Di Matteo not interested in Chelsea cheers October 22, 2012 CHELSEA manager Roberto Di Matteo has insisted that a lack of recognition for the club’s success since his appointment is not a concern because it is the players and not he who deserve the credit. Since succeeding Andre Villas-Boas in March, Di Matteo has led Chelsea to a first Champions League title and an FA [...]
Moyes unhappy with refereeing after Pienaar’s harsh red card October 21, 2012 QPR 1 vs EVERTON 1 EVERTON manager David Moyes criticised the decision of referee Jon Moss to send off Steven Pienaar after his side fought back from a goal down to earn a draw at troubled Queens Park Rangers. The home side failed to capitalise on their numerical advantage to secure their first Premier League [...]
Hughes: Kick It Out won’t work October 21, 2012 QPR manager Mark Hughes last night insisted that the Kick It Out campaign is unlikely to ever entirely eradicate racism from football and believes there will always be a minority with which it will continue. Before yesterday’s 1-1 Premier League draw at home to Everton, Anton Ferdinand – who was last season at the centre [...]
Blues criticised for secrecy over Terry race row punishment October 18, 2012 CHELSEA were denounced last night by equality campaigners for refusing to come clean over their punishment of captain John Terry for his race-row confrontation with QPR’s Anton Ferdinand. The European champions said they had taken disciplinary action against Terry, in addition to his four-match ban and £220,000 fine from the Football Association, but would keep [...]
Survey reveals financial chasm between top UK football teams October 17, 2012 POLARISATION between British football’s haves and have-nots is growing, with most clubs outside the English top flight reliant on owners to cover losses, according to a survey published today. Some 66 per cent of all teams who responded said they did not expect to make a profit before player trading and amortisation, an increase from [...]
Mentoring England starlets would show Pietersen’s changed October 16, 2012 JETTING in from the other side of the world for talks with the England hierarchy yesterday shows that Kevin Pietersen is making an effort to build bridges after the text message row that threatened his international career. Having been the cause of the controversy, Pietersen appears to appreciate that the onus is on him to [...]
Jagielka cannot choose between Baines and Cole October 14, 2012 ENGLAND defender Phil Jagielka has acknowledged that manager Roy Hodgson has a substantial selection dilemma for tomorrow’s World Cup qualifier away to Poland given Leighton Baines’s impressive performance when deputising for Ashley Cole. Everton left-back Baines has this season been consistently superb and was again convincing when Cole’s long-term ankle problem meant he would be [...]
Rangers shoot for £20m junior market offering October 11, 2012 TROUBLED Scottish football club Rangers yesterday announced plans to raise up to £20m through a listing on London’s Alternative Investment Market as the team’s new owners seek to rebuild the business. Rangers has endured a disastrous year, with the club – who have won the league a record 54 times – declared insolvent and forced to restart life [...]
Milan chief’s fears over Financial Fair Play October 11, 2012 ONE of the leading executives in European football has voiced his fears that impending Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules could damage rather than improve the sport. AC Milan organising director Umberto Gandini, also a vice-chairman of the influential European Club Association, predicted FFP could force clubs into making cuts at a time when investment was [...]
Owen reignites diving debate with World Cup confessions October 10, 2012 ENGLAND striker Michael Owen has defended the right of players to dive if they have been touched and admitted deliberately going to ground to win penalties in two separate World Cup matches. Owen insists falling is elective in three quarters of all penalty decisions and that enticing contact from defenders is “a skill”. He confessed [...]