26 DECEMBER 2001
Liverpool Defend Anelka Signing
"If you're looking at £12million for Anelka that's an awful lot of money.
They certainly need another top-class striker. I don't think Michael Owen
will be unduly worried because he is absolutely top-class. Emile Heskey
might be a little bit worried. Lets face it, Emile Heskey won't score in a
million years and for all the problems, there is no doubt Nicolas Anelka
can score goals." - Liverpool Legend Emlyn Hughes
"It is a good move for me. Liverpool are a very big club with a very good
profile and I think it will help my career." - Nicolas Anelka
"I had this idea when we transferred Robbie Fowler to Leeds. I have only
two forwards for two places and with all the matches we will have to play
before the end of the season, I was a little short in that area. I then saw
that Nicolas wasn't playing anymore and I felt there was a chance to seize,
for him and for us. It is a fantastic coup." - Gerard Houllier
Gaspart Slams Players
"We signed those seven new players but they have not strengthened the team.
Some of them do not even come up to the standards required for a place in
the starting line-up. We failed in our bid to land a high-profile trainer. Neither
Fabio Capello nor Hector Cuper or Arsene Wenger agreed to come to the Nou
Camp." - Barcelona President Joan Gaspart
20 DECEMBER 2001
Trap Interested In Man United Job
"Even at my age, I do not think it is too late for me. United are a great club
and I'd love to work with them and fight in the Premier League."
Giovanni Trapattoni
Manfredini - Trapattoni Called Me
Chievo midfielder Christian Manfredini has revealed that Italy coach Giovanni
Trapattoni called him about a national team place :
"Trapattoni called me about the national side. I don't think that I will go but
this would not be a tragedy. If I do go it will change my life, but if not then
it is not problem."
When asked if the club could challenge for a Champions League place the
midfielder replied :
"No. I think maybe sixth or possibly fifth. Jesus Christ, we are Chievo not Real
Madrid!"
Milan Injury Woes Continue
Milan captain Paolo Maldini has joined fellow Italy international Filippo Inzaghi
on the injured list after picking up a knee injury in the clubs draw with Atalanta
on Wednesday. Maldini is expected to be out of action for two months.
O'Leary Reveals Details Of Meeting With Bowyer
O'Leary : He said he had been found not guilty and I said 'Yes in court, but
going by the court's evidence you were on the street, out of your mind drunk
running around. That's not what I want my athletes doing on the streets of
Leeds. There's no excuse for it. I told him that he was going to be fined all
these wages'. He came back with :
Bowyer : Two weeks is the maximum you can fine me, but really I don't think
I should be punished anything.
O'Leary : I said 'Lee, you're not guilty by the laws of the land but you are guilty
within the discipline of this football club. If you don't accept this punishment I'm
going to inform the chairman to put you on the transfer list'. A little while later
we spoke again through it and I said to Lee, 'You decide'. He was adamant that
he wasn't going to pay the fine. I think he thought that he was being picked on
and that I was going along with the media hype.
Premiership Post Match Comments
Arsenal V Newcastle
"The first half hour there was a slight gulf in class. I don't think we will win this
championship but I think we will threaten one or two clubs who can win it.
It was a dramatic evening. They were what people might have called controversial
decisions. I don't think it was an easy match for the referee. There was nothing
violent. There were two dismissals but they were not for bad play. We said at
half-time to the players that Parlour had been sent off and we didn't want to
give the ref any chance to square it up. We told them to stay out of trouble."
Bobby Robson
"I don't think about referees, never. I'm not allowed to say about people. I don't
want to speak about anybody else. We played a great game and we gave
everything. We feel really frustrated. We have shown huge potential and
played tremendously well. I'm very proud of my team tonight."
Arsene Wenger
Serie A Post Match Comments
Fiorentina V Juventus
"We weren't able to take advantage of the present Fiorentina gave us. A Juve
that goes ahead has to know how to stay ahead but we instead stopped playing.
The reason why we stand six points away from the top of the table is precisely
because we lost too many points on the road as we did today." - Marcello Lippi
Inter V Verona
"I feel well, very well but I can still improve. It is nice I netted a pair. I had
problems getting over my psychological trauma and I have to thank coach
Cuper and my team-mates if I was able to." - Ronaldo
18 DECEMBER 2001
Bowyer - I'm Being Victimised
Lee Bowyer's response to Leeds earlier statement :
"Leeds United have placed me on the transfer list against my wishes. This
follows a club disciplinary hearing to which I was not invited."
"The club informed me that if I do not accept the punishment imposed, which
is in excess of the PFA maximum, then I would not be selected for the first
team and would be placed on the transfer list."
"I have not refused to work in the club's community programme. I have done
so in the past and would continue to do so as part of Leeds United's normal
programme."
"Given these circumstances I could not accept the disciplinary findings.
However, I wish to place on record that I still wish to play for Leeds United."
"Having been acquitted of both charges at my recent trial, I was hoping to
put this matter behind me and focus on doing my best for Leeds United and
the supporters."
"Now the club appears to be victimising me and forcing me out having
attempted to impose an unfair penalty by agreement."
Passarella Fired
"Parma Calcio announce that Mr. Daniel Passarella, starting immediately, is no
longer our coach. Parma Calcio take the occasion to thank the coach and
his staff for the work done during this time period. The technical responsibilities
of the team are now handed to Gedeone Carmigiani (goalkeeping coach)."
Parma Chairman Stefano Tanzi
Bowyer Transfer Listed, Woodgate Fined
Statement from Leeds United :
"Following the conclusion of the trial last Friday, Leeds United Football Club, as
previously indicated, has reviewed appropriate internal disciplinary action
against Lee Bowyer and Jonathan Woodgate."
"The club acknowledges and accepts the verdict of the jury that Lee Bowyer
was innocent of all charges. Nevertheless, and in his own admission, he was
under the influence of alcohol in the city centre late at night which is against
the club's code of conduct."
"Jonathan Woodgate was found guilty of affray and was sentenced at Hull
Crown Court. The PFA maximum fine ceiling is two weeks' wages. Following
the internal disciplinary meeting between the manager, David O'Leary, and
myself, Jonathan Woodgate has been given a fine of eight weeks' wages."
"Jonathan has asked that this money be put forward for funding work within
our inner city communities, which we are more than happy to agree to.
Jonathan will commit to work within our community programme. Jonathan
has also been given a final warning regarding his future conduct."
"Leeds United has imposed a fine of four weeks' wages against Lee Bowyer,
we would also insist that Lee work at the forefront of our community
programme for the whole of the balance of his contract."
"Lee has also been warned regarding his future behaviour both on and off the
field. Regrettably, Lee Bowyer has refused to accept this club disciplinary
sanction and has, therefore, been placed on the transfer list with immediate
effect."
Adams Want Alcohol Adverting Banned
"At the moment drinking is acceptable. It is like smoking back in the sixties
when 70% of adults smoked. It was regarded as cool. Now the perception
is that is anything but that and the percentage has dropped to 30%."
"Advertising is a powerful medium and the anti-smoking advertising has helped
a lot. But in football drink is regarded as acceptable. Not too long ago the
Premiership was sponsored by a drinks company and what do we give the
man-of-the-match? A bottle of champagne. Whenever I won it, was the
bottle at home as a souvenir or a memento? No. It was empty before it left
the dressing room! We should, in this country, ban the advertising linking
alcohol with sport, like they do in France." - Reformed Alcoholic Tony Adams
17 DECEMBER 2001
Owen
Win's Ballon D'or
Michael Owen has won France Football Magazine's Ballon
D'or (European
footballer of the year) award based on the votes of
journalists. He is the first
English winner since Kevin Keegan in 1979.
|
| European
Footballer of the Year 2001 |
| Position |
Player |
Teams |
Votes |
| 1 |
Michael
Owen |
Liverpool
& England |
176 |
| 2 |
Raul |
Real
Madrid & Spain |
140 |
| 3 |
Oliver
Kahn |
Bayern
Munich & Germany |
114 |
| 4 |
David
Beckham |
Man
United & England |
102 |
| 5 |
Francesco
Totti |
Roma
& Italy |
57 |
| 6 |
Luis
Figo |
Real
Madrid & Portugal |
56 |
| 7 |
Rivaldo |
Barcelona
& Brazil |
20 |
| 8 |
Andrii
Shevchenko |
Milan
& Ukraine |
18 |
| 9 |
Thierry
Henry |
Arsenal
& France |
14 |
| 10 |
Zinedine
Zidane |
Real
Madrid & France |
14 |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
"I couldn't believe
it when I first heard the news. I knew that I was
one of the five players in question but it still seemed
unbelievable to me.
There was also Totti, against who we played recently,
Raul, someone from
Bayern and even Beckham. Several Frenchmen were also in
the race. What
fantastic footballers! Marco van Basten won it three
times. Michel Platini
as well. Add my name to that of Beckenbauer, Cruyff,
Rivaldo, Bobby
Charlton, Kevin Keegan, I am extremely proud." -
Michael Owen
|
Figo
Named World Player of the Year
Luis Figo has been named FIFA World Player of the year
based on the
votes of national team coaches. Beckham finished second
despite
receiving more 1st place votes - 30 compared to 27 for
Figo.
|
| FIFA World Player
of the Year 2001 |
| Position |
Player |
Teams |
Votes |
| 1 |
Luis
Figo |
Real
Madrid & Portugal |
250 |
| 2 |
David
Beckham |
Man
United & England |
238 |
| 3 |
Raul |
Real
Madrid & Spain |
96 |
| 4 |
Zinedine
Zidane |
Real
Madrid & France |
94 |
| 5 |
Rivaldo |
Barcelona
& Brazil |
92 |
| 6 |
Veron |
Man
United & Argentina |
71 |
| 7 |
Oliver
Kahn |
Bayern
Munich & Germany |
65 |
| 8 |
Michael
Owen |
Liverpool
& England |
61 |
| 9 |
Andrii
Shevchenko |
Milan
& Ukraine |
46 |
| 10 |
Francesco
Totti |
Roma
& Italy |
40 |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
"This is a highly
prestigious award. It was an honour to be nominated along
with two great players like David Beckham and Raul."
- Luis Figo
"It's a major award and it's a great honour to be up
here with these two
great players (Figo and Raul)." - David Beckham
|
17 DECEMBER 2001
Ricketts New Contract Not Worth The Paper It's Written On
Bolton striker Michael Ricketts has signed a new contract tying him to the club
until 2007. If he keeps scoring there is no way he will be at Bolton next season
let alone 2007.
Serie A Post Match Comments
Roma V Milan
"We always believed we could go back on top. We were penalized by a difficult
start where we collected only two points in three games. The important thing
was to have regained both confidence and humbleness. Given our position in
the Champions League and in the league, I am globally satisfied."
Fabio Capello
"I guess Collina sees things that other people don't." - Carlo Ancelotti
"We were lacking determination on the pitch this evening, this is what gave
Roma the edge." - Carlo Ancelotti
Chievo V Inter
"That was our best win, a wonderful display. We beat a great team. We were
near perfect in defence and always dangerous going forward. The most
important thing was that from the start we were mentally right. We trust in each
other and we work hard and after this win we fear nobody. We respect them but
don't fear them. My duty is to keep my players relaxed, and my main focus is to
get the next 12 points which will ensure our salvation. All I can say is that now
we are at the top and I'm very proud but we must keep our feet on the ground."
Luigi Del Neri
"Eriberto had created us some problems on the right wing. I substituted Guly
due to technical reasons. Okan's injury has left us without an important player.
It's been a pity we haven't been able to dedicate the game's victory to Lawyer
Prisco." - Hector Cuper
Premiership Post Match Comments
Chelsea V Liverpool
"We had enough opportunities but we weren't sharp enough and now we have
to regroup and put another long unbeaten run together. We've done
exceptionally well over the past three months but against Chelsea it just went
pear-shaped for us. Now we have to prove we can bounce back from a very
disappointing result." - Phil Thompson
"Chelsea aren't ready at the moment to challenge for The Premiership. There
are three or four teams better than Chelsea. Liverpool deserve to be top of
the class and a win for us over them is very important for our mentality as it
is to win in front of our fans. I said at the beginning of the season that I want
to put Chelsea in the Champions League. It will be very hard but this is the
opportunity." - Claudio Ranieri
16 DECEMBER 2001
Deadly Doug - Gregory Economical With The Truth
Aston Villa chairman 'Deadly' Doug Ellis has told Aston Villa coach John
Gregory to stop complaining over the clubs transfer policy :
"John Gregory and I get on very well. He's a good coach but perhaps he is a little
economical with the truth. He forgets that during the summer we brought in
four new players. I am broad shouldered but I don't like it. No-one is more
ambitious than me."
"There will be no money for new signings when we have strikers on the sidelines.
Look at striker Bosko Balaban. John wanted him back in the summer and we found
£6 million yet he is sitting in the stands."
O'Leary Tells Woodgate To Leave Home
"Woody is as daft as a brush and that is what led to him to get involved in the
attack. He is so easily led by other people, it is unbelievable. He knows he has
to ditch those friends that may lead him down the wrong path and I have told
him now he must move to Leeds and away from his Middlesbrough roots."
"He has the ability to be a really, truly great player, but if he doesn't learn his
lessons he'll have let himself down. He has to leave Middlesbrough, come down
here and settle down."
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