Ahead of TheGame: Capello facing perjury case
The news in 60 seconds
CAPELLO FACING PERJURY CASE
The England manager has been placed under investigation by the office of Rome's prosecutor after he gave evidence in March in a trial relating to a sports agency that managed several Italian footballers and coaches. "We haven't heard or been informed of anything, but that's normal," Pierfilippo Capello, Fabio's son and manager, said. "There is nothing new from when we first heard about this two months ago. We'll take action and offer an explanation when it is necessary."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/international/article3887556.ece
SCUDAMORE FEARS FOR PREMIER LEAGUE
The Premier League chief executive has rejected criticism of the English top flight being boring to such an extent that he is worried other countries are trying to push through rules to limit its success. "I'm sure the legislators and regulators in Europe would like to see us levelled down or dumbed down," he said. "We would never say to the French that we like their wine but can't make it as good. Would you mind making yours worse so ours can compete? It's the same the other way around."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article3887936.ece
BLATTER REPEATS QUOTA CALL
The Fifa president says the dominance of English clubs in the Champions League proves the need to limit the number of foreign players in the Premier League. "This rule will be fighting against the monopolies of clubs and leagues," he said. "But we are not fighting the problem of money but for the identity of national teams."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article3885631.ece
WENGER'S RALLYING CRY
The Arsenal manager is disappointed that Mathieu Flamini has left the club for AC Milan but is convinced he has a squad to challenge for the title next season: "We were close this year, but we did not win and what I expect from my team is that, if you are a winner, you say 'let's come back next year and win'."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article3887259.ece
MORT DOESN'T WANT TO 'DO A LEEDS'
The Newcastle chairman insists the club will not spend beyond its means in a bid to break into the Premier League's top four. "It doesn't make sense," he said. "This club had £100 million-worth of debt which has now been cleared and it would be foolish to stretch it beyond its limits."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article3885412.ece
MCFADDEN VOWS TO STAY
The Birmingham striker signed a three-and-a-half year deal when he joined from Everton in January and insists he won't jump ship even if the club are relegated. "I haven't really given my own situation much thought, although there is obviously a good chance we could go down. I have only just arrived at the club and I'm not looking to leave in a hurry. Hopefully we will get the right result on Sunday, we stay up, and I won't need to worry about anything."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article3885779.ece
WIGAN TARGET STRIKER ZAKI
The Premier League club have held talks with Egyptian side Zamalek over the possible signing of Amr Zaki, according to a member of the club's board. "We had a meeting with Steve Bruce on Tuesday and we agreed terms," Sabri Abou-Allam said. "We discussed all the details but we haven't agreed yet on the transfer fee."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article3887462.ece
RIVALDO HOPES TO AVOID THE COLD
Olympiakos, the Greek champions, have asked for a court to freeze the assets of the Brazilian after he reportedly cast doubt over their recent title victory. Rivaldo, now with AEK Athens, is alleged to have made remarks accusing Olympiakos of having won this season's championship on a technicality.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article3887402.ece
BURLEY: RANGERS SITUATION 'RIDICULOUS'
The Scotland manager has criticised the Glasgow side's fixture congestion after naming his squad to face the Czech Republic on May 30. "It shouldn't happen to any club," he said. "They are being punished for their success in reaching the Uefa Cup final and that has to be looked at in the fullness of time."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/international/article3886384.ece
LIVE MATCHTRACKER: RANGERS V MOTHERWELL
Only seven games to go for Walter Smith's team. Will they have anything to show for it at the end? Follow the action from 7.45pm.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/live_match_tracker/
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If you've got another couple of minutes
Mind your language
Footballers from outside the EU will be barred from joining Premier League clubs from October unless they can speak simple English under new immigration rules. The new regulations will apply to all skilled workers including footballers and managers. The Government originally planned to insist that they understood English up to GCSE level, but this was changed amid fears it would rule out too many players, such as Manchester United's Ji-Sung Park and Carlos Tévez who have struggled to master the language. "Footballers earn enough money to pay for professional tuition," Liam Byrne, the Immigration Minister, said.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3883151.ece
Big game hunters
British club crests depict enough animals to fill Old McDonald's farm many times over, but we're on safari for more exotic beasts after discovering that Bohemians of Prague have a kangaroo on their team badge. This is believed to be a legacy of a tour of Australia in 1927 during which the club were awarded two live kangaroos, which they donated to Prague Zoo. Can you help us fill the AOTG menagerie?
E-mail: sport@timesonline.co.uk
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>>>>>THE TABLOID TALE<<<<<
Wrighty: FA could have saved Gazza - The Sun
What you need to know: 1) Ian Wright says Paul Gascoigne should have been offered a job by the FA after his playing career ended. 2) The former BBC pundit admitted that he cried after reading about Gascoigne's alleged suicide attempt in a London hotel. 3) "He did a lot for football in this country so he deserves to get something back," Wright said. "He could have worked with kids." 4) Gascoigne has checked into the Priory Clinic.
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A quickie before you go, sir?
Maybe it's time for Stefan Gislason to return to Arsenal now that Flamini has emptied his desk at the Emirates. The Brondby defensive midfielder, once on the Gunners' books, scored with a brilliant scissors-kick (ssh-shing) at the weekend.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO8wYUiOrWs
Tomas Repka is not mellowing in old age. Watch the Sparta Prague defender pick up his umpteenth red card against FC Brno.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KikL6m9sQfc
Steve Thompson is the new Marti Pellow. Throw your underwear at the Cardiff striker/crooner as he leads his team-mates in recording the Bluebirds' FA Cup single. On second thoughts, bring back Ossie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THxdmiq97sk&feature=related
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157,554
The average cost in pounds Liverpool paid Harry Kewell for each of his 139 appearances with the club spanning five years.
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In TheGame
Martin Samuel has responded to your comments on his debate asking whether Sir Alex Ferguson should quit if he wins the Champions League? Prompted by one reader, he wonders whether the Manchester United manager could drop football just like that: "I think retiring is like that moment when a couple decide to have kids. You've really got to know you want this; otherwise it does your head in." On the issue of hoovering up more European titles, Samuel says give Ferguson a break: "Liverpool's five European Cups took 28 years to win, AC Milan's took 31 years, the last five won by Real Madrid were spread over 42 years."
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/martin-samuel-r.html
Roll up, roll up, who wants to see Gary Lineker in uniform? Well you can with Football Smugshots - the forum where Joe Ordinary rubs shoulders with the great and good. As if the MOTD presenter would take a job as a Tube driver - how would he maintain his tan?
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/football-smug-1.html
Guillem Balague wonders if Manchester United haven't betrayed their philosophy by playing rather more defensively in the Champions League against Barcelona. Bill Edgar agrees and suggests that maybe this final means a little less than the one in 1999 for the way it was reached. Controversial? You bet. Join TheGame Podcast debate.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/jeff-stelling-a.html
In Fanzine Fanzone, our Bristol City expert is hoping for fifth-time lucky in the play-offs, but only if the Robins can keep 11 men on the field for more than seven minutes against Neil Warnock's red-hot Crystal Palace side.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/fanzine_fanzone/2008/05/5th-time-lucky.html
Bill Edgar has posted his daily trivia question: Barcelona have enjoyed the longest current unbroken stretch of participation in European football, which stands at 50 campaigns (the first two of which were the elongated Fairs Cup tournaments of 1955-58 and 1958-60). Which club has the second longest current unbroken stretch?
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/05/bill-edgars-wed.html
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>>>>>THE RIVALS<<<<<
Avram happy to step down - The Sun
Grab Fab - Daily Mirror
Football's split - The Daily Telegraph
Take us to the semi-finals, FA demands of Capello - The Independent
Lord's wants to stage neutral Test matches - The Guardian
Redknapp forecasts deluge of tycoons - Daily Express
Keegan on the brink - Daily Mail
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Joe Bloggs' Soapbox
Dave Whelan, the Wigan chairman, gets short-shrift for moving a rugby league match back to accommodate Manchester United at the JJB Stadium:
"Why should Man U be given preferential treatment. The rest of the Premier League has had to cope with the ploughed field that is the Wigan pitch. - Pete, St Albans.
"The rugby league season only started in February - the JJB pitch was in a terrible state much earlier than this. No way is damage to the pitch caused by rugby." - Dave Q, York.
"The only poor playing surfaces in rugby league this season have had soccer on them through the winter: Wigan, Hull, Huddersfield and Warrington (Liverpool reserves). Blame the soccer, not rugby. [Sir Alex] Ferguson complained about the state of his pitch four months after rugby had been played there." - Steve Wallis, Reading.
Considering that football and rugby league are two sports which condone grown men rolling around in the mud, surely the blame must lie elsewhere.
"Why do we not introduce a rule whereby £1 million of the TV revenue that clubs receive per season (unless you are a newly promoted club perhaps, that would be unfair on Stoke), goes into the 'Let's improve England's prospects' kitty, which can in turn be spent on planning for the future?
Jamie from Reading would like to see £19m skimmed for the grassroots game, but AOTG wouldn't referee an under-12s match for less than £25m. It's far too dangerous.
Kevin Keegan's recent comments on breaking the stranglehold of the "big four" drew this nice little observation and response:
"I totally disagree with the notion that success can only be bought. This is an excuse used by incompetent managers. Look at Martin O'Neill and David Moyes, who have built consistent teams on the cusp of European qualification with a small-ish budget." - Rags, Singapore
"Rags from Singapore - it depends on what you mean by 'success'. Are O'Neill and Moyes successful? What have they won? They're successful in what Keegan calls 'the second league within the Premier League'. Being on the cusp of European qualification is not a victory, but merely illustrates the problem." - Ted , London.
Brian 'The Only One' Shorten offers a few random thoughts:
"I can't be the only one who winces whenever a player celebrates a goal by sliding along the grass on his knees? For a group who can pull a muscle warming up, surely this is just asking for trouble? And as for a player laying on the ground and then the rest of the team jump on top, I'm surprised managers don't ban these practices just to keep players off the injured list."
"Am I the only one who gets annoyed at the use of 'United' for Man U? On Saturday, Manchester United v West Ham United, an interviewer asked a fan - 'will United win today?' The logical answer is 'Yes, but which United?' Given that most teams have United in their names, can we get back to calling Man U, Man U?"
No, we haven't ripped off a Viz spoof although Harry Enfield is said to be interested in developing a Brian Shorten-type character.
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Tomorrow's news today
- Arsenal ready to call in Fifa watchdogs to keep their young guns
- Bruce: my Birmingham critics have made me a better manager
And expect...
A few more rallying cries from Arsene Wenger this summer.
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