Tuesday Football
09 October 2007
by Jerrad Peters
MICHAEL Owen will participate in England's upcoming EURO 2008 qualifiers against Estonia and Russia, even if it means defying Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce. Owen, who underwent a minor stomach operation in Germany last week, has made a quick return to the Toon lineup and scored the match-winner against Everton at the weekend. "I'll listen to the surgeon and not anyone else," stated the 28-year-old striker, yesterday. "Could I play against Estonia? I don't see why not." Allardyce has warned England boss Steve McClaren against returning Owen to Tyneside with another injury. Big Sam believes that his star forward's nagging fitness concerns have been brought about by the strain of international duty. Owen, however, has vehemently denied his manager's assertion, remarking that he had played through significant pain well in advance of Septembers qualifiers against Israel and Russia.
Ajax chairman Martin van Geel is accusing Chelsea of tapping-up former manager Henk ten Cate. Van Geel believes the London club to have contacted the Ajax coach at least a week before requesting formal permission from the Amsterdam outfit. And with Ajax having crashed-out of the UEFA Cup on Thursday, he is adamant that ten Cate's situation was a distraction to his players. "You can't prove it had an influence on results," stated van Geel, "but it was the talk in the dressing room." Chelsea has reportedly paid 650,000-pounds in compensation to Ajax. "We didn't want to work with a coach who had his mind at Chelsea," concluded van Geel.
There is a school of thought which believes ten Cate to be just the first of many Dutch arrivals at Stamford Bridge in the coming months. Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, in his pursuit of flowing, attractive football, has tabbed not only ten Cate, but will make an offer to Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard before the end of the season as well. Abramovich believes that an all-Dutch tandem of Rijkaard and ten Cate would deliver the style of football he so desperately craves. Ajax striker Klaas Jan-Huntelaar is also expected to follow ten Cate to London. The 24-year-old has long been linked with moves to Manchester United and Liverpool; but with his former manager taking the Chelsea job, it is believed that he would be more inclinded to approve a transfer to Stamford Bridge. Jan-Huntelaar is valued at approximately 20M-pounds.
Micah Richards has revealed a desire to play for Arsenal. The 19-year-old Manchester City and England full-back supported the Gunners as a child and was a keen admirer of Ian Wright and Patrick Vieira. "If the opportunity came to play for them one day," he said, "I'd take it." Richards is currently embroiled in a contract stalemate with City. While the two sides are agreed on monetary terms, City persist in refusing to grant Richards an escape-clause in the deal.
Neil Warnock is about to become the highest-paid manager in the Championship. Crystal Palace will sign the former Sheffield United boss on a three-year agreement at 1.5M-pounds within the next few days. Palace sacked Peter Taylor after an extended run of poor form saw the Eagles sitting 19th in the second tier of English football. Palace owner Simon Jordan, celebrating his 40th birthday this weekend, included Warnock on the guest-list. Taylor, in an amusing twist, refused to attend the festivities after seeing his replacement's name on the sheet.
Arsenal are set to pip Manchester United to the signature of Miguel Veloso. The Sporting Lisbon phenom is one of Europe's most highly-rated defenders. A natural left-back, he can also play in the centre of defense and in any midfield position. Sir Alex Ferguson, having already poached Nani and Cristiano Ronaldo from Sporting, was believed to be first in line for Veloso. But Arsene Wenger, having been awarded a handsome transfer kitty from the Arsenal board, is prepared to pay upwards of 20M-pounds for the youngster.
Dinamo Kiev manager Josef Subo on the influence of WAGs in football: "In a short time they have made very good progress because I have taken them away from their women, their wives. Women in football are a scourge.
The draw for the Group Phase of the UEFA Cup was made, yesterday, dividing 40-clubs into eight brackets of five.
Group A: AZ Alkmaar, Zenit St. Petersburg, Everton, Nurnberg, Larissa
Group B: Panathinaikos, Lokomotiv Moscow, Atletico Madrid, FC Copenhagen, Aberdeen
Group C: Villarreal, AEK Athens, Fiorentina, Mlada Boleslav, IF Elfsborg
Group D: Basle, Hamburg, Rennes, Dynamo Zagreb, SK Brann
Group E: Bayer Leverkusen, Sparta Prague, Spartak Moscow, Toulouse, FC Zurich
Group F: Bayern Munich, Bolton Wanderers, Braga, Crvena Zvezda, Aris Salonika
Group G: Anderlecht, Tottenham Hotspur, Getafe, Hapoel Tel-Aviv, AaB
Group H: Bordeaux, FK Austria Magna, Galatasaray, Panionios, Helsingborgs
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