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Diarra: honest or a big head?

Most players’ idea of making a statement of intent is a crunching 50/50 tackle in front of the home fans, followed by a clenched fist in the direction of the directors’ box. But not Lassana Diarra. Portsmouth’s new signing made his intentions clear when he became the first person in footballing history to use his first press conference at a new club to put in a transfer request.
Rather than the usual bland statements of 100 per cent commitment – “I’ve always supported Portsmouth since I was a kid growing up in Paris listening to the Pompey Chimes and it’s a dream come true to join [check notes] such a mid-sized club with limited ambitions. I'd be made up if we could finish in the top half and put together a half-decent cup run.” – Diarra decided to tell it like it is.
“The people at Portsmouth know I will not spend my life at this club,” he said. “If I shine, if a really big club wants me, I know already that everything will go well. My choice could shock and surprise people, I am conscious of that. It isn’t Arsenal, it isn’t Chelsea.”
For a player who has mustered only 13 Premier League starts in two years and couldn’t dislodge Mathieu Flamini from the Arsenal team, it’s as deluded as it is inappropriate.
But considering that nothing he said came as a surprise – it was just the fact that he said it that shocked – he was guilty of little more than telling the truth. But if your partner asks whether they’ve put on weight, you don’t actually answer the question. Or do you?
Was Lassana Diarra just being honest? Or was he acting like a prima donna?

Enough friendly fire, thanks.

If Liverpool’s American co-owners had hoped to undermine Rafa Benitez’s position by courting Jurgen Klinsmann, last night may have come as something of a shock - and not just because Liverpool finally put in a performance worth watching

Liverpool fans are not accustomed to seeing their club competing for space alongside Newcastle United in the red tops and the banners on the Kop told the tale of righteous anger: “Thanks Yanks. More friendly fire”.

Instead of weakening the Spaniard’s position, Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr have instead undermined their own. They have dragged the club through the mud and fans are openly questioning whether they are the right men not only to lead the club to glory but to maintain the long and venerable tradition of the Boot Room.

Ninety per cent of voters in Times Online’s poll yesterday said they thought the new owners don’t know what they are doing. Yesterday, another banner – “SOS Dubai” – apparently led the call for new owners. But what do you think? Is it time for the Yanks to sling their hook?

When tackling becomes dangerous

Tackling is becoming a dangerous business. Not for fear of broken limbs and torn ligaments, but because of the threat of red cards from referees who brandish cards with the abandon of croupiers.
Last night, John Obi Mikel became the latest player to be sent off for a dangerous tackle after a studs-up lunge on Phil Neville (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkMPmKVXM9M).

Pay your tributes to Phil O'Donnell

The football world is in mourning today for Phil O’Donnell, the Motherwell midfielder, who collapsed during their match against Dundee United at Fir Park yesterday.

The former Celtic and Scotland player fell to the ground after 77 minutes of the game, just as he was about to be substituted, and after receiving medical treatment on the pitch, was taken to a nearby hospital in Wishaw where he was pronounced dead at 5.18pm.

O’Donnell was widely regarded as one of Scottish football’s up-and-coming young talents when he originally forced his way into the Motherwell first team in the early 1990s. He won his lone cap for Scotland – it would surely have been many more but for injury - in 1994 and went on to play with Celtic and Sheffield Wednesday before returning to his first club where his career had once more began to blossom.

Despite a catalogue of injuries, O’Donnell still won the Scottish Premier League title and appeared in the Scottish Cup final four times, scoring the winner in a 4-3 victory over Dundee United in May 1991. More importantly, he was a model professional and his passing will be deeply felt by those at Fir Park, across his homeland and way beyond.

O’Donnell was only 35. He leaves a wife, Eileen, and four young children. If you would like to pay your own tribute - footballing or otherwise - to the man, please complete the comment form below.

Sum up McClaren in three words and win

In the absence of anything better to do over the next nine months, it seems that the nation has found a new sport: criticising Steve McClaren. But like fox hunting, the pursuit of England’s very own Basil Brush has become more of a cruel sport than fair game. So to make the fun and game more seemly, and in keeping with this newspaper’s venerable traditions, Times Online has introduced a few guidelines. Hopefully it will help keep the League Against Cruel Sports off our backs, too.

The aim of the game is simple. We want you to sum up McClaren’s tenure in three words –  no more, no less. And no swearing, please. 

Your reward? An organic vegetable basket complete with turnips, swedes and carrot tops (you can probably see what we did there).

Send your messages of thanks to Israel

Omer Golan, Tal Ben Haim, Elyaniv Barda and the rest of the Israel team: we salute you. Last week we asked you to play not just for your pride, but for our future: we pleaded with you to forget your campaign was over and remember that our chances of going to Euro 2008 were held together by the slenderest thread. In our darkest hour, we called on friendships forged on the training grounds at Cobham and Melwood, burnished by John Terry’s text messages and sealed by a media maelstrom.

Honorary Israel fans, send the team your good luck messages (and a plea for global peace)

Agggh!! The Russians have invaded! When we penned our original cry for help, the idea was simple - to encourage right-minded football fans to get behind Israel in their critical Euro 2008 qualifying match against Russia on Saturday night by emailing us their messages of support.

Yes, we're desperate, and yes, it's not particularly edifying for the nation that gave football to the world to seek salvation in foreign lands, but what's a little self-respect between friends at a time of need? England's hopes of reaching Euro 2008 depend on outside assistance.

However, to say that things have gone awry is something of an understatement - Sovsport, a Russian newspaper, hijacked our best-laid plans and we now have more angry Russians on our hands than we can shake a scythe at.