28 February 2005 Nedved Mystery Pavel Nedved has been released from hospital but will not feature for Juventus until further tests next Tuesday. He has been ordered to take a complete rest over the next seven days after being knocked out in an accidental clash of heads with Real Madrid' Raul Bravo is last week's champions league match against Juventus. Jol Confirms Ajax Rumours "It's not a big issue, my future is at Spurs, I'm satisfied here. I might get sacked in two weeks. time and I would have to change my mind but the whole question of joining Ajax (Koeman resigned earlier in the week) is just hypothetical." Mourinho Wise to Media Games Jose Mourinho has claimed that his gesture in front of Liverpool supporters after Chelsea equalised in the League Cup final was intended for the press : "The signal of close your mouth was not for them but for the press. They speak too much and in my opinion they try to do everything to disturb Chelsea. Wait, don't speak too soon." Mourinho was sent to the stands after his gesture : "The only thing I have to understand is that I have to adapt, I work here and I have to respect that. We lost two matches and in my opinion you (the media) try to take confidence from us and put pressure on us. We now have the first title and almost for sure we will have the second one, and the second one will be the big one. I'm not feeling the pressure. You cannot put pressure on me, no chance." Since Mourinho arrived in England the press has made an issue about the money he has spent, ignoring the not so insignificant fact that he coached Porto to European Cup glory on a tiny budget, and foolishly, ignorantly dismissed his teams chances of success this season : "I have read I have to prove a lot in English football. Sir Alex Ferguson is the only European champion in this country, nobody else, so I have to prove what?" Mourinho - Rijkaard Spoke to Frisk "When I saw Rijkaard entering the referee's dressing room I couldn't believe it and when Drogba was sent off I wasn't surprised. When the game ended I took a breath because it wasn't a bad result but something tells me in London the referee will be Collina, the best in the world. A perfect referee with personality and quality." 26 February 2005 Concern Increases for Nedved In what is worrying news Juventus playmaker Pavel Nedved still hasn't been released from hospital after an accidental clash of heads with Raul Bravo knocked him unconscious on Wednesday. He is being observed for head trauma. A statement from the club read : "Pavel Nedved’s condition is improving but in order to continue the therapy and tests for the aftermath of this trauma he will not leave the clinic until Monday at the earliest." Goal-line Technology Gets Green Light Following a meeting with FIFA the International Football Association Board (IFAB) FIFA have agreed to experiment with the use of goal-line technology in the form of a microchip which will be placed inside footballs and send a signal to the referee when a ball crosses the goal-line. The first experiment will take place between Nuremberg and Nuremberg reserves which are near the headquarters of the chip developers - Adidas who recently signed a €268 million seven year deal with FIFA. How very convenient. 25 February 2005 Koeman Resigns Ronald Koeman has resigned as coach of Ajax following the clubs UEFA Cup elimination against Auxerre on Thursday : "Yesterday's result decided it for me. I can no longer summon up the strength and the energy to get over this and to make the team perform better. If I am not completely motivated and driven I cannot and should not stay as trainer at Ajax. After three years and three months our successful collaboration comes to an end." Assistant trainers Ruud Krol and Tonny Bruins Slot will take temporary charge of the team. Ajax youth team coach Danny Blind and Barcelona assistant coach Henk ten Cate are favourites to succeed Koeman. Ranieri Sacked Valencia have finally sacked Claudio Ranieri. Valencia made a poor start to the defence of their La Liga title amid rumours of jealousy between the clubs Spanish players and better paid Italian players (Marco Di Vaio, Stefano Fiore and Bernardo Corradi) and were dumped out of the Champions League at the first hurdle following a humiliating 1-5 defeat against Inter and defeats home and away against Bremen. Yesterday they were knocked out of the UEFA Cup by Steaua Bucharest. Valencia president Juan Bautista told a press conference : "We have decided to replace Claudio Ranieri as sporting director and coach of Valencia football club. We understand, and he too understands, that the results of the club in the last few weeks have not been the most appropriate and have had the effect of distancing us from the objectives we set ourselves at the start of the season." Former assistant Antonio Lopez will take over with Ronald Koeman rumoured to be Ranieri's long term successor. Wenger Blasts English Superiority Complex Arsene Wenger has hit out at criticism over his teams performance against Bayern Munich on Tuesday saying people have unrealistic expectations of his team : "I don't know where this English superiority complex comes from, that in the European Cup we have just to turn up and win. Bayern Munich have won the European Cup four times, and Arsenal zero. Where have Arsenal won anything in Europe? The Cup Winners' Cup or the UEFA Cup - but that's not the Champions Cup. What right do we have to walk out and say we have to win in the European Cup against Bayern Munich? People say they are not as strong this time around but they are the leaders of the Bundesliga. You cannot be weak to be top of the German League. It is a strong championship." "I think it is a miracle that Arsenal are in the Champions League every year, considering the strength of the English league. When you're here every year people think you have the right to win it. No, you have Real Madrid, you have AC Milan. Milan went to Manchester United and won 1-0. Why should Arsenal suddenly have the right to be stronger than Milan just because they appear every year? We have a chance, that is true but it is not a scandal that we don't win the Champions League." 24 February 2005 Chelsea Refute Kick Claims "Following Chelsea's statement after the Barcelona match last night, it is being reported through various media outlets that an incident occurred between Jose Mourinho and a member of the Barcelona coaching staff (Rijkaard's assistant Henk Ten Cate is said to have kicked Mourinho in the back). This incident did not happen and Chelsea can therefore confirm that this will not form part of our report to UEFA which is currently being prepared." - Official statement from Chelsea Representatives from the club refused to attend the post match press conference as they are preparing a report for UEFA over Wednesday's officiating by the inept Anders Frisk. Reyes Given Three Match Ban Arsenal swinger Jose Antonio Reyes has been banned for three matches after slapping Sheffield United's Andy Liddell during last week's FA Cup tie at Highbury.