Ahead of TheGame: City bound for Europe
The news in 60 seconds
CITY BOUND FOR EUROPE
Manchester City could win a place in the Uefa Cup after the governing body awarded the FA an extra place in next season's competition by virtue of winning its Fair Play competition. Sven-Goran Eriksson's team are in pole position to scoop the prize because they have the best disciplinary record in the Premier League of those teams who haven't already qualified for Europe. Yes, it takes some working out, but it's clearly another terrible reason to sack the Swede.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article3902579.ece
FERGUSON CRANKS UP PRESSURE
The Manchester United manager has expressed his irritation ahead of the climax to the Premier League season at reports that Bolton players have been in celebration mode after avoiding relegation. "All week, people have questioned the integrity of Wigan," he said. "No one has even mentioned Bolton. Both teams are safe, relaxed and confident. But one can celebrate and the other is all keyed up to play against Manchester United. That difference in attitude amazes me."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article3902716.ece
ROONEY DOUBTFUL FOR TITLE DECIDER
Sir Alex Ferguson says the striker remains a major doubt for the match against Wigan, although the Manchester United manager remains confident that Rooney can feature against Chelsea in Moscow. "Maybe I will have him as a substitute on Sunday, but he will certainly be fit for the Champions League final," he said.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3900649.ece
PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEWS: VIDIC RETURNS
Manchester United will welcome the return of the Serbian defender to their title fight, but Birmingham City have doubts concerning James McFadden and Liam Ridgewell for their home match against Blackburn as they attempt to avoid relegation.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article3892492.ece
O'NEILL DENIES BENITEZ CLAIMS
The Aston Villa manager has dismissed his Liverpool counterpart's latest remarks that the pair discussed the "idea" of a transfer deal for Gareth Barry. "What idea did I have? I've got absolutely no idea. I have no idea what he's talking about. It's absolutely crazy," O'Neill said.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article3902417.ece
SCOLARI SAYS NO DEAL
The Brazilian has distanced himself from speculation linking him with the manager's job at Manchester City. "Portugal offers me everything I need," he said. "I have no agreement with that club."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article3901669.ece
WENGER QUASHES HLEB RUMOURS
The Arsenal manager insists there is nothing in reports that the Belarus midfielder will follow Mathieu Flamini out of the club. "You cannot stop people talking but at the moment there is nothing [to discuss]," Wenger said. "I believe that usually all the players want to stay, and I expect this team to say 'let's make a pact together, come back next year and win'. Did he say "usually"? That's Hleb's window.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/arsenal/article3901518.ece
KEANE SETS HIS SIGHTS HIGH
The Sunderland manager is not resting on his laurels and expects his team to improve next season. "We are 15th at the moment and if we were to stay 15th, it shouldn't really be seen as being successful. Satisfied may be a better way of putting it, but not success. Hopefully success is just around the corner." Everybody says that, don't they?
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article3902192.ece
YOUR GUIDE TO THE RELEGATION DRAMA
Tom Dart measures the survival chances of Bolton, Reading, Fulham and Birmingham. "So, two more clubs are being kicked out of the Premier League's glittering palace, through its gold-plated gates into the gloomy shanty-town that is the Coca-Cola Championship." He doesn't mess about.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/your-handy-guid.html
WARNOCK RELISHING PLAY-OFFS
The Crystal Palace manager is planning a return to the top flight after taking over a team that were second from bottom in the Championship when he joined. "With the squad we have at the club, we have the chance of becoming the success story of the season," he said. Bristol City might think they own the rights to that story.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article3902311.ece
LIVE MATCHTRACKER: SOUTHEND V DONCASTER
Let the play-offs commence. It's May madness in the Football League and League One gets the ball rolling as the Vikings visit the Shrimpers in their semi-final first leg at 7.45pm tonight. Sean O'Driscoll's men will need to have shaken off their disappoinment at losing out on automatic promotion on the last day of the regular season for their trip to the seaside.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/live_match_tracker/
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If you've got another couple of minutes
The most exciting finale in Premier League history is upon us and there is barely a fingernail left to chew. Tears of joy and sadness will flow come 5 o'clock on Sunday as the great football judge in the sky bangs down his gavel and delivers his sentence.
At the top end, it's Manchester United v Chelsea in the title race with Sir Alex Ferguson's team requiring victory at Wigan to retain their crown. Although if Chelsea beat Bolton by 18 more goals than United beat Steve Bruce's side by then Avram Grant will be grinning from ear-to-ear.
Will Wigan roll over? Or is that insulting to the integrity of Bruce's men? Are Chelsea fans really in with a shout? Or are they living in fantasy land?
It's more nerve-racking at the bottom with one of Fulham, Reading and Birmingham a light breeze from being blown into Championship oblivion. Can Roy Hodgson complete the great escape with victory at Portsmouth? Do Birmingham deserve to drop after the way they treated Bruce and played? Is there room in the top flight for Steve Coppell's battlers or are they more suited to the second tier?
Here's your chance to tell us what is going to happen. Let us know what fate awaits your side. Why should they win the title? Why should they avoid the drop? Or if you've got a mean streak, tell us why a team deserves pain and misery. And if you just want to send your boys a message of support, this is the place to do it.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/tell-us-what-yo.html
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>>>>>THE TABLOID TALE<<<<<
Jewell rap for 'big-time Charlie' Dillon - Daily Mirror
What you need to know: 1) The Derby manager is upset that Reading's assistant manager thinks the Royals will deserve to go down if they can't beat the Rams in their last game. 2) "You would think Reading had been playing in the Champions League all these seasons instead of down in the Championship and second division where Derby and Wigan also came from," Jewell said. 3) He plans to hang the offending comment in the dressing room at Pride Park to motivate his players. "I've tried everything else," he said.
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A quickie before you go, sir?
Those in the know will admit that Juninho Pernambucano is one of the world's best deadball specialists. His latest free-kick takes AOTG back to summer days on the beach with a £1.25 flyaway ball.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX0y1kumtss
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55
The number of days since Manchester United last won away from home in the Premier League. You have to go back almost two months to March 15, when they beat Derby County 1-0.
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In TheGame
Each week, our expert, Tony Cascarino, will relate to an issue from the professional game and relate it to us mortals. This week, Tony describes the anatomy of last day miracles and mess-ups: "There are so many factors in the mix, so many emotions and different personal situations, that the conditions for a surprise are easily created. Even 'safe' teams are volatile beneath the surface. There is never nothing to play for." Bear that in mind next time you're playing the Hackney Marshes whipping boys.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/tony-cascarin-2.html
In Non-League Central, Walter Gammie reports on the managerial vacancy at Newport County. The club's chairman has reacted to murmurings from his disgruntled players and has promised a replacement for Peter Beadle very soon.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/beadles-about-n.html
It's the big one. Bill Edgar has posted his Fiendish Friday Quiz, ten questions that will test even the smartest fan, including this cracker: which player supplied the final Premier League goal of last season but has not scored at all in the Premier League this season?
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/bill-edgars-f-1.html
In Monday's in-paper supplement
- Who will be crowned champions? Martin Samuel reports on Wigan v Manchester United and Matt Hughes watches Chelsea v Bolton.
- Interview: Curtis Davies on Aston Villa, injury and England.
- Four pages that get to the heart of the grassroots game.
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>>>>>THE RIVALS<<<<<
Crouch fury at £15m price tag - The Sun
Fair Kop - Daily Mirror
Capello tax probe hits England plans - The Daily Telegraph
Keegan heads south seeking to repair rift at Newcastle - The Independent
Hleb will quit Arsenal to join Inter, says agent - The Guardian
Lewis flying high - Daily Express
'Bruce in frame to replace Sir Alex' - Daily Mail
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Joe Bloggs' Soapbox
"Just thought I'd point out to everyone that Park Ji Sung conducts quite acceptable interviews on MUTV in English."
Bill in Doncaster has a revealing explanation for our general ignorance surrounding the Manchester United winger.
AOTG asked yesterday for you to name players that you would pay to see leave your club. We got names, but few pledges of money. Quel surprise:
"I would love to see Danny Shittu leave Watford. He is pound for pound (and that's a lot of pounds) the worst player I have seen. He is slow, lazy and doesn't seem to care even when he was captain. Him being in the Championship team of the year is a disgrace. Send him back to QPR, I'll pay for his cab fare." - Alex, Rickmansworth
"It feels truly odd to suggest that a team chasing a double at this stage of the season could stand to lose nine players from our first team squad, but I believe there should no place for Ferreira, Belletti, Ben Haim, Sidwell, Malouda, Wright-Phillips, Shevchenko and Pizarro at Chelsea next season. Add this to the probable departure of Drogba and we could/should see Chelsea losing talent that cost us nearly £100,000,000 in transfer fees (and God knows what in wages) over the course of the last 3 years." - Kieran
"Only one possible answer to this one: ANDY VAN DER MEYDE. Please." - Glen Wells
"Being a liverpool supporter, there's quite a few I'd gladly see paid to leave Anfield, but the one that has to be shown the door this summer is Andriy Voronin. Liverpool might not have to pay him to leave, surely they can do him for breach of contract as he doesn't even look like a footballer."
Interesting point, Mahmed. I would be surprised if the Ukrainian striker had such a clause in his contract, but what other players don't look like footballers? And no, you can't all say Peter Crouch.
"From One Fantastic Goal by Trevor Thompson on page 51:
'AFK Vrsovice had just finished the third Czechoslovak league championship in third place behind Sparta and Slavia, which went on to play in the Mitropa Cup. Vrsovice's consolation was to travel to Australia, where they adopted the name Bohemians for the tour, feeling they represented the good name of the province of Bohemia. They attracted great interest playing with the classic central European fluency which was already a major influence on world football.
'The Bohemians' 1927 tour led to an outbreak of Australomania in faraway Czechoslovakia, and to this day the team plays with the club crest over their hearts of a kangaroo with a soccer ball. They are proud to be known as Koklani - the Kangaroos.'"
Stephen Murray generously adds to a fine story after his cryptic message yesterday. To be honest, we thought he was going to uncover some unbelievable club crests featuring aardvarks, qiant squid and mandrills. The lesson here is don't let your imagination run ahead of you.
"How about the Wellington Phoenix in New Zealand to add to your zoo. Surprisingly it's a phoenix on their crest."
Lee Densem from New Zealand states the obvious but beats Aldershot fans to the punch with this specimen for our menagerie.
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Tomorrow's news today
- Lawrie Sanchez lays into Fulham
- The numbers that reveal medical dangers of being a manager
- Tribute to Derby: the worst team in 109 years of top-flight football
And expect...
The most amazing weekend of drama.
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