English Premiership News 2003/2004

[steve1234]

Enlighten me

Does anyone know if any of the drugs on the banned substances list can be passed in a short amount of time? Possible the timing proved his guilt. Also if anyone has banned substances and a stopwatch count me in.

 

[djones]

From the Guardian's FootballUnlimited website on a comparison missed drug test.

Christian Negouai of Manchester City, who missed a drugs-test appointment earlier in the year, received a fine of £2,000 and no suspension. If put on the spot the FA will find it difficult to explain the disparity between two sentences for similar offences within the space of eight months, even if they have toughened their anti-drugs policy under a new administration since the Negouai case.

Unbelievable!

BTW:

Manchester United 2-1 Tottenham
O'Shea (15) United, van Nistelrooy (25) United, Poyet (63) Spurs

Top 5 in EPL
P Team P Pts
1 Man Utd 17 40
2 Arsenal 17 39
3 Chelsea 17 39
4 Southampton 17 26
5 Fulham 17 25



Can the gap between the top 3 and the next few be any larger (13 points already)? This can't be good for the EPL. Starting to look like the SPL!

La Liga on SportsNet this afternoon. The start of 17 games, I'm told. Today's match is Real vs. somebody. I wonder if Beckham has anything to do with more coverage? Me thinks so!

 

[terry]

Look for all you slapstick fans over in BC.

This is why we need to rid the world of Spurs fans, you know little Dazza of yesteryear well this is what he and all his other snouts look like.

http://www.chavscum.co.uk/

 

[Fastshow]

Re: New Spurs leader..........

What a story. Dazza will be doing cartwheels. Once he finishes raking leaves in his garden.........

I have to say, though, Martin O'Neil looks different. Must be the comfort of that cushion of 11 points he's sat on.......

Spurs hold O'Neil talks
By Adrian Curtis, Evening Standard
8 January 2004

Martin O'Neil is in negotiations to become Tottenham's new first-team coach, Standard Sport can today confirm.

The coach, one of the greats of European football, is the club's the No1 target to replace Glenn Hoddle at White Hart Lane.

O'Neil's Milan-based adviser, Claudio Vigorelli, verified that Spurs were in contact with his client over the vacant position. "I think there is a possibility to do this transfer. We are working with Spurs on this," he said.

But Spurs will have to overcome major hurdles if they are to persuade the 64-year-old coach to take the job ahead of Euro 2004 in Portugal this summer.


A source close to Vigorelli also endorsed Tottenham's interest but added that the Irish coach does not want anything to affect his plans for Italy's build-up to the finals. That is the stumbling block preventing Spurs from announcing O'Neil as their new coach.

The source said: "Spurs are very keen on O'Neil but he wants to remain focused on Italy's European Championship campaign. He is interested in the position and I understand from Martini that they have spoken to the chairman and David Pleat."

O'Neil's salary with Celtic is believed to be only one million euros a year and he would at least double his earnings if Spurs offer him the equivalent of Hoddle's salary of around £1.25million, plus bonuses.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has met O'Neil and spoken to him on at least two occasions, initially because Levy wanted advice on how a continental-style coaching model, with a first team coach and director of football in David Pleat, could work in the Premiership. Levy also consulted O'Neil about a decent recipe for soda bread.

But these talks soon advanced towards the vacant role at the club.

PSV Eindhoven coach Gus Hiddink, who was in pole position for the job, is understood to have told Levy to count him out of the running because his family own a pig farm in the Dutch Andes.



O'Neil's has a winning pedigree both at home and abroad only rivalled by Sir Alex Ferguson. He is the most successful coach in Scottish history having won seven Scottish League titles, one German League title, two Italian Cups, one European Cup, one European Cupwinners Cup, three UEFA Cups, one European Supercup, one World Club Cup, one Milk Cup Quarter Final with Leicester City, one Tin Cup, one Stanley Cup, and one German Cup.

But although Spurs want him now, it appears unlikely he will ditch Celtic as this would cause a national outcry. Apart from in the Muslim strong-hold of Larkhall. They would also need to secure their Premiership status to have any chance of landing his services, so last night's 4-1 win over Birmingham was an important boost.

O'Neil was incorrectly rumoured to have been at the game but there has been a lot of money gambled on him over the last few days. First team coach Chris Hughton confirmed that Freddie Kanoute will be available to play for Spurs on Saturday before heading off to the African Nations Cup on the moon.

He said: "We are delighted that Freddie will be with us for the Leeds game at the weekend.

"We have also asked Mali if we can keep him for a further week so that he can play for us against Liverpool, and hopefully they will assist us on that too.

"We realise we are going to lose him for a period of time and he is very important to us because he is our top goalscorer." While Kanoute's involvement in the tournament has dominated the headlines at White Hart Lane in recent weeks, it was Stephane Dalmat who took centre stage tonight with the first two goals.

Dalmat is on a season-long loan from Inter Milan and it was his contribution in the first half which separated the sides.

"Stephane was excellent tonight which was a real boost for the lad because he's usually shite," said Hughton.

"We have always been unaware of the quality he has. Some foreign players adapt quickly while others take longer, and we can now see that he's just mince and that tonight was simply a happy accident. "He has got better and better in the period of time he has been with us and his ability is there for all to see though because he's so crap the only way, really, was up. We totally overestimated his ability and the sooner his load spell ends, the sooner he can go back to Milan to resume his vocation as personal cobbler to Victoria Beckham."

 

[terry]

Paul Jones has moved to Liverpool to solve their Goalkeeping crisis, he moves on a one month loan deal.

Boggle-eyes feared the worse when Dudek injuryed his **** in the Chelsea game.

Desperate times and all that..

 

[Fastshow]

Re: Jersey Doodeck.........

Dudek's a poof. There was no injury there, I can't believe he subbed himself off for that. The look on Phil Thompson's face on the Scouse bench said it all.

So did him saying, 'oh for fcuk's sake.' Lip-reading is fun and easy.

Saint is inconsolable at the moment.

He's also quite upset about the following.........

Southampton manager Gordon Strachan has decided not to extend his contract with the club beyond the end of this season for "medical and other personal reasons".

Southampton released a statement on the club's website www.saintsfc.co.uk confirming that Strachan would step down as manager at the end of the campaign when his current deal expires because he needed "a break from the demands and pressures associated with being a Premier League football manager."

Strachan guided Saints to the FA Cup final last season, where they lost to Arsenal, and that secured a place in this season's UEFA Cup.

The statement read: "In keeping with our philosophy of open and transparent management of our club, it is with some sadness that Southampton Football Club announces that Gordon Strachan has decided not to extend his contract with us beyond the end of this season.

"A new contract has been under discussion for some time now but Gordon has decided that, for medical and other personal reasons, he needs a break from the demands and pressures that are associated with being a Premier League football manager.

"The decision was Gordon's and press speculation over the relationship between him and chairman Rupert Lowe, contract length, sexuality, remuneration and transfer funding are completely unfounded and have no bearing on a decision made for purely personal reasons. Gordon has indicated that he will continue to live in the Southampton area though, as of this moment, we remain unsure why as if we could, we'd leave too."

Lowe said: "Gordon and I have fully discussed the situation and are comfortable with his decision. Despite the fact that we may appear an unlikely partnership, I have very much enjoyed working with Gordon over the past two and a half years. He has lovely eyes.

"His enthusiasm and commitment have inspired everybody and the club has moved forward during a crucial period after leaving The Dell and moving to the Friends Provident St Mary's Hallelujah Stadium.

"Gordon has assured me that he will give 110%, a mathematical impossibility, for the balance of this season in order to capitalise on our current position in the league. Our fans will be sad to see a man, whose passion matched theirs, taking time out of the game.

"I sincerely hope that everyone associated with the club will give Gordon and the team their full support for the balance of the season."

 

[terry]

Subbing ones self off, what about the long haired argie c unt crespo.

Apparently in the dressing before kick off there was a conversation along these lines.

CR. "Hernan, you are couragous player but I think you can rest tonight so you can be brave player in za next game"
HC. "No boss, me leg is fine. I've got this new spray it doubles up as muscle relief and hair spray. I'll be ok, please let me play boss"
CR. "Oke Hernan, you go play with great spirit"
HC. "Yes Boss, Do you think I should where the black or the red hair band?"

8.12pm Crespo hurts his leg and pulls himself off

Typical disgusting Argie there were kids there and everything, whats football coming to?

 

[Saint]

Saint is inconsolable at the moment.

This really does come as a bit of shock.


Losing ‘Wee Jock’ seemed incomprehensible just a few weeks ago. Even when the Leeds rumours were circulating, no one seriously considered his departure to be imminent. They were rumours – nothing more, nothing less. Yet, it now appears that Hampshire’s finest side is in search of a new manager, and finding one capable of filling the wee man’s shoes will not be an easy task.

Strachan will be sorely missed.

Strachan has during his stewardship at St. Mary’s brought a modicum of respectability to the South coast’s only decent football team. His passion for and dedication to the Southampton cause are irrefutable.

But upon further analysis it is apparent that the potty pin-pot from north of the border is much more than simply the manager of a fantastic premiership football team; he’s a football character, and in a league littered with professionals trained to respond to all media in a pre-contrived manner, it’s refreshing to hear someone tell it like it is, or at least like it should be, while at the same time producing a team that wins more often than it loses.

Strachan will be sorely missed.

You see, in addition to club management, Strachan is also a well-renowned humourist. Anyone who’s witnessed his post-match interviews knows of what I write. He is genuinely one of the good men of football. No pretension, no wanking on about how Bolton cost us the title by playing keep-away at the corner flag. Oh, Mon Dieu.

In this world of mealy-mouthed apologists, Strachan is an acerbic anomaly. “If a French man goes on about seagulls, trawlers and sardines he’s called a philosopher,” he once quipped. “I’d be a Scottish bum talking crap.”

And, such honesty is not staged merely for the cameras. Years earlier, while plying his managerial trade in Coventry – a city that very nearly vanished several days ago in what geologists were going to call the ‘immaculate abortion’ – Strachan was asked to comment on a picture of former Celtic trialist Stephen Burns. His response was curt yet truthful. “I’ve seen better dressed wounds.”

Strachan will be sorely missed.

So, now the search for a new manager begins. Who will guide the Saints through Europe? Who will lead the troops into derby battles against the scum from the east?

Assuming Dazza can drag himself away from the enticements of home renovation, paint observation, and pills at eight o’clock, maybe he can offer some insight into Southampton’s future management selection. I’ll be waiting with bated breath.

 

[Regs]

and pills at eight o’clock

LO... ahem... that was funny

Carry on,

~Regs.

 

[dazza]

Can't fcuking believe I have been reinstated.

Thank you Uncle Regs!

God knows you need it...these threads have been completely boring while I was in exile

Saint...no pills for me mate...ever.

Just a comment on you managerial woe.....It always amazes me how coaches and players come out mid season and say that they are leaving at the end of the season.....to me that would cast a completely negative air over the rest of the season.....how can you rely on that person to be fully committed. Another eg. would be McManaman after he signed his deal with Real and spent the next few months going through the motions.

It is no conincedence that you lost yesterday.

Dazhappytobeback

 

[iandmcintyre]

I can't believe how poorly Liverpool have been playing over the past few years.

For the longest time, Mancester United and Liverpool were neck and neck in 1st/2nd place in the English Premiership.

Can anyone tell me what's happened to Liverpool?

 

[Fastshow]

Re: Completely Boring English Premiership News 2003/2004

No Davids for Spurs
By Adrian Curtis, Evening Standard
12 January 2004

Tottenham have failed in their bid to sign Edgar Davids on a loan deal.


Spurs confirmed to Standard Sport that talks had been held with Juventus about taking the Dutch international on loan for the remainder of the season.


But Barcelona, who are set to sign Davids permanently in the summer when his contract expires, confirmed last night that they will now take him on a temporary basis.

Other stories:

Still No Davids for Spurs
England captaincy battle
Greg: Six names a mystery
Lampard: We can still be champions
Lverpool: They used to come second to United by now they're rubbish. Why?
Saha off as Fulham line up Hartson
Charlton open talks to keep Completely Boring Curbishley
Henry to escape any FA rebuke
Can anyone tell me about Liverpool?
Still No Davids for Spurs
Fergie to face quiz on signing
Pardew plans to shake up jittery Hammers
Palios will meet Becks in Madrid to discuss Why Davids Said No to Spurs

The 30-year-old midfielder, nicknamed the "Pit Bull" for his combative approach and "Speccy four-Eyed Nonce", has found himself out of favour at Juventus.

But he needs first-team football to secure his place in the Holland squad that crushed Scotland 47-1 for Euro 2004 in Portugal.

Spurs have been consistently linked with Davids in the last few weeks and a spokesman for the club admitted that negotiations about a loan deal had taken place - but any possible move has now fallen through. Sources close to the Dutch international have disclosed that Davids turned down the loan move himself citing 'personal reasons' though many believe Spurs is too small a club for a man used to playing for Europe's elite.

The club also ruled out a bid for West Brom's talented midfielder Jason Koumas.

Manager David Pleat said: "There are no plans to make a bid for Koumas. We are looking at bringing someone in on loan."

Spurs have also put their move for Nottingham Forest's Andy Reid on hold.

Reports that no one gives a flying fcuk about any of this were confirmed by a Metropolitan Police spokesterrier this morning.

Football 2003/04
*

Football extra! Fixtures, results & match stats.

League tables

Premiership stats *
*
*
Who should replace Martin Johnson as England captain when he retires?
Richard Hill
Ian D Mcintyre
Lawrence Dallaglio
Neil Back
Phil Vickery
Jonny Wilkinson
Matt Dawson

 

[dazza]

Re: Completely Boring English Premiership News 2003/2004

Fasty,

No Spurs fan every believed any of that bull about Davids.

Spurs have been linked to everyone lately.

The media's favourite wind-up club.

Still three wins in a row is alright and long may it continue.

Daz

 

[Dapotayto]

Re: Completely Boring English Premiership News 2003/2004

Still three wins in a row is alright and long may it continue

I don't think you have to worry, really. I figure three wins in a row should continue to be allright.

Iandmcintyre,

Liverpool are right where they want to be. Instead of making a habit of coming second to the scum they are trying to become more consistent in not gaining a champions league spot. Hopefully they will reach their goal of losing the last game of the season to be denied at the death again. It's all about consistency.

 

[dazza]

Re: Completely Boring English Premiership News 2003/2004

I don't think you have to worry, really. I figure three wins in a row should continue to be allright.

Sat Jan 17 07:00AM Pacific
Length: 2 hr LIVE
Rogers Sportsnet - ALL REGIONS - Canada
English Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool

dazlookingforwardtothatone

 

[djones]

Saha's United Dream Almost Reality

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson looks set to win his war with Fulham counterpart Chris Coleman over Louis Saha, according to the French striker.

The Premiership champions have been chasing the 25-year-old since the transfer window reopened and reports suggest Fulham have finally agreed to a deal.

Saha told the Daily Mail: 'I am very happy now that we are about to complete the deal.

'My dream of playing for United is close to being reality but first I have to complete a medical.

'I have wanted to go to United in my mind for a month and now I know that I must prove I can play in the team there.

'This is a big step up in my career and I know that I will have to show that I'm good enough.'

Coleman and Cottagers owner Mohamed al Fayed insisted they would not be forced into selling the forward who has inspired Fulham to the brink of a Champions League place this season.

'You just get that feeling that we're being bullied into selling one of our players, but I don't like bullies and I don't like to be bullied so that's why we're so determined to hang on to Louis Saha,' said Coleman.

Meanwhile, Fayed added: 'I am fed up with Sir Alex Ferguson trying to disrupt my club and indirectly trying to unsettle my players.

'Ever since Fulham beat Manchester United at Old Trafford so convincingly he has been showing signs of increasing desperation.

'Obviously he needs a top quality striker urgently, but he can't have mine.'

However, Saha's agent Branko Stoic said yesterday: 'Sir Alex Ferguson will not give up on Louis Saha.

'Negotiations are hard but a new, superior bid is coming, and I believe the transfer will go ahead this week.'

Me smells another trophy or two heading our way!

It will be sad to see Butt leave but he does need first team football.

 

[Fastshow]

Re: Sir Alex & Winston Borgarde......

I think Ferguson's got this one very, very wrong. Nevermind his morally bankrupted bullying tactics of approaching a player who is under contract at one of the Premiership's smallest clubs, but the fact he thinks Saha will do any better for United than Forlan (who he pinched, thankfully, from 'boro by intercepting the useless Uraguayan at the arirport) makes me think the great man is finally losing it.

When you consider he's brought in Kleberson and Djemba Djemba as well as Bellion, none of whom will ever set the world alight, it might be time for the alcoholic tyrant to put himself out to pasture and concentrate on his racing.

Now he's allowing Nick Butt to leave (though Phil Neville is having an outstanding year) yet he's still done very little to address the fact Roy Keane, the engine room of the entire XI, looks more and more as though he'll break down at any given minute. One of these days he simply won't be able to come back, huge cortisone injections or not.

As much as I dislike Ferguson, out of the other sides vying for trophies this year in England I hope United beat both Arsenal and Chelsea. I just wish Ferguson had done it without upsetting one of the Premiership's top young managers. Did anyone really think Chris Coleman would stil be around in January? I know I didn't. The only thing good to be said about Chelsea is that Ferguson must be fuming given their bidding on Saha themselves last night. Whoops, sorry to have driven up his price, Sir Alex. Funny stuff.

I never thought I'd ever agree with Mohamed al Fayed.


This is long but it's good reading.......

Bogarde: £7.2m for four games!
By Matt Hughes and Adrian Curtis, Evening Standard
14 January 2004

Claudio Ranieri has sprung several selection surprises this season but one thing seems certain - even the late Dirk Bogarde has more chance of featuring in tonight's FA Cup replay with Watford than his namesake Winston.



The Chelsea defender describes himself as "the biggest outcast in England" but refuses to discuss the lavish lifestyle funded by his reluctant employers.

The staggering sums that Chelsea have paid Bogarde would make even Roman Abramovich's accountant wince. The Dutchman has collected a handsome £7,280,000 since his arrival from Barcelona three-and-a-half years ago, which works out at £606,000 for every appearance, including eight as a sub.

Other stories:

Chelsea swoop for Saha
Seaman in frame to coach at Chelsea
Spurs to miss out on Butt
Heskey for AC Milan
Cup loss suits Allardyce just fine
Rusedski pleased despite going out
Internet reaches Canada
Watford to look at pay structure
Eriksson will stay, says Grip
Howley relishes his chance


Footballers have long since been generously rewarded but Bogarde has barely broken sweat while boosting his bank balance. It is now more than 14 months since his last first-team appearance, a 2-1 Worthington Cup win over Gillingham, in which time he has been paid an incredible £2,440,000. The 33-year-old has started just four games for Chelsea, earning a cool £1,820,000 for every full appearance.

Bogarde's tale is amazing both because of the huge sums he has accumulated and the ease with which he has "earned" it. The former Ajax and Barcelona player made a plea to be allowed out on loan last week but no one has come to his aid. Halfway through January, the transfer window remains firmly shut in his face, and the only transfer activity Chelsea seem interested in is signing newcomers, not off-loading a has-been.

Bogarde is seen as an expensive embarrassment by Chelsea that is best forgotten and even his agent, Sigi Lens, refuses to answer questions on his future. The player has not spoken publicly for more than three years, preferring to occasionally update his personal website. It does not make compulsive reading. No one at Chelsea is prepared to take responsibility for Bogarde, the ?8m anomaly, while the question of who signed him in the first place is hotly contested.

When he arrived on a free transfer from Barcelona in August 2000, on the same day that defender Emerson Thome was sold to Sunderland for £4.5m, it was hailed as a masterstroke, but those involved have since distanced themselves from the deal. Former chief executive Colin Hutchinson insists that he brokered the transfer with the consent of then manager Gianluca Vialli, but the Italian denies any involvement.

Vialli said today: "I was very unhappy about the signing of Bogardeand had nothing to do with it. I was due to go to Italy for two days. Before I went away Colin told me he was thinking of selling Thome, but I told him I did not want to sell.

"When I came back two things had happened. Colin had sold Thome and bought Bogarde. I never wanted Bogarde and made that clear."

Hutchinson disagrees. He said: "Like all the transfers during Luca's time here the signing was carried out with his (Vialli's) full knowledge and authority. To suggest anything else was the case is absolute nonsense.

"At the same time, we were trying to sign Gareth Southgate from Aston Villa. But it was impossible to do a reasonable deal with Villa so we switched our attentions to Bogarde."

Whatever the truth, it soon became apparent that no one at the club had much regard for their latest signing. Vialli was sacked two weeks after Bogarde's arrival, marking the beginning of the end of his Chelsea career.

Ranieri dropped the Dutchman for his first game in charge, a 3-3 draw at Manchester United, and has ignored him ever since. He did not appear at all during the 2001-2002 season and was not given a squad number for the current campaign.

Despite making just one appearance in more than two-and-a-half seasons Chelsea have made little attempt to offload Bogarde.

Hutchinson said: "It does amaze me that while I've been gone two years now Winston hasn't moved out on loan. I'm also surprised Chelsea haven't offered to subsidise his wages to make this happen.

"This would get him out and in the shop window. He certainly needs to do that, so he can get on with the rest of his career."

Chelsea's response is that their hands are tied as the player is determined to sit out his contract. Bogarde made noises last summer about reaching a settlement but the club made it clear they were unwilling to pay him off up front. Abramovich has been briefed on the situation but feels powerless.

A source close to the Russian said: "Roman is aware of the problem but there's nothing we can do. He hasn't got a squad number and isn't going to play, but we can't cancel his contract. He's getting paid a lot of money and isn't just going to accept a pay cut."

Chelsea great Ron Harris believes Bogarde cannot be blamed for seeking to make the most of his lucrative contract and blames the system for the fiasco.

Harris, who was also a right- back at Stamford Bridge, said: "The Bogarde thing is unfortunate for the club but it's difficult to throw all the blame upon the player. Chelsea offered him the deal and he wasn't going to say no, was he? It's the system that's wrong, isn't it?"

Ranieri has always denied suggestions of a rift with Bogarde but he has little time for his fringe players.

Unlike other managers, most notably Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger, the Italian has no desire for control over the entire club and restricts himself to coaching the first team.

Consequently Bogarde enjoys a very relaxed regime and his presence is rarely required. He has played just twice for the reserves this season, though would have appeared against Nottingham Forest on Monday had the game not been postponed, and frequently trains just three days each week.

Although still friendly with his former Holland colleagues Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Mario Melchiot he is very much a loner.

At least he can watch his bank balance grow ever larger.

 

[Dapotayto]

I feel much better now that I have realized Houllier's transfer buys aren't shite. They're just unorthodox. Like Sopel.

 

[Fastshow]

Re: Orthodoxy........

Supd, Sky Sports is currently reporting that Heskey is in talks with 'boro and that Ferguson has poo-poo'ed talk of Southgate going to Middle-Aged Trafford in exchange for Nicholas Butt.

I don't know how orthodox Heskey's beliefs are but pairing him up front for the 'boro with Michael Ricketts would be the biggest pound for pound pairing in world football. Well, outside the VMSL 2nd division at least.

The only thing Heskey and Murzyn have in common is the fact they're both massive black men.

 

[zenga]

Don't know if it was posted but due to an injury Man City Keeper David Seaman has retired and now City have apparently bought David James!