Sports Category
Sports news, commentary and scores with wit and added value. We compare and contrast the best and worst sports reporting in the mainstream press, blogs, TV and online. We love the English Premier League (Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs, Manchester United and Manchester City) and all things football but we cover cricket, rugby, the Olympics, tennis, golf, F1 and highlights of the sporting year.
Nitrous Oxide laugh in: Spurs and England’s Kyle Walker is a victim of the Daily Mail’s drugs misinformation policy
SPURS and England defender Kyle Walker has been pictured inhaling laughing gas from a balloon. The picture was taken last June. Is that bad? Well, taking any stimulant is not a healthy option. He won’t be doing it again.
The Sunday Mirror was aghast and thundered:
“This photograph was taken as he was recovering from an injury that forced him to miss England’s friendly double-header against the Republic of Ireland and Brazil.”
Injured footballer on holiday inhales nitrous oxide. Is that a big deal? Well, it is if you sit on the picture and wait until the eve of England’s big match in the Ukraine to publish it.
Neil Ashton writes in the Mail:
‘The FA insist that Walker, who has seven caps and is expected to start against Ukraine, has not broken any laws or behaved in a way that affects his standing with the England team.”
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Posted: 9th, September 2013 | In: Key Posts, Sports | Comment
Behold! The Lionel Messi of Stevenage
THE Lionel Messi of Stevenage. Says Stevenage manager Graham Westley after his side drew 0-0 with Tranmere Rovers:
“You might say we’ve got no out and out attacking player, but Luke (Freeman) and Lionel Messi are a similar type of player and you wouldn’t accuse Barcelona of playing without an attacking threat”
Point made…
Coventry City fans watch home matches on Jimmy’s Hill in Northampton
COVENTRY City fans seem to have decided that it’s best to watch their team from a safe distance with a restricted view. The terracing has been dubbed Jimmy’s Hill, a pun on the club’s most famous old boy.
The official version of what you are about to see is written by YouTuber fluffsta·
Coventry fans protest on the Hill at Northampton. Coventry V Colchester Utd on 8th September 2013 – Why not come and join us for future ‘home’ games on the hill. Everybody having a few beers and food and some great natter.
Not One Penny More!
Is this the best way to protest that your team are being forced to play home games at Northampton Town’s Sixfields Stadium for the next three seasons? Coventry City went into administration in March.Don’t they need all the money they can get?
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Posted: 9th, September 2013 | In: Sports | Comments (2)
One Direction fans threaten to kill Aston Villa’s Gabby Agbonlahor for tackling puking Louis Tomlinson
ASTON Villa’s Gabby Agbonlahor has been the subject of death threats on Twitter following his tackle on One Direction and Doncaster Rovers’ Louis Tomlinson at charity football match for former Villa and Celtic man Stan Petrov who was diagnosed with leukaemia.
After the forward’s challenge, Tomlinson went to the sidelines and threw up.
The One Direction fans duly moved on from threatening to murder GQ magazine staffers by threatening to murder a professional footballer:
Erica Ramirez ∞ ♥ @BelievingInMe_1 – I’ll Kill You Gabby Agbonlahor For Hurting My Man @Louis_Tomlinson
“@gabby_10 This guy hurt Louis knee. I shall hurt your face. I better hear that you apologized or I will find you, and I will kill you.”
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Posted: 8th, September 2013 | In: Celebrities, Key Posts, Sports | Comment
Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City wonder what Julian Draxler is really worth
HOW close did Julian Draxler come to joining Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester City?
Already we have noted that Press have no idea what Draxler is worth but are happy to report pretty much any figure as fact.
On September 1, the 19-year-old German said:
“I don’t mind people speculating, I’ll let them have their fun. If nothing extraordinary happens, I will be here on Monday. But Schalke could change their mind and say ‘Well, 40 or 30 million euros is not so bad,’ and then I can’t do much about it. If the club absolutely wants to sell me, I will not say ‘No, I want to stay.'”
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Raging Balls: Jake Lamotta and his lover star in what might be the worst comedy show of all time
LADY & THE CHAMP stars Jake Lamotta (the boxer who inspired the film Raging Bull) and his fiancee. It might be the world’s worst show ever. Here’s the promo for Raging Balls:
Photo: Jake LaMotta, left, and challenger Sugar Ray Robinson exchange lefts to the face in first round of their middleweight championship bout at Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Ill., Feb. 14, 1951. Robinson wrested the crown from LaMotta with a technical knockout in the 13th round.
Talking balls: Newcastle United’s Yohan Cabeye has low confidence because Arsenal thought he was worth £11m?!
TALKING Balls: The Newcastle Chronicle has a story local team Newcastle United’s Yohan Cabaye, who was wanted by Arsenal and, reportedly, striked to get his own way.
Neil Cameron writes:
Cabaye thought he was joining Arsenal when they made a bid for him days before the season began.
So did many others inside St James’ Park.
But, and this is where the fall comes, Arsenal decided he wasn’t worth more than the £11m they offered and instead broke their own transfer record to sign Mesut Ozil, paying four times more than they rated the Frenchman.
One minute Cabaye was a wanted man, the next he was being booed by his own supporters while warming up as a substitute.
Newcastle would have sold him had Arsenal came close to the £20m mark.
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Gareth Bale: Real Madrid’s former Spurs man is scared of hugs
FORMER Spurs player Gareth Bale did not play in Wales defeat in Macedonia. The Real Madrid star did however make it on to the pitch, where he was involved in a “SCARE“.
There was grappling. There was “hassle“. It was “ugly“. There were “pitch invaders“.
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England v Moldova: Roy Hodgson’s team spotted with strange breed of breasted human
ENGLAND are playing Moldova. Neil Ashton tells Mail readers of his fears in
“ROY HIT BY WAG STORM”
England’s players shipped in the WAGs on Thursday night as they prepared for the crucial World Cup qualifier against Moldova.
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Inside the Monster: the documentary on the heavy waves of Teahupo’o, Tahiti
EVER been surfing? Ever felt the rush of riding a wave? Ever felt the sickening thrill of being pulled by an incredible force and made to feel very small? Inside the Monster is a 25-minute documentary on Teahupo’o, Tahiti, “home of the heaviest waves in the world”. This reef break can be deadly.
The semi circular nature of the leading edge of the reef drops down sharply to a second stage around 10 metres in depth. This upper profile of the reef creates the ‘below water’ effect of the breaking wave.
Spotter: INSIDE THE MONSTER from gilles HUCAULT on Vimeo, via Kottke
Manchester United and Arsenal expert says England need less foreigners to win World Cups
CAN England “REALLY win the World Cup in 2022?”
The Daily Mail asks the question that demands the only sensible answer: yes. They can. But they are outsiders.
So why is the Mail asking this question today?
FA chairman Greg Dyke claims he can save English football from oblivion after setting the national team an incredible target to rule the world in 2022. It’s a bold call, especially with England struggling to qualify for the World Cup in Brazil next summer. But there are some people who share Dyke’s optimism, and they happen to be the ones who know best…
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Jose Mourinho turns down Chelsea to sign for Fulham
JOSE Mourinho has joined Fulham? Can it be that the Chelsea bosses has quit the Blues for their local rivals?
Not quite.
Jose Mario Mourinho, Chelsea manager Jose Snr’s 14-year-old son has left Real Madrid’s Canillas youth side to join the Cottagers on a 12-month contract.
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Liverpool: Kolo Touré fans gets ‘Kolo Touro’ tattoo
LIVERPOOL’S Kolo Touré is hit with the Anfield Kopites. One fan wanted a tattoo of the player’s name. So. He got “Touro” inked on his foot..
Can an O be turned into an accented E? Will Touré change his name? Will a sock solve the problem..?
Spotter: Pies
Why Mo Farah lost: the cost of banking regulation
I THINK we’re all agreed that Britain’s latest hero, Mo Farah, should be allowed to have what he wants. I think we’re all also agreed that we want to stamp out tax evasion, drub money laundering and the abuse of the financial system by the big banks. Unfortunately it appears that we cannot have both at the same time.
Farah has been running a campaign to get Barclay’s to continue to service money transfer companies. There’s around 1,000 of them in the UK, they’re often used by immigrants to send a bit of cash to the old folks back home. Such remittances are in fact the largest reducer of poverty in the world. Vast sums flow through these systems. However, they’re only vast sums in aggregate: most of the actual remittances themselves are a couple of hundred quid or so. And that’s where the problem comes in:
A number of the world’s largest banks have pulled back on operations in profitable emerging markets as international anti-money laundering rules tighten.
Barclays’ decision follows a similar action by HSBC in the wake of its record $1.9bn settlement with US authorities over money-laundering allegations.
Barclay’s was one of the banks offering the basic banking services to those money transfer firms. They’re now a great deal less willing to do so: in fact, they’ve cut some 250 from the list they’re prepared to deal with, leaving only 25 that they will deal with. This list of 25 doesn’t include any at all in Somalia which is what Mo Farah is pissed about.
But the thing is, why should Barclay’s risk the sort of fines that HSBC had to pay? And it’s important to note that no one ever did prove that HSBC was laundering Mexican drug money: rather, the proof was that they weren’t running their bureaucratic system to check that they weren’t laundering Mexican drug money properly. So, what’s a bank to do? Refuse to deal with people who cannot follow the regulatory rules? Or keep open an essential lifeline to a poor country like Somalia?
Well, obviously, we do all demand that the bastard banks obey the law so yes, it’s the Somalis that get screwed.
There really are costs of regulation of an industry you know.
Manchester United: Wayne Rooney shows off his nasty gash
MANCHESTER United’s Mr Loyal Wayne Rooney wants to show the world the awful cut he suffered in training last week. On his personal Facebook page, La Roon writes:
“Some people seem to be questioning my commitment to the England squad and the fact I had to pull out of the 2 games. There’s nothing I would like more than to be helping the lads in the qualifiers. I’m sure people will see from these images the reason why I won’t be able to play.”
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Posted: 4th, September 2013 | In: Sports | Comments (2)
Watch Atletico player telling team-mate where to ‘do’ injured Messi
GREAT footballers get kicked around. That’s always been the case. Look at the savage treatment doled out to Pele in the ’66 World Cup, kicked out of the competition entirely.
These days, the world’s favourite is Lionel Messi and with all cameras pointing at him constantly, this week we saw him being deliberately targeted by the players of Atletico Madrid. With Messi injured, there’s a video showing Diego Godin clearly telling a team-mate to ‘do’ the Barcelona forward.
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Is Chris Froome better than Bradley Wiggins?
TWO years on the bounce, and Britain has seen one of its own winning the prestigious, gruelling Tour De France. First came Bradley Wiggins, briefly making sideburns fashionable, cod-mod, into rugby league and bringing a certain swagger to proceedings. Thanks to this, he became a Knight, which is impressive.
Then, a year later, along came the determined, studious Chris Froome, unswervingly grateful on the podium with his yellow jersey, sincere, with a surprising sparkiness and fire in his belly.
However, the relationship between the two isn’t exactly great with the pair trading blows in a sport that brings out incredible levels of shark-eyed one upmanship.
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Posted: 4th, September 2013 | In: Sports | Comment (1)
Bitter at Ozil’s move to Arsenal Spurs fans start petition because Real Madrid gave them loads of money
IN a not at all mental way, Tottenham Hotspur fans have launched one of those thoroughly useful Change.org petitions, calling for their club to end its “strategic partnership” with Real Madrid CF.
That’d be the same Real Madrid who gave Spurs £33million for Modric and £85million for Gareth Bale, the poor lambs.
Addressed to the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust, the petition reads:
“We, the devoted and loyal fans of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club are petitioning to end the ‘strategic partnership’ with Real Madrid Club de Futbol. Since we have agreed to form the partnership, Real Madrid C.F. have treated us and our players without respect including ‘tapping’ up Luka Modric and Gareth Bale. The transfer of Mezut Ozil to our top rivals in order to recoup money spent on Gareth Bale is the ultimate duplicitous action and we deserve a fair and mutual exchange between clubs rather than being treated as a feeder club. We ask that the ‘strategic partnership’ that we have not benefitted from be terminated.”
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Posted: 4th, September 2013 | In: Sports | Comments (9)
Talking balls: Olivier Giroud is Arsenal’s brilliant culprit and Ozil thrashes Spurs on twitter
TALKING Balls: Anorak’s been scouting round to see which football experts in the media are now telling us that they knew what was what all along? We spot the Mirror’s John Cross, billed as “our man in the know at the Emirates”, talking about Mesut Ozil arrival from Real Madrid and not signing a proven goal scorer:
The gamble is clearly relying on Olivier Giroud. He’s been in great form. Four goals in five games. He looks sensational. But Arsenal do not have a back-up centre forward. Their only viable option is Lukas Podolski and he’s out injured. Sanogo is unproven yet. Forget Nicklas Bendtner. Wenger has.
This is the John Cross who told us waaaaay back on August 22:
“THIS game showed why Arsenal have spent the whole summer trying to buy a striker. Giroud was the worst culprit… his finishing looks anything but top class”
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Posted: 3rd, September 2013 | In: Sports | Comments (5)
Vinnie Jones: English-born Wales footballer and celebrity emigrant living in LA says England has too many foreigners
VINNIE Jones, actor and former footballer with Leeds United, Sheffield United, Chelsea and Wimbledon, has been talking to the Radio Times:
“It’s not the country I grew up in. It’s a European country now. If someone blindfolded you and put you on a plane in LA, and you landed at Heathrow and they took it off, you wouldn’t have a clue where you were.”
Jones was born in Watford. He played footballer for – get this- Wales.
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Posted: 3rd, September 2013 | In: Sports | Comment (1)
Transfer Balls: Which man won big when Spurs sold Bale to Real Madrid? This one…
TRANSFER Balls: Who won when Spurs sold Gareth Bale to Real Madrid?
Gareth Bale’s agent Jonathan Barnett tells the Daily Telegraph:
“I have been involved in some of the most difficult transfers you can possibly imagine over the years but this was the most rewarding one I have had the pleasure of negotiating.”
And 10% of 85 million agrees…
The Talking Balls Awards: Anorak awards the best and worst of the mad transfer season
THE Transfer Season was a reporting frenzy. Experts in the media made guess after guess. And time after time they got it wrong. In light of their sterling work in fulling space with speculation we present the Transfer Season awards.
The Read My Lips Award
Winner: Jose Mourinho:
Jose Mourinho says Wayne Rooney is Chelsea’s only summer transfer target after Manchester United rejected their bid for the England striker…And when asked if the Blues had made any other bids for players, the Portuguese said: “No – and we won’t.”…Asked if it is Rooney or bust, he replied: “Yes.”‘
Chelsea then spent £32 on Willian.
The You Can’t Buy Loyalty Like That Award
Winner: Willian
August 16: Willian loves Liverpool:
”There are conversations, and I am hoping in the next few days for an offer from a club like Liverpool. If it is Liverpool, then they are a great club.”
August 22: Willian has a medical at Tottenham. He passes.
August 28: Willian becomes a Chelsea player:
“It’s been my dream to come to play here. Finally it’s become a reality, and when the offer came I never gave a thought to anybody else, I said to myself that I would run here, and I’m happy to be here now. Chelsea were always my first choice.”
The Insider Award for Journalists Who Know
Winner: John Cross in the Daily Mirror
August 22:
“THIS game showed why Arsenal have spent the whole summer trying to buy a striker. Giroud was the worst culprit… his finishing looks anything but top class”
September 2:
“Who needs to spend £109million when Gunners have Olivier Giroud? Who needs Luis Suarez? Who needs Gonzalo Higuain? Or even Wayne Rooney? Not Arsenal when they have got Olivier Giroud…”
August 29:
Arsenal fear Wenger will spend NOTHING on transfers this summer – Gunners have backed away from Cabaye and Guaita with four days left in the window – could freebies Sanogo and Flamini really be it?
September 2:
Arsenal smash transfer record for £42million Mesut Ozil… The Gunners have agreed personal terms with the Real Madrid star, but it looks as though they won’t be stopping there on transfer deadline day
Runner-Up: Daily Express
July 28
Cesc Fabregas says yes to Manchester United move
July 27
BARCELONA have put an end to Manchester United’s chances of signing Cesc Fabregas, with the new boss Gerardo Martino saying there is no chance he will be sold.
Fabregas was quoted:
“I’ve always said that I’m happy at Barca,” re-iterated the playmaker during an interview with Spanish sports paper Marca. “Whoever says that I’m leaving doesn’t know me and has never spoken with me. Nor with my agent, because he knows that I don’t want him to talk with other people about me. I’m very private and I don’t even talk about these things with my family. If someone says anything that isn’t that I want to play at Barca, it’s completely absurd.”
And:
“If Barcelona said that they didn’t want me, that would be another thing. But what I truly want is to triumph at Barcelona. That’s been my dream since I was a kid.”
Which became:
CESC FABREGAS has agreed to join Manchester United following a secret meeting between the Barcelona star’s agent Darren Dein and Old Trafford chief executive Ed Woodward.
The Bald Fact Award
Winner: Daily Mirror:
David Villa is definitely coming to the Premier League this summer, and Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool are all in for the Barcelona striker. Spain international Villa has told his advisers he wants a move to England and has now been given the green light by Barca to negotiate a deal- The Daily Mirror
The Bale Stays Award
Winner: the Borehamwood & Elstree Times:
“Gareth Bale has signed a new contract with Tottenham“.
The Trainspotter Award
Winner: David Maddock told Mirror readers:
New boss Roberto Martinez is bracing himself for a bid though, with the 25-year-old revealing to close friends that he would love a switch to the capital – where he would be less than two hours on the Eurostar away from his Brussels birthplace.
The I Can’t Wait To Play With Bale Award
Winner: Paulinho:
“This summer there has been interest in their Coach and their best player[Bale] – and they have been clear they both are not going anywhere.”
The Contract News Award
Winner: Sun and Mirror
DAVID MOYES has a week to decide whether to sign Marouane Fellaini. The Everton star has a buyout clause of £22million — but that only stands until July 31. Then Moyes’ old club will be able to name their price and it will undoubtedly go up.
The Mirror added on July 13:
The Belgian’s £23.5million buy-out clause expires on August 14 with the Toffees set to demand more than £30million for him after
Runner Up: Arsenal
£40m plus £1 to get Suarez was bizarre and badly advised.
The It’s Different When I Do It Award
Winner: Alan Pardew
Pardew lambasted PSG boss Laurent Blanc’s public pursuit of the Magpies’ Yohan Cabaye:
“I don’t think it’s right. He can get on the phone to me, or make a bid. That’s the right way to do it.”
Blanc had opined:
“Yohan offers many things in midfield and can play in quite a few positions. He is an interesting player, and the midfield will be an area we will be strengthening because there will be departures.”
Make a bid. Get on the phone. Says Pardew of his targets:
“Both those players are on our list. I make no bones about that. But they are under contract at other clubs. It’s difficult, you have to be careful. It’s nice for our fans to hear names, but I don’t want to disrupt other clubs’ preparations. There’s been speculation, particularly about Darren. I think I can comment on that because it sounds like, at Villa, he’s not particularly involved.”
The Pass The Sick Bucket Award
Winner: Gareth Bale
“I don’t think I need to help Cristiano [Ronaldo] to be the best player in the world because he already is”
The Norris McWhirter Award For Record Accuracy
Winner: Gareth Bale’s move to Real Madrid
Daily Mirror: “Madrid sign Spurs ace for £86m, and he’ll get £90m”
The Times: “The £85m man – Real agree £85.2m fee in world record”
BBC: “The Wales star has agreed a £300,000 per week, six-year deal after sealing an £85.3m…”
WalesOnline: “Gareth Bale to be unveiled by Real Madrid after world record £85m deal”
The Guardian: “Farewell to the €100m man”
The Indy: While Tottenham said they had been paid €100m for Bale – £86m – sources in Spain described the fee as €90m, or £78m.
GiveMeSport.com: “Gareth Bale agrees £97m Real Madrid deal”
Daily Mail: “Tottenham were offered a world record £101m for Bale,
The Mail the explains the confusion:
Bale not No 1: Real claim they’ve got £78m star ‘on the cheap’ to keep Ronaldo as top dog
What will the record books make of it?
The Talking About The Player You’ve Never Heard Of Award
Winner: Julian Draxler
How much were Arsenal going to have to pay to secure the services of Julian Draxler? What said the experts in the media?
FTBPRO: “There is an interesting story doing the rounds today linking Arsenal with a move for the very impressive Julian Draxler for a fee of around £15 million.”
Fanatix: “Arsenal submit £26m plus Lukas Podolski bid for German prodigy Julian Draxler”
(Arsenal bought Poldi for a £10.9 million.)
SportDirectNews: “The 19-year-old signed a two-year extension to his contract with the Bundesliga outfit in May of this year but it is understood the midfielder has a £34 million buyout clause.”
Sunday Times: “Arsène Wenger… is now trying to reach agreement with Schalke for their midfield starlet Julian Draxler. Schalke, however, want £38.4m for the 19-year-old.”
IBT: “Arsenal are preparing a £40m bid for Schalke 04 midfielder Julian Draxler, according to the Mirror”
Telegraph: “Draxler, a 19-year-old Germany international midfielder, would be the priority but Schalke are reluctant sellers and would only consider an offer in excess of £40m”
Express: “Schalke slap £60m price tag on Chelsea target Julian Draxler”
Runner Up: Bernard
The Times:
The Brazilian club admitted last night that the winger will leave for up to £21.5 million after he tries to help them to overturn a 2-0 deficit against Olimpia in the second leg of the Copa Libertadores final.
Or as the Mirror reports:
Bernard, the 20 year old defender subject to interest from Arsenal this summer, seems keen to focus on winning silverware with his current club before discussing his potential move to the Emerates.
“I do not want to be rude or ignorant to anyone. I want to talk about the game. What will happen after Wednesday, I do not know,” he said.
The Look At My Wad Award
Winner: David Moyes:
Isn’t it great that the club says, ‘There’s no budget here, you go get who you want to get, just go and do it’. We are looking at the best players. I do think it’s important that we show people we are carrying on the traditions and trying to take the club forward.”
The No Brainer Award
Winner: Alvaro Negredo
Alvaro Negredo unsure over Manchester City move – MANCHESTER CITY are chasing Spain international Alvaro Negredo – but he’s yet to decide if he wants to move to the Etihad. – Daily Star, July 11
He was thinking about it. Or as Marca reports on July 17:
Negredo: “City is a huge club; it was a no-brainer”
The Dream Move Award
Winner: Evening Standard
Everton midfielder Fellaini fears his dream switch to Arsenal will not happen. Fellaini has a £23.5m release clause in his contract that expires on August 15.
July 17 – Evening Standard
Marouane Fellaini will choose Manchester United over Arsenal should both clubs make a bid for the Everton midfielder this summer.
It is believed Fellaini has made moving to Old Trafford his first choice and is hopeful that United will try to sign him.
The Striking A Blow For Facts Award
Winner: Alan Pardew
August 30, Daily Mirror:
Alan Pardew has confirmed that he expects Yohan Cabaye to play for Newcastle against Fulham this weekend, that’s good news for the Toon Army. Pards has left Cabaye on the sidelines while Arsenal were sniffing around, and the fact he’s bringing him back might mean that the danger from Arsenal is now over.
August 24,Daily Mirror:
Yohan Cabaye has gone on strike at Newcastle after refusing to play in Toon’s opening matches of the season, writes The Sunday People. Sunday People Sport can reveal that Cabaye was named in the team to face City on Monday but refused to playa nd returned home to Tyneside instead.
When is a strike not a strike?
The Tin Man Award
Winner: Tin Jedvaj
Albany Times Union: Roma has signed teenage defender Tin Jedvaj from Dinamo Zagreb… Roma has paid 5 million euros to Dinamo for the 17-year-old Jedvaj.
The Metro says the swoop is a sign of Spurs “future proofing”.
The You Can Insult Me All You Want For That Money
Winner: Everton and Newcastle United
Everton have described Manchester United’s £28m joint bid for Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines as “derisory and insulting”.
The Blame The Chariman If It All Goes Wrong Award
Winner: Andre Villas-Boas
“The chairman said that we are not open to offers, whatever they are, and that the player will stay. In football anything can happen, but these are the guarantees given to me.”
The Jumped The Gunners Award
Winner: The Sun
The You Really Can Trust Me Award
Winner: John W. Henry
“We are not going to sell Luis… “I’m unequivocal that we won’t sell to Arsenal, whatever the bid is.”
The New Gareth Bale Award
Winners: New Gareth Bales
Daily Express: “Spurs want ‘new Gareth Bale’ Alvaro Morata included in Real deal for Welshman”
The Fighting Cock: “Andros Townsend: The Next Gareth Bale?”
The Guardian: “50-year-old Welsh wizard: the new Gareth Bale?”
Emirates 24/7: “Arsenal are looking to buy 20-year-old left-sider Acharaf Laazar, dubbed the ‘new Gareth Bale’.”
Liverpool FC.com: “Alex Pritchard…’The next Gareth Bale’”
CaughtOffside: “Luke Shaw has been dubbed the ‘New Gareth Bale’”
IBT: “According the latest reports, North London-based Premiership side Arsenal are planning to make an offer for Italian Serie B side Varese’s young defender Acharaf Laazar who has been dubbed the new Gareth Bale”
AND:
Sabotage Times: “‘Gareth Bale: ‘I Want To Be The New David Beckham’”
RantSpots: “Tottenham Hotspur Star Gareth Bale May Be the New Cristiano Ronaldo”
The Luis Surez Award for Consistency Off The Pitch
Winner: Luis Suarez:
“Right now the Premier League is the biggest and most important league. My record shows that I’m not the kind of player who wants to change clubs every season and I would have no problem playing in England for many more years.”
Earlier:
“I’m not prepared to continue to put up with the English press. I love Liverpool, but if there is a chance of playing somewhere else…I suffered too much as a kid to get where I am to be attacked unfairly by the English press. They haven’t appreciated me as a player, they’ve just judged my attitude.”
Runner-Up: Joey Barton:
The CV Writing Award
Winner: Henry winter in The Telegraph:
Buyer beware: whoever signs Liverpool want-away striker Luis Suárez is getting a toxic cheat
The Luis Suarez Award For Seeking Honesty
Winner: Luis Suarez
“Last year I had the opportunity to move to a big European club and I stayed on the understanding that if we failed to qualify for the Champions League the following season I’d be allowed to go. I gave absolutely everything last season but it was not enough to give us a top-four finish – now all I want is for Liverpool to honour our agreement.
“It is not as if I am asking to move to a local rival. And I would not consider moving to a club outside the Champions League. I have made my desire to move known in private various times and now it feels like the time for me to make it public. I have to put my career first. People say Liverpool deserve more from me but I have scored 50 goals in less than 100 games and now they could double the money they paid for me.
“I spoke with Brendan Rodgers several times and he told me: ‘Stay another season, and you have my word if we don’t make it then I will personally make sure that you can leave.
“I am 26, I need to be playing in the Champions League. I feel I have done enough to be playing in the Champions League at this stage of my career. Now there is an option for me to do that and I want very much to take it.”
The Give The Door A Kick on The Way Out Award
Winner: Pepe Reina
In an open letter to Liverpool fans he wrote:
I am disappointed that I will not be part of that and although it was not my decision to leave I will accept it just like I have always accepted any decision that Liverpool have taken for me…
But if I have one regret, it is the way that I am leaving. It is only natural that I would be disappointed that the Liverpool management agreed to loan me to Napoli without telling me first, I thought that I deserved better than that…
I was surprised that Liverpool decided it was in the club´s interests to send me to Napoli instead.
On the way out he gives Brendan Rodgers a kick:
None of this will change my feelings for the club or the people in any way and now I have to look forward to a new challenge with Rafa Benitez, who I consider to be the best manager I have worked with…
Here’s what Rodgers said of Reina. On June 22, Rodgers told one and all what the signing of Simon Mignolet meant for Pepe:
“Pepe Reina and I went out for a meal a couple of months before the end of the season and I told him exactly what we were going to do, which was to provide real competition in that area.”
With Reina now at Napoli, Rodgers now adds:
“It was obviously a difficult decision. From last season I was led to believe that we were going to get an offer for Pepe that would probably see him leave the club…
“It wouldn’t have served any purpose, both for the club and him personally, if he’d been the one missing out.”
What about the competition and loyalty, Brendan?
The Didier Drogba Award For Selective Amnesia
Winner: Jose Mourinho
Jose Mourinho says Fernando Torres should be worried about the impending arrive of Wayne Rooney:
“I think he’ll be pleased because during his time here he was basically the only striker.”
Two words Jose: Didier Drogba…
The Gareth Bale is An Idiot Award
Winner: Former Spurs manager David Pleat:
”I think he’s a little bit young to go abroad. I doubt he’d find it easy. Many have failed when they have moved overseas. One or two have succeeded, but not many. Most have had a difficult time.”
We recall that one of Pleat’s first jobs at Spurs was to sign Nico Claesen, the 24-year-old Belgian.
Runner Up: Harry Redknapp:
He’s not an over-ambitious lad. He wants to be successful obviously but he’s not someone I can see moving to Real Madrid at this stage in his life.
The Award For Excellence In Piggy Backing
Winner: Gareth Bale’s agent Jonathan Barnett in The Daily Telegraph:
“I have been involved in some of the most difficult transfers you can possibly imagine over the years but this was the most rewarding one I have had the pleasure of negotiating.”
Ends.
Posted: 3rd, September 2013 | In: Key Posts, Sports | Comment
Transfer balls: Ozil made contact with Manchester United as he signed for Arsenal over breakfast
TRANSFER Balls: German international midfielder Mesut Ozil, 24, has joined Arsenal on a five-year contract. Arsenal bought the top German player for £42.4m.
Who knew the fee?
Well, this morning a host of news sources told their numbers. The closest source was:
Daily Star: “The Gunners are set to spend £42.5m on Mesut Ozil”
The most wrong was:
Irish Independent: “Man United not in for Mesut Ozil as Madrid star rejects Arsenal’s advances”
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Transfer Balls: Arsenal’s Giroud worth £109m and Ozil cost nothing
TRANSFER Balls: a look at the work of John Cross, the Daily Mirror’s man in the know:
August 22:
“THIS game showed why Arsenal have spent the whole summer trying to buy a striker. Giroud was the worst culprit… his finishing looks anything but top class”
September 2:
“Who needs to spend £109million when Gunners have Olivier Giroud? Who needs Luis Suarez? Who needs Gonzalo Higuain? Or even Wayne Rooney? Not Arsenal when they have got Olivier Giroud…”
August 29:
Arsenal fear Wenger will spend NOTHING on transfers this summer – Gunners have backed away from Cabaye and Guaita with four days left in the window – could freebies Sanogo and Flamini really be it?
September 2:
Arsenal smash transfer record for £42million Mesut Ozil… The Gunners have agreed personal terms with the Real Madrid star, but it looks as though they won’t be stopping there on transfer deadline day
Such are the facts…
Posted: 2nd, September 2013 | In: Sports | Comments (2)
Manchester United fans start ‘Moyes Out’ campaign
MANCHESTER United fans have started a campaign to get David Moyes sacked from his role as manager at Old Trafford, a mere three games after he started work.
Two months of Moyes, and it seems some of the ManYoo fans have had enough.
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Posted: 2nd, September 2013 | In: Sports | Comments (3)
