Football – The Indian Express
Marc Bartra leaves Borussia Dortmund to join Real Betis
Juventus winger Cuadrado out for another month after groin surgery
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Juventus winger Cuadrado out for another month after groin surgery
Juventus expect Juan Cuadrado to be out of action for at least another month after undergoing surgery on a groin injury.
Cuadrado will miss the first leg of Juve's Champions League last-16 tie with Tottenham on February 13 but has a chance of returning to action in time for March 7's second leg.
The Colombia international, who has scored three Serie A goals in 11 starts this season, has already been out for five weeks.
"Juan Cuadrado underwent surgery today [Tuesday] on a long-standing groin problem," a Juve statement read.
"Upon returning to Italy the player will immediately start his rehabilitation programme, with a period of about 30 days rest being foreseen as necessary before he returns to training."
JUVE MATCHDAY!
#TIMCup
@Atalanta_BC
Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia
20.45 CET
#AtalantaJuve
#FINOALLAFINE #FORZAJUVEpic.twitter.com/plKprudaph
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) January 30, 2018
Juve, on an eight-match winning streak in all competitions, travel to Atalanta for the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final on Tuesday.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Arsenal boost with Michy Batshuayi to join Borussia Dortmund
Daily Star | Football Feed
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Arsenal boost with Michy Batshuayi to join Borussia Dortmund
MICHY BATSHUAYI is reportedly set to join Borussia Dortmund on loan - a move that will leave Arsenal clear to land Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
PSG's Pastore open to Inter move to earn World Cup spot
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PSG's Pastore open to Inter move to earn World Cup spot
Javier Pastore accepts he may have to leave Paris Saint-Germain before the transfer window closes to boost his chances of being selected in Argentina's World Cup squad.
Having started only eight Ligue 1 matches for the leaders this season, the playmaker is aware he has a bit-part role under Unai Emery.
Pastore has been linked with a move to Inter but time is running out to make a decision over his future, with the transfer window set to close on Wednesday.
"I do not know what I'm going to do," Pastore told reporters after PSG brushed Montpellier aside on Saturday, Edinson Cavani breaking Zlatan Ibrahimovic's club goals record in a 4-0 rout.
"I'm in a difficult situation and I have a difficult choice to make. Here I'm very good, I'm very happy and it's my city. There is still nothing decided. The only thing I want is to play a lot more to try to go to the World Cup.
"If I'm not in the squad at the end of the season and I stayed here and I did not play, it will stay in my head until the end of my career. I then wouldn't have done everything to go to the World Cup."
A post shared by Javier (@flacojp27) on Jan 16, 2018 at 1:48pm PST
Pastore faces strong competition for World Cup selection, with Argentina boasting plenty of world-class attacking talent, including his PSG team-mate Angel Di Maria.
And former Palermo player Pastore acknowledged a return to Italy may be the best step for this stage in his career.
"In the last international games, the coach [Jorge Sampaoli] didn't call me up," Pastore said.
"That's normal, because in Argentina there are a lot of good players, you have to be competitive to get more chances, and here I do not [play]. I always have to wait for someone to be suspended, or get injured to play, it's not great.
"It also depends which club I go to. We must see if this club really needs me, otherwise I will stay here all my life.
"There is a lot of talk about Inter and if I were to leave, I'd like to go there, especially as I know Serie A and my wife is Italian.
"Inter could be a solution, but I don't know what will happen. It's not an easy decision for me or the club. We'll see over the next few days and try to reach an agreement."
Pastore returned to PSG late following Ligue 1's mid-season break and earlier this month he denied claims by captain Thiago Silva he has asked to leave the club.
Daryl Murphy announces retirement from international football
Sport: : BreakingNews.ie
Daryl Murphy announces retirement from international football
Daryl Murphy has announced his retirement from international football.
Sandro Ramirez tells Everton he wants to quit this January after disastrous six months with Sevilla keen
Football news - transfers, fixtures, scores, pictures | The Sun
Sandro Ramirez tells Everton he wants to quit this January after disastrous six months with Sevilla keen
EVERTON outcast Sandro Ramirez has told the Merseyside club that he wants to leave this month.
The Spanish star has endured a torrid spell at Goodison Park since joining from Malaga last summer.
The forward has attracted interest from Malaga, Valencia and SevillaGetty - Contributor
The 22-year-old wants Everton to consider bids for him before the transfer window slams shut next Wednesday, according to ABC de Sevilla.
Sandro is said to be favouring a return to Spain, with Sevilla and Valencia indicating their interest.
Sevilla’s sporting director Oscar Arias has been in ‘constant contact’ with Sandro as he looks to leave Goodison Park.
He has also been linked to a return move to Malaga, where he scored 16 times in 31 appearances last season.
The 22-year-old has only scored goal for Everton since joining from MalagaGetty - Contributor
But it’s been a different story for the striker this term, with just one goal under his belt since his £5.2m deal.
Sandro has made just 15 appearances for the Toffees and hasn’t featured for them this year.
JOURNEY BACK BEGINS James McCarthy says operation ‘went well’ as he posts hospital snapHe joined the the Toffees under Ronald Koeman, but the Dutch boss has since been fired.
And the 22-year-old has fallen out of favour under the management of ex-England boss Sam Allardyce.
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Sandro joined Everton on a four-year dela in July 2017Getty - Contributor
Everton, who are ninth in the Premier League, are reportedly open to offers for the 22-year-old – according to the Liverpool Echo.
Allardyce would demand a fee if he was to leave on loan, and for his new club to pay his reported £120,000 weekly wage.
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The Spanish star has fallen out of favour under Sam AllardyceCRAIG_BROUGH
FIFA U-17 World Cup: India Star Abhijeet Sarkar Wants A Job To Support His Family
Latest Football News, Football Info, Sports News Updates - NDTVSports.com
FIFA U-17 World Cup: India Star Abhijeet Sarkar Wants A Job To Support His Family
India U-17 player Abhijeet Sarkar wants job security that will help him secure financial stability for his family.
Alexis Sanchez backtracks and insists Thierry Henry did not tell him to quit Arsenal for Manchester United
Football news - transfers, fixtures, scores, pictures | The Sun
Alexis Sanchez backtracks and insists Thierry Henry did not tell him to quit Arsenal for Manchester United
ALEXIS SANCHEZ says Theirry Henry did NOT tell him to leave Arsenal.
Manchester United’s new star appeared to suggest that a conversation with Henry helped him make his mind up over a Gunners exit.
Alexis Sanchez has tried to clear up his original message about Thierry HenryManchester United FC
But Sanchez has posted a message on Twitter attempting to distance the French legend from his own decision.
The Chile ace explained: “I want to clarify that Henry never told me to leave the club, it was a personal decision… he LOVES the club and someday it would be nice to see him as the Arsenal coach because he loves the club.”
Henry has already posted a message to Gunners fans attempting to clear up the situation.
He wrote: “I know I don’t need to explain this to the majority of Arsenal fans but contrary to speculation at no time did I tell Alexis Sanchez to leave Arsenal.
Sanchez has signed a four-and-a-half-year deal at Man UtdGetty
Thierry Henry was mentioned in a message Sanchez posted on his departureAP:Associated Press
“I had no idea he was going to sign for Man Utd until I saw it on the news like the rest of you.”
After months of speculation that he was heading to City, United jumped to the front of the queue.
Pep Guardiola did not want to disrupt the balance of his squad mid-season and City were not prepared to match the £505,000-a-week deal offered at Old Trafford.
Upon signing for United, Sanchez referenced a conversation with Henry in a post to his followers.
Sanchez appeared to suggest that a chat with Henry had led to his Gunners exitTimes Newspapers Ltd
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Sanchez left Arsenal after three and a half years to sign with United until the summer of 2022PA:Press Association
DEAL ME IN Get the latest transfer news as Arsenal look to rebuild with Aubameyang swoop
He wrote: “There are people (former club players) who have spoken with no knowledge of what happens inside the club and cause damage.
“I must say I always gave 100 per cent, until the last day, when I asked to the manager to be in the team, because I wanted to be a contribution.
“I remember today, a conversation I had with [Thierry] Henry, a historic Arsenal player, who changed club for the same reason and today is my turn.”
Tributes after 'national hero' Armfield dies aged 82
BBC Sport - Football
Tributes after 'national hero' Armfield dies aged 82
Jimmy Armfield is described as a 'national hero and football legend' after news of his death at the age of 82.
Benilde outlasts Arellano in shootout for NCAA football title
Football – Inquirer Sports
Benilde outlasts Arellano in shootout for NCAA football title
College of St. Benilde worked its magic in the clutch and won 3-2 in penalties over Arellano University to claim the NCAA Season 93 men’s football title Wednesday at Rizal Memorial Pitch. Blazers goalie Jake Vicen denied Robert Corsame Jr.’s attempt from the spot and sealed Benilde’s Game 3 win and its first championship in […]
The post Benilde outlasts Arellano in shootout for NCAA football title appeared first on Inquirer Sports.
Pep Guardiola reveals why he chose not to compete with Man United for Alexis Sanchez
Dream Team FC
Pep Guardiola reveals why he chose not to compete with Man United for Alexis Sanchez
We know, we know.
You’re sick and tired of hearing about Alexis Sanchez – and we’re totally with you.
And even Pep Guardiola isn’t interested in hearing about the Arsenal forward, it seems.
Manchester City were favourites to sign the wantaway forward not so long ago, but the club baulked at the Chilean’s transfer fee and wage demands and have since pulled out of the deal.
And Guardiola says he has no complaints about the club’s decision, accepting that it could’ve harmed the stability within the squad.
EMPICS Sport Guardiola has had his eye on Sanchez since the summer[/caption]
Guardiola said: “Normally we try to be stable with the wages of the players because I think it is good for the team and stability of the club
“In the past, what the club did, was at that price.
CLAIM YOUR FREE £20 BET Sun Bets have this brilliant offer when you sign up and bet a fiver“What happened last summer, everything increased amazingly.
“You have to adapt to that.
“I think the price in the summertime will be higher than this winter.
“Sometimes you have to anticipate that.
AP:Associated Press The Arsenal man looks all set to move to United[/caption]
Much like the rest of us, Guardiola expects United to complete the Sanchez deal very soon.
According to numerous reports, City’s great rivals are prepared to pay the 29-year-old around £500,000 per week in wages, as well as other related bonuses, while the move looks set to cost £30m.
And now Pep Guardiola top confirmed Sanchez deal: I think Alexis Sanchez is going to go to Man Utd. So congratulations to them. The players and their managers decide what is the best for them”. 
#MUFC #transfers
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 19, 2018
Guardiola added: “We’ve spent a lot of money, we can’t deny that, but I’ve never put pressure on a club when they believe it is too much.
“Immediately I accept that decision and move forward to find another solution.
“The stability of the club is the most important thing.”
Guardiola, ever the gentleman, even congratulated United om the deal.
PLAY DREAM TEAM WEEKENDER Pick seven players to win £5k!He said: “I’m not the guy with the mathematics, with the numbers.
“What I know now is he is still Arsenal’s player, but I think he is going to go to United.
“So, congratulations for both of them.
“The players and their managers decide where they want to play – good luck.”
READ MORE:
Jurgen Klopp is the only top manager to have a winning head-to-head record against Pep Guardiola Pep Guardiola laughs off comparisons between Mohamed Salah and Lionel Messi The ‘next Fernandinho’ says he is “waiting for Guardiola’s phone call” amid transfer speculationTransfer news LIVE: Manchester United delay on Alexis Sanchez, Arsenal to get Mkhitaryan, Liverpool & Chelsea latest
The Independent - Football
Transfer news LIVE: Manchester United delay on Alexis Sanchez, Arsenal to get Mkhitaryan, Liverpool & Chelsea latest
Latest transfer news, gossip and rumours from the January window
Transfer news LIVE: Manchester United, City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea latest from the January window
mirror - Football
Transfer news LIVE: Manchester United, City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea latest from the January window
We'll bring you all the latest news, deals and rumours from the Premier League and beyond
Ronaldinho's 'what ifs' are irrelevant, just celebrate one of the greatest ever
ESPN FC News
Ronaldinho's 'what ifs' are irrelevant, just celebrate one of the greatest ever
Ronaldinho has announced his retirement from football.
If you love football, or even just possess a passing interest in it, you adore Ronaldinho. Upon his retirement, there has been a tendency to lament his career as a mix of "what ifs" but such a solemn reaction doesn't do justice to the greatest player of his generation. Don't be sad it's over, smile because it happened.
For many 20-to-early-30 somethings, Ronaldinho was the original go-to guy on YouTube, a mesmerising mix of outrageous tricks, flicks and goals interspersed with the now-familiar trashy...Raiola insists: Alexis is makeweight in Arsenal's Mkhitaryan deal!
Tribal Football - Football News, Soccer News, Transfers & Rumours
Raiola insists: Alexis is makeweight in Arsenal's Mkhitaryan deal!
Super agent Mino Raiola has confirmed Manchester United's deal for Arsenal attacker Alexis Sanchez hinges on Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Raiola's client is wanted by Arsenal in part exchange for Alexis.
Read more on Tribal FootballBournemouth winger Jordon Ibe resists Nigeria in England hope
Tribal Football - Football News, Soccer News, Transfers & Rumours
Bournemouth winger Jordon Ibe resists Nigeria in England hope
Bournemouth winger Jordon Ibe is still hopeful of playing for England.
The Sun says he will snub Nigeria to keep himself in the frame for England.
Read more on Tribal FootballMonaco title challenge fades after draw at Montpellier
Sportsnet.ca
Monaco title challenge fades after draw at Montpellier
PARIS — Monaco drew at Montpellier 0-0 on Saturday and further relinquished its grip on the French title it won so convincingly last season.
If league leader Paris Saint-Germain wins at fifth-place Nantes on Sunday it will move 11 points clear of Monaco with 20 of 38 matches played.
Monaco scored more than 150 goals in all competitions last season, finishing eight points ahead of PSG in Ligue 1, plus reached the Champions League semifinals.
But Monaco sold four key players in the off-season and was toothless against the best defence in France, especially without rested top scorer Radamel Falcao.
Eighth-place Montpellier has conceded only 13 goals in 20 league games — two less than PSG — and it showed as Monaco failed to muster clear chances.
Monaco will drop to third if Lyon beats Angers at home on Saturday.
Next up for Monaco, meanwhile, is a French Riviera derby at home to Nice on Tuesday.
Nice is in sixth place after scraping a 1-0 home win against Amiens, with midfielder Pierre Lees-Melou scoring with a deflected effort midway through the second half.
——
THAUVIN MAKES HIS MARK
Winger Florian Thauvin joined PSG’s Neymar as the best passer in the league and added a goal as fourth-place Marseille won at Rennes 3-0.
He almost got an incredible fourth goal for Marseille in injury time, hitting the crossbar with a delightful floating chip from near the halfway line.
Thauvin has nine assists, in addition to nine league goals, and is staking a strong claim for a place in France’s squad for the World Cup in Russia. More scintillating performances like this and it will be easy for coach Didier Deschamps to make up his mind.
After shrugging off missing a first-half penalty, Thauvin set up striker Valere Germain for a close-range finish in the 35th minute.
Midfielder Morgan Sanson made it 2-0 with a fine curling strike from the edge of the penalty area just before halftime, after swapping passes with Germain.
The irrepressible Thauvin finished off Rennes in the 82nd, drifting to the back post to meet Luiz Gustavo’s dipping cross and sending a looping header over goalkeeper Tomas Koubek.
"We won in style," Thauvin said. "I hope we can keep going like this."
Koubek and Marseille counterpart Steve Mandanda did well in the first half, with Koubek clawing away Thauvin’s penalty with both hands in the 27th minute.
——
OTHER MATCHES
Under-pressure Bordeaux coach Jocelyn Gourvennec’s decision to hand striker Gaetan Laborde his first start of the season paid off.
Laborde previously made only five substitute appearances this campaign, but he struck in the 15th minute as Bordeaux won 1-0 at Troyes.
The win moved Gourvennec’s side up to 13th place, while Troyes is 16th.
Lille climbed into 14th spot with a 1-0 win at Caen. Striker Nicolas Pepe scored his fifth of the season and both sides had a player sent off either side of halftime.
Also, striker Nolan Roux scored an 89th-minute equalizer as last-place Metz drew at mid-table Dijon 1-1.
——
RELEGATION SCRAPPERS
Angers and Toulouse can both move out of the relegation zone on Sunday, providing they win away from home.
Angers, which is in 19th place, has a tall order given that it is at Lyon.
Meanwhile, 18th-place Toulouse is at 17th-place Saint-Etienne with only one point separating them.
Liverpool locked in talks with RB Leipzig as they bid to bring Naby Keita to Anfield in January
irishmirror - Soccer
Liverpool locked in talks with RB Leipzig as they bid to bring Naby Keita to Anfield in January
Keita has a contract to join the Reds on July 1 but Jurgen Klopp has been keen to fast-track the deal
Sonny Pike: He trained at Ajax, was touted as the ‘next George Best’ but suffered a mental breakdown because of the pressures of fame
Football news - transfers, fixtures, scores, pictures | The Sun
Sonny Pike: He trained at Ajax, was touted as the ‘next George Best’ but suffered a mental breakdown because of the pressures of fame
HE was touted as the biggest prospect of his generation, with sponsors throwing cash at him, various TV appearances under his belt and a trial at Ajax in the 1990s.
But for football prodigy Sonny Pike trouble was brewing as his star began to overshadow his dream of becoming the next Paul Gascoigne.
Sonny Pike had the world at his feet as the Coca-Cola and McDonalds kid
Suffocated by the pressures of making it professionally, his parents’ divorce, a financial disagreement with his dad and a brush with fame, he broke down.
Now 34-years-old, Sonny talks to SunSport about his mental anguish – revealing he didn’t know who to turn to when he was at his lowest ebb.
The north Londoner, who had his legs insured for £1m, spoke about parents hurling abuse on the touchlines, telling opposition players to injure him during youth games.
He recalled the moment he suffered a mental breakdown during a trial game at Crystal Palace, walking off the pitch in front of bemused coaches.
Sonny, who has driven a black cab for the last five years, also issued a warning for young kids hoping to make it at the top level.
Sonny Pike wanted to emulate his hero Paul GascoigneGetty - Contributor
He believes his story should be used as an example of the pitfalls of what can go wrong and is urging professional clubs to do more to protect their talent.
In fact, when Sonny isn’t taking fares he’s visiting schools to give talks to wannabe professional footballers.
football features
Looking back at his life, the prodigious starlet remembered the moment he first became interested in the beautiful game.
“I began playing football when I was 5-years-old. What made me fall in love with the game was watching Paul Gascoigne in the 1990 World Cup,” Sonny told SunSport.
“I wanted to be Gazza, I even wanted to outdo him and win the World Cup for England.
Sonny Pike poses with Ian Wright after winning ‘The Sun Schools Champion’ for football at Sky TV� uppa.co.uk
“At that point in time it was all I wanted to do. I loved playing and dreamt of being a professional.
“I played for various youth teams, including Enfield F.C., and I played for the Red Team, which was the best players from the Echo Junior Football League.
“I went on to East Anglia when I was about 12, and that’s when teams started to become interested in me.
“Norwich, Ipswich, Manchester United, Tottenham, Blackburn… it was a only handful of clubs that didn’t ask about me.”
The long-haired number 10 was aware he had a special talent at a young age, but was trying to stay grounded.
Sonny Pike is now a black cab driverSonny Pike
“I knew I had a knack for scoring goals. I was scoring more goals than anyone else,” he said.
“I thought I must be quite good when I use to play in the park, the lads who were 18-years-old would pick me in their team first, and I was only small.
“When I was 10-years-old, I appeared on London Tonight,” he continued.
“I filmed a segment from them, and I thought I must be quite good because I’m on the news.”
Sonny’s footballing talent began to take centre stage and he was soon being interviewed on 90s shows like Fantasy Football League and The Big Breakfast.
Sonny Pike appeared on various 90s TV shows including Fantasy FootballYouTube
Sonny Pike became a TV star because of his footballing prowessYouTube
He had the world clamouring at his gifted feet and he was labelled the next George Best and Diego Maradona by the media.
He also inked huge sponsorship deals with McDonalds, Coca-Cola, Mizuno and was a child model for Paul Smith.
“I was happy to be compared to George Best and Diego Maradona, but with fame comes pressure,” Sonny divulged.
“I was the Coca-Cola kid, I did McDonalds adverts… At the 1996 Coca-Cola Cup Final between Leeds and Villa I was introduced to the crowd before the teams came out.
Sonny Pike was given tags like ‘the next Ryan Giggs’ in the mediaTwitter
“I ran out to the centre spot and did some kick-ups to entertain all the fans.
“I was sponsored by Mizuno, who made me a pair of boots that had a gold tongue.
“Only me and Dwight Yorke had the boots in the country at that time.
“I became a model for Paul Smith, and before that I had a lot of local companies who wanted me to promote their products.
“There was even a four-page spread in Hello magazine… I remember flicking through that, then seeing a spread about the royal family on the next page.”
Sonny Pike and Dwight Yorke had a special boot deal with MizunoNews Group Newspapers Ltd
At the age of 12, Sonny was invited to Amsterdam for trials at the prestigious Ajax academy.
The Dutch club were producing the best players in the world, so it seemed like a natural fit for the wonderkid.
“I remember walking towards the main ground and the training pitch was right and behind that was the academy,” he recalled.
“I was welcomed by Ajax legend Ton Pronk, it was surreal, and as we walked towards the academy the first team was training.
“I saw Jari Litmanen, the De Boers, Kanu, Dennis Bergkamp, Frank Rijkaard… it was like all my Christmases had come at once.”
Sonny Pike loved seeing Dennis Bergkamp train at Ajax
A media furore followed Sonny to De Meer Stadion as he set about dazzling the Dutch coaches with his technique and skill.
“I played two games with them, including one that was televised. There were two Dutch camera teams, Blue Peter and Football Mundial were there too.
“The last game I played in was a 1-1 draw, and I scored from outside the box. But it was a really strange experience.
“In the changing room only one boy could talk English, so it was really difficult to mingle.
“I wasn’t too worried about the cameras being there at that age, because from the ages of 10-12-years-old I had got use to that be then.
Sonny Pike was wowed by Frank Rijkaard at AjaxGetty - Contributor
“It was only towards from about 14-years-old onwards that it got too much for me and I struggled to concentrate on my football.”
Sonny confirmed that despite flirting with the idea of playing for Ajax, it was in the Premier League where he really saw his future blossoming.
He said: “I came home, I never got offered a contract, but they did say I could come back quarterly and they’d keep their eye on me.
“It might have progressed from there, but I wanted to play football at home, even though my style was more suited to a more technical game playing abroad.
Sonny Pike shows off his ball juggling his skills during the 1996 Coca-Cola Cup FinalSonny Pike
“I really wanted to turn out for Liverpool, that was my plan so I stayed in England to try and make it here.”
Although playing in England was tough for a kid who had a life well-documented off the pitch.
When it was reported that his legs were insured for £1m, he copped wicked abuse from jealous parents.
“I would get loads of that from the dads on the touchline,” Sonny claimed. “Because I had long hair they use to say, ‘he’s only a girl, break his legs.’
“Not just that, off the pitch and at school I got different treatment that didn’t help me either.
DOM-INATING Everton ace Dominic Calvert-Lewin has played more games than any other Premier League player in all competitions this season“I was still a kid and I felt I had the pressure of the whole country on my shoulders.
“Once I remember a guy came up to me on the street to tell me he put a bet on me to play for England. It was scary.”
Although he’s reluctant to blame his father for his downfall, one telling moment did have a hand in stalling Sonny’s promising career.
Today Sonny Pike is a black cab driver and has his own familySonny Pike
While he was signed to Leyton Orient, dad Mickey pushed his boy to appear in a documentary called ‘Coaching and Poaching’ presented by Greg Dyke.
He didn’t know he was doing anything wrong, but the Enfield-born lad was stung turning out for Chelsea and was banned from football for a year by the FA who declared he had broken the rules.
His relationship with his father became further strained when he began to realise Mickey was making money off his name. His parents also divorced and he was left without a club.
“When it got to the end of it, it started to become clear what was going on. And it started to cause a divide in my family,” he told SunSport.
Sonny Pike hopes his story can become a lesson for younger playersSonny Pike
“Parents can get carried away with the money side of things in football.
“Bright lights can attract an adult, let alone what it can do to a kid. It is an easy trap to fall in to.
“I haven’t spoken to my father for 20 years coming up this year. I don’t know an exact figure, but I missed out on hundreds of thousands. Today, it would’ve been millions.”
With no one to turn to, Sonny began to feel the strain. Mentally he was shot to pieces and he struggled to voice his problems.
“I did start to feel pressure. My dad was the one who use to help me, but when I stopped talking to him it became really hard,” he said.
Sonny Pike admits the pressures of fame took its toll on his mental healthSonny Pike
“The mental health effect was the biggest issue. I struggled with that and I didn’t even know what was wrong with me.
“We’re starting to have those conversations now, but back then you couldn’t talk about it.
“I remember looking up at the coaches, and not physically saying it, but pleading with them to help me out.
“I was in a bad way, I didn’t know what to do and everything around me was happening so quickly.
“A lot had gone on. I was in a state of confusion and I was just suffering because I had no one to talk to.
“I didn’t know how to get round it, especially being famous, because no one could understand what I was going through.”
Sonny Pike was an advertiser’s dreamSonny Pike
Sonny was in danger of falling onto the football scrapheap, but after his ban was up he was given a chance at Crystal Palace aged 15.
But he admitted, by then his love for football had waned and his mind wasn’t right.
“I played for Crystal Palace in a game against Tottenham,” he said. “I thought it could’ve been my last chance.
“I pretty-much had a mental breakdown on the pitch. I came on for 15 minutes, I was given the opportunity and I just walked off.
“The ball would come to me, and I always prided myself on my first touch, but it was bouncing off my foot, I couldn’t control it.
Sonny Pike appears on TV show Fantasy Football LeagueYouTube
“The pressure of me going on, it was just too much. I looked at the coach and just walked off.
“I broke down and I knew it was all over from then.”
Sonny spent two years at non-league Stevenage till he was 18-years-old on a YTS scheme.
But for him, he was just going through the motions and his heart wasn’t in it anymore.
Sonny wants his cautionary tale to be a lesson for aspiring footballers the world over.
However, he feels professional clubs need to do a lot more to protect the mental health of players that suffer hiccups along the way in striving for their dream.
“The chance of becoming a professional is around 0.12 percent, so all these kids might have the great support, but some won’t,” he said.
Sonny Pike was a natural in front of the cameras because of his TV interviewsYouTube
“And in the clubs they have to have someone who deals with that aspect of things.
“I know a lot of dads who have their kids at a lot of professional clubs and they come to me and ask for advice.
“I think I’m the first person of my age that’s able to come out and tell a story like this, because of the Premier League and how now fame and money are all part of it.
“If anything, my story is going to be more common. So I feel the clubs need to put more money into that side of things.
Sonny Pike was a technical number 10 like Paul GascoigneGetty - Contributor
“For example, I read that Manchester City spent £2m on finding players in London.
“So they’re spending millions and millions on bringing players in and selling the dream.
“But when it comes to helping them on their way out, I’m not too sure if they’re spending too much money. I think that needs to be highlighted.
“My advice, and this is to any kid, is to take his dream and do the best he can. But you’ve got to understand the position you’re in at the time.
“I think that’s a big thing with the parents, making sure they have a stable environment.
“They’ve got to sort of understand that it can go wrong.”
Sonny Pike believes it’s up to parents of promising youngsters to make sure they’re stable
Sonny admitted that his crisis of confidence did make him feel suicidal and he points out, “The most common way for a male 35 or under to die is through taking their own life.
“It’s more prevalent than cancer.”
After he hung up his boots, Sonny was approached by Sky One to appear in their football TV hit, ‘Dream Team’.
“When I stopped playing, I ended up going to drama school. They asked me to go on Dream Team on Sky,” he laughed.
RICH KID Faiq Bolkiah is the richest footballer in the world whose uncle is Sultan of Brunei, but he plays for Leicester reserves“They wanted to bring me in as ‘Sonny Pike’, they asked me to go to drama school and I went for a couple of weeks.
“By that age my mates were going to the pub, so I kind of knocked the acting thing on the head.”
Today, Sonny drives a London taxi around central London and admits he enjoys being able to work to the sound of his own drum.
Sonny Pike could have been a member of the Dream Team on Sky One
It also allows him to shares his traumatic life story at schools, warning youngsters of the dangers pressure can cause. He’s also planning on penning his own book.
“It took me three years to do the knowledge, and the best thing about it is I can do my own thing,” he said.
“I love London, I enjoy cabbing and it gives me a lot of freedom. I can still work on going into schools and football clubs to give talks about my experience.
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“I’m working on my book too, which I hope to get out before the end of the year.
“I’m definitely not as mad about football as I use to be. But the more I’ve started to talk about my life, it’s like I’ve got what I’ve needed to get off my chest.
“I’m starting to watch games now, but compared to what I was like when I was a kid it’s black and white.”
World’s oldest footballer Kazuyoshi Miura signs new contract with Yokohama FC which will see him play at age of 51
Football news - transfers, fixtures, scores, pictures | The Sun
World’s oldest footballer Kazuyoshi Miura signs new contract with Yokohama FC which will see him play at age of 51
A STRIKER who turns 51 next month has signed a new contract with Japanese club Yokohama FC.
Kazuyoshi Miura’s new deal at the second division club will take him into his 33RD season.
Kazuyoshi Miura, who turns 51 next month, has signed a new deal at Yokohama FCAFP or licensors
He said: “I will always play my heart out and hope to continue to grow.”
Only former New Brighton manager Neil McBain, who amazingly played himself in goal at the age of 51 due to an injury crisis, surpasses Miura’s feat.
King Kazu began his career at Santos in 1986 and has gone on to play for 13 other clubs, including Genoa and Dinamo Zagreb.
He signed for Yokohama in 2005 – at the age of 38 – and has scored 23 goals in 243 outings.
Kazuyoshi Miura is the oldest player in world footballAFP or licensors
Kazuyoshi Miura eats birthday cake to celebrate his 50thAFP or licensors
Kazuyoshi Miura in action for Japan in 1998 World Cup qualifier against UzbekistanReuters
King Kazu is a fan favourite at Japanese side Yokohama FCAFP or licensors
The Japanese ace netted an incredible 55 goals in just 89 international appearances.
English fans almost got a glimpse of Miura during his record career in which he even outscored Gary Lineker.
Here are five amazing facts you never knew about the world’s oldest footballer . . .
MOST READ IN FOOTBALL
Think Miura is impressive? Check out the Jamaican fast bowler who was still going at the age of 82.
Cecil Wright took over 7,000 wickets in his staggering career and played alongside the likes of Sir Viv Richards and Sir Frank Worrell.
King Kazu's career
Santos (1986)
Palmeiras (1986)
Matsubara (1986)
Club de Regatas Brasil (1987)
XV de Jau (1987-88)
Cortiba (1988-89)
Santos (1990)
Yomiuri/Verdy Kawasaki (1990-98)
Genoa – loan (1994-95)
Dinamo Zagreb (1999)
Kyoto Purple Sanga (1999-2000)
Vissel Kobe (2001-05)
Yokohama FC (2005-)
Sydney FC – loan (2005)
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