Saint & Sinner
‘HARRY Redknapp is to make a sensational return to football management by becoming the new boss at Southampton, the Sun exclusively reveals this morning.
| For whom the chimes toll |
What? You knew that already? You, like us, read it in yesterdays Express?
Okay, but todays a different day and were pretty sure this is the first time the Sun has exclusively revealed it.
Indeed, so exclusive is it today that it is billed as a Sunsport Soccer Exclusive (which is admittedly a better tagline than Follow-Up Of Another Papers Story).
The Sun does at least have a picture of Harry Redknapp (apparently taken yesterday) deep in conversation with Lawrie McMenemy.
McMenemy, we should remind you, is a former boss of Southampton (in those muddy pre-Nick Hornby days) and the fact that he was talking to Redknapp is confirmation enough for the Sun.
And for Portsmouth director Terry Brady who is of the opinion that such a move really would be the highest betrayal possible.
Before Judas has had a chance to open his mouth to protest, Brady continues.
I find it unbelievable, he says. The board would feel let down.
Of course, there are those who might venture what was truly unbelievable was that Pompey should have forced Redknapp out after two and a half highly successful years in charge.
From saints to sinners and the Mail focuses on Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia, at fault again last night during the Gunners 5-1 thrashing of Rosenborg.
The paper says the gaffe-prone Spanish keeper is turning into an almighty headache for manager Arsene Wenger and is now a doubt for Sundays crunch match against Chelsea.
Im a great believer in Almunias potential, Wenger said after the match, but at the moment he is playing under so much pressure that he has not really been himself.
It has caused a national debate, but it has been very difficult for him to come into a team like this.
The result, however, is that Arsenal qualify for the next stage of the Champions League as unbeaten table-toppers, while Chelsea went down 2-1 to Porto only Jose Mourinhos second defeat since taking over at Stamford Bridge.
But yet again the Mirror says the match was marred by monkey chants directed at Chelseas Didier Drogba and William Gallas.
The chanting came from several corners of the ground, it says, and Chelsea fans tried to drown it out with their own chants in favour of Mourinho only for the abuse to resurface later in the match.
Truly, it is a strange world when Chelsea fans are being held up as paragons of virtue…’
Posted: 8th, December 2004 | In: Back pages Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
