we see a similar scenario at Arsenal come the end of the season? With the Arsene Wenger’s tenure apparently wearing thin with The Emirates’ crowd and Ivan Gazidis testing the patience of every Arsenal fan with his lack of negotiating skill could Kroenke really be the man to initiate success-inspiring change at Arsenal? His overhaul of the management of the St. Louis Rams certainly showed that he is not afraid to put sentimentality aside for the success of the club, even if it was an injury crisis that hampered the Rams’ season rather than the coaching staff.
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The problem is of course is that Arsenal is still a profitable club under Wenger, he still has the ability to make money for Kroenke and come the end of the season we could see a subconscious differentiation from Kroenke between ‘for the good of the club’ and ‘for the good of my pocket’. The same goes for Gazidis, who we know does a good job expanding Arsenal’s global brand but is found wanting when it comes to transfer dealings – most notably selling one of the world’s best central midfielders and Arsenal’s captain for a pitiful initial £25m. For Barcelona President Sandro Rosell to announce shortly after the transfer that Fabregas was actually worth closer to £60m was a bitter pill for Arsenal fans to swallow and not one they will forgive Gazidis for easily.
However you would expect that, being former chief executive of the MLS, Ivan Gazidis was probably one of the major reasons for Kroenke’s faith in Arsenal, thus his departure seems unlikely. A further worry for Arsenal fans should be that even if Kroenke were to sack Arsene Wenger, with so little time spent watching Arsenal games and a questionable knowledge of football in general, how strong a position will Kroenke be in to either recognise the type of manager that Arsenal would need as Wenger’s replacement or identify which manager has those qualities. This might be largely up to Peter Hill-Wood but even he seems out of touch in recent years.
How too should Arsenal fans read Kroenke’s situation with the LA Dodgers, an MLB team that the American tycoon has bid for. Should they be worried that Kroenke seems to have a greater interest in adding to his collection of teams rather than focusing on providing success for them? Looking at his other ventures you can deduce that Kroenke certainly won’t be embarking on any Arsenal shaped extravagances any time soon, that’s not his style. However he’s not afraid of initiating changes, indeed the American media has suggested that Kroenke is bidding for the LA Dodgers because he intends to move the St. Louis Rams to Los Angeles, which is no small feat. So what can we infer from our knowledge of Kroenke? That he’s not scared to make big decisions, that he’s definitely not Abramovich or Mansour, but above all he’s interested in making money. If you needed any proof that Wenger had the full support of Kroenke you need only look to the American’s interview with The Telegraph, in which he said:
“Arsene is one of my favourite people I have met in the last 20 years. He is a great person and I love the way he handles himself. I love his focus. He is a very intelligent guy. You can talk to him about anything and, when he starts talking to people, I really love to listen to him…I have tremendous confidence in him. He is one of the great managers in the world…With Arsene, it [leaving the club] is his decision and only he will know that.”
So it looks ominous for the ‘Wenger-out’ brigade, at least another season looks likely for the Arsenal manager should he refuse to walk, but Kroenke has proved that he is prepared to shake things up, when he might do so is another matter altogether.
For more Arsenal news and stories follow me on Twitter @H_Mackay
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Celtic boss Neil Lennon will evaluate where his team is at when they meet Serie A giants Inter Milan in the Dublin Super Cup.The Scottish Premier League side have already started their 2011/12 campaign, beating Hibernian 2-0 in the opening round of matches and having had their meeting with Dunfermline Athletic postponed to participate in the two-day tournament in Dublin.
They will meet Inter on the opening day before a clash with Airtricity XI, which is a collection of the best players in the League of Ireland.
Lennon – who took his men to Australia as part of the pre-season programme – said he would use the test against Gian Piero Gasperini’s team to monitor his side’s progress.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for us to gauge where we are in terms of comparisons with the calibre of team of Inter Milan,” he said on Friday.
“We feel that Europe is important, not just to the club but to the players and the backroom staff, including myself, as part of our development.”
Celtic will begin their Europa League campaign on August 18 when they enter the qualification stages of the competition in the play-off round.
Their next league game is at Aberdeen on August 7.
Yakubu scored four times as Blackburn secured a much needed win to lift the pressure on manager Steve Kean beating Swansea 4-2 at Ewood Park.
The Nigerian was the star of the show scoring all of Rovers’ goals to lift them off the bottom of the Premier League and extend the Swans’ winless run on the road to seven games. In a game that will have proved enthralling for the football purists as both sides went for all out attack with defending put firmly on the back burner with Leroy Lita and Luke Moore scoring consolations for Brendan Rodgers side. Once again Kean was subject to a series of protests and chants over his tenure in the Ewood Park dugout but this win will go a long way to repairing his relationship with supporters. After a disappointing Carling Cup defeat at the hands of Cardiff on Tuesday victory was the only thing that would silence the Blackburn boo boys. From the outset it was the home side who looked the hungrier with Kean’s decision to rest his key players in mid-week appearing to pay off in the early stages as Rovers came firing out of the traps.
It didn’t take them long to take the lead with Yakubu scoring his first of the afternoon in the 20th minute lashing home from the edge of the area after being set up by Gael Givet. In an entertaining first half that fluctuated from end-to-end it was no surprise to see the visitors grab a swift equaliser and it was Lita who provided it stealing in at the back post to nod home Mark Gowers cross on 35 minutes. The hosts were still in the supremacy and regained their lead in first half injury time with Yakubu snatching his second of the game instinctively diverting Simon Vukcevic’s left footed volley past Michael Vorm. The former Everton forward was at it again just after the restart giving Rovers a vital two goal cushion prodding home Christopher Samba’s header to complete his hat trick.
However the South Wales side weren’t out of it yet and displayed the fighting spirit that has endeared them to many in the top flight this season as substitute Luke Moore came off the bench to put the Swans within sight of a comeback. However their task of salvaging a point were dashed once Joe Allen was sent off after being handed his second yellow by referee Chris Foy. It got worse for Rodger’s men as Neil Taylor sent Vukcevic sprawling in the penalty area allowing Yakubu to score his fourth with eight minutes remaining to secure Blackburn’s first win since mid-September and lift them to within a point of safety.
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It wasn’t too long ago that you reguarly saw two home nations appearing at a major tournament. Nowadays, however, it is something of a relief to see England there. Where did it all go wrong for the home nations in international football?
Whatever you may think of the FIFA rankings, they do tell you a lot about the current situation of the countries in the UK and Ireland. Wales are 117th in the world behind teams like Haiti; Northern Ireland are 59th; Scotland rank a measly 55th. The Republic of Ireland, meanwhile, are a respectable 31st in the world.
A perfect example of the recent decline is with Scotland. Scottish supporters have not seen the Saint Andrew’s Cross flying proudly at a major competition since 1998. Despite the win over Lithuania, which has kept alive their hopes of qualifying for Euro 2012, recent campaigns have followed an all-too-familiar pattern of hope and disappointment.
The growth of the Premier League has had an adverse effect on the fortunes of the home nations. The money on offer in the English league is eye-watering in comparison to that of the Scottish league system, and as a result it has all but been consumed by it. It now seems that the best players in the SPL are only good enough to play in the second tier of English football and is it not very often you see a Scottish player making the move to a top end Premier League team, Shaun Maloney’s move to Wigan being the most recent example. The SPL’s record top scorer, Kris Boyd, was deemed only good enough to play in the Championship which does illustrate the poor standard of football in the Scottish league. However I don’t think this should affect the national team as much as it has, since other nations that have poor domestic leagues still impress on the international stage. The Dutch league is not the greatest in the world but they still produce world class players on a regular basis, therefore I think there is a deeper problem at the heart of the poor performances.
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Another major problem is that the higher seeded nations get an easier draw and as soon as a nation hits a period of decline they find it hard to re-emerge due to their low seeding position giving them tougher groups. The best these nations can rely on is finishing in 2nd place behind the highest ranked team and then having to win the dreaded playoff to qualify.
While Scotland and Northern Ireland may be able to pull off a surprise result with their best eleven they do not have the squad capable of maintaining such a high standard for an extremely long qualifying campaign, conducted over a period of fourteen months. While both teams have a few players who are of Premier League standard, and who are proven performers at international level, the rest of the squaf is made of players who frequent the Championship, League One and the SPL. This is certainly the case with Wales who have a couple of high-profile names supported by a squad of lower league players. Hence, when these bigger players are missing, Wales seem to struggle.
The Welsh and Northern Irish domestic football leagues remain of very poor quality, which is unlikely to produce many future members of a successful international team. They have always relied on the English leagues to unearth and develop their top players and, with the ever-increasing number of foreign players in the Premier League, it has become even harder for these players to make it at the top.
As the number of countries taking part in qualifying tournaments has increased, with the collapse of the USSR and Yugoslavia, qualification has expanded making it harder for a smaller nation such as Scotland or Northern Ireland to get there and the minnows have improved in quality. When Northern Ireland are losing 4-1 away to Estonia it is time to worry and I think we may have to accept that we are unlikely to see the home nations countries at a major championship any time soon.
Let me know your thoughts and follow me on twitter @aidanmccartney for more thoughts and views on the biggest issues in football.
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Bolton manager Owen Coyle has confirmed that Fabrice Muamba is making good progress in his path to recovery.
The combative midfielder collapsed on the White Hart Lane pitch in a fixture against Tottenham earlier this month, but his coach has confirmed that things are looking better.
“He continues to get better, but remaining in intensive care,” the Scot told Sky Sports.
“When we went the other day and managed to see him, we could see the continued improvement and that all bodes well.
“I also have to say thank you to the press, the media, for how they have conducted themselves and the way they have given Fabrice and his family that privacy that’s been required.
“Again, now is the time when they need a little bit more time and space for Fabrice’s continued recovery, for him and the family.
“The well wishes have been really supportive and helped him no end and I think he has taken great strength from that. That will help in his continued fight to recover.
“We have always had representation at the hospital and that will continue because it’s important that we know he is getting better, which he is.
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“The doctor gets the daily updates in the morning. He’s going in the right direction and, with everybody’s thoughts and prayers, long may that continue,” he concluded.