Fortune: Decision time
I'll either be sitting watching him shaking someone's hand and holding a shirt up somewhere at an English Premier League club, or you will all come back here in a few days' time and meet the guy yourself.
Mowbray on Fortune
Quotes of the week
Celtic boss Tony Mowbray says he is in the dark on which club Marc-Antoine Fortune will be playing for this season.
A number of clubs are battling it out for the Nancy striker's signature following a successful loan spell under Mowbray at West Brom.
The Bhoys have offered the 27-year-old hit-man a contract after agreeing a fee with Nancy, however, they face competition from the likes of Hull, Portsmouth and Fulham.
Mowbray insists he does not know which club Fortune will join and that he is as likely to sign for Celtic as either of the Premier League clubs.
"Everything is in the balance," said Mowbray. "I think it will happen naturally over the next day or two.
"I'll either be sitting watching him shaking someone's hand and holding a shirt up somewhere at an English Premier League club, or you will all come back here in a few days' time and meet the guy yourself. So let's wait and see."
Mowbray believes his relationship with Fortune could tilt the balance in Celtic's favour, although he concedes that rejecting the lure of a Premier League contract could be too hard to resist.
When asked if Mowbray's relationship with Fortune could influence his decision, he replied: "I think that's a benefit for our football club, but the draw of the Premier League and the potential salaries that could get paid down there by some of the clubs is also a drawing power.
"Every individual is different. Fortune came into the game late for instance at 21. He's hard working. It's his talent that's propelling him to a situation in his life where he finds himself coveted by a few clubs.
"That's a credit to him. Let's see what decision he makes. Whatever decision he makes I wish him well."
| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Sunday 8th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Hull vs Stoke |
| 15:00 | West Ham vs Everton |
| 15:00 | Wigan vs Fulham |
| 16:00 | Chelsea vs Man Utd |
| Monday 9th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | Liverpool vs Birmingham |
| Saturday 21st November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:45 | Liverpool vs Man City |
| 15:00 | Birmingham vs Fulham |
| 15:00 | Burnley vs Aston Villa |
| 15:00 | Chelsea vs Wolverhampton |
| 15:00 | Hull vs West Ham |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs Arsenal |
| 17:30 | Man Utd vs Everton |
| Sunday 22nd November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Bolton vs Blackburn |
| 15:00 | Tottenham vs Wigan |
| 16:00 | Stoke vs Portsmouth |
| Wednesday 25th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 19:45 | Hull vs Everton |
| 20:00 | Fulham vs Blackburn |
| Saturday 28th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Stoke |
| 15:00 | Fulham vs Bolton |
| 15:00 | Man City vs Hull |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Saturday 7th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Wolverhampton 1 - 4 Arsenal | |
| Man City 3 - 3 Burnley | |
| Tottenham 2 - 0 Sunderland | |
| Blackburn 3 - 1 Portsmouth | |
| Aston Villa 5 - 1 Bolton | |
| Wednesday 4th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| West Ham 2 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Sunday 1st November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Birmingham 0 - 0 Man City | |
| Saturday 31st October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Man Utd 2 - 0 Blackburn | |
| Sunderland 2 - 2 West Ham | |
| Portsmouth 4 - 0 Wigan | |
| Bolton 0 - 4 Chelsea | |
| Stoke 2 - 2 Wolverhampton | |
| Fulham 3 - 1 Liverpool | |
| Burnley 2 - 0 Hull | |
| Everton 1 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Arsenal 3 - 0 Tottenham | |
| Sunday 25th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| West Ham 2 - 2 Arsenal | |
| Man City 2 - 2 Fulham | |
| Liverpool 2 - 0 Man Utd | |
| Bolton 3 - 2 Everton | |
Sunderland fan Lucinda Gittins was strutting her stuff in the Soccer AM studios this week.
Paul Merson fears for Phil Brown - and says Hull couldn't be facing a worse game than home to Stoke.
Liverpool should stand by beleaguered boss Rafa Benitez, says Reds legend John Adridge.
Arsenal maintained their recent fine form on Saturday as they eased to a 4-1 victory over Wolves.
Aston Villa and Tottenham made their Champions League aspirations clear as Arsenal also won but Man City were held by Burnley.
Kevin McDonald's late equaliser ensured Man City's winless run continued as Burnley claimed a 3-3 draw.
Chelsea go into the match with Man Utd at Stamford Bridge in arguably their best form of the season.
Super sub Jason Roberts came off the bench for Blackburn to score two and kill off Portsmouth 3-1.