Transfer latest - July 2014

The summer transfer window is open until 23:00 BST on Monday, 1 September.

To read the day's transfer rumours, visit our gossip column.

Biggest British signing so far: Alexis Sanchez - Barcelona to Arsenal for about £35m.

Busiest clubs this summer: Shrewsbury Town have signed 16 players.

Busiest Premier League clubs: Burnley and Newcastle have signed six players each.

27 JULY

Dejan Lovren [Southampton - Liverpool] £20m

David Ospina [Nice - Arsenal] £3m

26 JULY

Jobi McAnuff [Reading - Leyton Orient] Free

Jeroen Tesselaar [Kilmarnock - St Mirren] Free

25 JULY

Ben Alnwick [Unattached - Peterborough] Free

Koby Arthur [Birmingham - Cheltenham] Loan

Calvin Andrew [York - Rochdale] Free

Bobson Bawling [Watford - Crawley] Free

Bebe [Manchester United - Benfica] £2.4m

Jake Cassidy [Wolves - Notts County] Loan

Didier Drogba [Galatasaray - Chelsea] Free

Ashley Grimes [Bury - Walsall] Free

Magaye Gueye [Everton - Millwall] Free

George Long [Sheffield United - Oxford] Loan

Michael Smith [Bristol Rovers - Peterborough] Undisclosed

Matt Taylor [Bradford City - Cheltenham] Free

Patrick van Aanholt [Chelsea - Sunderland] Undisclosed

24 JULY

Keith Andrews [Bolton Wanderers - Watford] Loan

Serge Aurier [Toulouse - Paris St-Germain] Loan

Fraizer Campbell [Cardiff - Crystal Palace] £900,000

Jamie Cureton [Cheltenham - Dagenham] Free

Frank Lampard [Chelsea - New York City FC] Free

Andy Mangan [Forest Green - Shrewsbury] Free

Kenny McEvoy [Tottenham - Peterborough] Loan

Jefferson Montero [Monarcas Morelia - Swansea] Undisclosed

Emmett O'Connor [Scarborough City Celtic - Crawley] Free

Alejandro Pozuelo [Swansea - Rayo Vallecano] Undisclosed

Ignacio Scocco [Sunderland - Newell's Old Boys] £2.1m

Sascha Studer [Winterthur - Mansfield] Free

23 JULY

Adil Chihi [FC Cologne - Fulham] Free

Ben Davies [Swansea - Tottenham] Undisclosed

Thomas Eisfeld [Arsenal - Fulham] Undisclosed

Josh Lelan [Derby - Swindon] Loan

Harry Lennon [Charlton - Cambridge] Loan

Jeremy Mathieu [Valencia - Barcelona] £15.8m

Tom McCready [Unattached - Morecambe]

Jon McLaughlin [Bradford - Burton] Free

Abdul Osman [Crewe - Partick Thistle] Free

Gylfi Sigurdsson [Tottenham - Swansea] Undisclosed

Garry Thompson [Bradford - Notts County] Free

Ross Turnbull [Doncaster - Barnsley] Free

Michel Vorm [Swansea - Tottenham] Undisclosed

Sam Winnall [Scunthorpe - Barnsley] Undisclosed

David Worrall [Rotherham - Southend] Free

22 JULY

Adam Asghar [Motherwell - Alloa] Free

Chris Atkinson [Huddersfield - Crewe] Free

James Bailey [Derby - Barnsley] Free

Bojan Krkic has won four league titles and two Champions Leagues at the age of 23

Paul Benson [Swindon - Luton] Free

Jose Campana [Crystal Palace - Sampdoria] Undisclosed

Archie Campbell [Morton - Dumbarton] Free

Steven Caulker [Cardiff - QPR] Undisclosed

Simon Heslop [Stevenage - Mansfield] Free

Andy Hughes [Charlton - Bolton] Free

Jack Hunt [Crystal Palace - Nottingham Forest] Loan

Emyr Huws [Manchester City - Wigan] Loan

Bojan Krkic [Barcelona - Stoke] Undisclosed

Sylvain Marveaux [Newcastle - Guingamp] Loan

Oliver Norburn [Bristol Rovers - Plymouth] Free

Mark Onyemah [Thurrock - Luton] Free

James Rodriguez [Monaco - Real Madrid] Fee rising to £71m

Leonardo Ulloa [Brighton - Leicester] £8m

Charlie Walker [Peacehaven & Telscombe - Luton] Free

Andre Wisdom [Liverpool - West Brom] Loan

21 JULY

Iago Aspas [Liverpool - Sevilla] Loan

Jack Deaman [Eastbourne Borough - Cheltenham] Free

Patrice Evra [Manchester United - Juventus] £1.2m

James Fenlon [AFC Wimbledon - Ross County] Free

Willie Gros [Kilmarnock - Oldham] Free

Stephen Henderson [West Ham - Charlton] Free

Juventus signing Patrice Evra played for France in their run to the World Cup quarter-finals

Scott Hogan [Rochdale - Brentford] Undisclosed

Thomas Konrad [Eintracht Trier - Dundee] Free

Shane Lowry [Millwall - Leyton Orient] Free

Jeffrey Monakana [Brighton - Aberdeen] Loan

Amari Morgan-Smith [Kidderminster - Oldham] Free

Jordan Pickford [Sunderland - Bradford] Loan

Osman Sow [Crystal Palace - Hearts] Free

Omari Sterling-James [Birmingham - Cheltenham] Free

Luka Tankulic [Wolfsburg II - Dundee] Free

20 JULY

Adam Buxton [Wigan - Accrington] Free

19 JULY

Gaetano Berardi [Sampdoria - Leeds] Undisclosed

Mario Bilate [Sparta Rotterdam - Dundee Utd] Free

Alvaro Morata [Real Madrid - Juventus] £15.8m

Chris O'Grady [Barnsley - Brighton] Undisclosed

Ross Perry [Rangers - Raith Rovers] Free

George Thorne [West Brom - Derby] Undisclosed

18 JULY

Demba Ba [Chelsea - Besiktas] £4.7m

Jordi Balk [Utrecht - Ross County] Free

Ivan Calero [Atletico Madrid - Derby] Free

Tim Dreesen [Fortuna Sittard - Ross County] Free

Felipe Luis is the second Atletico Madrid player to join Chelsea this summer - after Diego Costa

Ben Frempah [Leicester - Ross County] Free

Scott Gallacher [Rangers - Hearts] Free

Will Grigg [Brentford - MK Dons] Loan

Brown Ideye [Dynamo Kiev - West Brom] £10m

Zeli Ismail [Wolves - Notts County] Loan

Filipe Luis [Atletico Madrid - Chelsea] £15.8m

Harrison McGahey [Blackpool - Sheffield United] Compensation

Louis Rowley [Manchester United - Leicester] Free

Raphael Spiegel [West Ham - Crawley] Loan

Luke Steele [Barnsley - Panathinaikos] Free

17 JULY

Prince Buaben [Carlisle - Hearts] Free

Jordan Clark [Barnsley - Shrewsbury] Free

Mathieu Debuchy [Newcastle - Arsenal] Undisclosed

Rio Ferdinand [Manchester United - QPR] Free

Enner Valencia joined West Ham on the back of a good World Cup with Ecuador

Juan Iturbe [Verona - Roma] £17.4m

Daryl Janmaat [Feyenoord - Newcastle] Undisclosed

Toni Kroos [Bayern Munich - Real Madrid] Undisclosed

Dean Leacock [Notts County - Crawley] Free

Jaun Carlos Paredes [Granada - Watford] Undisclosed

Alex Pritchard [Tottenham - Brentford] Loan

Andy Robinson [Tranmere - Shrewsbury] Free

Anton Rodgers [Oldham - Swindon] Free

Enner Valencia [Pachuca - West Ham] £12m (reported)

Gary Woods [Watford - Leyton Orient] Free

16 JULY

Ricardo Fuller [Blackpool - Millwall] Free

Josh Magennis [Aberdeen - Kilmarnock] Free

Michael Mancienne [Hamburg - Nottingham Forest] £1m

Shaun Miller [Sheffield United - Coventry] Free

Newcastle's Emmanuel Riviere scored 10 league goals for Monaco last season

Tope Obadeyi [Bury - Kilmarnock] Free

Jan Oblak [Benfica - Atletico Madrid] £12.6m

Danny Pugh [Leeds - Coventry] Free

Emmanuel Riviere [Monaco - Newcastle] Undisclosed

Cristian Tello [Barcelona - Porto] Loan

Laurence Wilson [Accrington - Morecambe] Free

15 JULY

Craig Alcock [Peterborough - Sheffield United] Free

Bartosz Bialkowski [Notts County - Ipswich] Undisclosed

Michael Collins [Scunthorpe - Oxford] Free

Diego Costa scored 28 La Liga goals last season - joint-second with Lionel Messi

Diego Costa [Atletico Madrid - Chelsea] £32m

Enrique 'Kike' Garcia [Real Murcia - Middlesbrough] Undisclosed

Alan Goodall [Fleetwood - Morecambe] Free

Lukas Jutkiewicz [Middlesbrough - Burnley] £1.5m

Lazar Markovic [Benfica - Liverpool] £20m

Alex Marrow [Blackburn - Carlisle] Free

Bruno Martins Indi [Feyenoord - FC Porto] Undisclosed

Roger Riera [Barcelona - Nottingham Forest] Free

George Tucudean [Standard Liege - Charlton] Free

14 JULY

Ross Caldwell [Hibernian - St Mirren] Free

Timothee Dieng [Stade Brestois - Oldham] Free

Farid El Alagui [Brentford - Hibernian] Free

Jaroslaw Fojut [Tromso - Dundee Utd] Free

Dan Hanford [Floriana FC - Carlisle] Free

Aaron Hughes [QPR - Brighton] Free

Yacouba Sylla [Aston Villa - Erciyesspor] Loan

Lewis Young [Bury - Crawley] Free

13 JULY

Tommaso Bianchi [Sassuolo - Leeds] Undisclosed

Remy Cabella [Montpellier - Newcastle] Undisclosed

Souleymane Doukara [Catania - Leeds] Loan

12 JULY

Graziano Pelle [Feyenoord - Southampton] Undisclosed

Sebastien Pocognoli [Hannover 96 - West Brom] Undisclosed

11 JULY

Grant Adam [Airdrieonians - Dundee] Free

Alex Baptiste [Bolton - Blackburn] Loan

Fergus Bell [AC Monza - Mansfield] Free

Tal Ben Haim [Standard Liege - Charlton] Free

Johann Berg Gudmundsson [AZ Alkmaar - Charlton] Free

Gwion Edwards [Swansea - Crawley] Undisclosed

Danny Kearns [Peterborough - Carlisle] Free

Ben Nugent [Cardiff - Yeovil] Loan

Kieran Richardson [Fulham - Aston Villa] Undisclosed

Marius Zaliukas [Leeds - Rangers] Free

Mark Connolly [Crawley - Kilmarnock] Free

10 JULY

Kwesi Appiah [Crystal Palace - Cambridge] Loan

Cyrus Christie [Coventry - Derby] Undisclosed

Don Cowie [Cardiff - Wigan] Free

Alexis Sanchez is Arsenal's second biggest transfer fee ever - behind Mesut Ozil

Cameron Gayle [West Brom - Shrewsbury] Free

Marc Laird [Southend - Tranmere] Free

Mario Mandzukic [Bayern Munich - Atletico Madrid] Undisclosed

Josh Morris [Blackburn - Fleetwood] Loan

Bradley Pritchard [Charlton - Leyton Orient] Free

Alexis Sanchez [Barcelona - Arsenal] In the region of £35m

Miles Storey [Swindon - Portsmouth] Loan

9 JULY

Lee Angol [Wycombe - Luton] Free

Amari'i Bell [Birmingham - Mansfield] Loan

Andre Bikey [Panetolikos - Charlton] Free

Nicklas Helenius [Aston Villa - Aalborg] Loan

Pajtim Kasami [Fulham - Olympiakos] Undisclosed

Mario Pasalic [Hajduk Split - Chelsea] Undisclosed

Marco Silvestri [Chievo - Leeds] Undisclosed

Konstantinos Stafylidis [Bayer Leverkusen - Fulham] Loan

8 JULY

Luke Ayling [Yeovil - Bristol City] Compensation

Gareth Barry [Manchester City - Everton] Free

James Bittner [Salisbury - Plymouth] Free

Willy Caballero [Malaga - Manchester City] £4.4m, rising to £6m

Dan Holman [Braintree - Colchester] Free

Willy Caballero will be expected to put pressure on Manchester City number one Joe Hart

Sam Hutchinson [Chelsea - Sheffield Wednesday] Free

Joss Labadie [Torquay - Dagenham & Redbridge] Free

Adam Marriott [Cambridge City - Stevenage] Undisclosed five-figure fee

Ross McCormack [Leeds - Fulham] about £11m

Brendan Moloney [Bristol City - Yeovil] Free

Matt Partridge [Reading - Dagenham & Redbridge] Free

Diego Poyet [Charlton - West Ham] Compensation

Jack Smith [Millwall - AFC Wimbledon] Free

Dusan Tadic [FC Twente - Southampton] £10.9m

Bertrand Traore [Chelsea - Vitesse Arnhem] Loan

7 JULY

David Goodwillie [Blackburn - Aberdeen] Free

Chris Baird [Burnley - West Brom] Free

Ashley Cole will play in the Champions League with Roma this season

Ashley Cole [Chelsea - Roma] Free

Jordan Cook [Charlton - Walsall] Free

Tom Ince [Blackpool - Hull] Compensation to be agreed

Jonathan Parr [Crystal Palace - Ipswich] Free

Steven Reid [West Brom - Burnley] Free

Daniel Tozser [Parma - Watford] Loan

Keiren Westwood [Sunderland - Sheffield Wednesday] Free

Luke Wilkinson [Dagenham & Redbridge - Luton] Undisclosed

Alex Wynter [Crystal Palace - Portsmouth] Loan

5 JULY

Eric Abidal [Monaco - Olympiakos] Undisclosed

Paul Connolly [Crawley - Luton] Free

Paul Gallagher [Leicester - Preston] Loan

Thorgan Hazard [Chelsea - Borussia Monchengladbach] Loan

4 JULY

Ryan Allsop [Bournemouth - Coventry] Loan

Mohamed Coulibaly [Bournemouth - Coventry] Loan

Reda Johnson [Sheffield Wednesday - Coventry] Free

Liam Lawrence [Barnsley - Shrewsbury] Free

Tomas Mejias [Real Madrid - Middlesbrough] Undisclosed

Jim O'Brien [Barnsley - Coventry] Free

James Shea [Harrow - AFC Wimbledon] Free

Marvin Sordell [Bolton - Burnley] Undisclosed

Matt Taylor [West Ham - Burnley] Free

Callum Wilson [Coventry - Bournemouth] Undisclosed

Sergei Zenjov [FC Karpaty Lviv - Blackpool] Free

3 JULY

James Berrett [Carlisle - Yeovil] Free

Emre Can [Bayer Leverkusen - Liverpool] £10m

Aaron Cresswell [Ipswich - West Ham] Undisclosed

John Egan [Sunderland - Gillingham] Free

Craig Gordon [Unattached - Celtic]

Cieron Keane [Unattached - Notts County]

Callum McFadzean [Sheffield United - Burton] Loan

Byron Moore [Crewe - Port Vale] Free

Luke Norris [Brentford - Gillingham] Compensation

Scott Shearer [Rotherham - Crewe] Free

Danny Swanson [Peterborough - Coventry] Free

Stuart Taylor [Reading - Leeds] Free

2 JULY

Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro [Tranmere - Shrewsbury] Free

Daniel Alfei [Swansea - Northampton] Loan

Marvin Emnes [Middlesbrough - Swansea] Undisclosed

Troy Archibald-Henville [Swindon - Carlisle] Free

Ryan Gauld [Dundee United - Sporting Lisbon] £3m

Matt Gilks [Blackpool - Burnley] Free

Evan Horwood [Tranmere - Northampton] Free

Alex Lynch [Peterborough - Wycombe] Free

Mark Marshall [Coventry - Port Vale] Free

Franck Moussa [Coventry - Charlton] Free

Dean Moxey [Crystal Palace - Bolton] Free

Jordan Seabright [Dagenham & Redbridge - Torquay] Free

Kay Voser [FC Basel - Fulham] Undisclosed

Aaron Wilbraham [Crystal Palace - Bristol City] Free

1 JULY

Sean Clohessy [Kilmarnock - Colchester] Free

Siem de Jong [Ajax - Newcastle] Undisclosed

Ben Gordon [Ross County - Colchester] Free

Tom Hitchcock [QPR - MK Dons] Free

Joe Jacobson [Shrewsbury - Wycombe] Free

Kaka [AC Milan - Orlando City] Free

Kaka [Orlando City - Sao Paolo] Loan

Adam Lallana [Southampton - Liverpool] £25m

Chris Lewington [Dagenham & Redbridge - Colchester] Free

Lindon Meikle [Mansfield - York] Free

Ivan Rakitic [Sevilla - Barcelona] Undisclosed

Alefe Santos [Bristol Rovers - Derby] Compensation

Cameron Stewart [Hull - Ipswich] Free

Luke Varney [Leeds - Blackburn] Free

Lee Miller [Carlisle - Kilmarnock] Free

Source : bbc[dot]com

Top 10 Sports app for iPhone and iPad

1. Tour De France All Access

Application of NBC Tour de France helps users constantly update the latest information about bike racing's biggest planet. This is a free application that allows users to watch video, check rankings, track racers particular, watch out the race on the map ... With 5 USD for the upgrade option, they can track live events taking place on an interactive map.

2. ScoreCenter XL

ESPN SoreCenter XL is a free application for the iPad and iPhone. The application allows users to update information on many different sports, even information about their favorite team. That data such as time, venue sports, making the match in each time and results.

3. Yahoo! Sportacular HD

Yahoo! Sportacular HD is a free app for both iPhone and iPad have good quality. This app constantly updates information of many major tournaments of various sports such as baseball league national award for song golf, football leagues, basketball, volleyball, auto racing, golf tournament ...

4. MLB At Bat 11

For those who love sports baseball, the MLB At Bat app is useful for them. This app costs $ 10 and can be applied for both iPhone and iPad, providing all the detailed information related to the expanded league baseball - professional baseball league level and largest scale in the United States. If MLB TV registered users can track their tournament directly on the iPad or iPhone.

5. NCAA

Most sports are only applied when providing free information and will charge if the user is watching TV directly to other NCAA.This application allows users to watch live TV tournament championship basketball but did not provide information daily. NCAA Application can only be used on the iPad.

6. WatchESPN

Cable channels ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3 and ESNU is famous for events, sports programs of the U.S. and the world will be viewed directly on the iPhone or iPad via the WatchESPN app for free. However, users can only view channels if the network uses Bright House Networks, Time Warner Cable or Verizon FIOS TV. Private channels are best viewed on ESPN3 Verizon High Speed ​​network.

7. RotoWire Fantasy News Center

New Fantasy Roto Wire Center is a free application for the iPhone, providing information, analysis and commentary on the events, issues and sports.

8. Fox Sports Mobile

Fox Sports Mobile is a free app for iPhone. The application provides users with the latest news about sports and their favorite teams play. In addition, users can watch the highlights on Fox news, the news from Fox Sports Radio.

9.Bleacher Report Team Stream

Bleacher Report Team Stream app is completely free and exclusive to iPhone. Just install the app, select your favorite team, after that, users have a customized list of the latest sports news.

10. Sports Illustrated

Sports Illustrated is a free app just for iPad. This application form bearing the same electronic journals by bringing information to users about the sport together with the pictures, sideshow, video of the match. In addition, this application has been updated to add information about the sport on both Facebook and Twitter.

Tears, tantrums and titles: Les Chapman on 22 years at Man City

By Mike Keegan BBC Sport

From darning holes in socks for Division Two grafters on less than £1,000 a week to ordering dozens of new shirts every match for global superstars picking up more than £200,000, it has been a varied 22 years for Les Chapman.

But the former Manchester City kit man, who cleaned his last pair of boots last season, says one thing summed up the astonishing change at the club more than anything else.

"We got kit skips with wheels on," he says. "That was when we knew."

Much else has changed since "Chappy" walked through the doors for the first time in 1992. Homely Maine Road, tucked among the red-brick terraced houses of inner-city suburb Moss Side, is now a housing estate.

At the side of Etihad Stadium, the club's expanding home, the finishing touches are being put to a £200m training complex which features a media theatre, 16 pitches and its own 7,000-capacity stadium.

In the place of then chairman Peter Swales, the local fishmonger's son who sold televisions, is an Abu Dhabi sheikh who has spent more than £1bn since arriving in 2008.

Gone from the front of the shirts is a sponsor that made sewing machines, replaced by one that flies airplanes.

Chapman played 749 times for clubs including Oldham, Huddersfield and San Jose Earthquakes

Chapman, 65, has had a front row seat to the transformation. He has had access most could only dream of. One day he could be plotting the now famous "Why Always Me?" T-shirt Mario Balotelli unveiled after scoring in the Manchester derby, the next could find him taking the mickey out of goalkeeper Joe Hart's shampoo advertisments or jetting off to Spain international David Silva's Canary Islands retreat.

Proudly wearing an engraved Rolex watch which City's players bought him as a "leaving present" - he will now interview players, entertain supporters on match days and star in videos for the club's website - Chapman gives a fascinating glimpse into the characters he has encountered inside the City dressing rooms.

Mario and the Father Christmas cash giveaway

Did Balotelli really, as rumours claimed, drive around Moss Side dressed as Father Christmas handing out wads of cash?

Chapman printed the famous 'Why Always Me' T-shirt after a training-ground summit with Mario Balotelli

Chapman pauses for thought, presumably wondering what he can and cannot say.

"Whatever you read about Mario is probably true," he explains diplomatically. "He was predictably unpredictable. A brilliant talent, always an individual. A complete one-off and an enigma.

"You could talk about Mario for ever. He did some ridiculous things. He was a bit of a loose cannon but he has a lot of endearing qualities about him."

Peter Schmeichel: from great guy to monster

Mario, however, was not his trickiest customer. That accolade goes to a man who made his name on the other side of the city, winning five Premier League titles and a Champions League final in eight glittering years at United before crossing the divide - after spells with Sporting Lisbon and Aston Villa - for a season with City in 2002-03.

Peter Schmeichel transformed into a "monster" on match days, according to Les Chapman

"No," he says. "That was Peter Schmeichel. He was a great guy during the week and then on a Saturday he turned into a monster.

"He would arrive in the dressing room and I would have to hide his gloves so nobody could see or touch them and I would have to produce them about 40 seconds before he went out.

"He had a nine-and-a-half boot and a ten-and-a-half boot and then he'd have three new kits. One for warm-up, one for each half and three new vests every week because he said when they were washed they wouldn't fit him.

"I can remember him having 92 shirts one season which was unheard of at the time - now they have two per game. Sergio Aguero has four because all the opposition players want to swap with him."

Th'Arty and th'Aguero

Chapman is the man who hands out nicknames to the players. Hailing from Oldham, many have a Lancastrian edge. Aguero is "th'Aguero," Joe Hart is "th'Arty" - you get the picture.

Chapman was close to both Mario Balotelli and Carlos Tevez

The trio of Serbian defender Matija Nastasic, Montenegro striker Stevan Jovetic and Spanish winger Jesus Navas are referred to simply as "Nas", "Jov" and "Nav".

Richard Dunne, the no-nonsense ex-City defender and Republic of Ireland international now at QPR was, strangely enough, known as "Linford", after legendary British sprinter Linford Christie.

Chapman explains: "We were playing a match and Richard came flying out of nowhere to nick the ball off a winger. Nicky Weaver, the keeper at the time, couldn't believe it and shouted out that he was like Linford Christie. From then on he was Linford."

Hart's shampoo advert and not-so-boring Milner

Joe Hart is one of City's dressing-room leaders, according to Chapman

England's number one starred in a television advert for a brand of shampoo before the country's disappointing World Cup campaign that even prompted former Three Lions boss Glenn Hoddle to poke fun at him.

It did not go unnoticed at the club.

"We gave him grief for three weeks every day about that advert," says Chapman. "But then he started producing cartons of the stuff for everybody so that quietened down."

From one England man to another. Clean-living James Milner is the subject of a Twitter parody account @boringmilner,  that pokes fun at his being dull and has 308,000 followers.

So is such ribbing justified?

"No," says Chapman, firmly. "He's a very interesting lad who raises thousands for charity. He's not a mad flamboyant character but he enjoys a laugh."

A close shave for a body-conscious Bulgarian, stylish Samir and Tony Tramp

Chapman has witnessed a variety of quirky characters over the years but says a Bulgarian striker who made only 11 appearances for the club will never be forgotten.

Former City striker Valeri Bojinov, pictured here playing for Lecce, had an interesting dressing-room habit

"Valeri Bojinov used to shave the whole of his body," he declares. "Everything apart from his head and his eyebrows, in the shower. The water used to wash it all away, thankfully."

While Bojinov clearly paid close attention to his appearance, Chapman names Samir Nasri as the most stylish player and current Blackburn Rovers first-team coach Tony Grant as the scruffiest.

"We used to call him Tony Tramp," he muses.

Pleasant Pellegrini

Manuel Pellegrini is said to have lifted the mood at City after the departure of Roberto Mancini

Former manager Roberto Mancini, who won a Premier League and FA Cup but is said to have alienated many of City's staff before his departure last year, is not mentioned. Chapman's description of Manuel Pellegrini, however, seems to suggest he is everything his predecessor was not.

"He's a very polite man," he says. "A very nice man, he shakes your hand, says hello. He doesn't shout and rant and rave. He's an intelligent man who knows what he has to do. He never makes any special requests, there's nothing flash about him and he's really down to earth."

Chapman knows all about being a manager following a caretaker spell in charge of Rochdale in the 1980s ("If you're a senior player with four working brain cells, chances are the board will give you the job"), and stints at Stockport County ("I fell out with the chairman") and Preston North End ("They sacked me but the timing was great because I went to City").

On Monday, Chapman jetted out with the squad for the club's tour of the United States where they will take on some of Europe's superpowers in some of the country's biggest arenas.

Each player will be kitted out in tailor-made equipment from Nike polo shirts to suits provided by Harvey Nichols.

"I saw a video of a match against Liverpool from 1993-94 the other day," says Chapman, reflecting on the changes.

"Every single City player was wearing an 'XL' shirt - it wasn't a style choice - it was all we had."

Source : bbc[dot]com

Fad or forever smitten: Has the US finally fallen in love with soccer?

By Simon Stone BBC Sport in Los Angeles

Soccer is still far enough below the radar in the United States for Robbie Keane to lead a relatively normal life in his adopted city of Los Angeles.

Intending to watch the US take on Belgium in the last 16 of the Fifa World Cup, the Republic of Ireland international was able to head into town with Los Angeles Galaxy  technical director Jovan Kirovski in virtual anonymity.

The scene that confronted the former Wolves, Coventry, Leeds, Tottenham and Liverpool forward was a big surprise.

World Cup 2014 highlights: Belgium 2-1 USA (aet)

"The place was absolutely packed," says Keane, 34, who has been in California for almost three years, playing for Major League Soccer (MLS) side LA Galaxy.

"Jovan played 62 times for the United States. He said he had never seen anything like it and the difference to the previous World Cup was incredible. The whole country got hooked."

Despite a 2-1 defeat in extra time, US President Barack Obama was sufficiently impressed to make a telephone call to goalkeeper Tim Howard and skipper Clint Dempsey.

That personal message of congratulations from one of the most powerful men in the world could prove to be as significant as anything that happened on the pitch in Brazil.

The conversation may have lasted only 123 seconds, but soccer had been given a big thumbs-up by the White House.

Obama: "What you guys accomplished is really, really significant"

That such a call would ever take place was pretty implausible a decade ago.

In 2003, the Giants Stadium announcer could not even get the name of England's most celebrated player correct, introducing "Sir Bobby Carlton" to the 79,000 supporters at the pre-season friendly between Manchester United and Juventus.

It drew sniggers from the English contingent in the press box, as did the random bursts of applause for goal-kicks and successful offside traps that raised heads in the media area from seasoned hacks who thought they were missing something.

In hindsight, it should not have been such a shock.

An education process was under way, one that had begun back in 1994, when the States hosted the World Cup for the one and so far only time in the tournament's history.

That process was aimed at securing soccer's place in American sporting culture on a permanent basis, rather than the fleeting joy of the defunct North American Soccer League, which brought Pele, Franz Beckenbauer and George Best to the country and spawned the New York Cosmos.

The average attendance at the 1994 World Cup was nearly 69,000, a record which still stands today

As recently as 2000, MLS was still using penalty shootouts to decide matches, so concerned was the fledgling league at the potential reaction to a drawn game - almost an abomination in sports like basketball, baseball, ice hockey and American football.

"When our league was founded, we wanted to appease everyone and get everyone to understand," says Galaxy president Chris Klein.

Not any more, he says.

"This is the world sport, the best game there is," adds Klein.

"I am quite confident that, if we continue to do it the right way, we have enough soccer fans in this country to make it wildly successful."

With Manchester United due to take on Keane's Galaxy in the first of four pre-season games on Wednesday, soccer faces another test of its popularity and staying power in the States.

Chris Klein (centre) spent 13 seasons in the MLS before becoming the president of LA Galaxy in 2013

Will the fans who took to the streets in their thousands to watch Jurgen Klinsmann's team take on Ghana, Portugal, Germany and Belgium show interest in United and other top European teams who have made the trip to the States - the likes of Real Madrid, Roma and Liverpool?

Who knows, but the evidence that soccer is beginning to permeate American society in a major way is compelling.

Schoolchildren in a 17,000-plus crowd at the StubHub Centre for LA Galaxy's midweek victory over New England Revolution are as likely to have pictures of their club's own World Cup hero, Omar Gonzalez, on their wall as they are any of the other sporting stars in this vast city.

US football fans on the World Cup and how soccer in the States differs to that in other countries

"It is quite hard for a kid here to get hooked on one sport because there is so much going on," said Keane.

"But certainly football has grown, even in the short time I have been here."

That said, all 32 National Football League teams have average attendances of more than 50,000, with Dallas Cowboys' 88,043 the highest and Oakland Raiders' 50,444 the lowest. MLS side Seattle Sounders average 44,038.

When Manchester United last visited the US in 2011, barriers had to be erected to allow players uninterrupted passage to the team hotel in Seattle as autograph hunters queued up almost 24/7.

On Friday, when they arrived in Los Angeles, United's security team was assisted by police officers in keeping scores of fans in check as manager Louis van Gaal and his players disembarked from the team bus.

It is not comparable with the manic scenes that accompany them on visits to Asia but is a marked difference to 2003, when United came to LA and could wander the streets with barely a second glance.

Back then, only the uniformity of their tracksuits triggered any sort of superficial interest.

Fifty-seven thousand, mostly Mexicans, turned up to watch Sir Alex Ferguson's side defeat Club America at the Coliseum, a stadium that held 92,000. A taxi driver had to be told what sport the team based there played.

Hundreds of fans lined the streets to welcome United's arrival in LA last week

What about viewing figures?

Just over 26 million watched Germany overcome Argentina in the World Cup final, the most-watched soccer game in US history.

Only three million fewer watched US lose to Belgium.

Looking ahead, it is clear that soccer is only going to get bigger audiences in the States.

Fox Sports and Telemundo have paid £600m for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, ESPN, Fox Sports and Univision Deportes have spent £420m for MLS coverage to 2022, while NBC has handed over £146m for the rights to the English Premier League.

Even the sceptics concede soccer is on a roll.

"The World Cup energised the soccer base in the US," said Jim Peltz, a sports reporter for the Los Angeles Times.  "It got them excited.

Highlights: USA 2-2 Portugal

"But will soccer ever become mainstream? Probably not.

"The truth is, a lot of people find soccer way too boring. We are used to seeing a lot of scores and home runs.

"The World Cup might convert a few people, but in terms of becoming as popular as baseball, basketball or [American] football, that is highly unlikely."

Peltz's view is underlined by the complete absence of any soccer coverage, beyond a couple of fixtures in the TV schedules, in his newspaper's six-page sports supplement on the day Manchester United landed for the start of their pre-season tour.

Is that a problem, though?

Peltz is a journalist, not a marketeer. His own research suggests the 'soccer base' numbers around 50 million.

That is less than a sixth of the US population. But it is also not far off the combined populations of Argentina, Netherlands and Uruguay, who between them have played in nine World Cup finals.

The US view of football has changed since Manchester United and Juventus visited New York in 2003

"We don't need to be the NFL, MLB or NBA," said Klein. "It doesn't matter. Our country is big enough. We just need to be ourselves."

At Barney's Beanery diner in West Hollywood, replays of golf's Open Championship, plus coverage of Nascar  and baseball were the order of the day on the 57 screens across an establishment noted for its comprehensive sports coverage.

It may have been a quiet Friday, but staff there have still not got over the excitement generated by the World Cup.

Whenever the US were in action and when Germany faced Argentina in the final, it was standing room only, with every available table squeezed to capacity.

There was so little room, the serving staff were only able to stand in one space and dispense food in a pass-the-parcel style.

Highlights: Ghana 1-2 USA

Enthusiasm was so great at one point that a customer leapt high enough to crack his head on the ceiling and required medical attention.

"I have never experienced anything like it," said one waitress. "We have all the big games on in all the sports. Nothing compared to the World Cup."

The diner opened early - at 9am - for the first game of the day and welcomed fans even earlier whenever the US were playing.

It also got into the swing of things by taking Belgian beer off the menu the day the US played Belgium.

"There was far more positive energy around the World Cup," said AJ Sacher, Barney's Beanery director of operations.

"For our traditional sports, there is a negativity that comes from watching, purely because you want someone to lose. That didn't happen with the World Cup.

"We expected to have plenty of people in to watch the US, Mexico, England and Brazil. But when Iran played, it was as if the Iranian community came out to support their team."

Some parts of the US came to a standstill as fans watched the World Cup match against Germany

MLS does not generate the same degree of excitement or coverage as the World Cup. Indeed, the Champions League is next on the list of "must-see soccer watches," according to Sacher.

For their next international fix, fans must wait for next year's Concacaf Gold Cup, which will feature teams from the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football.

Then, in 2016, there is an event to celebrate 100 years of the South American Confederation, featuring all 10 South American teams, plus six from Central and North America.

It will be the most significant football tournament hosted by the US since it staged the Fifa World Cup in 1994.

Henry, Defoe, Cahill and Keane are amongst many international stars now playing in the MLS

In the meantime, the MLS  boasts players of the calibre of Thierry Henry and will soon add David Villa and Kaka to a growing list of international stars.

Liam Ridgewell does not bring the same stardust. But the journeyman Premier League defender's arrival from West Brom at the age of 29 hints at a raising of the standard too.

"Of course there is the attraction of living in America," said Keane. "People actually want to live here.

"Big players want to come over. But not-so-big players want to come over as well."

Keane has no intention of going home. For a start, the March to October season allowed him to spend Christmas at home for the first time in 17 years.

However, with his enthusiasm comes a warning; yet more confirmation that life in the MLS should not be viewed as a retirement home.

"If players think they are coming for a holiday, they are coming to the wrong place," he said.

"The American players are so enthusiastic about how strong this league is.

"The last thing they want are European players coming over and thinking they are coming for a jolly.

"In the next five to 10 years, the MLS could be absolutely massive. I am excited to be part of that."

Source : bbc[dot]com

Women's football: Julian Dicks on highs and lows at West Ham

By Anna Thompson BBC Sport

He was a no-nonsense, tough-tackling hard man of football in the 1990s, who earned the nickname the Terminator, and played more than 250 times for West Ham. 

Now Julian Dicks is back at the east London club, this time managing the women's football team.

"I've got 25-year-old twin daughters so I'm definitely in touch with my feminine side," said the former defender.

"I coached women's football in America and I really enjoyed it. Women footballers don't have egos like the men, they want to learn and they don't talk over you when you're speaking. It's different and refreshing," says Dicks.

His return to the Hammers came about fortuitously when an elderly gentlemen approached him at an event hosted by former Irons manager Billy Bonds at Dagenham & Redbridge three months ago.

Julian Dicks's professional clubs
Team	From	To	Transfer fee
Birmingham	Apr 1986	Mar 1988	Apprentice
West Ham	Mar 1988	Sep 1993	£300,000
Liverpool	Sept 1993	May 1994	£1,500,000
West Ham	May 1994	Jul 2002	£1,000,000

A social media campaign was then started by first-team player Stacey Little to install Dicks. He saw it, got in contact with Ray Wood, who is chairman of the ladies team, and now finds himself manager of the club which are in the third tier, the FA Women's Premier League Southern Division.

Last season they finished 10th out of 11 teams.

"If you had asked me 20 years ago about women's football I would have had a different view of it but things change and people change," the 45-year-old said.

"It's a good standard of football but it still has a long way to go."

The team currently have no financial backing from West Ham United - the players even pay for their own kits.

But Dicks is hopeful that will soon be rectified.

"I had a positive meeting with West Ham," he said. "I'm not asking for the earth but a few thousand pounds would really help us."

They start their league campaign against Maidstone this weekend and Dicks said training had been going well.

"I do approach it differently because they're women. I don't rant and rave like I would with the men and I have to be sensitive to their emotions," he quipped.

Dicks, often a controversial player, was regularly seen squaring up to opponents such as Roy Keane and Eric Cantona

"But I've added some toughness. They used to apologise in training when they went in with a tough tackle on their team-mate. I'm not having that," said Dicks, who once broke the leg of new West Ham signing Simon Webster in a training accident.

Dicks, who was as known for his poor disciplinary record as well as his free-kicks and penalties, retired from professional football at the age of 29 because of a recurring knee injury. He bought a pub in Essex which he ran for four years, briefly became a professional golf player, then moved to Spain for a while.

He has had two previous forays into management, with men's teams Wivenhoe Town and Grays Athletic with mixed results and now he wants to take West Ham Ladies as far as he can. Dicks and former Leicester City striker Trevor Benjamin, who manages Newcastle United Ladies, are they only two former Premier League players to manage women's teams in England.

"I really miss playing for West Ham and the next best thing is managing so I'm delighted to be given the chance," he added.

Dicks was also a guest on BBC Three's Women's Football Show.

Source : bbc[dot]com

TOP 5 free Android apps for local football

Here are the applications (apps) for smartphones running Android or on the football field. It will help NHM get the fastest information about the upcoming game, updated results match exactly is happening and the relevant statistics ... of the top European leagues such as the Premier League (Premier League), La Liga (Spain), Serie A (Italy), Bundesliga (Germany) and Ligue 1 (France), as well as worldwide.

 

1. Live Score Addicts

Not only the direct outcome of the game, but also information and interviews before and after games, as well as video highlights situations (highlight).

 

 

2. Sporee

Simple interface, fast report results, set up a list of favorite team.

 

 

3. The Football App

One application provides detailed statistics on matches, players and events, situations on the field. Furthermore, The Football App also includes more detailed narrative sections battle.

 

 

4. Football Plus

Lets not just a free download from Google Play, the app also available on all popular mobile platforms today as iOS, Java or Windows Mobile Phone. In addition to directly update the results as well as relevant statistics, the application also provides additional commentary, TIP experts as well as the video game or on the radio, or news on the sidelines of the pitch ...

 

 

5. Live Premier League 2013/2014

Specifically for the tournament of the season this year (2013/2014) include: Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, FA Cup and Capital One Cup, application updates faster results in the form of push notification, along with OPTA statistics from Sports and related news.

 

 

[Android] Top of the best sports app

Nowadays sports training needs of people growing up, along with the development of technology for people in this field. With the achievements of applied technology in sport can not not mention the invaluable support of the smart phone. Today I would list some good sports apps on the Android operating system.

 

RunKeeper

 

Developed and built by FitnessKeeper Inc. , RunKeeper application created for users who are tracking best practice. By combining the GPS of the mobile computing capabilities of the software will give you results about distance, speed, time ... instantly. Here are some key features of this software.

• Follow the exercise plans with your own training through sound.

• Synchronize with the wrist device to bring to the notice to you easily.

• RunKeeper automatically integrated with the application of music phones.

• Subscribe right from your home screen with widgets RunKeeper

 

Endomondo

This software is pretty well known by flexibility and supports a range of sports such as jogging, biking, hiking, kayaking .... Endomondo is divided into 2 consists of free and the charge for people wishing to use the more advanced features. However, those who need the basic necessities they can absolutely Free Endomondo meet. Here are some special features of Endomondo.

• Performance Analysis as split times for each exercise.

• Subscribe almost any sport based on viewing distance and time, speed, distance, calories and more

• Share results and workouts on Facebook and Google+ ..

• Set a goal for software training and support you through the sound to reach the goal

• See volume daily exercise

You can refer to the Free version before deciding to leave for the cost of $ 4.99 Pro

 

Fitbit

Surely you've heard of wrist tracking device called Fibit on balanced, the manufacturer also recommends the application will work better if you use the device simultaneously with its wrist.But for those who have basic requirements for training as mileage, timers, check the energy consumption Fibit Free applications can fully meet your needs. With a simplified design will be plus point of the training software for the simple design makes it easy to display more messages.You can download and refer to.

 

Withings

 

 

Withings app is simple to take care of yourself and stay healthy for you. The software provides the basic features of other software such as pedometers, distance ... At the same time with the same design fresh colors will create a feeling of comfortable use and very eye-catching. Like the Fitbit Withings completely free, but when coupled with the company's equipment, you can get more detailed statistics on health. If you are interested in equipment and software by Withings, you can refer below.

 

Runtastic

Runtastic use GPS for mapping and monitoring of sports and fitness activities, such as: running, cycling and walking. The application is pretty manufacturers beautifully designed and intuitive.This software has over 30 million users worldwide rely on, indeed it is a not a small figure. And you wonder why it has attracted many people to use this? Please refer to a number of special features of the software below.

• Enjoy music with Google Play Music, Spotify, Pandora, SoundCloud ....

• Map workouts in real time with GPS and monitor progress in the gym

• Like a diary to record the data and chart workout.

• Custom control panel: Display preferred statistics

Runtastic has two versions: a free version and paid version costs $ 4.99.

 

Nike +

Nike is a manufacturer of sports equipment in the world, so that they understand what users need in practice. Nike + app is designed primarily orange-toned color which is also characteristic of Nike. Not only does this beautifully designed app can also be used very good performance with the basic features that those who practice sport to watch. And you can totally easy to connect with friends and compete in practice, you can also share your achievements via social networks with ease.

 

Zombies

With special names you can guess this is an interesting software. With the design complete very professional so you will see more excitement during exercise. The software requires you to use Android device version 4.0 or higher, so there will be some devices can not run the Zombies, Run.But if you like the professional training they can refer to this software because it is not the free version for users that only have a single version for $ 3.99.

Exeter City return to Brazil one hundred years after special trip

By Kalika Mehta BBC Sport

It almost seems unthinkable that a century of samba football was borne out of a bunch of Devon boys, a misjudged skinny dip and a pair of knocked-out teeth.

How Exeter City, who finished just five points outside the League Two relegation places in 2014, helped form the first ever Brazilian side is little known, to those in both South America or south-west England.

But it all happened when, en route home from their 1914 pre-season tour of Argentina, the Grecians stopped off in Brazil, after Nottingham Forest and Southampton turned down requests to make the trip.

Despite a desire for them to also travel to Sao Paulo, Exeter chose only to play in Rio de Janeiro, forcing the invention of a team with a mixture of players from the two largest football states, and thus creating the 'Selecao' (the selection), which to this day remains the Brazilian national team's nickname.

With England being the birthplace of football, the images held in Brazil were that the English were the gods of the sport and it left the locals anticipating a match akin to the flowing, beautiful football they were used to watching.

The 1914 Exeter City side included goalkeeper Dick Pym, who lifted the FA Cup with Bolton in 1923

But disaster struck before a ball had been kicked, when Exeter's players chose to go for a dip in the sea and found themselves in a spot of bother as they were charged with gross indecency.

The players did make it onto the pitch, however, and the 3,000 fans that were packed into the Estadio das Laranjeiras were surprised with the roughness of the visitors' play.

The natural flare of the hastily put together Brazilian XI shone through and although their star player, Arthur Friedenreich, lost two teeth in the battle, the South American side ran out 2-0 winners - Oswaldo Gomes and Osman both finding the back of the net - against the professionals they had believed to be unbeatable.

Now, a century later, Exeter are returning to South America to mark the centenary of the extraordinary history they share with the country and their national football side.

The Estadio das Laranjeiras is still owned by Fluminense but the Brazilian league side now play at the Maracana

Newly appointed Grecians club captain, Scot Bennett, says that he has spent the last few weeks reading articles in local newspapers to grasp a better understanding of their trip to Brazil.

"I know bits and bobs," Bennett told BBC Sport. "I've read a lot in the newspapers recently, learning what the game was all about, with Exeter playing Brazil a hundred years ago and being the first team to do that.

"I know that there is a lot of history there and I think that both the club and the players are going to be a massive part of the Brazil's history for a long time."

In the 100 years since that match the fortunes of the two sides have greatly differed. Brazil have featured in all 20 World Cups, winning football's top accolade a record five times, and reached the semi-finals of this year's competition held in their own country.

Exeter, meanwhile, have never played above the third tier in English football and will now begin their third consecutive campaign in League Two in August, having previously spent five years in the Conference between 2003 and 2008.

The 1914 Brazil side consisted of seven players from sides in Rio and four players from teams in Sao Paulo

But that Grecians manager Paul Tisdale and his men have been to flown over to Brazil and will play three matches over a week is proof of the high regard the club are still held in by all those at the top of the Brazilian game.

Fluminense, one of Brazil's most popular and successful domestic clubs, will cover a large part of the cost, alongside a number of other contributors from Brazil, and will play Exeter in their opening pre-season friendly at the famous Estadio das Laranjeiras on Sunday, 20 July.

The four-time Brazilian Serie A winners usually play their football at the Maracana, the venue of this year's World Cup final, and have boasted sides with notable players such as Brazil legend Rivellino, free-kick specialist Branco, Paris St-Germain defender Thiago Silva, current club captain Fred and midfielder Dario Conca.

Fluminense's star-studded team

• 1970 World Cup winner Rivellino moved to the club in 1973 after eight years with Corinthians. He went on to score 53 goals in 158 appearances over five seasons.
• Left-back Branco, who was a part of Brazil's 1994 triumphant World Cup side, enjoyed three stints with Fluminense but found life in England more challenging. After joining Middlesbrough in 1996, the defender made just nine appearances before leaving on a free transfer after less than year.
• Current Brazil captain Thiago Silva was a part of the Fluminense youth team and made 81 appearance between 2006 and 2008, before his successful move to European football.
• Brazil striker Fred returned to his native country four years after leaving to move to Lyon. Having netted an imperious 62 times in 96 matches, the forward is much revered by the club's supporters.
• In 2011, Dario Conca was made the third-highest paid player in the world when he signed for Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande, a season after having helped Fluminense clinch their first title in 26 years. He returned to the Brazilian side in January 2014.

For Exeter academy graduate Bennett, handed the captain's armband on a full-time basis just prior to the trip, the meaning of leading out his side against Fluminense is not lost on the 23-year-old.

"It is one thing to lead your team out on a matchday," he said. "When you are over there and are part of something so big, coming out in a big stadium and against such a big team, there's always going to be an added emphasis on that.

"It's definitely added to the excitement for me and around 160 fans are travelling over and making a big effort to come over. Hopefully we can put on a good show for them."

Following the commemorative match, Exeter's players and staff will watch their opposition take on Santos at the Maracana in a league match later that day, before going on to face Tupi on Wednesday, 23 July and Rio Cricket and Athletic Association on Friday, 25 July.

It will be a fitting way to remember that Exeter City were responsible for kick-starting one of the greatest footballing dynasties the game has ever known, and a century later Bennett knows he is reaping the rewards of his Exeter predecessors' labour.

"As a young boy you dream you can play in big stadiums, full stadiums, against good sides, but when you're playing in League Two it does not happen week in, week out," Bennett said.

"Going over to Brazil, where the World Cup has just taken place, is definitely going to be a dream come true for me and all of the lads."

Source : bbc[dot]com

Louis van Gaal: Manchester United unveiling feels like new era

By David Ornstein BBC Sport at Old Trafford

 

Fifty-nine days had passed since Louis van Gaal was named as the manager of Manchester United, but not until he addressed the media on Thursday did it truly feel like a new era had arrived at Old Trafford.

Van Gaal's run to the World Cup semi-finals with the Netherlands meant his presentation had to be significantly delayed - yet when the moment finally arrived, it was worth the wait and did plenty to suggest he is the right man to resurrect a fallen giant.

The Dutchman was accompanied by United legend Sir Bobby Charlton as he strode purposefully to his first news conference in a light grey suit, red club tie and slicked-back hair.

He held aloft a home shirt with his name and the number one printed on the reverse, smiling broadly as cameras clicked and bulbs flashed, happily obliging as the scrum of photographers called on "Mr Van Gaal" to face left, right, left again and straight ahead.

United legend Sir Bobby Charlton was on hand to introduce the club's first ever overseas manager

This was not on the level of Jose Mourinho's return to Chelsea last summer, when around 250 journalists and 40 film crews assembled at Stamford Bridge to quiz the Portuguese.

Nor did the timing fall kindly for many reporters taking a post-World Cup break or already in the United States ahead of United's pre-season tour, for which they depart on Friday.

But the turnout was still substantial and appropriate for a man charged with returning the Red Devils to their former glory after the hugely disappointing reign of David Moyes.

On 5 July, 2013, Moyes sat in the same room and gave an impressive performance of his own, having been hand-picked to replace Sir Alex Ferguson by the man himself.

Van Gaal was engaging but always firm as he crossed swords with the English media for the first time in earnest

It was United's first news conference for a new manager in 26 years and the fact that they have now held two in just over 12 months says everything about what happened last season.

This one felt different, though, and there is a sense of optimism about the place that was largely absent under Moyes. Van Gaal looks at ease in his surroundings. Moyes rarely did.

Van Gaal can lay claim to a Champions League triumph, domestic titles in the Netherlands, Spain and Germany, and a third-place finish with the Dutch in Brazil. Moyes had no major silverware.

There was a relaxed and positive atmosphere as Van Gaal held court to a captivated audience for 22 minutes. During Moyes's tenure, it was usually short, tense and uneasy.

It feels as if efforts have been made to erase recent history and accentuate the fresh start: the Europa Suite where these events take place has been refurbished; a glitzy stage was constructed for Van Gaal instead of the basic table used for Moyes and it was positioned at the opposite end of the room; and a video tribute to Van Gaal played on loop prior to his appearance.

There was also not a single mention of the previous boss.

Interest was predictably high at Van Gaal's unveiling - more than eight weeks on from accepting the role

Moyes had the unenviable - some would say impossible - task of taking over from one of the greatest managers of all time and there was always a notion that the person who followed Ferguson's successor would be landing the plum job.

But Van Gaal appears better suited to the role and, surrounded by walls covered with images of United glory, the 62-year-old displayed no hint of being out of his depth.

Nicknamed the 'Iron Tulip' for a macho image that features an element of arrogance, he actually opened in humble fashion - admitting it was a "great honour" to walk in alongside Charlton.

Van Gaal refused to make predictions on how he will fare at "the biggest club in the world", said satisfying both United and their commercial partners was his "biggest challenge" and later argued that depictions of him as an autocrat were "unfair", blaming the media for propelling such an idea.

He came across in a measured, calm, confident and controlled manner - this was not an occasion for the animated character witnessed at times during the World Cup and throughout his career.

Van Gaal was on best behaviour but we did catch glimpses of what he describes as a "strong personality" when the former Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach talked of his pride at leading the "number one clubs" in the Netherlands, Spain, Germany and England, adding: "You can see what I've won".

Van Gaal's major titles
National leagues: Ajax (1993-94, 1994-95, 1995-96), Barcelona (1997-98, 1998-99), AZ Alkmaar (2008-09), Bayern Munich (2009-10)
Champions League: Ajax (1994-95)
Uefa Cup: Ajax (1991-92)

Marcel van der Kraan, a football writer for the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, explained that Van Gaal simply "tells it as it is, he is very transparent and has nothing to hide".

He twice gave inquisitors short shrift, answering questions about whether he expected to win the Premier League in his first campaign with "I've explained already" and "You know that, why ask?".

But above all, Van Gaal radiated an eagerness to get down to work, stating that United's owners and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward were "very excited" about his vision.

He would have preferred to take a "half-year sabbatical" but conceded that "when a challenge like this comes up, I never let it go" and he intends to meet Ferguson for "coffee or wine" after the Scot rang to congratulate him on being appointed.

At the end, Van Gaal was asked how crucial the experience of Wayne Rooney would be. In stark contrast to Moyes a year earlier, he made no mention of the striker and replied: "I am not always convinced by experience."

Van Gaal has started his new job within days of guiding the Netherlands to third place at the World Cup

It was at this point that he pulled a pained expression in revealing the "big blow" of losing Michael Carrick to an ankle injury. Clearly, in his eyes, the real stars are not always those most famous.

"Van Gaal's philosophy is all about the 'total person'," said Van der Kraan. "Everyone must prove themselves not just as a player but as a person. He will assess their character on and off the pitch, decide whether they work for the team, bond with their team-mates as so on."

As in Spain and Germany, Van Gaal completed his first news conference in the local language and without the help of an interpreter. He struggled to pronounce the word "empathetic" but got there eventually and underlined that it is one of his strongest characteristics.

He left having made a strong impression and the consensus was that this should be a fun ride.

"Every news conference will be alive," Van der Kraan concluded. "He can be entertaining, warm, negative, excitable and explosive. You haven't seen his explosive side yet! This is Louis at six out of 10. When his communication and English are better, you will see the best of Louis."

So far so good, then, but ultimately Van Gaal will be judged by results on the pitch.

 

Source : bbc[dot]com