Football News: Review Of The Day 15th October 2018
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Review of the Day
Holland Lose van Dijk
Another Liverpool player has been sent home from international duty with an injury following the muscle strain suffered by Mohamed Salah on Egypt duty. Netherlands defender Virgil van Dijk has been ruled out of the friendly with Belgium on Tuesday as the centre back is still suffering with the rib injury he picked up in the Premier League win over Southampton back in September.
Prem Started Too Early
England manager Gareth Southgate has stated that he believes that Premier League players are suffering because the season started "so early". This season began just 26 days after the World Cup final. Southgate told a press conference: "A lot of teams haven't started yet at the level when they are at their maximum and there are a lot of injuries across our league. I don't really understand why our league started so early, but it did. It was a really difficult situation for the clubs. Look at Tottenham, who had so many players in the semi-finals of the World Cup. It is an impossible situation for the coaches. I hadn't looked into when the season started until we got back. Maybe they were expecting us to be back by the end of June. It's always easy to make a comment like that and not know the complex scenario the decision-makers had to go through, because that happens to me quite a lot."
Koscielny Criticises Deschamps On His International Retirement
Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny has announced his retirement from international duty with a statement criticising his French international manager Didier Deschamps. His announcement was confirmation of one he made last year, that he intended to retire from international football after the World Cup. Koscielny missed the World Cup through injury but said he is not going to change his mind. Koscielny said: "It feels like a hit on the back of the head. When you are in good form, you have lots of friends. When you are injured... after a certain period of time, you are forgotten about. He [Deschamps] called me once for my birthday in September. Otherwise, no. Lots of people disappointed me. Not only the coach. The injury is one thing, the victory of the World Cup is another. I think the victory certainly made me much more psychologically hurt than my injury. I think I gave the France team what I could. For me, my injury has not changed anything. The Blues are over, after that, I will always be a supporter of the French team but what is certain is that I will not put on the blue jersey. I have a new state of mind, there will be the Laurent before and the Laurent after injury. I want to continue to Arsenal, I want to return quickly. I want to fight."
Keane Sorts Arter Row
Harry Arter admits his return to the Republic of Ireland squad happened because he and Roy Keane sorted out their differences. Arter had dropped out of Irish reckoning after Keane went on an expletive-laden rant when the Cardiff City midfielder missed a couple of training sessions for treatment on an injury. Arter said: "Roy and I have sorted it out and that's all that matters. There's no denying it [what happened hurt] and I just felt the best thing to do at the time was to stay away. There's no point beating around the bush and making out it was for any other reason. At the time I felt the best thing for myself and for my team-mates, was not being part of the group. We've patched it up now and all I know is I am comfortable to come back here and try and play as well as I can. I've never not wanted to come away. I've never wanted to miss games through injury, that's not in my make-up to do that. It was just a chat on the phone with Roy, but it was a good conversation, obviously, because I came back and that's it. The conversation with Roy stays between me and Roy. It was good to speak to him and I put things to bed. What was said stays between us. I never needed an apology, I never wanted a sorry, I never wanted anything like that, I wasn't in a position to do that, to be honest with you. It was more just, can we put this to bed for the sake of the team more than anyone. The lads have all backed me for what I have done. I get on really well with all the lads, there has been no problem with any of my team-mates. I think the lads understood what happened and they are professional enough, they need to understand that everyone is different in football, everyone has different opinions in certain circumstances."
The Voice Of Football Italia Passes Away
Peter Brackley, the former football commentator has passed away aged 67. Brackley is best known as the commentator on Channel 4's Football Italia in the 1990s, but was also an impressionist who provided the voices for a number of Spitting Image puppets and featured on Saint and Greavsie. In the last few years he has been working for Albion in the Community and providing the commentary for Pro Evolution Soccer. He has also worked for ITV and Sky Sports.
Lukaku Hopes Serie A Move Will Happen
After spending his entire time while an Everton player talking up a move elsewhere while on international duty, Manchester United's Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku has started doing it again. Lukaku was asked whether he would be open to a move to Serie A and said: "Why not? I hope it happens." He continued by talking up Juventus: "Juve have a great project in place and they just keep going. Every year they try to get stronger. Without doubt, Juve are one of the two-three best teams in Europe. They've got a great coach on the bench and extraordinary players in every area of the team. Cristiano Ronaldo stands out, but watch out for the others too. Paulo Dybala is already impressive and getting stronger, while I love Douglas Costa. He's an exceptional signing and his career shows he always makes the difference."
Bailey Backtracks On Jamaica
Bayer Leverkusen's star winger Leon Bailey was set to make his long-awaited bow for Jamaica after a tug of war over his international future, when he made a last-minute u-turn. Bailey said: "Obviously, I came to Jamaica because of the international call-up. I did agree to come based on the agreement we had. But when I got here, it was a totally different scenario. They didn't keep their end (of the deal), therefore, I decided not to play this game. I am here for one reason: to represent the country. But they didn't keep their end. Once they are willing to do that, I am ready to put on the national team jersey." It is believed that Bailey was upset that younger brother Kyle Butler was not given a promised call-up, instead being made to undergo a trial.
Written by Tris Burke October 15 2018 06:28:11
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