Bees keeper targets the top

Bees keeper targets the top

Published Feb. 5, 2013 7:15 a.m. ET

Nurnberg have accepted midfielder Almog Cohen's wish to return to his native Israel by granting him a loan move to Hapoel Tel Aviv until the end of the season.

The 24-year-old, who is contracted to Nurnberg until 2014, will end the campaign in his home country before returning to the Bundesliga club next season.

"Almog approached us and asked if we would loan him to Tel Aviv for half a year," said Nurnberg's director of sport Martin Bader.

"We have granted him this wish."

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Cohen has made 58 Bundesliga appearances for Nurnberg since joining from Maccabi Netanya in 2010.

The transfer window in Israel is still open until tomorrow, enabling him to move even though the opportunity to trade players in Germany closed last Friday.

Cavani has regularly been linked with a move away from Napoli, with Premier League champions Manchester City reportedly chasing the Uruguayan as a replacement for Mario Balotelli.

The Serie A club have previously insisted that Cavani will only be sold if the ?63million (?54m) release clause in his contract is met, with the latest speculation claiming Real are lining up a summer bid.

Arsenal have also been rumoured to be admirers of Cavani and, while the forward is happy at Napoli, he is keeping an open mind regarding his long-term future.

"I know nothing about Arsenal's interest," Cavani told Radio Onda Cero. "I have only heard about it now.

"My future? I have a contract for four years but in football you never know what to expect.

"Barcelona and Real Madrid are teams which stimulate the imagination. But I only think about the present.

"I'm living the highest point of my career with Napoli and I want to concentrate on fighting for the scudetto. Along with my team-mates, we want to give a dream for our people."

Gills have won only one of their last seven League Two matches at Priestfield, losing four times during that sequence after going down 1-0 to improving Wycombe on Monday night.

The run has seen the Kent club surrender top spot in the table to Port Vale - one of the teams to win at Priestfield recently.

"We are finding it difficult. Let's not hide, we are finding it difficult to get the wins at home and playing for 95 minutes," said Allen, whose side were beaten by an 85th-minute goal from Matt McClure. "That's something we need to deal with.

"In the second half we didn't play well enough, we were far too open. On the counter-attack they looked very dangerous and it was a disappointing second half all-round.

"They have pace up front and good attacking players. We never got on top of them. They played well second half, but we didn't and that's something I have to address.

"I think we have one of the best defensive records in the country but after this you would think that statement was crazy."

McCormack had earned a recall to the Scotland squad for the game at Pittodrie following Gordon Strachan's appointment as national team coach.

owever, the forward will now sit out Strachan's first game after being sent home from the training camp as he is suffering from flu-like symptoms.

The 26-year-old's last appearance for Scotland came at the start of this season when he scored in the 3-1 friendly win over Australia.

Strachan still has plenty of striking options at his disposal for the meeting with Estonia, with Kenny Miller, Steven Fletcher and Jordan Rhodes vying for a start.

Miller has often been deployed as a lone striker in recent years for Scotland, but the emergence of Rhodes and availability of Fletcher have given the national team greater depth up front.

The stadium would be used by Bristol City FC and Bristol Rugby, both of whom are overseen by the same umbrella company, Bristol Sport.

The club's home in South Bristol would be redeveloped in stages over time to incorporate new stands where the existing Wedlock and Williams stands are currently sited.

Along with renovation works to the Dolman Stand it would increase the capacity of the ground to over 26,000 seats.

The proposed redevelopment is estimated to cost ?40million, with any shortfall being underwritten by Bristol Sport owner Steve Lansdown.

Plans will be submitted early in the summer months and, once under way, a full stadium redevelopment would be deliverable within three years.

In the meantime, City will continue to explore the possibility of building a new 30,000 all-seat stadium at nearby Ashton Vale, but the redevelopment of Ashton Gate represents a viable alternative should the landowners be unable to build a new stadium at Ashton Vale.

Jon Lansdown, speaking on behalf of the Bristol City FC board, said: "Ashton Gate has been the club's spiritual home for more than 100 years and these plans would improve and enhance the facilities ready for the next 100 years.

"The stadium would be designed with supporters in mind; there would be full engagement and consultation to ensure we represent the history and heritage of the club as fans would like.

"Modern stadium facilities are a key pillar for the club, closely aligned with our community engagement and the importance of financial prudence. This redevelopment plan is testament to all of that.

"These plans give us a viable alternative to Ashton Vale."

The 21-year-old has developed into one of the best keepers in League One this season and has been tipped as a bright prospect by former England number one David James.

"Being a goalkeeper you need a lot of self-belief, a lot of confidence in your own ability," he said.

"I know I've got a long way to go but if I keep improving and keep playing week in week out then I don't see any reason why I can't get to the top one day.

"It's nice to hear things like that but you have to prove yourself. It's flattering to hear that from a top England international. But it's one thing saying it and another doing it.

"I know I have to continue to improve. I have a lot to learn but if I keep working hard there's no reason why I can't push on further."

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