Ahead of the Game: Blades 'Sack' Robson
The news in 60 seconds
BLADES 'SACK' ROBSON
Sheffield United manager Bryan Robson has been relieved of his
first-team duties, according to reports. Apparently, the club plan to
change their "football infrastructure". Quite what that means is
anybody's guess, but suffice to say it's not looking good for the
dour-faced former England hero.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article3369015.ece
FA AUDIT TRANSFERS
The FA have appointed Quest to audit transfers in England, beginning with those in the recent January transfer window. The FA have also set up a whistleblower hotline to report "problems with the transfer market". Callers have already complained that Watford got £5 million for Marlon King.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article3368097.ece
WARNER BACKS BID
Fifa vice-president Jack Warner, one of football's more dubious figures, has backed England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup. Warner had initially been against the change to the rotation rules that enabled Europe to host the tournament. "It is England's time," he said. Which is odd. Last year Warner said, "England has never had any impact on world football."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article3369647.ece
FABREGAS TALKS
Cesc Fabregas is in discussions over a new contract with Arsenal. His current deal expires in 2014 but the club are looking to renegotiate. "I am proud to be linked with Barcelona," he said. Arsenal better be ready to cough up, then.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/arsenal/article3369941.ece
KANU MOVE 'COBBLERS'
Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp has dismissed the suggestion that Kanu is set to leave for Australia in the summer. Harry saved the club the trouble of putting out an official statement by saying the rumour was a "lot of cobblers".
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/portsmouth/article3368964.ece
BRADY KEEN FOR TALKS
Liam Brady is interested in speaking to the new Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni about the possibility of becoming his assistant. "I don't want to give up my job at Arsenal," warned the head of the Gunners' Academy, although it is very unlikely that he would have to.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article3368956.ece
LEAGUE PLAN 'UNLIKELY'
The Premier League's bid to stage a round of matches overseas is "unlikely to happen", according to Sir Rod Eddington, the man who reportedly pitched the proposal to league officials last year. Eddington is a director of News Corporation, owner of The Times. So, AOTG is happy to agree with him.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article3368491.ece
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you've got another couple of minutes
CAN ROBOTS REF?
The Orange Future of Football Report claims that robots could replace humans as referees in the future. It also suggests players will wear electronic sensors to eradicate poor decisions and that matches will never be postponed because pitches will be artificial and stadiums will use cloud seeding to create their own microclimate. Kit will use nanotechnology that releases nutrients to replace nutrients, kill germs and minor injuries. And TV viewers will be able to watch 360-degree personalised images of games. What do you think? Could a machine officiate a football match? Plenty of English footballers have given good impressions of automatons in the past. On the other hand, it would force fans to dream up a whole new set of abusive songs. After all, they could hardly accuse a non-sentient being of onanism. Send us your thoughts.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article3365805.ece
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>>THE TABLOID TALE<<<<<
We'll move Prem club to desert! - Daily Star
What you need to know: 1) Arab billionaires want to buy a top Premier League club and move it to Dubai. 2) The soccer-crazy sheikhs were inspired by the 39th step plan. 3) They reckon Chelsea might be tempted by a switch to the Gulf. 4) Little surprises AOTG these days, but it suspects Roman Abramovich doesn't need the cash.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A quickie before you go, sir?
ROBBO PROTEST
When Sheffield United fans gathered outside the entrance to Bramall Lane on Saturday and insisted they would not leave until Bryan Robson was sacked. Well, it's unclear whether anyone lasted the 110 or so hours, but it seems the protest still had the desired effect. It's fortunate, then, that you can see this historic sing-song via today's first piece of video footage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0gJRXa1JmA
RONALDO CROCKED
Was last night the last time we will see Ronaldo on a football pitch? AC Milan fear the Brazilian forward's career may be finished after he ruptured a tendon in his left knee against Livorno. It took him two years to recover when he suffered the same injury in his right knee in 1999 and, at 31, time is not on his side. Perhaps, then, this is a good time to include a compilation of clips showing the three-time world player of the year at his stunning best. Click on the first link for the moment that Marco Amelia, the Livorno goalkeeper, "heard a horrible sound, like a bang" and on the second for the nostalgia trip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_GFUBcklKo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKD2JJckMf0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9
Champions League trophies won by Europe's ten richest clubs in the past eleven seasons
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>>THE RIVALS<<<<<
Giggs will ditch style for title - The Sun
Agent in Drogba deal claims he is victim of smear campaign - The Guardian
Murdoch man behind League's global plan - The Daily Telegraph
Ecclestone: I can sort out Prem's global mess - Daily Mirror
Shev is keen for a final chance - Daily Express
Eto'o tells Drog: Get over here - Daily Star
Why evergreen Cole is having a ball at Burnley - Daily Mail
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In TheGame
Martin Samuel has responded to your comments on the debate over whether the Premier League should stage a 39th game abroad. Samuel chooses a winner in a disagreement between English and American fans, wonders if trips to Milan give him the right to import a La Scala tenor, and says the Premier League is like any hooker: the more you pay, the more passionate they get.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/02/martin-samuel-1.html
Emmanuel Adebayor this week drew level with Cristiano Ronaldo on 19 Premier League goals for the season. Both strikers are playing superbly but who do you think is the better goalscorer? Let us know via our online poll.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/02/who-is-better-r.html
We're looking for new contributors to Fanzine Fanzone, the best forum for fans' football writing on the web. Think you've got what it takes to join our team? Then e-mail an example of your writing to sport@timesonline.co.uk. For more details click on the next link.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/fanzine_fanzone/2008/02/be-a-part-of-th.html
In the podcast debate, you've taken issue with Martin Samuel's defence of the Lampard-Gerrard axis, recalled the halcyon days of Malcolm Allison and claimed England journalists double as Wayne Rooney apologists. Add to the comment cauldron before it closes.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/02/all-aboard-the.html
Bill Edgar has posted his daily trivia question: "Two players in separate matches achieved a combined scoring feat that had not occurred in the league for 18 years. Seven weeks later, on October 29, the same thing happened. What was the feat?" He's also revealed the answer to yesterday's teaser.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/02/thursdays-trivi.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joe Bloggs' Soapbox
"This Orange Future of Football Report ignores the central point of why robotics can never be involved in deciding football results. Footballing injustices through terrible decisions are a huge and brilliant part of the game. Seeing your team robbed provides hours of begrudging chat in the pub, while seeing your team con the ref means hours of taunting your rival. My team get hammered and at least I have somewhere to turn. Introduce robotics and I have to face the reality of my team's c***ness. This surely is not a workable solution. On top of this, you only have to look at Graham Poll in his heyday, when he could light up Middlesbrough-Fulham with a string of fabulously baffling decisions, making an unwatchable 90 minutes for the neutral the stuff of fantasy and enjoyment."
Hours taunting a rival? Hours of begrudging chat? And all of Middlesbrough-Fulham? AOTG enjoyed this e-mail, but it sounds like Joe from Birmingham has too much time on his hands.
"I live in Leicester and we will soon have no Premier League football in the region (including Derby). If enough countries refuse to host the matches, can they play the 39th in (football-wise) underprivileged cities in the UK?"
Memo to Richard Scudamore: Amar Purohit made this suggestion in jest. Please do not get (another) funny idea.
"Since South Africa is actually south of the Watford Gap (unless a mammoth trip over the North and South Poles was undertaken). There is no excuse for AOTG geography knowledge to be hazy. I was going to finish by trying to write something witty, but i'm apparantly incapable of it... can I have a Job ?
Tim Hillier made the same point as Jeff Letherby and Ben Graham . AOTG is glad to see you're on your toes, chaps, but we're not sure about the job application, Tim. We have a couple of minor quibbles with your spelling and grammar (underlined above). No need to point out the shaky ground we're on here.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tomorrow's news today
- Everton plea to Uefa over pool ball attack
- Is the Premier League value for money?
- Dave Jones: How Wolves wasted my legacy
And expect...
AOTG to be relieved its duties after scores of oh-so-clever readers point out the unacceptable errors in today's e-mail.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anonymous tips, suggestions, funnies, fan mail and complaints: sport@timesonline.co.uk
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BY ROBERT DINEEN
Comments