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Monday Football
03 December2007
by Jerrad Peters

JOSE Mourinho's media liason confirmed that the former Chelsea manager would consider the vacant England job if the Football Association was to come calling. "It would be something he'd consider," stated Eladio Parames. "If he's approached, he'll reply." The FA, meanwhile, is believed to be worried that the 44-year-old is using them as leverage in order to land a high-profile position at Barcelona. With the Catalan giants falling off the pace in La Liga, current boss Frank Rijkaard is under the gun and may get the sack at the end of the current season. Ronaldinho is also thought to be on his way out of the Nou Camp. In any case, the situation is tenuous enough that Mourinho may wish to bide his time before making any decision regarding his immediate future. Nonetheless, he is flattered to be among the candidates to replace Steve McClaren. "It would be an honor," commented Parames. "Jose likes English football, the English people, the country, the players. And while Parames admits that his boss has yet to hear from Soho Square, varying reports have the FA prepared to offer Mourinho a wage packet of approximately 6M-pounds per-year.

Violence and hooliganism tainted another match in Serbia over the weekend. Prior to Red Star Belgrade's 1-1 draw at home to Hajduk Kula in a first division contest, a gang of Red Star supporters accosted and assaulted a plain-clothes police officer outside Stadion Crvena Zvezda in the Serbian capital. After firing a series of warning shots into the air with a pistol, the officer was swarmed by the mobsters and pelted with burning flares. Riot police intervened to save the officer's life; although he was rushed to hospital in critical condition.

The sprawling, industrial suburbs to the south of Buenos Aires celebrated an Argentine football triumph, yesterday. Diminutive Lanus, by virtue of a 1-1 draw away to Boca Juniors, claimed the club's first title in its 92-year-history by securing the Apertura in the 19th and final round of winter competition. El Granate went ahead through Jose Sand in the first half; although Martin Palermo pulled the hosts level shortly after the hour-mark. The draw was enough to claim the trophy, however, as runners-up Tigre fell 1-0 at fourth-place Argentinos Juniors. Boca, with 31-points, finished in third-place. Sand, meanwhile, carried Lanus to the championship. The 27-year-old journeyman striker scored 15-goals in 15-appearances for the club over the course of the Apertura.

Coventry City are teetering on the brink of administration. With debts approaching 38M-pounds, chairman Joe Elliot has given prospective buyer Ray Ranson a ten-day window in which to finalize his purchase of the football club. Administration, or Company Voluntary Arrangement, would cost the Sky Blues 10-points in the Championship table. The scenario would, however, buy the club whatever time it requires in order for the Ranson deal to be completed. Ranson and his Sisu Capital consortium have already pledged to pay-off the club's creditors. "We are doing all we can to act in the best interest of the club and to get this deal done," said Elliot. "This is merely a legal process protecting the bank and its creditors and should speed up the potential takeover of the club and therefore take Coventry City into a solvent financial situation." Currently 14th-place in the Championship with 25-points from 19-matches, administration would see Coventry fall to joint bottom of the standings with Preston and Norwich.

Tottenham Hotspur are just the latest English club to be linked with a foreign takeover. At least two parties have expressed interest in the London club and at least one, that of billionaire oil tycoon Vagit Alekperov, could be ready to make an announcement to the London Stock Exchange by mid-December. Alekperov, 57, is the president of Russian-based gasoline giant Lukoil. Another, unnamed consortium -- believed to be based in Asia -- is also thought to be in the mix. Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is currently the club's largest shareholder and may be hard-pressed to sell his interest; although his business partner and number-two stakeholder, Joe Lewis, is believed to be ready to sell his stake. In the 2006-2007 season, Spurs posted a club-record operating profit of 32M-pounds.