Ex-England International given permission to go for Stevenage Job

Ex-England international and Manchester United legend Teddy Sheringham has today been given permission by West Ham to speak to Stevenage about potentially replacing Graham Westley as their new manager. If Sheringham was to take charge of "The Boro" this would be his first full managers job since retiring from playing back in 2008.

The 49-year old is currently West Ham's forward coach and has been since May 2014. He has been highly credited as one of the key reasons to West Ham's new attractive attacking football this season. He has also been labelled as the key reason for Diafra Sakho winning the Premiership's player of the month in October 2014.

I personally feel sorry for Graham Westley as he has guided Stevenage to the League 2 play-offs, however Stevenage went out after losing 4-2 to Southend on aggregate. However, given that Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink turned Burton Albion from a relegation threatened side to League 2 winners in just 6 months, then Teddy Sheringham maybe Stevenage needs to get promoted at the end of next season.

Despite Teddy Sheringham still being fairly new to the coaching side of the game, his career has been filled with playing under great managers such as Sir Alex Ferguson who I'm sure he will take a lot of inspiration from the Scotsman's managerial success'. Having spent all season working closely with Sam Allardyce, then Teddy Sheringham may soon become a fantastic manager whether he gets the Stevenage job or not.

Argyle fans favourite Banton amongst those getting the chop

Plymouth Argyle have recently announced the list of players who shall be released at the end of the season.

8 players will be departing Argyle without their contracts being renewed which includes fans favourite Jason Banton and central midfielder Dominic Blizzard. Both men have regularly featured for the greens throughout this season with Banton having a lengthy loan period at Home Park prior to his permanent move.

Others amongst the list include experienced striker Marvin Morgan, future prospects Matt Lecointe, River Allen and Jamie Richards. Ollie Norburn is also departing after struggling to cement first team football with the Devon-based side this season.

Another disappointment for the Argyle fans is the news that Paul Wotton has confirmed his retirement from playing despite already being a first team coach at Plymouth. Wotton's illustrious career has seen him play 491 times for Plymouth Argyle who were his local side as a child.

This leaves Argyle with only 9 players currently signed on for next season as well as 6 players rumored to be offered new contracts which include first team regulars Lewis Alessandra and Peter Hartley.

Where next for Preston's play off hero?

It's now that annual time of the season where all football clubs are starting to release players from there clubs with Bolton Wanderers certainly following suit after today releasing 13 first team players. This includes English-born Jamaican international Jermaine Beckford who has had a fantastic loan spell at Preston North End this season with Beckford scoring 20 times in 35 appearances for "The Lilywhites" and he will be heavily missed at Deepdale.


Despite Beckford travelling around a lot in his 10-year professional career, he still has an impressive goal-scoring record having netted 158 times in 376 professional appearances at club level as well as 1 international goals in his 6 caps for the Jamaican national side. Nether the less he has proved to be prolific when playing his domestic football in league one scoring 113 goals in 199 appearances during his league one spells with Leeds United, Carlisle United, Scunthorpe United and Preston.


I feel that Beckford has the skill and ability to do well in a low level Championship side or a high level League One side and I feel given his vital contribution to Preston's Play Off campaign this season, regardless of where they are next season this could be his best possible destination. Having been there for the majority of this season then will settle in very quickly and would certainly feel at ease. However, there are also some other good clubs that I'm sure would be happy to sign a player of Beckford's calibre with Reading and Millwall being two of my other strong suggestions as to who should attempt to snap up Beckford in the summer.


Needless to say, he may coming to the later stage of his career the 31-year old still has the ability and capabilities of doing a good job wherever he goes and if used right, he may well have a fantastic 2015-2016 campaign.  


 

Fullham interested in Newcastle United Goalkeeper

Marcus Bettinelli has been a bright spark for Fullham this season and is heavily rumored to be leaving Craven Cottage at the end of the season. Kit Symons has stated that he will offer the 22-year old a new contract but with Chelsea stepping up their interest in Bettinelli, Fullham are almost having to look for an alternative option.

With Rob Elliot set to become third choice goalkeeper at Newcastle Untied, when Karl Darlow returns from his loan spell at Nottingham Forest then Elliot's lack of game time is only going to be shortened even more. Elliot will surely be set to look for a new club as he has only made 28 first team appearences in his 4-year tenure with "The Magpies".

Fullham have confirmed to be interested Elliot and I feel that if Elliot really wants first team football then this is probably his best option. He isn't getting any younger and with Elliot only playing 176 professional matches in his 11-year career then surely he would daft to turn down this opportunity.

Rob Elliot has shown signs of being a good goalkeeper and maybe a move to Fullham could get his career back on track as well as hopefully guding Fullham to a much stronger season than they've had this time around.

Conor Hourihane: Barnsley's Irish Wizard

It's fair to say Barnsley's season has not exactly been one filled with success and promise. However it's also fair to say that Conor Hourihane has certainly stood out from the rest of the crowd this season and has quickly become a fan favourite at Oakwell this season following his £220,000 move from Plymouth Argyle last summer.

Despite Hourihane being a natural central midfielder, he has certainly been one of Barnsley's best players this season if not the best being Barnsley's Top Scorer and having the clubs most assists this season in League 1. His contribution of 12 goals and 13 assists in 44 appearences (which include a goal and 3 assists in their 5-0 thrashing of Rochdale on the final day of the season) has certainly been a key reason behind them finishing 11th in the league with them only being 7 points short off the play off's although they only finished 11 points clear of relegation. 

Barnsley will certainly do a lot to keep hold of their star man this season with many Championship clubs such as Sheffield Wednesday and newly promoted side Bristol City also rumored with the 24-year old Irishman. Hourihane has proved to be a successful signing for The Reds this season after making 141 appearances at his former club Plymouth Argyle scoring 16 times and becoming club captain before turning 22-years old. Hourihane started off coming through the ranks at Sunderland as a youth player but however never quite made the first team with similar struggles happening at Ipswich Town shortly after.

I feel that if Hourihane can carry on in the 2015-2016 season in a similar fashion to how he finished this season, then whatever club he is playing for will certainly feel the success of his work. If Hourihane does this then maybe he could earn a place in the Republic of Ireland national set-up. Having played for his country 22 times at youth level, Hourihane is still yet to make his full international debut however I feel that he is close to earning a call-up very soon.