AHEAD OF THE GAME
Alpha mail. The only truly useful football e-mail
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Wednesday, October 31, 2007. 1600 BST
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The news in 60 seconds
ENGLAND'S 2018 AMBITIONS
The FA has announced that it will bid to host the 2018 World Cup finals (and not just because it's the only way we will qualify). Geoff Thompson, the FA chairman, said: "It is very clear that the English football public want to see the World Cup back in this country."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/world_cup/article2779563.ece
LOADS OF MONEY
At least we know the governing body can afford it. Brian Barwick has announced the FA is in its "strongest-ever financial position" after sealing a new overseas TV deal worth £145 million for the FA Cup and England home games. That's more than David Beckham earns for sitting by his pool in LA.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article2779543.ece
KOEMAN TO VALENCIA
The Special One will not be making an early return to Chelsea next month after Valencia confirmed Ronald Koeman as their new manager. Jose Mourinho had been tipped for the job but, provided the Spanish club can agree compensation with PSV Eindhoven, Koeman will take them to Stamford Bridge in the Champions League in December.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article2779631.ece
HENRY WANTS TIME
Thierry Henry says it will take time to get used to a team that doesn't respond to his every Gallic shrug. Barcelona play as a team and don't just pass the ball to him all the time, which makes it really tough. And he's not making excuses, but there are lots of fouls, too.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article2778827.ece
HOME NATIONS
David Will, who spent 17 years as a Fifa vice-president, has warned England against fielding a Great Britain team because it could threaten the separate identities of the national associations. Great Britain could field a team of England players instead or, if they want to win, the Scotland team.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article2779591.ece
IPSWICH TAKEOVER
The Tractor Boys should be able to stretch to a new combine harvester after agreeing to a £44 million takeover. Marcus Evans, a businessman, will purchase the Fizzy-Pop Championship club's £32 million debt as well as investing £12 million through the issue of new shares.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article2777779.ece
RETURN OF 'GOD'
Robbie Fowler returns to Anfield tonight for the first time since he became a Cardiff City player and The Bearded One has started trying to pre-empt a match-winning performance. "He was good enough to play in the Premier League last season and for me he's still good enough," Benitez said.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article2774274.ece
NO GILBERTO RIFT
Arsene Wenger has rubbished stories saying Gilberto had refused to play in the Carling Cup this evening. He says the suggestion is "disrespectful to a great professional like Gilberto", something he's never said about Jens Lehmann after similar stories.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/arsenal/article2773873.ece
MISSING PERSON
Birmingham City have confirmed that the 15-year-old brother of Wilson Palacios, the club's Honduras midfield player, has been abducted.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/birmingham/article2775255.ece
VAMOS RAMOS
Juande Ramos has taken a leaf out of the book of Gerry Francis, Christian Gross, George Graham, Glenn Hoddle, Jacques Santini, Martin Jol and every other manager since Bill Nicholson by promising to restore the style to Tottenham Hotspur. Daniel Levy took a leaf out of Osama Bin Laden's book by hiding in a bunker out of the range of the snipers.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/tottenham/article2774370.ece
IT SPELLS TROUBLE
Martin Samuel says Hallowe'en is the perfect day to discuss "a witches' brew of betrayal, skulduggery, deceit and double-talk". He stirs the cauldron, looks into his crystal ball and predicts that Spurs and Ramos are a marriage made in Hell.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/martin_samuel/article2774397.ece
LIVE MATCH TRACKER
Keep up to date with all tonight's Carling Cup action with our live match tracker, including teams and goal updates.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/live_match_tracker/
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>>>>>FANTASY FOOTBALL WITH BRAINS<<<<<
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* http://www.timesonline.co.uk/playthegame
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If you've got another couple of minutes
PAY SLIP-UP
Ahead of the Game doesn't want John Arne Riise coming after it with that hefty left foot of his, but the ginger ringer has given us £82,413.67 reasons to mock him after a copy of his wage slip popped into our (and almost everyone else's) inbox. Admittedly, we'd be pretty unhappy if our payslip made it on to the web - complete with our home address - but then we've probably got more reason to be ashamed of what we earn (trust us, the only thing poorer than the jokes in this e-mail is the person who writes them).
And it's not like Riise can be accused of dodging tax (like opposition players try to duck his free kicks). He pays £55,000 a month into Her Majesty's coffers, which means he has single-handedly resurfaced most of the roads in Merseyside and paid for 12 schools and 18 hospitals to be rebuilt.
But of more interest to Liverpool fans will be his Brucie bonuses. If anyone is wondering why Liverpool perform better in the Champions League than they do in the league - OK, maybe not this year, but this is dated 2006 - look no farther than the fact that he picked up a paltry £250 as a "points bonus" but earned a whopping £15,000 salary increase just for being in the Champions League (we think). He also picked up a £4,000 appearance windfall.
But it's not all take, take, take. He had a £65 meal deduction and £36 taken out for tickets.
RIDSDALE RUBBISH
And time for our latest abridged extract from the serialisation of Peter Ridsdale's Teflon tome. The former Leeds United spendthrift has sensationally revealed that he was offered a bung but turned it down because he's cleaner than a bottle of Domestos. He would have pocketed £300k from the deal but decided he didn't need ... sorry, want ... the ill-gotten gains. "I've never taken a bung and I'm now going to report this to my board," he tells us he said before riding off on his white charger to save the club from the apocalypse.
"Rids" also makes the shocking revelation that he had a deal for leaping leprechaun Martin O'Neill to become the club's manager - but like everything good in the world - the deal went swishing down the pan with his resignation. "You see, if I was still there we would still be leasing players and goldfish, running up debts, paying half of Robbie Fowler's wages and living the dream," he so clearly wants to write. Ridsdale also sensationally reveals that Deadly Doug Ellis is a better businessman than he is and that Eric Cantona has a bit of a temper on him.
In tomorrow's breathtaking sidestep he will admit that Leeds had a bit of financial trouble, but it was nothing to worry about and it was someone else's fault anyway.
HIGH JINKS
It seems that it's not just Corrie's Mike Baldwin who likes the night life in South East Asia. South Korean officials are investigating allegations that Lee Dong Gook, the Middlesbrough forward, was one of four players involved in late-night revelry during the Asian Cup in July. Captain Lee Woon Jae defied a curfew to go out drinking with friends in Jakarta two days before a 2-1 defeat by Bahrain left the team bottom of their group. The day after the match, Dong Gook, Kim Sang Sik and Woo Sung Yong drank until the early hours at a "karaoke bar" with "female bar employees". Woon Jae has given a tearful apology. "As captain, it is my responsibility, the other players did nothing wrong," he said. Just so long as he wasn't stingy.
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£824
That's how much it would have cost Joey Chestnut if he'd tried to set his burger eating record at Wembley. He ate 103 of the fellas in eight minutes, although we suspect that they weren't made with the finest ciabatta ... Razor Ruddock is no doubt gutted to have lost his record.
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A quickie before you go, sir?
CARLTON GOALS
Just because Carlton Cole is starting to score goals like he used to for Chelsea's under-9s, it doesn't mean we can't mock him. This video of the reborn West Ham forward is more embarrassing than his stint at Charlton. He says he'll become a DJ if football doesn't work out, which is looking less likely now than it did five days ago. In any case, this clip helps explain what he's been doing all these years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzRKze-Klc0
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>>>>>THE TUB-THUMPING TABLOID CAMPAIGN<<<<<
ENGLAND STAR TERRY BACKS TROOPS - The Sun
What you need to know: 1) England skipper John Terry yesterday threw his weight behind The Sun's Help For Heroes appeal. 2) Captain Courageous is no stranger to putting his body on the line (or his head in the line of Abou Diaby's size 9s) and says that he is "honoured" to support Britain's forces. 3) He has even folded his arms like Superman and donned the appeal's wrist band to pose for a photo.
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In TheGame
Martin Samuel , our Chief Football Correspondent, has been rummaging through his postbag to answer the best (and worst of your comments)
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2007/10/the-debate-ma-3.html
The Roed to Hell? After Glenn Roeder was appointed Norwich manager, Tom Dart crunches the numbers and wonders why clubs plump for experience over youth.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2007/10/taking-the-old-.html
On this week's Game Podcast , Guillem Balague offers his unique insight into Juande Ramos, a man he knows well, while Tim Sherwood gives his view on the shambles at his old club. Bill Edgar weighs in with a Michael Owen stat that may not please his legion of fans, while Alyson Rudd steps up gamely for some Quick Hits...
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2007/10/rijkaard-parlou.html
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>>>>>THE RIVALS<<<<<
* I was offered £300k bung - Ridsdale names and shames agent - The Sun
* Beckenbauer brands England a "lifeless school team" - The Daily Telegraph
* Where is Levy? Spurs chief goes missing from Ramos's unveiling party - Daily Mirror
* Desperate Dan ducks out: Levy leaves sidekick to take flak - Daily Mail
* NBA's biggest star shows interest in Spurs - The Guardian
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Tomorrow's news today
- All the goals and ghouls from the Carling Cup matches on Hallowe'en
- Fear and loathing: Tony Cascarino explains why he'd never want to be a football manager
And expect...
To discover the name of a small archipelago somewhere near the equator when the intrepid Arsenal scouts throw up another teen star you've never heard of in the Carling Cup
Spread the word. It's like pyramid selling but without the hassle. Click on the following link if you (or your friends) want to subscribe to this newsletter:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article2187217.ece
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