Storrie plays down Pompey plight
December 31, 2009
Portsmouth are confident their financial problems will be resolved, with chief executive Peter Storrie insisting it would not be long before it’s business as usual at Fratton Park.
The cash-strapped south coast side head into 2010 four points adrift at the bottom of the English Premier League following Wednesday’s 4-1 home defeat by Arsenal, and with off-field issues threatening the club’s survival.
British tax authorities are threatening to take action against Portsmouth in respect to unpaid tax, although Pompey officials have denied they have been served with a formal, winding-up order by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
In any event it seems key players will have to be sold to meet outstanding debts to former owner Sacha Gaydamak and Chelsea, Watford, Lens and Rennes over unpaid transfer fees.
Meanwhile, manager Avram Grant cannot, as yet, look forward to bolstering the squad during the January transfer window as Portsmouth remain subject to a Premier League transfer embargo over issues of unpaid transfer fees.
Portsmouth fans, renowned as being some of the most loyal in English football, finally vented their frustration on Wednesday with chants during the Arsenal match of “Sack the board” and “Where’s all our money gone?”.
Portsmouth have twice changed hands this season with Saudi Arabian businessman Ali Al-Faraj taking over from Sulaiman Al-Fahim.
But Storrie – himself charged with tax evasion by HMRC over allegations he concealed a signing-on fee for Amdy Faye by paying it via the midfielder’s agent Willie McKay – used Wednesday’s programme notes to try to re-assure fans about Pompey’s future, which looked bright after they won the FA Cup in 2008.
“Off the field, the financial issues of the club have been prominent in the media once again,” he said.
“While we would prefer to keep this in-house and deal with the situation, third parties are ensuring that certain issues are played out in public.
“The majority of the reports are ill-informed, but such is the confidential nature of finance that we are not at liberty to put the record straight all of the time.”
Storrie added: “It has been a very difficult year, but one thing you must believe is that Ali Al-Faraj and his associates are doing their very best to refinance the club so we can once again operate the business as we all want to.
“At Ali’s request I have also been in discussions regarding further investment with various parties, and these are ongoing.
“The priority, of course, is to get the transfer ban lifted – especially with four of our players (Hassan Yebda, Nadir Belhadj, Nwankwo Kanu and Aruna Dindane) away at the African Nations Cup (which runs from January 10-31 in Angola).
“The current squad have already shown they have what it takes to compete with any side in this league, and if we can add even more quality, we will have every chance of surviving.”
PORTSMOUTH (AFP)
Related posts
Lennon out for a month
December 31, 2009
Tottenham’s Aaron Lennon has been ruled out with injury. Tottenham are set to be without their in-form winger for a month.
The 22-year-old, who has been in fantastic form this season, tore a muscle in his groin during the 2-0 victory over West Ham.
A club spokesman told The Sun, “He will be out for a few weeks with the tear. It’s not good news.”
Lennon is expected to be fit in time for another key clash, when Spurs welcome fellow top-four hopefuls Aston Villa to White Hart Lane on February 6.
Related posts
Allardyce says fans gave Megson no chance
December 31, 2009
Sam Allardyce has said fan power meant sacked Bolton Wanderers boss Gary Megson had little chance of holding onto his job.
Megson was dismissed after Bolton had squandered a 2-0 lead before drawing 2-2 with Premier League relegation rivals Hull City.
Unusually, Megson proved unpopular with Bolton fans almost from the moment he took over in October 2007.
Nevertheless, Megson did help keep Bolton in the Premier League following the ill-fated six month reign of Sammy Lee, although that wasn’t enough to win over supporters who regularly berated his “negative” tactics.
By contrast Allardyce, now in charge at Bolton’s north-west rivals Blackburn, was a hugely popular boss during his eight years in charge of Wanderers, with his side finishing in the Premier League’s top eight on four straight occasions.
“Unfortunately for Gary, the fans wouldn’t quite take to him – they didn’t quite endear themselves to him and they always felt there was something they disagreed with, no matter what he seemed to do,” Allardyce said.
“I always think that’s a very unfortunate situation because in the end, if your fans decide that they don’t like you then you’ve got very little chance of keeping your job, no matter how good you are.”
Megson, who left Bolton when the club had two games in hand on their drop rivals, spoke Thursday of his “sadness” and “disappointment” at getting the sack from the Lancashire club.
“Naturally I am saddened to receive the news from the club and disappointed not to have been given the opportunity to at least see out my contract with Bolton Wanderers,” Megson said in a statement issued by the League Managers’ Association (LMA).
“It is a great honour to manage at Premier League level and I am also proud to have managed a club with great history and tradition.
“I would to thank the players and all the staff for their efforts during my time in charge and I wish the club every success in the future”
LMA chief executive Richard Bevan added: “Gary is vastly experienced in the game with Bolton being his eighth club and he was becoming an established Premier League manager.
“After taking charge of a side that was at the foot of the Barclays Premier League he certainly achieved success by leading the club to a 13th place finish last season.
“With the club currently on a four game unbeaten run and only five points short of 10th placed Sunderland with two games in hand, there was every opportunity for Bolton to make a sudden surge up the table.”
Blackburn are only three points better off than Bolton and a concerned Allardyce added: “It’s no more worrying (there) than it is for ourselves or anybody else in that bottom 10,” Allardyce said.
“Bolton have two games in hand, so win the two games in hand and they are above us and we are in that predicament.”
Meanwhile Owen Coyle, manager of Premier League Burnley and a former Bolton player, tried to play down speculation suggesting he could replace Megson at the Reebok Stadium.
“It is a fantastic job for someone out there but my focus is on doing the best against MK Dons (in the FA Cup) this weekend,” said Coyle.
“I have had speculation time and time again but, as always, I am concentrating on the job in hand.”
LONDON (AFP)
Related posts
New deal for Diaby at Arsenal
December 31, 2009
France international midfielder Abou Diaby has signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal, the Premier League club confirmed on Thursday.
The 23-year-old joined the Gunners from Auxerre in January 2006, and after recovering from a broken ankle at the end of that season, has since gone on to make 119 appearances.
Diaby has developed a good understanding with Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas in their new midfield formation this season, scoring six goals.
“This shows my long-term commitment to Arsenal and I am very happy here, which is why I am so pleased to extend my contract,” said Diaby.
“It’s a great thing for me and hopefully there will be some good years ahead for me here.”
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger added: “Abou is a great player with huge presence on the football pitch and he has the potential to be an extremely influential part of Arsenal for many years to come.”
LONDON (AFP)
Related posts
Toni shoots for World Cup with AS Roma move
December 31, 2009
Bayern Munich’s Italian World Cup winner Luca Toni is being lent to Serie A club AS Roma for the rest of the season, the German giants said Thursday.
“Luca Toni asked the board of Bayern Munich in personal talks to lend him to AS Roma until the end of the season for personal reasons,” Bayern said in a statement.
“He wants to realise his biggest aim, playing for Italy in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, with regular appearances in Serie A.”
The 32-year-old’s move comes as little surprise, with the Italian saying publicly on numerous occasions that he wanted to leave Bayern following a breakdown in relations with Bayern’s Dutch trainer Louis van Gaal.
Signed from Italian side Fiorentina in 2007, Toni was the Bundesliga’s top scorer in his first season, with 24 goals in 31 league games on the way to Bayern winning the German title.
But since van Gaal’s arrival on July 1, he has made just four league appearances, and has failed to score all season.
He stormed out of Bayern’s 1-1 draw with Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga on November 7 after the coach replaced him at half-time and the Italian was later fined for his conduct and apologised.
“The Bayern Munich board thanked Luca Toni … and wished him all the best at AS Roma, lots of success and above all a place in the World Cup,” it said.
BERLIN (AFP)
Related posts
Ribery not going anywhere, Bayern boss says
December 31, 2009
Bayern Munich’s president denied on Thursday press reports that the German giants’ French international Franck Ribery was going to move to Real Madrid in a 55-million-euro deal next summer.
“There are no offers at the moment, no options and no talks at all either about him or with him,” Uli Hoeness told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily.
German specialist website ran.de had reported on Wednesday that the 26-year-old winger’s move was hammered out in August between Bayern and the Spanish club at the time of Dutch star Arjen Robben’s transfer to Munich.
Bayern did not pay Real the agreed 25-million-euro price tag for the Dutch winger, instead sitting on the cash in anticipation of the Ribery deal, said ran.de, which is owned by German private broadcaster Sat.1.
But Hoeness, club manager at Bayern for 30 years who replaced Germany legend Franz Beckenbauer as president in November, said this was wide of the mark.
“There is no deal with Real. We paid for Robben quite normally.”
He also said that the club wanted Ribery to stay once his contract expires in 2011: “That is our first option. Only if we see no chance of this will we start talking to other clubs.”
Ribery, who has been out of action through injury for over two months, has made no secret in the past of his desire to join Real.
“I would really like to win the Champions League, but our team doesn’t have the necessary firepower right now,” the winger told the Bild daily recently.
“At the moment, we can’t compete with Barcelona, Real Madrid, Arsenal and Inter.”
Other recent reports have linked him with a move to Chelsea.
BERLIN (AFP)
Related posts
Could Birmingham’s Hart be Capello’s England number one?
December 31, 2009
England manager Fabio Capello might well have found himself an unexpected Christmas present this year in Birmingham City goalkeeper Joe Hart.
Filling the gap between the sticks at next June’s World Cup finals in South Africa is perhaps the biggest conundrum Capello will face in the run up to soccer’s most glittering event, but Hart may just have made it a little easier.
The energetic England Under-21 international, on a season-long loan at the Midlands club from Manchester City, has been in inspired form this season — highlighted by two superb performances in recent games against Chelsea and Stoke City in the Premier League.
He is also currently the only in-form English keeper in international contention.
Current number one David James is 39-years-old and has not played in Portsmouth’s last eight matches due to injury, while West Ham’s Rob Green has never impressed in an England shirt and continues to be sporadic at club level.
Other contenders include Ben Foster, still residing third in Manchester United’s pecking order, and Paul Robinson, who has shown only slow signs of improvement at Blackburn Rovers.
In contrast, Hart’s form has coincided with Birmingham’s record unbeaten run and his consistency and relentless attitude to learn have earned plaudits from his manager Alex McLeish as well as opposition coaches such as Chelsea’s Carlo Ancelotti.
“I know the England coaches think a lot of him, and I think they will think even more of him now with his Birmingham performances,” McLeish said.
At 22-years-old, Hart has the agility, confidence and desire to at least earn him a spot on England’s plane to South Africa, if not the number one jersey. The serious lack of alternate options also helps his cause.
Have I missed anyone out? Wigan Athletic’s Chris Kirkland is a maybe or perhaps Capello should drop a division to look at West Bromwich Albion’s Scott Carson. Let us know your thoughts.
Related posts
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow…?
December 31, 2009
Snow. Looks good on those Christmas cards, doesn’t it? Fun for small children. Even nice for penguins in the zoo. But photographers covering soccer? Brrrrrrrrrr. Not really.
Let’s get one thing straight. We Brits go on about the weather like a stuck record, but when it comes to it, we can’t cope with it. That’s why we live in Britain.
We whinge when the mercury drops to -3 (26 degrees Fahrenheit). A colleague of mine in Canada will point out that’s not cold. Cold, proper cold, can’t feel your fingers, just walked into a fridge cold, is -25 (-13 degrees Fahrenheit).
So when the Met Office started predicting heavy snowfalls on the night of the Aston Villa v Liverpool game, I did my best boy scout impression, packed my shovel and set off four hours early, you know, in case of snowdrifts the size of elephants.
There weren’t any.
It was the sort of game where you could find yourself nodding off, a dull, tactical, stand-off between two Premiership sides fighting to finish in the top four to get a Champions League place.
Probably the only reason this match will ever be remembered – even by the most diehard fans – is the snow. Ninety minutes of sitting by the pitch feeling some sympathy with an ice lolly.
Aston Villa’s John Carew heads the ball clear during their English Premier League match against Liverpool at Villa Park in Birmingham, central England, December 29, 2009. REUTERS/Darren Staples
But the weather – not the game – makes the picture. A slow shutter speed can make falling snow or rain look heavier than it is and a photograph even more dramatic. With a bit of good timing, or luck, you can capture a picture like this, with the water coming off the ball and the head of the player which makes it look like he’s got a halo.
Practically, focusing is difficult because your lens picks up on the falling flakes, not the players. You need to wear a glove that isn’t too thick – or thin – so you can still feel the controls on your camera. I wear a jacket that’s so padded, I look like I’m wearing a Sumo suit. And it’s not just me. Even the camera has a waterproof ‘jacket’ on as well. It’s made of fabric and protects my 400mm lens and the body (designed by an Australian snapper – do they get snow there then?).
Then there’s wiring. You have the picture, how do you send it to the desk when it’s wet and you don’t want your laptop to go bang? Simple. You get a roll of Reuters’ sticky tap and the groundsheet of a tent and turn it into a homemade bag that you can fit both your computer and your head.
It’s not just the weather that you’re up against. It’s the other 45,000 at the game who want to get onto their mobile phones and tell their mates what’s happening. It clogs up the networks and means that photos go so slowly it would probably be quicker to walk to London – or in this case Singapore – and deliver them by hand.
Then you’re into three minutes of injury time, the game’s 0-0 and what happens? Liverpool’s Fernando Torres scores…at the opposite end to where I’m sitting. Oh the frustration.
Liverpool’s Fernando Torres (2nd L) celebrates his goal against Aston Villa during their English Premier League match at Villa Park in Birmingham December 29, 2009. REUTERS/Darren Staples
And the next morning, when I’m looking forward to throwing a few snowballs with the kids, what happens? The snow’s all gone. C’est la vie.
Related posts
Buoyant Boyd greedy for more goals
December 31, 2009
Kris Boyd broke Henrik Larsson’s Scottish Premier League scoring record with five goals in a 7-1 mauling of Dundee United on Wednesday but the striker says he is greedy for more.
The Scottish striker – who only on Tuesday said he was interested in playing for Scotland again after retiring from international football under the George Burley regime because he was not happy with the time he spent on the bench – scored his 160th league goal in 283 appearances since making his league debut for Kilmarnock in May 2001 as a 17-year-old.
Boyd had gone into the game against United three goals short of the former Celtic striker’s record but a hat-trick in ten first-half minutes soon had him level.
His chances of breaking the 158 total looked to have been dealt a blow when United pulled one back through Damien Casalinuovo and strike partner Kenny Miller was sent off in the first five minutes of the second period.
But Rangers rallied and a late double from the goal-machine, in between strikes from Steven Whittaker and Algerian defender Madjid Bougherra, landed him the SPL record.
And the 26-year-old, who is out of contract in the summer and has attracted interest from French First Division side Sochaux, said he was still hungry for more starting with Celtic in the Old Firm derby on Sunday.
“I think this was my best night in a Rangers shirt and I’m delighted to get it over with and pass Henrik Larsson,” Boyd said.
“To get past someone like Henrik Larsson is a great achievement and one I’m proud of doing.
“But as I have said before I’m greedy and I want more. The next target for me is getting the three points on Sunday. If I manage to get on the score-sheet it’s a bonus but the most important thing is the three points as that’s what brings trophies home.”
It was the second time in his career that Boyd has netted five past United after achieving the same feat while a Kilmarnock player in 2004.
“There is always a team you seem to score more against and I am fortunate enough that Dundee United has been mine and I have managed to do that again,” Boyd added.
Boyd has been criticised in the past for his lack of goals against Celtic with only one of his 160 strikes coming against his Glasgow rivals.
The sides meet in Sunday’s Old Firm derby and a win could send Rangers ten points clear at the top of the SPL. While the striker said he would love to score against the Hoops he didn’t care as long as Rangers collected the league trophy at the end of the season.
“I look forward to the game with confidence and hopefully we can go there and get the three points,” the striker said.
“At the end of the day it doesn’t matter who scores as it’s just about the three points.
“It doesn’t bother me who I score against as the most important thing is winning.
“If it was that easy to score against everyone else then everyone would be doing it so I must be doing something right.”
Rangers manager Walter Smith singled out Boyd for praise for his performances this season.
“I thought he played exceptionally well tonight, never mind his goals,” Smith said.
“He has always managed to get us a level of goals but his performance tonight, as it has been for the last two or three months, has been very good with some exceptional finishes.
“I am very pleased for him. He has been working hard this season and to break Henrik Larsson’s record in the manner in which he did do was fantastic.
“The manner in which he scored the goals sum him up. There are very few players who can score the goals that he does.
“This season alone he has improved a lot and I think that he had the realisation that he had to do more.
“He has been doing that. It’s not affected his level of goals so he’s been doing fantastically well and it’s a great achievement to break that record.”
GLASGOW (AFP)
Related posts
United rout Wigan to stay in touch with Chelsea
December 31, 2009
Manchester United closed the gap on Premier League leaders Chelsea to just two points after ending 2009 with a superb 5-0 demolition of Wigan on Wednesday.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s side produced the perfect response to Chelsea’s win over Fulham on Monday, which had stretched the west London’s club advantage to five points, as goals from Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick, Rafael Da Silva, Dimitar Berbatov and former Wigan star Antonio Valencia tore Wigan to pieces at Old Trafford.
The injury-hit reigning champions had been written off after recent defeats to Aston Villa and Fulham, but they head into the New Year suddenly in the rudest of health.
South Korean Won-Hee Cho made his first start of the season for Wigan as he came in for Jason Scotland but the visitors were otherwise unchanged from the side that drew 1-1 with Blackburn Rovers on Boxing Day.
Dutch goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar was absent from the United team as he is on indefinite compassionate leave to care for his sick wife, Annmarie, who has suffered a brain haemorrhage.
History has not been kind to Wigan in this fixture as they have lost all nine previous Premier League encounters with United, culminating in the 5-0 thrashing Ferguson’s men delivered at the DW Stadium at the start of this season.
Roberto Martinez’s team arrived with damage limitation in mind and played with a clearly negative approach early on which briefly neutralised United’s attacking prowess.
However, the home side finally started to make a significant impression after 20 minutes when the sheer weight of their possession started to pay dividends.
Firstly, Titus Bramble made a stunning penalty box tackle on Berbatov which somehow stopped him from getting his shot away before teammate Paul Scharner followed that example 30 seconds later when he cleared a Nemanja Vidic effort off the line.
Then Rooney then hit the post from an impossibly tight angle just a minute later as fortune favoured Wigan.
However, luck only lasts so long in the Premier League until other qualities are needed. Wigan did not possess them but United did, which was why Rooney finally gave United the lead after 28 minutes.
Da Silva delivered the simplest of crosses from the right wing and Rooney ghosted into the front post to get a crucial touch on the ball to steer past Chris Kirkland for his 14th Premier League goal of the season.
It was soon 2-0 as four minutes later, Carrick, who had otherwise been anonymous throughout the opening parts of the encounter, latched onto a pass from former Wigan winger Valencia to calmly steer into the bottom corner.
Wigan’s day then got even worse just seconds before the interval when Da Silva was given far too much room in the box and he drove past Kirkland to make it 3-0.
Mike Pollitt replaced Kirkland at the break but his luck was no better, conceding Wigan’s fourth goal to Berbatov just five minutes after the re-start.
Berbatov got his sixth league goal of the season as he poked past Pollitt from close range in an encounter that was becoming an embarrassment for Wigan.
Charles N’Zogbia missed a decent chance for the visitors as they showed a tiny glimpse of flair but the fact he crashed his shot wide from close out summed up their performance.
And when Valencia brilliantly clipped home a fifth goal in the 75th minute, United’s dominance and Wigan’s humiliation was complete.
MANCHESTER, England (AFP)
Related posts
Calendar
Related Sites
- AFP
- e-soccertips
- Free Themes All - Blogger, Wordpress, Joomla themes
- soccerway
- WAGS
- WAGS Blog
Categories
- 1 League
- A PFG
- A-League
- African
- Argentina
- Belgium
- Brasil
- Bundesliga
- CAF Champions League
- Club Friendlies
- CONCACAF Champions' Cup
- Cup
- English Championship
- English Premier League
- Eredivisie
- European Championships
- FA Cup
- FIFA
- Franch
- Germany
- Italy
- Japan
- Jupiler League
- LA Liga
- LigaBwin
- Ligue 1
- MLS
- netherlands
- Olympics
- Olympics Women
- Photo
- portugal
- premier league
- Primera Division
- Rusia Premier League
- scotland
- Scottish Premier League
- Serie A
- Super Copa
- Super League
- Sweden
- Turkcell Süper Lig
- UEFA Champions League
- UEFA Cup
- Umaglesi Liga
- Uncategorized
- United States
- Video
- Vietnam
- Wag Watch
- WAGS
- WC Qualifying Asia
- WC Qualifying Concacaf
- WC Qualifying Europe
- WC Qualifying South-Africa
- WC Qualifying South-America
- World Cup
