Anorak

Posted: 8th, November 2016 | In: Back pages, Chelsea, Sports | Comment

One-eyed reporting on Rob Van Persie: former Arsenal and Man United striker not blind

Is Robin Van Persie blind? Has the former Arsenal captain and Manchester United striker succumbed to a dreadful eye injury? The Sun suggests there are “fears he will never see again”.

A click on the story and we’re told:

There were fears that the Dutchman could have lost his sight in the clash.

Well, yes. Fears not exactly discouraged by the Sun’s reporting:

Inverted commas (just like question marks – see pretty much every transfer news story in the Mirror) don’t show up in Google News. So what is complete balls can be presented as fact.

Will Van Persie see again? Yes. First up, he damaged one eye – a ripped eyelid. Van Persie has two eyes. His being blinded was never likely.

The Sun reports: “Fenerbahce doctor Burak Kunduracıoğl seemed to quash fears…”. He seemed to quash fears? Not quite. He quashed them flat. He said: “After the investigations we learned that nothing important happened… His condition is good.”

Says Van Persie: “My eye is not damaged.”

Robin Van Persie is not blind – but the Sun’s reporting is a tad monocular.

Posted: 7th, November 2016 | In: Arsenal, Back pages, manchester united, Sports, Tabloids | Comment

Manchester United balls: angry Jose Mourinho demands we believe in his waning abilities

Is Manchester United’s Jose Mourinho being indulged at Old Trafford? Yesterday’s 3-1 win over Swansea eased some of the pressure on the Portuguese. But Under his guidance, his sides are averaging just 1.15 points per game. The BBC looks at Jose’s average points haul since the start of 2015-16. Let’s compared the Man United boss’s record to other managers who have taken charge of 10 or more Premier League matches in that time.

Francesco Guidolin – Swansea: 1.26 points (sacked)
Sam Allardyce – Sunderland: 1.20 (given England job)
Roberto Martinez – Everton: 1.19 (sacked)
Quique Sanchez Flores – Watford: 1.18 (sacked)
Jose Mourinho – Chelsea/ Man United: 1.15

Compare the lavish resources at those managers’ disposal and Mourinho looks a dud.

Of course, the Manchester United supremo is new to his role. But, then, look at the man who took over the failing and spent Chelsea team Jose left behind:

Antonio Conte – Chelsea: 2.27

And another new boy:

Pep Guardiola – Man City: 2.18

And if you want real value for money:

Claudio Ranieri – Leicester: 1.94

But it’s not him at fault. It never is, according to Jose. It’s them. Says Mourinho:

“There is a difference between the brave that will be there at any cost and the ones that a little pain can make a difference.

“Great football people – great sportspeople – many, many times play without being 100 per cent. For the team you have to do anything – that’s my way of saying. If one day I meet the big ones [players] of this club who have had great success – for sure, they are going to tell me that many times they put their bodies on the line even with pains everywhere.

“It’s not just the players but it’s the people that surround the players. It will take time to change [the mentality] but with the help of players like Phil Jones, Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney, it will be a possible mission.”

Is abrasive Mourinho a man who guarantees success, as United hope he does? Frank Lampard, who Mourinho managed at Chelsea, says he is “creating storms to protect” his team. It’s so much about fomenting a siege mentality, imparting his own burning anger and sense of injustice in his players.

Rory Smith notes:

In his autobiography, Zlatan Ibrahimovic recounted Mourinho’s showing his Inter team videos of poor displays, suggesting the players on the screen “must be your brothers,” angering them so much they went out and played “like rabid animals” to prove him wrong.

This time Jose is talking of creating a legacy at United. But he so often leaves toxicity behind. If you believe in Jose’s way – the world is against him and thus against his loyal team – you will fight for him. When the players and fans start to question his methods, and the barbs hurt more than inspire, the anger and with it the momentum dies.

Posted: 7th, November 2016 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment

Media Balls: Harsh Spurs’ penalty equalises Arsenal’s offside goal

Media Balls: Arsenal draw 1-1 with Spurs in the Premier League.

Spurs scored from a penalty. Should it have been awarded?

BBC: “Koscielny was harshly penalised for a foul on Mousa Dembele in the box”

Spurs website: “…the excellent Mousa Dembele was brought down in the box by Laurent Koscielny.”

Arsenal website: “Dembele’s slaloming run into the box provoking a mistimed challenge from Koscielny.”

The Guardian: “This looks controversial as well. Dembele falls over just inside the box after a tackle from Koscielny, and Mark Clattenburg gives a penalty. Replays suggest it was a good decision.”

The Mirror: “A lazy, brainless challenge from Laurent Koscielny on the impressive Mousa Dembele resulted in a penalty.”

The Arsenal goal, scored by Tottenham’s Kevin Wilmer:

The Telegraph: “Spurs could rightly be aggrieved that at least two Arsenal players were offside when Ozil swung his set-piece in but the goal stood and Arsenal held the lead at the interval.”

The Guardian: “Arsenal’s pressure has told. Ozil’s inswinging free-kick is headed down into the corner of his own net by Kevin Wimmer. He was stretching towards his own goal, and had to do something with two Arsenal players behind him – but those two players were offside, so Spurs will feel pretty aggrieved.”

Sky: “Arsenal took the lead three minutes before half-time as Ozil’s free-kick was diverted by Wimmer’s head into his own goal, though the replays showed that Sanchez, who did not touch the ball but was arguably involved in play, was offside from the German’s cross.”

The Express: “Both Sanchez and Laurent Koscielny were in offside positions next to him but judged not to be interfering – as if the derby needed a bit of controversy to feed the emotions – and moments later an unseemly squabble led by Jan Vertonghen and Theo Walcott set things up nicely for the second half. At least referee Mark Clattenburg got the first big decision of the second period right – spotting Koscielny’s trip on Mousa Dembele just inside the area and pointing to the spot.”

Such are the facts.

Posted: 6th, November 2016 | In: Arsenal, Sports, Spurs | Comment

Transfer balls: Arsenal line up huge bid for Jose Maria Gimenez as Paulista vanishes

Transfer balls: The Mirror says Arsenal are “lining up a bid” for a “£54million Uruguay starlet”. Who is he?

It’s Atletico Madrid and Uruguay “starlet” Jose Maria Gimenez.

The Sun is the Mirror’s source. It says Manchester United also monitoring the 21-year-old “wonderkid”.

The Sun offers up no source for this news that Arsenal are going to bid a record sum for the young player. But it does note:

Arsenal are building their Premier League title challenge with Shkodran Mustafi and Laurent Koscielny at the heart of his defence. But German international defender Per Mertesacker has had knee trouble while Brazilian Gabriel Paulista has fallen down the pecking order. That leaves just former Bolton trainee Rob Holding as cover.

No. It leaves Paulista and Holding as cover for the first choice pairing. And then there’s Calum Chambers, out on loan at Middlesbrough. As for Paulista, he was high up the pecking order until he got injured before the season began. Now fit, he’s been on the bench for Arsenal Premier League matches – indeed, he was ahead of Holding when the Gunners last played at home.

PS: for today’s North London derby versus Spurs, Gabriel is on the bench. Holding didn’t make it that high up the pecking order.

Posted: 6th, November 2016 | In: Arsenal, Back pages, Sports | Comment

Media balls: steely Middlesbrough get ‘undeserved’ equaliser after Manchester City score soft goal

Media Balls: a look at reporting on Manchester City 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough in the Premier League.

The headlines:

Manchester Evening News: “Man City 1-1 Middlesbrough LIVE De Roon stuns Guardiola after Aguero opener”

The Gazette (Middlesbrough): “Man City 1 Middlesbrough 1: Boro show their Premier League steel”

Sergio Aguero’s goal:

MEN: “Almost 80 per cent possession and a shot count of 19-0 was rewarded shortly before the break as Sergio Aguero times his run to slot home Kevin De Bruyne’s through ball.”

TG: “…a simple cross from the right, and Aguero ghosted into the area between Antonio Barragan and Calum Chambers to stab home.”

Manchester City website: “Kevin De Bruyne picked a pearl of a pass, curling a low ball into the six-yard box for Sergio Aguero to guide home”

Middlesbrough website: “De Bruyne delivered an exquisite cross low from the right and Sergio Aguero nipped in between Antonio Barragan and Calum Chambers to tuck home from close range.”

The late equaliser:

MEN: “Aguero and De Bruyne both missed good chances in the minutes just before Boro equalised. City left ruing them.”

No details on the goal.

TG: “All 3,000 Boro fans were sent home delighted as Marten de Roon’s bullet header lifted the roof off the Etihad Stadium. George Friend’s sizzling ball from the left was as good as you’ve seen all season, and the Dutch midfielder just had to get his effort on target to give Boro a point.”

Man City: “…the cruellest of sucker punches came in added time when Marten de Roon powered home a header from close range. It may have been undeserved…”

MFC: Marten de Roon arrived in the box to plant home a powerful header from George Friend’s whipped cross.”

Such are the facts.

Posted: 5th, November 2016 | In: Back pages, Manchester City, Sports | Comment

Manchester United Transfer Balls: Godin’s pension, Depay flops out and Martial’s moans about Zlatan

Transfer balls: the BBC is reporting that Manchester United “will trigger Atletico Madrid defender Diego Godin’s £30m release clause in January”.

The Beeb says Man United manager Jose Mourinho has earmarked the 30-year-old Uruguayan “to provide his team with leadership”.

The Sun says United will throw loads cash at Godin, topping his current £70,000-a-week wages “by a distance”

Can money lure Godin from the superb Atletico to pressurised and underwhelming Man United? In 2013, Godin opted to extend his Madrid contract. “This is my home,” he said. “They make me feel great despite being away from my country, my home, my friends. What better than to be here with people who love you and make you feel like one of them.”

In 2015, he signed another contract extension.

In 2014, the Express reported: “MANCHESTER UNITED may have to abandon their plans to sign Diego Godin in January.” Said the player:

“I would like to stay for many years here [at Atletico Madrid]. But it is true that I also have an attraction from my country and at some point in the future I would like to return to Uruguay.”

In the summer of 2015, the Mail reported: “Manchester City have identified Atletico Madrid’s Diego Godin as the man who can help alleviate their pre-season malaise.”

The Indy added:

According to Marca, Manchester City were willing to trigger the 29-year-old’s €40million (£28m) release clause to bring the Uruguayan to the Etihad, but he turned down the chance to move. The paper reports that City offered the centre-back around £4.5m (£90,000-a-week) to join.

As Godin ages and considers United’s pension package, and Untied grow ever more desperate for a quality centre-half, the Guardian says the club are ready to offload Memphis Depay, who cost Manchester United a mere £31m in May 2015. The 22-year-old, we learn, is open to a loan move to Fenerbahce in January.

And United forward Anthony Martial was “surprised and disappointed” to lose his No 9 shirt to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, says his agent. Martial was number 9 during his first season at United but he now wears the No 11 after Ibrahimovic took over the No 9.

“I am not going to lie to you,” says M. 15%. “Yes, this has affected him, yes this surprised him, yes it disappointed him… for a few days. But he is a professional. He then got back into the swing of things. Personally, I have not accepted this decision that I deemed uncalled for and disrespectful towards my player. This feeling, I have directed this towards Manchester United’s directors. We turn the page and move on but it’s hard to digest it….

“They have a very professional relationship. I am sure that Jose Mourinho will know how to bring the best out of Anthony like Louis van Gaal did before him.”

Ah, yes, Louis Van Gaal. Anyone miss the hammer-headed Dutchman?

Posted: 5th, November 2016 | In: Back pages, manchester united, Sports | Comment

Chicago Cubs: six million fans rejoice (if you double count everyone in the city)

Like you we too are delighted the ~~Clubs~~ ~~Cubes~~ Cubs won the World Series of baseball for the first time since in ages – but still faster than is takes Theresa May to make a decsion. The Mail sees the celebrations:

The fall classic! Daredevil Cubs fans risk their lives with crazy ‘trust falls’ as SIX MILLION pack the streets of Chicago to celebrate their World Series win 108 years in the making

Six million people on the streets of Chicago, a city with a population of 2,720,546?

The Chicago Tribune is circumspect

By Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communication’s count, an estimated 5 million people lined the 6-mile parade route and gathered at the rally in Grant Park. But — like other official crowd counts — there’s reason to be skeptical, experts say…

“The guesstimates are almost always vast exaggerations,” said Clark McPhail, a sociology professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Such are the facts.

Posted: 5th, November 2016 | In: Reviews, Sports, Tabloids | Comment

Desperate Manchester United get saddled with ageing and overpaid star

Footballers, eh. News is that Manchester United are, says the BBC, “prepared to release 32-year-old midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger” with a £10m severance deal.

You read that right. Manchester United are so desperate to rid themselves of the German they will pay him £10m to go.

The Sun adds a caveat: United will pay the £10m “if they can find someone to take him in January”.

United have all but resigned themselves to the fact they will have to give 32-year-old the staggering payoff – despite the fact he’s been allowed to train with the first-team again.

Now the maths:

The ex-Bayern Munich star is on £180,000-a-week and is owed around £18m in wages with two years left on his Old Trafford deal.

This is how desperate Manchester United are to spunk cash on anyone they think might build the brand.

Schweinsteiger will pocket a staggering £4m or so between January and the end of the season, which the Red Devils are reluctant to pay him.

That’s about £120,000-a-week less than Wayne Rooney gets at United; £70,000 less than Zlatan Ibrahimovich; and £130,000 less than Jose Mourinho.

United are happy for him to leave Old Trafford on a free, having written his £6m fee from Bayern Munich off their books. If another club come in for him in January, they’ll have to give him around £10m and save themselves a fortune. Currently, nobody wants him, but a move to America or China could be on the cards as clubs can afford his huge wages.

Um, no. Lots of clubs would like to pick Schweinsteiger. It’s just that every few clubs can match the absurd wages United pay.

Posted: 4th, November 2016 | In: Back pages, manchester united, Sports | Comment

Media balls: Manchester City could have had six against Barcelona and ‘stupid’ Messi

Media balls: a look at reporting on last night Champions’ League match between Manchester City and Barcelona, which City won 3-1.

The Times says Manchester City were”brilliant”. The BBC says Manchester City were “outstanding”.

In Spain, Mundo Deportivo says Barca “ran out of batteries and watched as De Bruyne, Silva, Gundogan flew past them”. It was a”blackout”. SPORT says Barcelona were “tangled”, caught in the City trap. L’Esportiu says “City smelled blood” in the second half.

The Manchester Evening News says: “City absolutely HAMMERED Barcelona – Messi and co were lucky to escape without more of a hiding.”

James Robson reports for the MEN:

It is no exaggeration to say City could have scored six or even more against the Spanish champions. Raheem Sterling should have won a first half penalty and wasted a golden chance shortly after Kevin de Bruyne fired City ahead in the second half.

It is an exaggeration. Sterling should have had a penalty instead of a yellow card for diving. But Robson’s monocular report makes no mention of Barcelona chances. The Guardian does, however:

65 min: So close from Barcelona, as Andre Gomes rattles the crossbar from just outside the penalty area with a free shot on goal. Luis Suarez nutmegs John Stones, advances and squares the ball for Gomes who really should have scored.

Had he scored, that would have made it 2-2.

Sky notes that after Barcelona opened the scoring:

Barcelona then began to dominate, missing several chances to double their lead as City’s defence opened up.

And (wrongly):

Busquets then hit the bar with a left-footed effort which seemed destined for the goal, but City got their two-goal cushion with 16 minutes left.

City were terrific. But to claim it was one-sided affair is absurd.

By way of a footnote, Marca says Messi was involved in a post-match incident in the tunnel, in which he responded to something by calling a City player “stupid”.

Such are the facts.

Posted: 2nd, November 2016 | In: Back pages, Manchester City, Sports | Comment

Arsenal balls: Cazorla’s new anti-Spurs boots will go well with his suit

How does Arsenal’s Santi Cazorla prepare for the Gunners Premier League clash with Spurs? By showing off his new boots. Puma have given Cazorla a pair of ‘Derby Fever’ custom boots to wear in the upcoming North London derby.

The boots – as the blurb says – “celebrate the epic meetings between local football foes”.

Given the ferocity of past encounters, we’re a tad disappointed that the studs are not on the toe.

“Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla will wear specially-made PUMA boots in Sunday’s north London showdown,” says the Mirror.

In other news: Cazorla has an achilles injury and will, er, most likely not be playing in the match. Still, they could go well with his suit as she watches from the stands.

Posted: 1st, November 2016 | In: Back pages, manchester united, Sports | Comment

Manchester United balls: two months ago Zlatan was really good and Mata was leaving

Being a football pundit is easy. The Sun’s Neil Curtis knows lots about Manchester United. “Juan Mata has emerged as the answer to one of Jose Mourinho’s big Manchester United questions,” he writes. The question is ‘What is United’s best side?’, not ‘When will Mata leave the club”. Because Mata was leaving United. We read it in the Sun (via):

Juan Mata linked with Barcelona move as Jose Mourinho likely to axe Spaniard again – The Sun

Jose Mourinho to axe Juan Mata and Daley Blind as Special One attempts to reshape Manchester United squad – The Sun

Jose Mourinho set to flog Mata again as Toffees launch £20m bid for Manchester United playmaker – The Sun

Manchester United’s Paul Pogba transfer hinges on offering Juan Mata to Juventus as bait – with Villarreal also keen on Spaniard – The Sun

Juan Mata could be sold by Jose Mourinho to free up funds for either Leonardo Bonucci or Raphael Varane – The Sun

As we wonder if the Sun’s editorial meetings are all about covering all bases, we look to Sky Sports’ Paul Merson, who has a few words on Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovich.

Says Merson: “Zlatan Ibrahimovic was a world-class striker but he’s not anymore. He is 35 and playing in the hardest league in the world so as the season goes on, I can’t see him getting better.”

Just eight weeks ago, Merson had a different view. “Jose Mourinho knew what he wanted and got it,” he wrote. “He’s come in and got a big midfielder in Paul Pogba, a dressing room leader and goalscorer in Zlatan Ibrahimovic and at the moment Eric Bailly looks very good. Henrikh Mkhitaryan will be an absolute star for United as well. He will get in the team soon and when he does, he’ll rip it up. He is different gravy.”

And let’s not forget Robbie Savage, the BBC expert who opined, “I wouldn’t pay to watch Kevin De Bruyne.”

No. You get the tickets for free.

Posted: 31st, October 2016 | In: Back pages, manchester united, Sports | Comment

Manchester United balls: who forced Henrikh Mkhitaryan to train alone?

“Henrikh Mkhitaryan: Manchester United outcast trains alone after Burnley draw,” reports the Daily Express.

“Henrikh Mkhitaryan was made to train alone on Sunday,” states the Independent.

The Armenian is an “outcast”. He was “made” to train on his own. The impression is clear: Mkhitaryan has been ostracised.

But it’s total balls. Manchester Evening News has a different version:

United players were given Sunday off by Jose Mourinho but Mkhitaryan chose to enhance his fitness at the club’s training complex, contrary to reports claiming he was made to train alone.

M.E.N. Sport understands Mkhitaryan has always done additional training sessions dating back to his stint at Shakhtar Donetsk and a source described him as a ‘perfectionist and a hard worker’.

He wasn’t made to do anything. He wanted to get fitter and do his best to get back in the team.

Spotter: Pies

Posted: 31st, October 2016 | In: Back pages, manchester united, Sports, Tabloids | Comment

Media Balls: Arsenal riot, Sunderland’s fightback, Moyes’ blinkers and missing the penalty

Media Balls: a look at reporting on football matches. Today we look at Sunderland 1 – Arsenal 4 in the Premier League. Are news organs biased?

Sunderland Echo: “David Moyes feels scoreline harsh on Black Cats.”

Says Moyes.

“I think it was tough and I certainly don’t think we deserved to lose 4-1.”

He’s right. How they scored 1 was odd. Sunderland had a single shot on target over the 93 minutes – and that was from the penalty spot.

“We worked hard, really hard to stay in the game first half when Arsenal were very good. We stuck at it and I thought we grew into the game second half. And at that point I thought we were the better team when we got back into the game at one each. But their quality all over the pitch is always going to cause you a problem.”

Arsenal were pretty good in the second half, too, and found their finishing boots.

The paper has one more story on the match. Story two nails it in the headline. “Sunderland 1 Arsenal 4: Black Cats plunge further into relegation trouble after Gunners run riot.”

The paper looks at an Arsenal penalty appeal: “Sanchez had a strong penalty appeal turned down, with Kone appearing to trip the Arsenal forward inside the area. His theatrics earlier possibly going against him.”

The BBC says of that: “Arsenal were still smarting from referee Martin Atkinson not awarding them a penalty for Kone appearing to pull back Sanchez when Defoe gave Sunderland hope.”

The Guardian: “Arsenal were furious not to be awarded a legitimate looking penalty when Koné caught Sánchez on the back of the leg and sent him tumbling in the area.”

A pull? A trip? A catch? Theatrics.

The Islington Gazette doesn’t mention the failed penalty appeal at all – it looked a foul. The Arsenal local paper is generous to praise Sunderland fans:

Sunderland’s passionate fans were right behind the team from the off. And the fact they average more than 40,000, and, incredibly, took 1,200 fans to Southampton this week for a League Cup game, was reason enough to believe their team weren’t going to lie down and die.

There were many less in the ground when the final whistle blew. The Guardian:

Mid-way through the second half the ground began emptying. For many the pain of watching Sunderland register a record equalling worst start to a Premier League season was simply too painful too witness but they missed out on some exquisite football from Arsenal.

The Sun appears to have been watching a different match:

With Arsenal dominating and Sunderland making to make any impact, Duncan Watmore inspired a Black Cats fightback, racing clear on goal, only to be brought down by Petr Cech.

A fightback? Sunderland scored on minute 65. Their fightback was followed by goals for Arsenal on minutes 78′ minutes, Giroud 76 and 71 minutes.

Such are the facts.

Posted: 29th, October 2016 | In: Arsenal, Back pages, Sports | Comment

Transfer balls: Rooney to quit Manchester United for La Galaxy, China and Inter Milan

Manchester United’s fading star Wayne Rooney could be on his way to the MSL Retirement Village. Steven Gerrard is soon to be leaving US soccerfoot’s LA Galaxy, meaning the club will have a spare slot for an English player past his prime, one of their so-called “designated players” who can break the league’s wage cap.

Will the lure of burgers, Botox and the latest hair restorative techniques lure Rooney to California? Can the Galaxians pay the £300,000 per week Rooney earns at Old Trafford? The England captain has two years left to run on that deal. Although the Sun wrongly says, “Rooney still has four years left on his massive £300,000-a-week contract but United are reluctant to increase the wages of the ageing England international who turns 31 in October.”

A pay rise? No chance. He could just sit tight and become a free agent in two years time.

The Sun refers to Rooney’s situation as the “Manchester United outcast’s misery”. Poor Wayne wants to stay at United until he gets the four goals to break Sir Bobby Charlton’s club scoring record of 249. That’s not an easy thing ton do when you don’t play.

One day earlier, the Sun told us that Rooney was not miserable just “out of favour”, and Inter Milan wanted him.

In 2015, the Mail said the Chinese Super League were all set to offer Wayne Rooney “an eye-watering £75million deal” to join them. The Express upped that and said Rooney was the subject of a “£100million bid from the Chinese Super League”.

One thing is certain: Rooney holds the cards and the cash.

Posted: 28th, October 2016 | In: Back pages, manchester united, Sports | Comment

Can you name the former Arsenal player in this absurd quote?

Can you guess which former Arsenal player is being talked about here?

“He’s had a huge impact on the club and Singapore football. Someone of his stature and, frankly, quite iconic status engenders an excitement and vibe which was much needed for Singapore football in the early stages of the season. While the club could afford his wages, it would also send the wrong message to all the other players that one player is getting a super-scale salary while the others have to take a pay cut. It would create a social injustice.”

Answer: Tampines Rovers boss suit Krishna Ramachandra on Jermaine Pennant’s reluctance to accept a reduction in his reported £23,495-a-month salary.

Posted: 28th, October 2016 | In: Back pages, Sports | Comment

Liverpool buy Emeka Obi on the cheap

Liverpool FC transfer news now as the Reds line up a bid for Bury’s 15-year-old Emeka Obi, described in the Mail as a “promising 6ft 5in central defender”.

Obi will cost Liverpool a six figure sum, which could be anything from £100,000 to one pound short of a million. Bury have sensibly included in the agreement any ad-ons should Obi prove brilliant – or at least as good as John Stones – and worth tens of millions.

The Indy call Obi the “Most talented 15-year-old in the country”.

If he’s that good, why are Bury selling him for for so low a fee? Don’t they have ambition to make the player one of their own and see if he really can handle the pressure of being a regular starter in the first XI?

This is a clue. In January 2016, the Bury Times reported: “BURY have been hit with a winding up petition by HM Revenue and Customs following an unpaid £156,000 tax bill.” The bill was paid. The taxman was too quick off the mark. But it’s all about the money. A rich club like Liverpool can buy Obi not because he’s fantastic but because they can’t pass over the chance that one day he might be.

Expect to see Obi out on loan at lower league clubs very soon.

Posted: 28th, October 2016 | In: Back pages, Liverpool, Sports | Comment

Transfer balls: Arsenal’s Ozil boosts his pay with a Fenerbahce offer

Transfer balls: The Daily Star says Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil, 28, was involved in transfer talks over the summer. The club? Fenerbahce.

It would be remarkable were the German star to leave the Gunners for the Turkish side.

The Daily Star says this is an “Arsenal transfer bombshell”. It says Ozil has held “secret talks with another club” during a 17-hour stay in Istanbul. The Sun agrees: “Ozil held secret talks with Turkish giants Fenerbahce.”

The source for this is Hurriyet, which says Ozil will “surely play for Fenerbahce in the coming years”.

How they know this is moot. We only know that Ozil is engaged in talks to extend his Arsenal deal. Talk of another rich club getting involved should hurry things along and up any offer, right?

And none of this is new news. In 2015, the Metro reported that Ozil could be on his way to Fenerbahce.

The Express reported: “Arsenal to receive ‘serious’ bid for Mesut Ozil next summer – agent.”

Vatan reported that the source of all this is Fenerbahce president Aziz Yildirim, who made it know that he loves Ozil.

Anyone smell the agent’s fingers in this balls?

Posted: 28th, October 2016 | In: Arsenal, Back pages, Sports | Comment

Ched Evans to achieve immortality in new rape law?

More news on Ched Evans, the low-life footballer found not guilty of raping a woman. AOL says the the Attorney General has suggested “the law could be changed to give greater protection to alleged rape victims following the Ched Evans case”.

Evans below

In “Ched Evans trial: Government considers rape law change”, the BBC adds:

Labour has condemned the decision to allow the jury to hear details about the sexual history of the complainant.

When the jury had not head about the alleged victim’s sexual history – in particular a phrase she used during sex – Evans was found guilty of rape beyond any reasonable doubt and imprisoned. When the woman’s sexual history was made known, he was found not guilty of rape. Her sexual history was important in the case for the defence.

Attorney General Jeremy Wright told the Commons it was not “routinely used” in such cases, but there was “a concern”.

It is a huge concern. A cartoon in this week’s Private Eye magazine has the judge asking jurors: “Do you find the accused ‘Guilty’ or ‘Not Guilty’ of raping the dreadful slapper?”

Jeremy Wright QC told Attorney General Questions in the Commons:

“We need to understand more about the decision in this particular case, we need to understand whether a change in the law is appropriate, and if not whether it is sensible to look at the guidance that is given to judges about when this evidence is admissible and the guidance that judges give to juries about how that evidence should be used.

“I think we need to do all of those things before we are in a position to understand what, if any, changes are needed…

“We must be confident that the message sent to those who may be currently worried about reporting these sorts of offences is not that they are not encouraged to do so, quite the reverse, they are, and we need to make sure that those messages are clear.”

The Secret Barrister notes:

…we all know that section 41 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act prohibits leading evidence or asking questions concerning a complainant’s previous sexual behaviour in sex cases. There are certain exceptions to this rule, and the Court of Appeal found in Ched Evans’ case that the complainant X’s previous sexual behaviour was relevant to the issue of consent and was “so similar” to the sexual behaviour of X at the time of the alleged rape that “the similarity cannot reasonably be explained as a coincidence”.

…

The precedent that has been set is none. The Court of Appeal decision sets down no new application of law or principle, and section 41 continues to operate exactly as it did before, excluding the vast, vast majority of questions about previous sexual behaviour. The newspapers, activists and charities propagating this false message are needlessly terrifying present and future victims, and will only risk deterring them from coming forward.

Do we need a new rule?

Whatever happened in this unusual case is unlikely to have any wider application; certainly there is nothing that suggests the Court intends to widen the scope of section 41. Victims should not be scared to come forward on the basis of what is being said, loudly and inaccurately, by those who should know better.

As for the not-guilty-of-rape Ched Evans, well, his name could become part of reworked law governing rapes. You might not like him, but does an innocent man deserve that?

Posted: 27th, October 2016 | In: Reviews, Sports | Comment

West Ham and Chelsea fans give the 1980s a bad name

The good news is that if the 1980s have returned to West Ham, as one BBC pundit says they have, the team might win a Cup. The bad news is that fans might leave the club’s ground in a St John’s ambulance. In a bid to make the rented athletics stadium their own, West Ham throwbacks took plastic bottles, seats and coins about the place as the players beat Chelsea 2-1 in the League Cup.

West Ham boss Slaven Bilic says: “We are totally against it as a club.” Well, quite. Such antics do little to market the ‘brand’ to potential investors, although a few Russian nutters could see West Ham London (that’s what it says on the new badge) as a kind of home from home.

Chelsea season ticket holders Paul Streeter and his eight-year-old daughter, Victoria, were sitting in the disabled section and got caught up in the violence. He tells the BBC:

“My daughter was hit with seven coins all over her body. We were watching the game in the front row near to the home fans – suddenly there’s a whole load of coins coming over. Other kids were hit, it was not just my daughter. Stewards and police were not reacting. They should have dragged the crowd back and dealt with them.”

West Ham fan and blogger Sean Whetstone told BBC Radio 5:

“Football has trouble, but it is not reported elsewhere. There is trouble at Stamford Bridge every season when West Ham play Chelsea. It feels like there is an agenda against West Ham. There is a limited amount of police inside the stadium. It is the stewards’ job to sort that out inside the stadium. They have learned a lot already but there is much to do. It is a new stadium, an iconic stadium and I believe that a small amount of away fans come to prove a point.”

He had us up to ‘iconic stadium’. The marketing guff extends to the fans, too.

In other news, the BBC also notes:

Claims that homophobic anti-Chelsea song sheets were distributed at West Ham’s London Stadium are being investigated. Hammers fan Nadeem Qureshi posted an image of one of the flyers, urging fans to sing homophobic lyrics about Chelsea captain John Terry, on social media.

Here’s what a fan was handing out at the match:

The rule of any chant is that it should be catchy or funny. That is neither. And that fact that any fan is handing out song sheets at the football, where once spontaneity ruled, is a sign of how unlike the 1980s the anodyne Premier League is.

It’s the rarity of the aggro that makes it newsworthy.

Posted: 27th, October 2016 | In: Back pages, Sports | Comment

Manchester United balls: injured Eric Bailly finds God’s unwilling to save his 2016

Manchester United fans can read in the Mirror that their team’s defender Eric Bailly is injured and will not play again in 2016. Readers are told: “MANCHESTER UNITED are on red alert with the fear of Eric Bailly being out for the rest of the year.”

It’s an “exclusive” story.

It should not be confused with the non-exclusive story reported by the Mail, Evening Standard, the BBC and more that Bailly will miss the next two months. The Guardian notes: “Manchester United’s Eric Bailly out until Christmas with knee injury.”

Having added another week onto Bailly’s estimated rehabilitation schedule and presented it as an “exclusive”, the Mirror goes for the bonus balls by thundering: “Eric Bailly hopes to play for Manchester United before year’s end despite knee ligament injury.” Hope if swiftly followed by pragmatism: “Manchester United are preparing to be without their star centre-back for the rest of 2016 following his second-half injury against Chelsea.”

That comes after Bailly tweeted: “I hope to be able to play again for United and The Elephants before 2 months, God willing. Thanks for always being there!”

Look out for the Mirror’s next big news story: “EXCLUSIVE: BAILLY says only god can save his 2016.”

Posted: 26th, October 2016 | In: Back pages, manchester united, Sports, Tabloids | Comment

Harry Redknapp’s wife Sandra in freak car accident – Daily Mail digs up old horrors

Harry Redknapp was dropping his wife Sandra in Westbourne, a suburb of Bournemouth, when her coat got caught in the door of his Range Rover. The Indy says the 69-year-old [Sandra] “screamed with agony on the pavement after being dragged along the road”.

An eyewitness tells the Sun:

“I was in a shop and a couple of people came in and said, ‘Crikey, there’s a lady who’s been dragged along the road’, then someone else came in and said it was Harry Redknapp who had just dropped his wife off. I heard as he drove off she got her coat caught in the door. She was dragged along the road before he realised. I think she has been badly injured.”

The Indy says there was lots of blood.

The Telegraph identifies the car: “Harry Redknapp drags wife along road in ‘freak accident’ in his Range Rover.”

This private horror is then given the Daily Mail treatment. Can it be possible to attack a man who has been left “shaken” buy seeing his wife hurt? Yes, The Mail sees fit to include this in its report:

In 2006, the BBC’s investigative programme Panorama showed Mr Redknapp on camera expressing his interest in approaching a player illegally in order to arrange a transfer.
Following an investigation by HMRC in 2010, he was charged with two counts of cheating the public revenue, but was later found not guilty at a trial.

It then concludes:

Last night, representatives for Mr Redknapp denied that an incident had taken place.

Get well soon, Sandra.

Posted: 20th, October 2016 | In: Reviews, Sports, Tabloids | Comment

Manchester United’s Anthony Martial says he didn’t refer to ‘Anthony Martial’ in ‘fake’ Daily Mirror interview

Did you see the Anthony Martial interview in the Daily Mirror? The Manchester United player did, tweeting:

In “Anthony Martial insists Manchester United fans haven’t seen him at his best yet”, the Mirror’s Chris Hatherall shares Martial’s words. No sources are cited. As for the player’s comments, well the highlight is when he talks of himself in the third person: “I don’t think you have seen the true Martial at Man United yet. I know I can perform better, I know I can do more.”

That line is repeated in the Sun:

Martial told the Mirror: “It’s a big season for me and I want to be better than last year. I don’t think you have seen the true Martial at Man United yet. I know I can perform better, I know I can do more.

“But I’m convinced this season can be my year. It’s a feeling I have.”

Maybe another Anthony Martial spoke to the Mirror?

Posted: 18th, October 2016 | In: Back pages, manchester united, Sports, Tabloids | Comment

The myth of racism in football and a need to trial The Rooney Rule

The Daily Mirror’s headline is unequivocal: former Manchester United and Aston Villa striker Dwight Yorke is a victim of racism. The headline states: “YORKE: I’m Being Held Back By Racism.”

To further drum the point home, the Mirror adds: “Wannabe manager Dwight Yorke insists racism is stopping him even getting INTERVIEWS for jobs.”

The story begins:

“You keep hitting a wall, keep constantly not getting anywhere” says ex-Man United star who has the coaching badges but cannot get his foot in the door

That’s a pretty big claim. Football is just about the least racist industry in the UK – a quarter of Premier League playing staff are black. Why should Yorke, discovered by the then Aston Villa manager Graham Taylor on a tour of the West Indies in 1989, think racism is stopping his career?

The Mirror is adamant:

Ex-Manchester United striker Yorke insists racism in football has stopped him and other retired stars breaking into management.

Only racism has prevent Yorke from becoming a manager? No. Reading on we get a qualifier:

He says he has completed his coaching badges but is convinced his colour has played a part in stopping him from building a career in England.

The Mirror did not get the story. It is repackaging Yorke’s words to beIN Sports, in which he said:

“I’m still looking to get in. I’ve done all the coaching badges at St George’s and the one thing I find very difficult, let alone get a job, is to even get an interview. I’m finding it very, very difficult at the moment. Yes, you are doing all your coaching, all your badges, but then when it comes to getting a job, you are not even getting an interview. It’s all about who you know as well, that has to play a role. Despite all my experience of being a player, I’ve never had the experience of being a manager which is a different concept from being a coach.”

So a lack of experience and not knowing the right people are factors in his failure to secure a managerial job.

BeIn Sports not Yorke brought up race. Yorke responded:

When asked whether it was down to his lack of managerial experience or his colour, Yorke replied: “I think there’s a bit of both there. I genuinely think there’s a bit of both. It’s often been discussed, no-one has really taken it up, but I do have a tendency when I speak to everybody, certainly black players who are trying to break into managerial department are coming up against the same concept because of your race.”

There are no black managers in the Premier League. There are, however, many foreign-born managers. Only six of the current crop are British.

Yorke adds:

“You keep constantly hitting a wall, keep constantly not getting anywhere and even with all the noises that I’ve made, I’ve even tried to get in at Villa at this point. What I’m saying is that it would have been nice to just have your thoughts heard.

“OK, maybe you will never get a chance to be a manager but it would be nice to go in there, present yourself, get to know that person and [have them] say, ‘OK, Dwight, we like your concept, but you’re not experienced enough. Go away and do this or do that.'”

It’s hard to comment on York’s efforts to get a managerial job without knowing to which clubs he’s applied. Were Villa ever likely to take on an ex-player with no managerial track record to be their figurehead?

The Indy twists Yorke’s words a little to deliver the headline:

Dwight Yorke says being black is stopping him becoming a manager after missing out on Aston Villa job

To link Aston Villa with racism is absurd and unfair. And it wasn’t simply missing out on the Villa job that shaped his thoughts.

The Indy adds:

Ryan Giggs does not have a large managerial history to fall back on though, and the fact that he was installed as the bookmakers’ favourite for the Swansea job when Francesco Guidolin was sacked does support Yorke’s argument, given he has not been able to secure an interview at clubs in the lower tiers of English football.

Again that’s absurd, too. Giggs didn’t get that job. He tried and failed. Swansea appointed a foreigner. The bookies made Giggs the favourite because, well, he’s Welsh. What other reason was there? Swansea is owned by Americans – and they appointed one of their own. Gary Neville scored his first managerial job at Valencia on the strength of coaching a poor England side and being mates with the Spanish club’s owner.

Worse than that is the hype that misrepresents Yorke, who was circumspect and measured in his words. The tabloid twist makes for sensation. Rather than investigating racism in football’s boardrooms, they could look at racism on what passes for Fleet Street. See any top-flight editors, chairmen of the board, managing editors, new editors and so on?

But Yorke’s views do make us wonder why with so many black players there are so few notable black managers?

Former player turned media pundit Jason Roberts said it was due to “unconscious bias” at best or “possibly racism” at worst.

Cyrille Regis opined: “As a player, it’s tangible. You can hear the racist chants, you can see the bananas on the pitch and you can react to it, but when you are going for jobs and interviews and putting your CVs in, you can’t really tell somebody’s heart where they’re coming from, what prejudices they have inside of them.”

The football league is looking to introduce The Rooney Rule:

The ‘Rooney Rule’ was established in 2003 and named after Dan Rooney, the owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the chairman of the NFL’s diversity committee. It requires NFL teams to interview at least one black or ethnic minority candidate for head coaching and senior football operation opportunities that become available, as part of a transparent and open recruitment process

Brian Collins noted in the New York Law Review: “A decision-maker harbouring unconscious bias is forced to confront his own partiality by meeting face-to-face with a candidate he might never have considered.”

Time to help black managers and would-be black managers – and with it encourage more black faces to consider a role in management.

Posted: 18th, October 2016 | In: Back pages, Reviews, Sports | Comment

Manchester United bore Liverpool with Mourinho’s media ‘masterclass’

Last night Liverpool and Manchester United bored the watching public to their second 0-0 on Premier League history. Manchester United were unambitious, carrying 35% possession, their lowest total in a Premier League match since Opta began recording this data in 2003-04.

Jose Mourinho side have won their lowest points total after his first eight league games with a new club since his time with Uniao de Leiria (10 points).

The BBC say the game was “rubbish”.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says: “No one will show this game in 10 or 20 years.”

Chris Crocker adds: “Reality is if Van Gaal’s team had played like that every ‘expert’ would be slating him for weeks. Jose does it he is a genius.”

Not everyone. But some, yes.

This is what Neil Curtis said in the Sun on the morning of the big match:

JOSE MOURINHO is desperately trying to rid Manchester United of the memories from the Louis van Gaal era. That is why he will never serve up a borefest like the Dutchman with his much vaunted ‘philosophy’…

Mourinho is up for another tactical masterclass just like he delivered two years ago…

The Portuguese said: “Last season Liverpool vs United and Liverpool had 14 shots on target and United had one and the result was 0-1. I don’t think that is going to happen again.”

It didn’t. Last night United had one shot on target and failed to score. Under Van Gaal United player Liverpool four times in the Premier League. They won them all.

It’s all about Mourinho in the media. The BBC holds a debate on the United manager with itself:

“Is this a new United way?” asks the BBC. Yes there is, says the BBC.

How United fans will be thrilled by supporting a pragmatic team.

Says Jose Mourinho:

“I think was a positive performance. If you analyse the game see the reason why did it, playing Young and Fellaini. We had control of the game – there were two amazing saves by David de Gea it’s true but they were out of context. The reaction from their crowd was permanent disappointment. People expected us to come here and be really in trouble, which we were not.”

To recap: United were boring when they won at Liverpool with a philosophy; United are exciting and new when they draw 0-0 with a “masterclass” and a “new way”.

Still, at least Jose has won over the media. Van Gaal never did.