Fergie bills Gunners clash as biggest game of season
January 29, 2010
Alex Ferguson has billed Manchester United’s visit to Arsenal on Sunday as a match that could make or break his squad’s season.
“I think the game on Sunday, to my mind now looking at the way the league is shaping up, is the biggest game of the season for us,” the Scot told reporters at United’s training ground on Friday.
“Arsenal have gone on a consistent run and it’s amazing how this league has changed.
“The team that is most consistent will win the league now and Arsenal’s current form has been very good and I’m looking forward to it.
“At the moment the league is looking like a three horse race but there have been so many changes and different result from the top sides that you cannot be 100 percent certain.”
Just two points separate Chelsea at the top of the table and Arsenal in third with United in between. “Of course Chelsea have the advantage of the game in hand and if they win that they go four points ahead of us,” Ferguson added.
“So that is the catch up part we are in and that means Sunday has a great relevance to both of us because we have a genuine chance to win the league.”
Ahead of the match, Ferguson has appealed to United’s travelling supporters to get behind his players in a positive way rather than indulging in the personal abuse of his Arsenal counterpart Arsene Wenger which has been a regular and unpleasant feature of meetings between the two clubs.
“I think it’s unavoidable in the way that managers get abused today,” Ferguson said. “Sometimes I can’t hear these chants and I can’t make them out but I know there’s been some terrible abuse from our fans to Arsene Wenger and there must be a line drawn and I think our fans must know that themselves.
“I was really proud of the way they supported us (in the League Cup win over Manchester City) on Wednesday. We don’t need to worry about anyone else — they should be proud of the team they are supporting.”
Ferguson meanwhile has hinted that United will not appeal against the ban that has ruled Rio Ferdinand out of the club’s next four matches despite what he sees as blatant inconsistencies in the handling of violent conduct cases.
Ferdinand was charged by the Football Association after flooring Craig Fagan with a swinging arm in United’s 4-0 win against Hull last weekend.
The mandatory three-match ban was increased to four after the FA deemed United’s appeal to be “frivolous” and Ferdinand will miss Sunday’s encounter with Arsenal as well as further games against Portsmouth, Aston Villa and Everton.
Ferguson initially announced that United would try to have the decision looked at again only to later contradict himself by insisting the incident is now finished with.
“We have to decide if we appeal it because there are conflicting ways of viewing some of these decisions,” he said. “I watched Charlton and Leyton Orient the other night and the Leyton Orient goal came after an elbow on the Charlton player three times and nothing happened.
“So there’s a lot of confusion in terms of these decisions but we accepted he is banned and we will get on with it – there’s nothing we can do about it.”
If United were to appeal again, they would risk the ban being increased to five matches which would rule Ferdinand out of the League Cup final at the end of next month.
MANCHESTER (AFP)
Tags: alex ferguson, arsenal, arsene wenger, chants, charlton, CHELSEA, counterpart, Craig Fagan, Ferdinand, four points, game, genuine chance, horse race, HULL, Leyton, Manchester, manchester city, manchester united, match, personal abuse, Portsmouth, Rio, rio ferdinand, Scot, unpleasant featureRelated posts
Juve fans continue to bait Balotelli
January 17, 2010
Juventus fans continued their campaign of abuse against Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli during Sunday’s match away to Chievo in Verona.
Earlier this week Juve were hit with a partial stadium closure due to chants of a racial nature their fans directed at Balotelli, an Italian of Ghanaian origin, in previous matches.
It was the third time this season that Juve had been punished for racial chants, although previously they were hit only with fines.
This time around their south stand, from where the majority of the chants tend to originate, has been closed for their next Serie A home game against Roma next weekend.
Last season they were forced to play one match behind closed doors due to racist chants against the same player during their home match against Inter Milan.
The chants during Sunday’s game were not racial in nature but the continued targeting of Balotelli, who is black, has ensured racism remains a hot topic in Italian football circles.
Juve were previously punished when fans chanted: “There are no black Italians”, while Sunday’s chorus consisted of: “If you jump up and down, Balotelli will die”.
Teenager Balotelli is a divisive figure in Italian football largely due to his occasionally impetuous on-field behaviour.
However, the forward is also considered one of the country’s brightest young talents and many commentators are clamouring for him to be included in Italy’s World Cup for South Africa in June.
Balotelli’s parents are Ghanaian immigrants and he was born in Palermo on the island of Sicily before being fostered to an Italian family when he was three.
His birth-parents’ surname is Barwuah but he uses the surname of his adoptive parents.
ROME (AFP)
Tags: adoptive parents, birth parents, black italians, chants, closed doors, commentators, home game, home match, immigrants, inter milan, island of sicily, italian family, italian football, Italy, juve fans, juventus fans, Mario Balotelli, Milan, Palermo, play one, Roma, ROME, sicily, South Africa, striker, third time, veronaRelated posts
Inter’s Balotelli lets fly at racist Chievo fans
January 7, 2010
Italian striker Mario Balotelli on Wednesday hit out at supporters of Chievo after suffering yet another barrage of racist insults while playing for his club, Inter Milan.
Balotelli, born in Palermo but of Ghanaian heritage, scored the only goal of the game in the 12th minute to send Inter 11 points clear of closest rivals AC Milan as Serie A resumed after a short winter break.
However his joy was tinged with racist chants and jeering that left the 19-year-old striking sensation “more and more disgusted” with Chievo, who are based in Verona – the setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
His outburst was all the more poignant as the Italian, who is regularly subjected to such behaviour, usually refrains from hitting back.
“I just want to say one thing. Every time I come to Verona I realise that the supporters disgust me more and more. It’s completely unacceptable,” he told Sky Sports.
Inter coach Jose Mourinho tried to play down the incident.
“Verona is a magnificent town. The club is held in high esteem … and if something kicks off in the stands it doesn’t change all that,” said the Portuguese.
“Let’s not get too carried away by it. I also heard a few unsavoury things about myself, but I just ignore it.”
ROME (AFP)
Tags: ac milan, barrage, chants, chievo, club inter, disgust, insults, inter milan, jose mourinho, Juliet, magnificent town, Mario Balotelli, Milan, outburst, Palermo, portuguese, rivals, ROME, romeo, romeo and juliet, sensation, shakespeare, Sky Sports, striker, veronaRelated posts
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)
Tags: al fahim, Ali, Ali Al-Faraj, Angola, aruna dindane, chants, confidential nature, english football, English Premier League, FA Cup, Faye, four points, Fratton Park, gaydamak, hm revenue and customs, hmrc, Lens, midfielder, Peter Storrie, pompey, Portsmouth, premier league, Rennes, saudi arabian, south coast, sulaiman, tax authorities, tax evasion, winding up orderRelated posts
Balotelli: “Leave me in peace”
December 12, 2009
On Friday, Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli blasted his critics. The Italian player with Ghanaian roots has been controversial ever since he made his debut for Inter and has been involved in several incidents both with players as well as with his coach.
Balotelli has also been the subject of racial rows in the recent past. The 19-year-old forward is often the target of racist chants, especially by Juventus fans although they claim that they target Balotelli because of his behaviour and not because of the colour of his skin.
Jose Mourinho also showed his discontent over the attitude of the youngster, who seems to be not that keen on rules and disciplin. Balotelli is fed up with being the centre of (negative) attention all the time. “I let all the bad talk around slide off me,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “Sometimes I just want to say leave me in peace and let me live my life.
“Sometimes you just get bored with all the negative headlines. You cannot read bad press about you and negative things everyday,” he added. On Wednesday, Balotelli let his feet do the talking in the Champions league match with Rubin Kazan (2-0 win) when his back-heel assist and a wonder free-kick gave Inter the win and left the footballing press drooling.
Tags: champions league, chants, discontent, free kick, inter milan, italian player, Jose, jose mourinho, juventus fans, Kazan, keen, la gazzetta dello, la gazzetta dello sport, mario, Mario Balotelli, match, Milan, negative attention, negative headlines, rubin kazan, striker, target, youngsterRelated posts
Juve fined again for anti-Balotelli chants
December 8, 2009
Juventus were on Monday fined for the second time this season for chants their fans directed against Inter Milan’s black striker Mario Balotelli.
Juve were hit with a 25,000-euro penalty just a couple of weeks after they were fined 20,000 euros following a match against Udinese.
Both times it was the Italian under-21 striker of Ghanaian origin who bore the brunt of the fans’ wrath.
Italy’s sporting judge deemed the chants to have constituted “racial discrimination” and said they had been directed against two Inter players, presumably meaning the other one was either Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o or Muntari Sulley of Ghana.
AFP’s reporter at the game was not aware, however, of any chants of a racial nature or of anyone other than Balotelli being targeted.
Some sections of Juve fans sang: ‘if you jump up and down Balotelli will die’ and ‘you’re nothing but a piece of shit’.
However, many more fans tried to drown out those chants with boos and jeers, although at times it was difficult to fathom whether Balotelli himself was being jeered or if it was those chanting.
The sporting judge said the level of fine had been reduced “because the club took concrete measures to help the forces of order and to prevent such deplorable behaviour”.
He added that other fans had “demonstrated their disaproval of that behaviour”.
Last year Juventus were forced to play a match behind closed doors after chants of “a black man can’t be Italian” were heard during the corresponding fixture against Inter.
Juve midfielder Felipe Melo, who was sent off on Saturday after a clash with Balotelli, and Inter coach Jose Mourinho, dismissed for protesting Juve’s first goal, both received one-match suspensions.
Meanwhile, Roma and Lazio were both hit with 40,000-euro fines after their fans set off flares and bangers during Sunday’s Rome derby, forcing the match at the Stadio Olimpico to be suspended for several minutes just after the start.
ROME (AFP)
Tags: bangers, cameroon, chants, closed doors, concrete measures, felipe melo, flares, ghana, inter milan, jeers, jose mourinho, juve fans, juventus, lazio, Mario Balotelli, midfielder, Milan, muntari sulley, racial discrimination, Roma, ROME, samuel eto, samuel eto o, stadio olimpico, strikerRelated posts
Inter and Juve looking for Euro bounce back
November 28, 2009
Having been humbled in midweek by the best team in Europe, the best team in Italy will be looking to bounce back this weekend.
Inter Milan were given a lesson on Tuesday by a Barcelona team that still proved superior despite missing star forwards Lionel Messi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
But while Inter’s Champions League struggles continue — they have won only three out of 13 games in Europe’s premier competition under coach Jose Mourinho — they will look to re-assert their domestic dominance in Florence on Sunday.
But that will not be easy against a team buoyed by their own continental exertions.
La Viola may sit sixth in Serie A and already 11 points behind Inter after only 13 games but they secured progress to the Champions League knock-out stages with a 1-0 defeat of Lyon.
It was the culmination of tangible progress in Europe for Cesare Prandelli’s team who a year ago limped out meekly.
This time, they have qualified with a game to spare in a group containing English giants Liverpool.
However, they are still missing playmaker Adrian Mutu and centre-back Alessandro Gamberini although young Montenegro star Stevan Jovetic could make his injury comeback.
Inter will be trying to refocus following their Barcelona disappointment, and that despite some harsh words from their president ringing in their ears.
“We stayed in Milan, it was a wasted trip for me, something like this has never happened before” fumed Massimo Moratti.
“Everyone needs to know how to take his own responsibility to do better next time and I’m sure that everyone, Mourinho included, will do so.”
Leaders Inter not only need to put their Barca debacle behind them but also not let thoughts of next weekend’s crucial clash against second-place Juventus distract them either.
The heat has been brewing ahead of that match since last weekend, with Inter’s young black striker of Ghanaian origin Mario Balotelli at the centre of it.
Juventus were fined 20,000 euros in midweek for distasteful chants their fans directed against Balotelli during Sunday’s 1-0 victory against Udinese.
Those, which were repeated in France against Bordeaux in midweek, rekindled memories of nasty racist chants directed at the teenager during the pair’s clash in Turin last season.
Having the behaviour of their fans examined under a microscope has not helped Juve, who also lost 2-0 in Bordeaux and like Inter face a tense all or nothing match in the Champions League in two weeks time.
Juve travel to Sardinia on Sunday to play Cagliari, who have been in excellent form recently.
The Sardinians were edged out in a seven-goal thriller against AC Milan a week ago but before that had won four in a row.
Juve have also been disrupted by perceived criticism of coach Ciro Ferrara by Brazilian playmaker Diego, who was quick to try to clarify his comments on his personal website.
Following the defeat in Bordeaux he had said it was up to the coach to identify problems and solve them.
“I didn’t want to attack the coach, but only explain that the coach has to make the decisions,” he said.
Meanwhile AC Milan travel to Catania hoping to improve on their midweek showing at home to Marseille.
Marseille twice hit the woodwork in a 1-1 draw that leaves Milan favourites to pip the French in the bid to reach the competitions knock-out rounds.
Fixtures:
Saturday
Genoa v Sampdoria, Udinese v Livorno
Sunday
Atalanta v AS Roma, Bari v Siena, Cagliari v Juventus, Catania v AC Milan, Chievo v Palermo, Inter Milan v Fiorentina, Lazio v Bologna, Parma v Napoli
ROME (AFP)
Tags: adrian mutu, cesare prandelli, champions league, chants, clash, culmination, debacle, disappointment, dominance, exertions, forwards, harsh words, inter milan, lionel messi, massimo moratti, midweek, striker, tangible progress, viola, zlatan ibrahimovicRelated posts
How far should intimidating chants go?
November 25, 2009
Juventus have been fined 20,000 euros rather than receive a stadium ban for an offensive chant their fans sing about Inter Milan’s black striker Mario Balotelli.
As songs go, it is pretty insulting. “Se saltelli, muore Balotelli” (If you jump up and down, Balotelli will die).
However, the big question is whether the song is racist. The Italian league has decided it is offensive and incites violence but has not classified it as racist, hence the fine and no heftier punishment. Many Italians disagree and say the Juve fans would not sing such a song if he was white.
Of course last season Juve were forced to play a game behind close doors after home fans sang “a black Italian does not exist” at Palermo-born Balotelli in a game with champions Inter.
Most Premier League fans will know of an especially nasty chant aimed at Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger while there are several English songs about getting a gun to “shoot some (most hated rival club) scum”.
In England, fans largely get away with these sorts of chants. But should they go unpunished given there are children in the stadiums? It hardly helps build the fabric of society. Then again, if attempts were made to ban all such chants, would some of the wonderful match-day banter we all enjoy get lost?
The new Juve chant is probably a bit more insulting than the usual taunts and it is towards an individual rather than a club.
Balotelli, 19, has annoyed rival fans and even his own coach Jose Mourinho with his “me against the world” attitude this term, but no one deserves such abuse.
PHOTO: Inter Milan’s Mario Balotelli eyes the ball during their Italian Serie A soccer match against Catania at the San Siro stadium in Milan October 24, 2009. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo
Tags: alessandro garofalo, banter, chants, england fans, english songs, home fans, inter milan, italian league, italian serie a soccer, jose mourinho, juve fans, league fans, match day, reuters, san siro stadium, serie a soccer, taunts, world attitudeRelated posts
Director Jorge Valdano backs Manuel Pellegrini
November 11, 2009
Director Jorge Valdano affirms his faith in coach Manuel Pellegrini and requested for serenity as Real Madrid fans called out for his resignation following a 4-1 aggregate defeat to third division minnows Alcorcon.
A side including Kaka and Ruud van Nistelrooy were knocked out of the Copa del Rey as Real failed to overturn a 4-0 deficit from the first leg, winning just 1-0 in their latest outing at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.
Chants of ‘Pellegrini quit’ rang out around the Bernabeu for around 20 seconds when the 56-year-old took off midfielder Lassana Diarra in the second half and replaced him with defender Marcelo.
Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini defended his tactics and said, “The public were angry when Lass went off and I understand that because he is a player who gives everything. However he had missed a week because of a family problem and this was his fourth game in 12 days. I didn’t want to risk him suffering a muscle problem, it was dangerous for him to continue and I wanted to look after him.”
“If I had been selfish, I would have avoided the criticism, but I was thinking more about the team than myself,” he added.
Pellegrini’s job is again in danger after this defeat but he dogged questions about his future and assured that the team will end its campaign on a successful note.
“The players are behind me, but it’s not easy to overturn a 4-0 defeat, because you are always playing against the score, against the rivals and against your own nerves.”
“We are a point off Barcelona in the League and leaders in our group in the Champions League. This is going to end well,” he insisted.
However, director general Jorge Valdano claims the Chilean coach receives the full support of the Bernabeu hierarchy, despite the 4-1 aggregate to the tiny Segunda B team.
“We can’t think about it too much. The team tried hard in both matches. We have a lot of work ahead.”
“Things that appear impossible can happen in this sport.We played well and had our chances, but we lacked continuity. We weren’t fluid enough to stage the turnaround. Anxiety can perhaps betray in matches like these.”
“We have complete faith in Pellegrini and there is no other option. We need to continue working with humility to reach the level we desire.”
Anurada Bhat
Tags: b team, Barcelona, bernabeu, champions league, chants, copa del rey, diarra, director general, Director Jorge Valdano, hierarchy, Jorge Valdano, kaka, lass, MADRID, manuel pellegrini, minnows, muscle problem, nerves, real madrid, resignation, rivals, ruud van nistelrooy, Santiago, serenityRelated posts
United warned “bully” Ferguson will pay for ref rant
October 6, 2009
Alex Ferguson has been branded a “bully” over his latest verbal onslaught on a referee and warned that Manchester United could face a backlash from outraged match officials.
Ferguson has been asked by the Football Association to explain why he labelled referee Alan Wiley as “unfit” after United’s 2-2 draw with Sunderland at Old Trafford on Saturday.
The move represents the first step towards a possible charge of improper conduct which could result in the Scot being fined or banned from the touchline for a number of matches.
Ferguson’s comments, widely interpreted as being designed to distract attention from a sub-par display by his side and the latest in a string of errors by goalkeeper Ben Foster, have caused outrage among leading English referees.
That fury was articulated by Jeff Winter, now retired but until recently one of England’s top match officials, who said he would not be surprised if Wiley decided to sue the United boss over the damage he had caused to his reputation.
“It was a cowardly attack — Sir Alex wouldn’t have said it to Alan Wiley’s face,” Winter told the Guardian.
“Every game Alan Wiley takes charge of now where he makes a decision which upsets some fans is going to result in chants of ‘You’re not fit to referee’, he’s going to be known as the ‘unfit ref’.
“Sir Alex won’t care though. He’s a knight of the realm and he thinks he’s untouchable, bullet proof.
“But he’s also a bully. He spoke at Sir Bobby Robson’s memorial service a couple of weeks ago and said he’d learnt a lot from Sir Bobby. But he hadn’t, they were totally different, Sir Bobby was a gentleman. He was humble and had respect for people.”
Winter predicted that the anger among referees would affect how they handle future matches at Old Trafford.
“I think Sir Alex may have overstepped the line this time and he may be about to get his come-uppance,” Winter added.
“I think referees will be so incensed about this that Sir Alex may find that United no longer get the benefit of the doubt on certain decisions.”
Wiley’s handling of the United match on Saturday had not resulted in any particular controversy but Ferguson nevertheless criticised the official in a post-match interview with the club’s in-house television station.
“He (Wiley) was not fit enough for a game of that standard,” Ferguson said. “The pace of the game demanded a referee who was fit. He was not fit. It is an indictment of our game. You see referees abroad who are as fit as butcher’s dogs. We have some who are fit. He wasn’t fit.
“He was taking 30 seconds to book a player. He was needing a rest. It was ridiculous.”
At 49, Wiley is one of the oldest referees officiating at the top level in England but his supporters have stressed that his fitness, like that of other officials, is subjected to weekly monitoring and a demanding annual assessment.
The Times reported that Wiley ran more than 11 kilometres (seven miles) during the match — more than most of United’s stars.
MANCHESTER (AFP)
Tags: alan wiley, alex ferguson, backlash, ben foster, benefit of the doubt, bullet proof, chants, cowardly attack, improper conduct, Jeff Winter, Manchester, manchester united, onslaught, referees, Scot, Sir Alex, Sir Bobby, sir bobby robson, Wiley, winterRelated posts
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