Football News: Review Of The Day 23rd April 2018
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Review of the Day
Zaha Claims There Is An Agenda Against Him
Or should that be: Serial Diver Complains When Refs Ignore His Penalty Claims? Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha is obviously in need of reading 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf', as he must have forgotten the lesson of the story: if you keep making false claims eventually people will stop believing you when you are telling the truth. Now the guy who falls over if someone sneezes in the same room is whining because all those dives that saw him gain an advantage are coming back to bite him on the backside. Zaha said, after saying there is an agenda against him: "I see other players dive, but I don't see people trying to get them banned the way they want to get me banned. I haven't been banned so I'm clearly not diving. It was definitely a penalty. I was so shocked when the ref told me it was a dive. What was funny was after the game - even though it makes no difference - was that he [Mariappa] has actually gone: 'I'll be honest, Wilf, it was actually a pen.' I was happy that he admitted that, even if I got a yellow card when I shouldn't have." Maybe he should take the hint and stop cheating and then he might well get penalties he actually deserves.
Stones To Be Fit For The World Cup
I am not sure whether this is meant to be good news for England or their World Cup opponents, but Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said that John Stones will be fit to play in the World Cup. Stones had been dropped by Guardiola, before an adductor injury kept him out of the side after returning from England duty in March. Guardiola said: "It is getting better. Hopefully he can play the last games and hopefully he can get to the World Cup."
Salah Named Player Of The Year
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has won the lesser PFA Player of the Year award to add to his Football-Rumours Editors award, after scoring 31 goals in 33 Premier League matches. Salah said: "It's an honour and especially as it's voted by the players. I am happy and proud. I didn't have my chance at Chelsea. It was clear I would return and show everyone my football. I think I left and came back a different person, man and player. I am happy and proud." Not that I am suggesting the players followed the editors lead, but Leroy Sane also won the PFA Young Player of the Year award to add to his Football-Rumours Editors award. "I am really honoured to win this award," said Sane. "Thank you to the fans and my team-mates. Congratulations to all the players who played alongside me. They played a good season."
MK Dons Part Company With Micciche
MK Dons and manager Dan Micciche have come to a 'mutual decision' to part ways with just 3 games left in the season and the Milton Keynes club almost certainly set to drop out of League One. Micciche said: "This is a Club that means a lot to me and my family and I put every ounce of effort into the job. Unfortunately, the fine margins have gone against us and it hasn't worked out in the way we would have wanted. I am extremely grateful to the board, staff, players and fans for their tremendous support during my time here. It has been an honour to manage this Football Club and I would love nothing more than to see it get back to where it belongs." Keith Millen will take caretaker charge of the club while a new manager is sought.
Sava Sacked By Gimnasia La Plata
Argentinian club Gimnasia La Plata have sacked their head coach Facundo Sava following a run of five straight defeats. The final straw was a 2-1 defeat at the hand of Atletico Tucuman after leading 1-0 at half-time.
Rose Looks Set To Miss Cup Final
Motherwell midfielder Andy Rose is facing a race against time to be fit for the Scottish Cup final on May 19 after he cracked his collarbone. Rose fell awkwardedly in the 0-0 draw with Ross County at the weekend and X-rays have shown damage to his collarbone that will rule him out of the rest of the league season. Manager Steve Robinson said: "He has a small crack on his collarbone. I really feel for the boy as he now faces a race against time to prove his fitness. I'm not ruling him out completely but it would appear highly unlikely that he will be ready in time for the final."
Hughes 'Disappointed' At Non-Usage Of VAR In FA Cup Semi-Final Defeat
With VAR supposedly available to referees in the FA Cup, Southampton manager Mark Hughes has complained about the decision to chalk off what looked a perfectly good goal by his side, without any referral to VAR. It looked, on the face of it, simply a mistake by Chelsea keeper Willy Caballero, despite the nonsense made up out of thin air to protect his former colleagues by Graham Poll on live TV. While Poll claimed that any contact on the keeper in the air is a foul, the lawbook actually states: "A goalkeeper cannot be challenged by an opponent when in control of the ball with the hands." Unsurprisingly a man who cannot even count to two is wrong about this as well. With Caballero clearly not in control of the ball when Charlie Austin challenged him, it would have been interesting to see how a VAR system ran by an independent body who actually knew the rules, rather than in the hands of the PGMOL who quite clearly struggle with doing anything other than protecting the backs of their members, would have judged it. Hughes said: "There's disappointment because the situation where the goalkeeper's made a wrong decision, basically thrown the ball into the back of his net. If ever there was a situation for VAR to play a hand and step in to review that, I would have thought that was an opportunity. It was a match-defining moment, a key moment. Who knows how the game might have followed from that moment? Why it wasn't referred? I have no idea. Giroud handled from the following corner, another they could have reviewed, but maybe that was a bit too quick for him. We're disappointed with the officials on the day, and whoever it is who sits in a darkened room. We will speak (to the officials). I'm not sure how the process works. Does the referee make an instant decision? Do they tell him?"
N'Zonzi Apologises For Partying After 5-0 Thrashing
Sevilla's Steven N'Zonzi has apologised to the fans after partying following their hammering at the hands of Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final. N'Zonzi said: "I want to apologise to the Sevilla fans. I made a mistake because I went out after the game. It's difficult for everyone, us too. We're not happy with what we did yesterday. People must understand that it's also difficult mentally for a player as we play every three days. For example, I live alone, I'm always alone at home, I go to training, come back, rest, have a siesta, while being always at home... Yesterday I had my family and friends with me and I went out because I think the most important thing is health. If you're in good health, life doesn't go badly for you. Yesterday was difficult for us all, the fans, ourselves, but people must understand. We got to the Final and we'll keep going until the end of the season. I prefer the fans to say I didn't play well over me going out yesterday. People must understand that we have lives too, and it's difficult to stay focused and think only about football. I understand that I made a mistake, and for this I'm sorry to the Sevilla fans. I'm going to keep working hard and fighting on the pitch."
And Finally...
Do footballers earn too much? It does seem so when you realise what Olivier Kapo, while playing for Birmingham City, gifted to the apprentice who cleaned his boots. The apprentice, James McPike, was asked what he would want as a thank you for cleaning the boots during the season. The youngster said he would love a pair of the boots as a souvenir keepsake to remind him. Kapo did not think that was enough of a thank you so he handed the 20 year old the keys to his Mercedes. When McPike pointed out that there was no way he could afford to insure a car like that on his salary, Kapo paid for a year's insurance too.
Written by Tris Burke April 23 2018 07:41:04