Ahead of TheGame: Newcastle Chairman To Quit

The news in 60 seconds

NEWCASTLE CHAIRMAN SET TO QUIT
Chris Mort is expected to step down from his role at St James’ Park within the next few weeks. The city lawyer had overseen the club’s transition from the Freddy Shepherd era. His deputy, Derek Llambias, has been named as a possible replacement. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/newcastle/article3984322.ece

LAMPARD TO DISCUSS CHELSEA CONTRACT
The Chelsea midfielder says he will resolve his future after England’s friendly internationals against the USA and Trinidad & Tobago. Lampard has been heavily linked with a move to Inter Milan, but today he suggested he could stay at Stamford Bridge. “I hope we can come to a conclusion,” he said. “I am pretty confident we can.”
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/chelsea/article3984304.ece

RONALDO REFUSES TO COMMIT TO UNITED
Even in the euphoria that followed last night’s win in Moscow, the Manchester United winger wouldn’t say whether his future lies at Old Trafford. “I don't promise nothing, I don't promise nothing to my mum, I don't promise nothing to the supporters," he said. "I want to stay, but the future ... no-one knows.”  http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3983780.ece

VAN DER SAR: WE WERE LUCKY
The United goalkeeper has admitted that good fortune played an important part in their victory, citing John Terry’s calamitous slip on taking his shoot-out penalty. “Life and football can change on small things,” the philosophical Dutchman said.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3984370.ece

HOW UNITED WON THE CUP
James Ducker has identified the ten decisive moments in United’s triumphant Champions League campaign. You might be able to guess the one from last night.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3975433.ece

UNITED THRILL EUROPE
A stunning final is surely still fresh in your mind, so why not relive the drama by reading Martin Samuel’s report.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article3981783.ece

FERGIE SEALS GREATNESS
Matt Dickinson reckons that that his second European Cup victory will ensure the United manager attains legend status. “Knowing the man,” Dickinson adds. “He will wake up this morning and start dreaming of a third.”
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article3981745.ece

ENGLAND FRIENDLY ‘WILL GO AHEAD’
Trinidad & Tobago authorities insist the friendly against England will go ahead despite a dispute over stadium rental charges. Their football federation had threatened to bring the Government to court for hiking up the fee to use the ground on June 1, but the Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs says he is confident an agreement will be reached.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/international/article3985785.ece

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If you’ve got another couple of minutes

WAS DROGBA THE ONLY VILLAIN?
Many experts who dissected events at the Luzhniki Stadium crowned most players involved as deserved winners or brave losers, while casting one figure as a villain of the piece. 

After seeing Didier Drogba sent off in extra time for slapping Nemanja Vidic, The Sun called the Chelsea forward "mad Drog", The Daily Telegraph said the ignominious exit would be a fitting final act to his Stamford Bridge career and The Times suggested the Ivory Coast international had sunk to the occasion. 

The dismissal was made worse because Drogba was inked in as a penalty taker in the event of a shoot-out and, in his absence, John Terry was forced to step up. Needing to score to win, the Chelsea captain missed and, ultimately, handed victory to United.

A terrible consequence admittedly, but is it fair to reserve all criticism for Drogba?

A player must be sent off for raising his hand to an opponent's face, but it was only the mildest of slaps, and certainly nothing to compare to some of the dangerously aggressive tackling that took place in the match.

Drogba was not the only Chelsea player to make a critical mistake, either. Michael Essien left Cristiano Ronaldo unmarked when he scored, Terry badly skewed his spot kick, and Nicolas Anelka lost the match with a weak penalty.

More pointedly, as he has been throughout the Champions League campaign, Drogba was the most dangerous Chelsea forward last night, impressing against a mean United defence while his colleagues Joe Cole and Florent Malouda struggled. 

Is it not time, then, to give the Drog a break? Let us know what you think.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/debate-was-drog.html

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>>>>THE TABLOID TALE<<<<<
Perfect match – Manchester Evening News
What you need to know: 1) United nut Stephen Wilson was so thrilled by the victory that he got down on bended knee on a Manchester street and proposed to his girlfriend. 2) A pregnant Natalie McGrath happily accepted. 3) They won’t set a date until their baby boy is born. 4) They’ve chosen his name, though – it’s Cristiano.

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A quickie before you go, sir?

DID TERRY SPIT AT TEVEZ?
A bad 24 hours for John Terry could turn worse as fans analyse video footage of his contribution to the melee that ended in Didier Drogba’s dismissal. Replays show Terry raises his mouth at Carlos Tevez as he approaches the United forward, who walks away rubbing his neck. What happened? Watch the evidence and judge for yourself.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/did-terry-spit.html

THE SELL-OUT
United failed to offload all of their ticket allocation for the victory last night, but there wasn’t an empty seat at the MEN Arena, where thousands of raucous fans created quite a spectacle after watching the match on a big screen.
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1138292711/bctid1566340413

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9
Victories that Manchester United achieved in the Champions League this season, equalling the competition record that Barcelona set  in 2005-06. In this case, penalty shoot-out wins don't count.

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In TheGame

His side lost by the narrowest margin, but speculation persists that Avram Grant could lose his job over the summer. Do you think he deserves to go? http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/should-avram-gr.html
No such rumour would ever threaten Sir Alex Ferguson but there are some that  think now would be a good time for the United manager to retire. Do you agree?
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/should-sir-alex.html
How did the New York Times report on United’s win? By saying that they captured “Europe’s most coveted athletic prize”. We’ve got more on that and other coverage of the match in foreign media.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/how-the-world-s.html
Martin Samuel has responded to your comments on his Michel Platini debate. Samuel suggested that the Uefa president is failing in his job. Several of you thought otherwise, but nobody swayed our man from his viewpoint.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/martin-samuel-2.html#more
The newest addition to our smugshots gallery is also a timely one, showing John Terry posing with two lovelies in a nightclub. Lucky Alison Renison says he was "probably the only non-sleazy, genuinely nice footballer I've met clubbing in London”.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/football-smug-1.html
Bill Edgar has posted his daily trivia question: Who are the only club to have been champions of Europe more often than champions of their own country? He’s also revealed the answer to yesterday’s poser.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/bill-edgars-c-1.html

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>>>>> THE RIVALS <<<<<
All too English and not enough shades of Real – The Guardian
Ferguson’s competitive spirit edges epic contest - The Independent
Red card may be fitting finale for Drogba – The Daily Telegraph
This is my best United team, says Fergie – Daily Mail
Terry suffers for his bravery – Daily Mirror
New greats stirred by Munich memory – Daily Express
A stunning advert for our game – despite antics of a mad Drog – The Sun
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Joe Bloggs’ Soapbox

“Arsene Wenger said the ref will decide who wins the Champions League final. He turned out to be right. All through the night we saw corners that did not go Chelsea's way even when it was blindingly obvious it should. We saw Man U awarded corner kicks that should have been Chelsea's free kicks. But the most obvious mistake was Rio's high-foot challenge on Joe Cole, which the linesman even flagged only to be ignored by the referee.
Football is becoming a bit like American wrestling. It is already on a par with professional boxing. Don't you think that the governing bodies should do something about the standards of refereeing? They have spent so much time and energy campaigning for players to respect the ref, which is a good thing. But how can they ignore the fact that referees have long ceased being just officiators of the match and have become the kingmakers?”
AOTG reckons it knows who Okon Frankson supports.

“United the best supported club! [Yesterday’s AOTG] Hmmm... Liverpool had 60,000 fans in Istanbul and 40,000 in Athens. Hardly down the road, is it?! United can’t even get 21,000 to Moscow, nine years after their last final! What a joke!”
Salman Rajput loves an exclamation mark.

“I believe in victory and I believed in Man United in Moscow. It was a sweet victory, the glory of the Red Devils indeed. Thank you for bringing joy to us, your fans, Man United.”
Hellen Gaspar Munisi has found happiness in Dar es Salaam.

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Tomorrow’s news today

Ferguson wants to win another Champions League
Kenyon says second is not good enough
Ronaldo – will he stay at United?

And expect...

Stephen and Natalie to change their mind and name the poor child Edwin.