Fawlty Manuel
‘WE dont know how well Arsenals Spanish goalkeeper Manuel Almunia speaks English, but wed advise him not to practise by reading this mornings newspapers.
| Is a hamster? |
If he does, he will discover that the clubs whole season not to mention the small matter of £30m rests in his not-so-safe hands.
Thats certainly the verdict in the Sun, which has nicknamed the man who has been asked to replace Jens Lehmann Fawlty Manuel.
It says the 27-year-old will be between the posts for tonights crucial Champions League match against Rosenborg and at the weekend for the Premiership clash with Chelsea.
And at least one ex-Arsenal keeper is not enthralled at the prospect.
David Seaman tells the Mail that Lehmann is unlucky to miss out.
Jens is a fantastic keeper, he says. He deserves another chance. He has made a few mistakes, but on form he deserves to be first choice.
Chelsea have already qualified for the next round of the Champions League, but they face problems of a different sort in Portugal.
The Star says Porto have refused to step up security for former boss Jose Mourinho, who has been the target of death threats on his return to the club he led to European Cup success last year.
However, Chelsea have apparently provided not one, but five, bodyguards for their boss, who also failed in a legal bid to have Helder Mota, a member of Portos fanatical Super Dragons supporters group, banned from the game.
Mota, who spat at Mourinho when the clubs met in September, claims the Chelsea manager had an affair with his wife and has said he will be a dead man next time he went to Porto.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa (currently in sixth position in the Premiership) could be about to lose manager David OLeary.
The Star says the pig-faced manager is ready to walk out on the club if his new contract and the future of his backroom staff arent sorted out immediately.
Southampton, meanwhile, are hoping to lure Harry Redknapp in what the Express says would be a dramatic south coast managerial switch.
Redknapp resigned from the Saints bitter rivals Portsmouth a fortnight ago, but was last night said to be locked in talks with Rupert Lowe about a swift return to action.
Saints fans will be glad to know that Glenn Hoddle will not be returning to the club he abandoned.
The former England manager has taken over from another former Saints boss Dave Jones as manager of Wolves.’
Posted: 7th, December 2004 | In: Back pages Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
