Archive for September, 2007
Rafa Receives Support
Liverpool chief executive, Rick Parry, has today given the manager his full support. His comments follow speculation about Benitez’s future at the club if he does not bring the Premiership trophy to Anfield, after over £100 million spent in the transfer market since joining the reds.
“Rafa has got our complete backing. He is as committed as the rest of us are to winning trophies,” said Parry.
“We are entirely happy with the way things are going and the direction we are taking. Long may that continue.
“The board not interfering with the manager on playing issues will continue with the new owners. That’s the only way to run this club.
“We’re hoping the title is closer. The last thing I’m going to do is put extra pressure on Rafa. But we believe we’ve a better squad now than in recent years.”
Read More >>Wenger Slams Champions League
Arsenal last won the title in 2004, and appeared in the Champions League final in 2006. Arsene Wenger has today claimed that the Premiership is a more worthwhile trophy, and is the only way to determine who is the best team.
“Is that bigger than the championship? I am not sure. How many games do you need to win it?” Wenger said.
“It’s a cup game and is not a championship. The team who wins over the 38 games is the best team. Was AC Milan the best team in Europe last year? I am not convinced.
“It becomes so difficult in the championship and a lot of teams do not turn up to the Champions League.”
Read More >>Tevez Loves Life At United
After finally resolving a transfer saga which lasted all summer, Tevez is beginning to settle with his new club Manchester United.
The Argentine striker scored his first goal for his new club last weekend against Chelsea, and played well in the team’s away trip to Birmingham.
Tevez has praised the manager and the fans today in the official UEFA Champions League magazine.
“Playing in England is wonderful,” he said. “You have the fans at hands’ reach and they put you on a roll.
“The football is spectacular – so much passion, pace, strength – I can identify with it. And considering what happened between our countries in the past, I feel proud to be treated with so much love in England.
“With the fans chanting ‘Argentina, Argentina’ at every game, that is very touching.”
Read More >>Owen Still Has England Hope
In a fortnight England will play two further Euro 2008 qualifying games Estonia and Russia. Michael Owen received another injury blow this month and has undergone two operations.
Owen still has hope of making an impact with England in this competition, and whilst he cannot guarantee he will play, that is his aim.
“These two operations have given me a lot of hope,” Owen told the News of the World.
“The doctor gave me the go-ahead to start jogging on Monday and told me to see how it goes. It’s a question of taking it one step at a time and pushing myself as hard as I can whenever it feels right.
“Effectively the two operations should provide a complete cure without any need for further surgery.
“I do not want to think too far ahead to the day when I make my comeback because my rehabilitation programme has not yet been finalised.
“I don’t want to tempt fate, either, by making a premature forecast. Medical advice will decide how quickly I will be back in action. I’d rather remain cautious at this stage than set any unrealistic targets.
“But in the back of my mind I had focused on Newcastle’s October 22 Premier League game against Tottenham – the first after the international break – for a possible return.
“Anything before that, including England’s two Euro qualifiers against Estonia and Russia, would be a bonus.
“I shall cling to the hope that I can play for England, but people must accept that Newcastle have to come first at the moment.
Read More >>Fergie Has No Complaints
Manchester United, who made eleven changes to the team that beat Chelsea at the weekend, were dumped out of the League Cup last night by Coventry.
Sir Alex Ferguson has no complaints, and criticised the performance.
“We couldn’t ever have believed that performance tonight,” he said.
“We’ve been trumping the youngsters for over a year now, so it’s a bit disappointing.
“They didn’t enjoy the battle in the first half. They were second to every ball.
“Full marks to Coventry. That’s what you expect. They won every ball.
“It was a very, very efficient performance and they deserved to win.”
Read More >>Jol In Boo Boy Denial
Tottenham Hotspur earned a 2-0 victory over Middlesbrough in the Carling Cup last night, but the match was still met with boos from the home crowd.
Spurs have had a poor start to the season, and Martin Jol’s future at the club has been under much speculation. Jol has today claimed that the boos were not for him and that he has nothing to fear.
“I don’t think it’s about booing me because a minute later they are singing my name,” said Jol.
“I’m not someone to fear things. They say in Holland ‘have no fear, Jolly is here’.
“You can leave it and wait or make a decision. I’ve had around 150 games, maybe 170, and they normally come off. Maybe a couple of them didn’t.
“I make brave decisions all the time because I want to win. Everyone will be involved, that’s what I tell them.”
Read More >>Chelsea Can Only Dream Of Big Name Status
Peter Kenyon has made it clear that Chelsea FC are hoping to compete on a global scale as the biggest football club. Since Roman Abramovich bought the club, they have won two league titles, and both the FA and League Cup, after going fifty years without a league title.
Arsenal Chairman Peter Hill-Wood has dimissed Chelsea’s dream as a fantasy, saying they will never overtake Manchester United and Liverpool as the biggest clubs in the country.
“I found it very surprising Chelsea only had 25,000 for a Champions League game,” said Hill-Wood.
“Our fan-base probably started in the thirties and it’s been handed down from father to son and so forth.
“It takes 100 years to build and about 100 minutes to destroy. You’ve got to be careful you don’t destroy it.
“Money is irrelevant to history and how big your club is. Maybe not irrelevant, but it’s better not to have too much money because you then don’t go and squander it.
“It’s bull****. I don’t want to run Chelsea down, but one has to concede Manchester United and Liverpool are probably the biggest names in UK football and probably throughout the world.
“For Chelsea to think they are suddenly going to dominate Manchester United and Liverpool is fantasy. It’s not going to happen.”
Read More >>Rafa: England Spoilt Gerrard
Liverpool had a strong start to the season but have since dropped silly points and fallen down in to 4th place. Arsenal are four points clear of them at the top, whilst Manchester United and Manchester City are ahead with a game in hand.
Rafa Benitez believes the drop in form is due to the performances of captain Steven Gerrard. He believes the two international friendlies have had a negative impact on the midfielder. Gerrard was recovering from an injury and chose to represent his country, against his club manager’s wishes.
“It could be that playing twice for England has had an impact,” Benitez said.
“They (the England staff) knew (what I felt about Gerrard playing in both games), but in this situation everyone was talking about how important this situation was for England.
“His national team is England, but it is clear that these players cannot play every game for 90 minutes.
“Gerrard was not 100 per cent physically fresh, I don’t mean fit but fresh.
“In these kind of games you need to keep the tempo really high and if you play too many games in a row for 90 minutes, especially if you are not fit, then normally you have problems.”
Read More >>Jol: I’m Going Nowhere
After being tipped for a top four finish this season, Tottenham Hotspur have had a very disappointing start to the season, winning just one game in seven.
Speculation over Martin Jol’s future at the club has been rife, with Jose Mourinho being linked with Jol’s job earlier in the week.
Jol has today claimed that contrary to reports, he is not intending to quit Spurs.
“Everybody is committed to the cause and the cause is to get higher up in the league and make a success of the season,” Jol told the club’s official website.
“Doing this is dominating my thoughts at the moment, so, as you would imagine, I was a little bit surprised to hear that one newspaper was suggesting that I was on the verge of quitting my job today.
“What a load of rubbish!”
Read More >>Tevez: Justice Was Done
Manchester United cruised to victory against Chelsea at the weekend, winning 2-0 at Old Trafford. Several controversial decissions were made in the match, including the sending off John Obi Mikel in the first half.
Manchester United will also feel frustrated that Joe Cole was allowed to stay on the field for 90 minutes, after fouling Patrice Evra in the penalty area, and intentionally taking out Cristiano Ronaldo as he sprinted down the wing.
Carlos Tevez, who scored the first goal, believes United were deserved winners, and could have won by more goals.
“Chelsea pushed the violence to the absolute limit and there could have been other red cards during the match,” he said. “But justice prevailed in the end and we deserved to win.
“Our game is totally superior to Chelsea’s this season and the scoreline was actually short of what we deserved.
“I have seen the problems at Chelsea with the change of coach, but this season they have just not developed the rhythm of the other years.
“Chelsea were very nervous and it was impossible that we were going to lose the match.”
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