´Suspicious´ Ukraine footballers turned away from Harrods

February 18, 2010

Footballers from Ukrainian team Shakhtar Donetsk said they were refused entry to London’s Harrods store which is owned by tycoon Mohamed Al Fayed, ahead of a match Thursday against his team Fulham.

The players, in the British capital for the Europa League clash, tried to go into the upmarket shop Tuesday but staff turned them away saying their group looked “too big and suspicious.”

“The players decided to increase the earnings of one of London’s reputable shops — Harrods,” said Shakhtar Donetsk’s website.

“You may be surprised, but the (team) weren’t allowed to enter the shop. The staff said that the group was too big and suspicious. All of them were wearing similar tracksuits.

“The players explained that this was the football team and they had no habit of taking tuxedos to the training camp to go shopping.

“But those explanations were fruitless.”

They ended up buying gifts in a different shop, said the team.

Harrods said the store had been busy and the footballers were turned away over “health and safety” concerns.

“There are periods, when the store is at its busiest, that Harrods has to take the difficult decision to deny access to tour parties,” a spokesman told the BBC.

“This is done in the interest of health and safety.”

He added: “Needless to say, we do not wish to offend or upset visitors when making these decisions.”

Fulham Football Club owner Fayed, who is Egyptian, is the father of Dodi Fayed, the lover of Diana, princess of Wales. They were killed in the same 1997 Paris car crash.

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: Al Fayed, buying gifts, club owner, Diana, diana princess of wales, difficult decision, dodi fayed, football team, footballers, fulham football club, harrods, health and safety, london, mohamed, PARIS, paris car crash, safety concerns, shakhtar donetsk, tour parties, training camp, tuxedos, ukraine, ukrainian team, upmarket, Wales

Happy Birthday Cheryl Cole!

July 2, 2009

The nation’s favourite WAG turned 26 on Tuesday, so this birthday wish is a little belated!

Cheryl Cole celebrated her Birthday working (if you can call it that) on The X Factor.

The singer was surprised with a bouquet of flowers, balloon and cake shaped like a dog from her hubby during the auditions.

Cheryl threw a big birthday bash at the Fitzrovia club in London last night to celebrate.

The star was joined by many guests including her Girls Aloud pals, fellow judges and last year’s X Factor finalists Alexandra Burke and Diana Vickers to name a few.

The WAG looked gorgeous in a beautiful, (if not a little daring) see through Alexander McQueen dress reported to be worth £4,000.

And the smile on Cheryl Cole’s face could not be wavered all day, must be pretty cushty to be her right now!!

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Tags: Alexander, alexander mcqueen, alexandra, Alexandra Burke, auditions, balloon, birthday bash, birthday wish, bouquet of flowers, Cheryl, cheryl cole, Diana, Diana Vickers, fellow judges, girls, happy birthday, hubby, london, pals, smile, vickers, wag, WAGS, x factor, x factor finalists

Italian FA suspends seven Torino players

May 27, 2009

Torino will have to do without seven of their players in next Sunday’s crucial Serie A game with AS Roma. The seven were suspended for their involvement in a large fight following the match with Genoa.

Worst off are Angelo Ogbonna and Marco Pisano, who apart from this game, will also have to miss the first three games of next season.

Aimo Diana, Cesara Pratali and Rolando Bianchi are banned for two games, and Blerim Dzermaili and Ignazio Abate are each suspended for one match.

Torino are currently in the relegation zone and will have to earn at least one point more than 17th-placed Bologna if they want to spend another season at the highest level.

Written by: Jonathan Roorda

Tags: aimo diana, Angelo Ogbonna, blerim, Bologna, Diana, game, genoa, Ignazio Abate, marco pisano, match, relegation zone, rolando bianchi, Roma, roorda, Serie A, three games, torino, two games

Fayed calls for Premier League wage cap

April 21, 2009

LONDON (AFP) – Flamboyant Fulham chairman Mohamed Al Fayed has urged other clubs in the English Premier League to show the “balls” needed to join his call for a wage cap and so create a more even distribution of wealth in the top flight.

Fulham are currently eighth in the table under the guidance of Roy Hodgson, their manager, and in line for a place in next season’s Europa League.

That is no mean achievement for a team without any big-name players and a home ground of Craven Cottage in west London whose capacity is restricted to 25,000.

Meanwhile English football continues to be dominated by the ‘Big Four’ of Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal.

Some reports have suggested that Egyptian-born businessman Fayed, who also owns London’s Harrods department store, may be thinking of ending his involvement with Fulham.

However, he told the club’s official website here on Monday: “I own the best club in the world, with the best team and the best fans.

“I want to reassure people of this, because sometimes there are naughty rumours that I may sell the club.”

Fayed, whose son Dodi also died in the Paris car crash which killed Britain’s princess Diana in 1997, added: “I am not going to give up on other things in the game either. Take my crusade against sky-high players’ wages.

“Our expenses bill rose by 17 percent last year. How can it be right for top players to be earning 15-20 million pounds a year? It’s crazy. These wages need to be capped.

“But I worry that it won’t happen because the Premier League and the FA (Football Association) are run by donkeys who don’t understand business, who are dazzled by money.

“If the world wants to keep players in pocket for tens of thousands of pounds every week, then let the Premier League and the FA negotiate with Sky and other broadcasters for a share of the billions that they make in profit from our product, from my product.

“Because, at present, they don’t. All around the world, football fans are paying to watch top matches on TV.

“And yet do most clubs see any of that money? No. We are hopelessly dependent on our end-of-season league placing to determine our share of the cash. It makes a difference of feast or famine every season.

“Yet even then, except for the top four clubs, we’re only talking about a difference of (a) few million, which doesn’t get you far.

“I want to help other clubs,” Al Fayed insisted. “I speak my mind and other chairmen should too. They need to wake up from their coma and join me in this fight with the Premier League and the FA.

“In fact, they can come and have lunch with me at Harrods, where I can serve them stags’ testicles from my Scottish estate, Balnagown. We all need big balls in this business.”