Football News: Review Of The Day 7th March 2019
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Review of the Day
Contracts
Will Vaulks' Rotherham United contract has been extended by a year until 2020. The 25 year old would have been out of contract in the summer but the Millers took up a club option in his contract. They are now hoping to tie him to the club with a longer deal.
Transfers
LA Galaxy have added midfielder Joe Corona from Club Tijuana to their roster. Sounds more like the addition of a new beer to a bar's draught line-up than it does a player transfer!
Also in MLS, FC Cincinnati have taken Kenny Saief on loan from RSC Anderlecht.
FA Begins Steel Derby Investigation
The Football Association are looking in to the Sheffield derby between Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United after the referee made not in his report of a coin and bottle being thrown at United defender Jack O'Connell during the goalless draw on Monday. They have not mentioned whether the investigation will also look in to the criticisms of the local South Yorkshire Police's handling of the crowd and whether more could have been done to stop the clashes which happened after the game.
Berahino To Face Drink Driving Trial
Stoke City forward Saido Berahino's attempt at 'footballer's most ludicrous excuse of the year' award was not enough to see him escape trial. The 25 year old Burundi international was stopped in London's West End and claimed he had been escaping armed robbers and that items had been stolen from him just before he was stopped. Berahino, who was almost 3 times over the legal alcohol limit when stopped, also picked up a parking ticket while at the hearing. Met Police are investigating the alleged robbery, though no arrests have yet been made.
Villa Reveal Losses
Birmingham-based Championship club Aston Villa have released their accounting figures for the 2017/18 season and they do not make good reading for fans. While admitting that complying with FFP regulations will continue to provide a significant challenge to the club going forward (not like they could have easily avoided breaking them by not paying ex-Premier League stars huge wages or anything), the accounts revealed pre-tax losses of £36.1m for the year. Losses were up more than £21.5m on the previous year, but still less than they lost in their relegation season. The figures show that the club would have lost over £52m but for players sales. Last season wages rose at the club, despite them offloading more of their Premier League flops, by £11.6m, even with reduction in overall staff numbers by around a quarter.
Bolton Game Gets Go Ahead
The local council have issued Bolton Wanderers a safety certificate for their home match with Millwall at the weekend after fears the game would need to be cancelled due to a lack of stewards, who have yet to be paid this month. Owner Ken Anderson has claimed all unpaid bills and salaries are set to be paid and that he expects a takeover to happen this week. Anderson's statement on the club website said: "I have decided to continue to financially support the club until someone else comes in and have today (Wednesday) told payroll to process the staff salaries and to pay any amounts due to the police and others to ensure that the Millwall fixture and future games go ahead."
Adebayor In Togo Squad
Togo coach Claude Le Roy has included veteran former Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur striker Emmanuel Adebayor in his squad for the must-win African Cup of Nations qualifier against Benin. Only a win would give Togo qualification for the tournament, which is to be held in Egypt in June.
Togo squad:
Goalkeepers: Bassa-Djeri (Cotton Sports, Cameroon), Barcola Malcolm (Lyon, France), Ogodjo Idrissa (DC Motema Pembe, DR Congo)
Defenders: Djene Dakonam (Getafe, Spain), Steve Lawson (Livingston, Scotland), Wilson Akapkpo (Al Shoulsa, Saudi Arabia), Gbegnon Simon (Beziers, France), Ouro-Sama Hakim (Lille, France), Akoro Bilal (As Otr, Togo), Kouloun Maklibè (Dyto, Togo), Djoyagbo Kodjovi (As Otr, Togo)
Midfielders: Floyd Ayite (Fulham, England), Dossevi Mathieu (Toulouse, France), Boukari Razak (Chateauroux, France), Romao Alaixys (Reims, France), Atchou Franco (Fremad, Denmark), Bebou Ihlas (Hanover, Germany), Sunu Gilles (BB Urzumspor, Turkey)
Forwards: Mlapa Peniel (VV Venlo, Netherlands), Fodoh Laba (Rsb Berkane, Morocco), Denkey Kevin (Beziers, France,) Adebayor Emmanuel (Istanbul BB, Turkey).
How many of you others noticed one particular name in the strikers listed and thought 'that's an unfortunate name for a footballer'? Or is it just me that had to look more than once before they realised it was Denkey not Donkey?
Jackson Statue Removed From National Football Museum
The Michael Jackson statue that Mohamed Al Fayed bizarrely had erected outside Fulham's ground when he was the owner has now been removed from display by the National Football Museum. When Fulham's current owner Shahid Khan took over at the Cottagers, he had the statue removed and it has been on display at the National Football Museum in Manchester since then, just as bizarrely. The National Football Museum claim it is not as a result of fresh sexual allegations the deceased singer has been accused of, but just an attempt to refresh the display.
Howe Gets Freedom
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has been awarded the 'Freedom of the Borough' award by the local council, the last act it undertook before it is merged with neighbouring councils. The award entitles Howe to be addressed as 'Mr Freeman' and to a reserved seat at council meetings and church services. All of which I am sure he will be rushing to employ on a regular basis.
Beardsley Given Newcastle Chop
Newcastle United have said that former England international Peter Beardsley is no longer employed by the club. Beardsley, who played for both Manchester and Liverpool sides in a distinguished and highly successful playing career, had been suspended on full pay for a year while he was investigated over allegations of bullying, but the club have made no effort to resolve the situation. Newcastle have made no reference to the allegations or the internal investigation that was (according to the club anyway) ongoing to determine the truth or otherwise of the multiple claims of racism and bullying Beardsley had been accused of.
Poch Gets Touchline Ban
Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has been given a two-match touchline ban and £10,000 fine for his after-match confrontation with Mike Dean following Spurs' Spursy defeat at the hands of Burnley. Pochettino admitted his guilt and made a public apology afterwards.
Stam To Take Feyenoord Role
Former Manchester United defender Jaap Stam is to take over as Feyenoord manager in the summer. Stam is currently head coach of PEC Zwolle following his sacking by Reading a year ago. Current Feyenoord boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst, the former Rangers and Arsenal player, had announced back in January that he would leave at the end of the current season.
Madrid Suffer Another Injury Blow
Real Madrid have lost another player to injury after teenage starlet Vinicius Jr was ruled out for 2 months following an ankle ligament tear in his right ankle ("torn ligament of the tibiofibular joint in the right leg"). The 18 year old, who has been the one bright light of their season, suffered the injury during the 4-1 defeat to Ajax which knocked them out of the Champions League.
Muller Upset Over Germany Announcement
Bayern Munich's World Cup winning former Germany international Thomas Muller has admitted that he is "puzzled" and "angry" with Joachim Low's decision to remove him from future selection for the national team. Germany's head coach Low publicly announced yesterday that Muller, along with Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels, would not even come under consideration for selection again. Boateng and Hummels are 30 years old, while Muller is 29, and all three are playing at the highest level for their club sides on a regular basis. Muller said on social media: "The more I think about it, the more the way it was done, makes me angry. The coach's sudden decision obviously left me puzzled. A coach must make sporting decisions, no problem, I do not have a problem with that. But it's mostly the character of the decision that I don't understand. Mats, Jerome and I are still able to play at the highest level. The press releases of the German football federation and its president [Reinhard Grindel], prepared in advance, were from my point of view in bad taste and showed a lack of consideration."
Written by Tris Burke March 07 2019 06:22:32
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