Football News: Cahill Earns Lots Of Vision In China, Chelsea Fan Arrested During Man City FA Cup match and More
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1. Cahill stays in China
Obviously Hangzhou Greentown have lots of 'vision' as Tim Cahill has chosen to join the Chinese Super League outfit, after turning down a move to the A-League after they failed to meet his wage demands due to a lack of vision. The former Everton man was released by Shanghai Shenhua last week, but has now joined Hangzhou on a 6 month deal. "Thank you to Hangzhou Greentown for this amazing opportunity," Cahill posted on social media. "I'm very happy to be back playing football. The future now is clear, I want to put all my energy into Hangzhou Greentown and the Socceroos. It's been a difficult and challenging week however I'm very happy with the way this has all worked out." Hangzhou finished 11th in the CSL last season, but are hoping the veteran, who scored 11 goals in 28 appearances for Shanghai, will help fire them up the table. "Welcome, Tim Cahill! The Australian international officially joined the football club Hangzhou Greentown for six months," the club posted on their official website. "As the club's main foreign import, looking forward to seeing a good performance from Cahill in the Chinese Super League."
2. Aubameyang almost joined Toon
Borussia Dortmund's Gabon forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has admitted he nearly signed for Newcastle United in 2013, but chose to join Dortmund instead as they had reached the Champions League final in the previous season. The striker revealed that he had previously rejected a mega-money from Qatar. "I received an offer from Qatar of €10m per year. If I accepted, my family would be set up for life," Aubameyang told French Newspaper L'Equipe. "We chose to stay at Saint Etienne, where I got €70k per month, knowing that, given my qualities, I could earn money tomorrow. The following season, Saint-Etienne wanted to send me to Newcastle. We opted for Dortmund, finalist in the Champions League, because my father studied Klopp's game, even though the pay was lower."
3. Feyenoord fans detained by the police after protest
A number of Feyenoord fans, estimated to be about a thousand, were demonstrating against the club's management after the side slipped to seventh in the Eredivisie amidst a seven game losing streak. Hundreds were rounded up and detained by the police. "Due to brawls, the whole group is being brought to the police station," police said, without providing an estimate of the number detained. Many of the supporters carried cardboard moving boxes to symbolise the need for the Rotterdam club's general director Eric Gudde to leave.
4. Chelsea fan arrested for throwing a lighter
A number of objects were thrown onto the pitch as Manchester City players celebrated their equaliser in a 5-1 defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup. Police have confirmed that one man was arrested for throwing a lighter onto the pitch as they continue to make enquiries to find other culprits. "The man was arrested for throwing a lighter onto the pitch and he currently remains in custody pending further enquires," police said in a statement. "Officers continue to carry out enquires into incidents of coin throwing." Chelsea condemned the fans who threw items, and warned they will be banned for life: "We condemn such idiotic and dangerous behavior," Chelsea's head of communications, Steve Atkins, said. "If we can identify those responsible, then we will ban them from Stamford Bridge. It is worth noting it is a criminal offense, too. We will support any police prosecution if we can identify, along with the police, the individuals responsible for their behavior today." Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink also hit out at the fans responsible: "I was aware. I can easily say 'no, I am not aware' - but I was aware," Hiddink said. "I like to always face the facts. There were coins thrown to the Man City players in their celebration. We condemn it, I condemn it strongly and Chelsea, I think they will react. Those people, they must not come into stadiums."
5. Forrest rejects Celtic contract
24 year old Scotland winger James Forrest has rejected a new contract with Celtic, according to the Glasgow side's manager Ronny Deila. His contract runs until June, and Deila has suggested that this was the final offer that he turned down. "We made him a very good offer," Deila told The Glasgow Evening Times about a new contract for Forrest. "We offered him a contract and he has turned it down. I am disappointed on a personal level because we want to keep all of our good players at the club. But it has been made clear that he does not want to sign it. It was a good deal, a very good deal, that the club offered him and I don't think that there could be any complaints on his part about it. It was a solid offer from the club. He has told us that he wishes to see what his other options are. He wants to know what else there is. It is disappointing but I think that will be it from us. I cannot see that we will go back to him with another improved deal because to my mind it was a very good offer that the club put to him."
6. Transfer round up
Sergejs Kozans, Bytovia Bytow to Spartaks, free
Reasat Khaton, SG Kaufungen to JK Tammeka, free
Egor Potapov, FK Granitas to FF Jaro, free
Kenan Ragipovic, Mladost Obarska to Mornar bar, undisclosed fee
Gonzalo Ancheta, Walter Ferretti to Huracan, undisclosed fee
Thomas Juel-Nielsen, Sandefjord to Falkenbergs, undisclosed fee
Yunqiu Li, Beijing Guoan to Shanghai Shenhua, undisclosed fee
Eddie Hernandez, CD Motagua to Qingdao Jonoon, on loan
Nikita Medvedev, Zenit Izhevsk to Rostov, undisclosed fee
Calvin Jong-A-Pin, unattached to Machida Zelvia
Sergiu Homei, unattached to FC Clinceni
Hassoma Bino Bamba, unattached to FF Jaro
Quentin Albrecht, unattached to TeBe Berlin
7. Former FIFA official gets ban extended
A former member of FIFA's executive committee, Worawi Makudi, who was on the committee in 2010 when it awarded the 2018 World Cup to Russia and 2022 World Cup to Qatar, has had his initial suspension extended for a further 90 days. Makudi, who was being investigated over alleged misconduct, has also been fined 3,000 Swiss francs. "The Disciplinary Committee found that he was still involved in FAT affairs during this period ... and has therefore decided to ban him from taking part in any kind of football-related activity at national and international level for a period of three months," said Fifa in a statement. The details of his alleged misconduct have not been revealed.
8. Bolton given 14 days to complete takeover
Financially-stricken English Championship club Bolton Wanderers have been granted an extra 14 days to conclude a takeover deal with a consortium fronted by former Bolton player Dean Holdsworth. The Sports Shield Consortium have two weeks to complete the deal after the high court adjourned its hearing into unpaid tax until 7th March. The current owner, Eddie Davies, has left the club in a mess, even selling the training ground to Wigan Athletic last week to keep the club afloat until the takeover can go through. A club statement read: "Bolton Wanderers can announce that the club has today been given an adjournment of 14 days by the high court in order to conclude a deal with the Sports Shield consortium in taking ownership of the club. The club were represented by Trevor Birch and board member Richard Gee at the hearing in London on Monday." Birch, an adviser to the Bolton board, said: "Whilst this continues to be a challenging time for everyone associated with the club, we are confident that this adjournment will give us the necessary time to conclude a transfer of ownership of the club, subject to approval from the Football League."
9. Faubert ends trial with St Johnstone
Former West Ham United full back Julien Faubert, who is probably Real Madrid's most surprising signing ever, has become the second player to cut short a trial spell with St Johnstone in the last few days. Nigerian defender Daniel Adejo left after receiving an offer from elsewhere, having been available on a free since being released by Kallon in January. Faubert had left Bordeaux in the summer and had impressed staff at the Saints, but had other offers, which he chose to leave and pursue. St Johnstone do have centre back Plamen Krachuno still on trial.
10. Bruma signs PSV contract extension
Netherlands international defender Jeffrey Bruma has signed a one year contract extension which ties him to Eredivisie side PSV Eindhoven until 2018. The 24 year old joined PSV from Chelsea in 2013 and has become a central figure in the team with over 100 appearances already under his belt. "It is clear that we have a mutual confidence in each other," Bruma said on www.psv.nl. "This is my third season. On my arrival we expressed goals together. They are all true so far. We have become champions and I have become an international. With this new contract I'm showing that I'm happy here."
Written by Tris Burke February 22 2016 15:13:07