England News
November, 2004
Tuesday, 30
November 2004 -
Carling (League) Cup: A last minute winner from Frank Lampard sends Chelsea into
the semi-finals at the expense of Fulha,. League One: Dennis Wise's
Millwall lose to Crewe Alexandra.
Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie has lost his appeal against his sending off
at Manchester City on Saturday and will serve a three-match ban. He was
dismissed after he was adjudged to have feigned a headbutt in the direction of
City defender Danny Mills. The Football Association has also charged
Hendrie with improper conduct for not leaving the pitch immediately.
Hendrie, who starts his suspension immediately, will have his disciplinary
commission hearing on 7 December.
England striker Jermain Defoe
is set to land a new contract at Tottenham Hotspur. The 22-year-old, who
moved to Spurs from West Ham in a five-year, Ł7m deal in January made an
immediate impression by scoring on his debut. And he has continued to
shine in the current campaign, scoring 10 goals in all competitions and one for
England. A Spurs spokeswoman confirmed: "Jermain has done well for us and
for England and we'll look to renegotiate his contract before the season ends."
John Gorman has been unveiled as the new manager of Wycombe Wanderers.
Gillingham chairman Paul Scally had confirmed that caretaker-manager Gorman
had left the club. Gorman was placed in temporary charge last week after Andy Hessenthaler stepped down and led them to victory over Nottingham Forest on
Saturday. Gorman replaces Tony Adams as Wanderers' manager.
Sunday, 28 November 2004 -
The Independent on Sunday reports that Eriksson is unhappy with plans for
England to visit the U.S.A. at the end of the season.
Premiership: Steve McClaren's Middlesbrough lose to Tottenham Hotspur, one
of the Spurs' goals comes from Jermain
Defoe. Primera Liga: David Beckham and Michael Owen were both on
target as Real Madrid thrashed Levante 5-0. Ronaldo converted a Beckham cross to
give Real the lead and Luis Figo added another after a run down the wing.
Ronaldo then beat the offside trap to make it 3-0 before Beckham found the net
with a right-footed stunner from 25 yards. Owen, who came on as a substitute in
the 67th minute, completed the rout after a pass from Guti. Sunday's win leaves
Real seven points behind leaders Barcelona in the table.
The Football Association (FA) says it has no concerns with the new Wembley
Stadium after newspaper reports of structural problems with the roof. The
News of the World claims the opening could be delayed as consultants had been
drafted in to recalculate computer data. But the FA's Nick Barron said the
Ł757m stadium will be completed "on time and on budget". The venue in
north-west London is due to open in 2006 for the FA Cup final. Mr Barron
said the roof - the biggest single span roof in the world - will be put in place
in early 2005. "Despite what is in the papers today the FA has no concerns about
the stadium.
England coach
Sven-Göran Eriksson feels the
Football Association's television deal is one of the reasons why he cannot
experiment with team selection. He said: "I'd like to experiment but it
would be difficult. I'd be criticised from inside and outside the game.
Who would criticise me? The media. Also I think it's down to TV contracts and
things like that, such as money." It is believed that the FA's TV deal
states that England must always select their strongest available side.
Eriksson added that the friendly the England team are scheduled to play every
November - such as the recent match in Spain - would be perfect for trying new
players. "I think friendly games in August and February are very important
as they come before qualifying games in September and March. It's more
difficult to see the importance of the November game though. I'm sure a
young team in November would do very well. I would be happy taking no players
from Champions League or Uefa Cup sides." Players such as
Shaun Wright-Phillips and Stuart Downing may be a given a chance to stake a
claim for a regular place. Eriksson also explained that he would need more
time to prepare his squad immediately prior to the 2006 World Cup - if England
qualify for the tournament. "I hope we can have one week more preparation
next season before we go to the World Cup. Fifa president Sepp Blatter has
spoken about that, so hopefully he is strong enough to bring it in. We
can't have that as well as the winter break but, if we can have one extra week's
rest, then that would be very good."
Former England boss Terry Venables
will not take over as coach of Australian side Newcastle, his agent has
insisted. The club's owner Con Constantine said earlier this month that
Venables, 61, would join them at the end of November.
Defender Sol Campbell expects to sign a new Arsenal deal in the near future and
has denied claims that he wants a move. The 30-year-old's current contract
ends in the summer and Arsenal are desperate not to lose him on a free transfer.
"There is something magical about this club - from the board to the manager, the
players and especially the fans. My contract talks are going well. It's
moving on nice and easy because I'm happy and everything's going right."
Saturday, 27 November 2004 -
Premiership: Two goals from John Terry
gives Chelsea a 5 point lead at the top after beating Charlton Athletic 4-0.
Two goals from Paul Scholes gives Manchester United moves them up to 4th,
beating Bryan Robson's West Bromwich Albion 3-0.
Kevin Keegan's Manchester City beat
Aston Villa with a goal from
Shaun Wright-Phillips in their 2-0 win, Lee Hendrie is sent off for Villa.
Kevin Phillips scores one for Southampton as they draw with Crystal Palace 2-2.
Championship: Joe Royle's Ipswich Town go top following a win over Brighton &
Hove Albion. Steve Coppell's Reading draw with former leaders Wigan
Athletic. Peter Reid's Coventry City lose to Crewe Alexandra and Dennis
Wise's Millwall lose to Burnley. Dion Dublin scores Leicester City's
winner against Plymouth Argyle. League One: Brian Little's Tranmere Rovers
are 2nd following their win over MK Dons. Peter Taylor's Hull City are 3rd after
they beat Brentford. Colin Todd's Bradford City remain 4th despite losing
to Brian Talbot's Oldham Athletic. Roy McFarland's Chesterfield beat
Swindon Town, and Paul Merson's Walsall beat Stockport County. League Two:
Carlton Palmer's Mansfield Town lose to Leyton Orient. SPL: Terry
Butcher's Motherwell beat Dunfermline Athletic.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have denied reports that
Sir Bobby Robson is to be unveiled as
the successor to Dave Jones. Robson reportedly agreed a two-year deal with
the club after originally asking for a five-year contract. But Wolves
chief executive Jez Moxey denied the former Newcastle United boss had agreed
terms. Moxey had earlier said he wants someone "with gravitas and
experience of trophies" to replace Jones, who departed three weeks ago. John
Gregory, Gary Megson and Harry Redknapp have also been linked with the post,
while South Africa's English coach Stuart Baxter was reportedly Wolves' first
choice.
Friday, 26 November 2004 -
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has pledged not to move for Tottenham Hotspur star
Jermain Defoe in the January
transfer window. Mourinho had been linked with a Ł15m bid for Defoe, 22,
but he has reassured Spurs that will not be happening. "It is completely
untrue. Not because I don't like the player, I like him. He is a very good young
player but we are not interested," said the Blues boss.
Former England international Rob Lee has completed his move to League One
side Oldham Athletic. Lee, who has recently been training at Boundary
Park, has signed an initial one-month deal with the Latics. The
38-year-old will be available from next week after completing television
commitments over the weekend. The former Newcastle, Charlton and Derby
midfielder last played a competitive game for West Ham in the FA Cup in
February.
England manager
Sven-Göran Eriksson plans to hold
face-to-face talks with his captain David Beckham to get to the bottom of his
drop in form. The Swede believes Beckham is suffering because Real Madrid
do not play him in his strongest position on the right. "He can do better
if he plays on the right of either a midfield three or four," said Eriksson.
"I can't believe that he's finished as a football player, and he's not. I'm
quite sure about that."
Thursday, 25 November 2004 -
The Football Association has appointed Brian Barwick as its chief executive.
Barwick, who will leave his job as controller of ITV Sport, succeeds Mark Palios,
who left the post in August. The 50-year-old will commence his role on 31
January next year after getting the nod over two other candidates, Richard
Bowker and John Heaton. "It's been a momentous day for me. I'm looking
forward to leading the FA into its next era," said Barwick, who will earn a
reported Ł275,000 a year. FA chairman Geoff Thompson said the appointment
was good news for English football.
Newcastle United booked their place in the knockout phase of the Uefa Cup
after comfortably beating Sochaux 4-0. the first goal coming from
Lee Bowyer. Steve
McClaren's Middlesbrough must wait following defeat at Villareal.
Matthew Upson is willing to
talk to Birmingham City about a new deal, as he played down speculation linking
in him with a move to Barcelona or Newcastle United. "It's just
speculation. It's flattering to be linked with clubs like that but there's
nothing in it," said Upson. "Would I be prepared to sign a new contract?
Yes. I'm in the process t the club have contacted me and want to sit down and
talk. I'm quite willing to go in soon and speak about it."
Wednesday, 24 November 2004 -
UEFA Champions League: Ashley Cole and Sol Campbell survive with 9-man Arsenal,
as they draw with PSV Eindhoven. Chelsea manage a scoreless draw with
Paris St. Germain, Glen Johnson,
Frank Lampard, Scott Parker, Joe
Cole and Wayne Bridge all play
their part. Alan Thompson
and Chris Sutton both feature in Celtic's draw with Barcelona.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have dismissed suggestions that
Sir Bobby Robson is the main contender
to replace Dave Jones as manager. Robson is thought to have applied and
been interviewed for the post, after Jones was sacked three weeks ago.
Hull City's KC Stadium will host the European Championship qualifier
between England U-21 and their German counterparts on Friday 25 March 2005.
It is the third time that the stadium has been nominated for an U-21 match, but
the first with Hull boss Peter Taylor
at the England helm.
Tuesday, 23 November 2004 -
Manchester United marked Sir Alex Ferguson's 1,000th match in charge at Old
Trafford by qualifying for the Champions League knockout phase. United
beat Olympique Lyonais 2-1, with one of the goals from Gary Neville. The
game also featured Alan Smith, Rio Ferdinand,
Wayne Rooney, Paul Scholes and
later on, Wes Brown. Liverpool were beaten 1-0 by AS Monaco. The
game starred Steven Gerrard for the whole match, alongside Jamie Carragher.
David Beckham survived 53 minutes of Real Madrid's draw with Bayer
Leverkusen. Michael Owen remained on the bench.
Owen Hargreaves managed 35
minutes of Bayern Munich's thrashing of Maccabi Tel Aviv, to ensure
qualification into the knock-out phase.
Sunday, 21 November 2004 -
Premiership: A Matt Jansen and
Darren Anderton goal could not separate the sides as Blackburn Rovers and
Birmingham City draw 3-3. Championship: Joe Royle's Ipswich Town lose to
Sunderland and Dennis Wise's Millwall beat West Ham United.
Sven-Göran Eriksson has reassured Wayne Rooney
his England place is safe but has admitted he was livid over the forward's
reaction to his substitution. Rooney refused to shake Alan Smith's hand
after Eriksson hauled him off against Spain before the end of the first half.
Eriksson said: "He'll behave himself in the future - I'm absolutely not worried
about picking him or playing him. If you are substituted and don't agree
with it, you have to do it if [because] you're professional." Eriksson
added: "What I don't like, as I think it's bad for a group, is when one player
comes off and he doesn't wish good luck to the player coming on."
Fifa boss Sepp Blatter has admitted he would have supported England's players if
they had walked off in the face of racial abuse against Spain this week.
"Such a movement I would have understood. I would have supported their walking
off," Blatter said. "We have to maintain discipline and respect on and off
the field. When such a threat is in football in the future I think this
would be a good remedy," he added. "I was shocked and I am still shocked.
I am sad about these new expressions of racism in a stadium that has been a
temple of football and I cannot understand that, and I say in the name of Fifa,
I apologise." Blatter said possible sanctions could include a ban for the
Spanish football team. But he denied that by allowing teams to walk off in
protest at racism Fifa would be stirring up a hornet's nest, with fans of a
losing team striking up abuse to have a game called off. "This would not
be the case. This would be a matter we would never accept. Let's be
confident that by taking steps against such behaviour in the future we can avoid
such situations." The FA's head of media, Adrian Bevington remained non-commital
as to whether the England team might walk off if they are subjected to future
racial abuse. Bevington said: "Certainly it is something the FA in
conjunction with the manager and the team will have to give consideration over
forthcoming months. It's something that we hope we won't have to face in the
future. There are diverse views within the dressing room as to whether
it's best to beat the racists on the field of play or whether the best message
is to walk off. The great thing is that the debate on racism has moved
forward. We have to make that a positive, so we have a higher level of education
and we are not faced by these problems in the future. I don't think it
will be resolved in the next few days - it's something that needs serious
consideration ."
Ashley Cole has called on Spanish coach Luis Aragonés to be sacked in the wake
of the racist abuse in England's 1-0 defeat in Madrid. Cole blamed
Aragonés after earlier comments he made about the defender's club team-mate
Thierry Henry. "Surely the Spanish FA must get rid of him now. To me
it was Aragonés who started everything that happened. So it's surely no surprise
that the fans then behaved as they did. And still their manager has not
condemned it - it's as if he agrees with it. If you don't condemn it then then
you must condone it." Cole clashed with Aragonés on the touchlines during
the game, during which the Arsenal player "pushed him back". "It was
stupid and I shouldn't have done it - but I was furious," said Cole "The way he
looked at me - he had so much anger in his face. He didn't say anything but the
look on his face was evil."
Saturday, 20 November 2004 -
Premiership: Steve McClaren's Liverpool remain 4th after beating Liverpool, who
had Steven Gerrard make an appearance from the sub's bench.
Bryan Robson's West Bromwich Albion draw away at Arsenal. Kevin Keegan's
Manchester City beat Portsmouth, with a goal from
Shaun Wright-Phillips. Paul Scholes
scores Manchester United's second of 2 goals against Charlton Athletic, and a
James Beattie goal could not
prevent Southampton being beaten by Norwich City. Championship: Steve
Coppell's Reading stay 3rd following a defeat to Nottingham Forest. Peter
Reid's Coventry City beat Wolverhampton Wanderers and veteran striker Brian
Deane scores 4 as Leeds United thump Queens Park Rangers 6-1. League One:
Brian Little's Tranmere Rovers beat Blackpool to go 2nd. Colin Todd's
Bradford City beat Brentford to go 3rd. Peter Taylor's Hull City lose to
Swindon Town and drop to 4th. Roy McFarland's Chesterfield draw with
Bournemouth. Brian Talbot's Oldham Athletic beat Barnsley. Paul
Merson's Walsall beat Peterborough United. League Two: Carlton Palmer's
Mansfield Town draw with Boston United. SPL: The Old Firm derby gives
Rangers the edge over Celtic, who have
Alan Thompson and Chris Sutton
sent off, and Terry Butcher's Motherwell beat Hearts. La LIga: Barcelona
trounced Real Madrid 3-0, England captain David Beckham started the match but
endured a miserable evening and was replaced by Michael Owen in the 54th minute.
Arsenal manager Arsené Wenger has revealed Sol Campbell is close to
finally signing a new contract. Campbell is out of contract at the end of
the season but is now poised to agree a four-year deal at Highbury.
Friday, 19 November 2004 -
The Spanish Football Association has sent a letter to its English counterparts
apologising for racist chanting during Wednesday's match. The Spanish FA
also apologised for similar incidents during Tuesday's Under-21 international.
"The FA welcomes the response and now looks forward to receiving details from
Fifa on its investigation initiated on Thursday," said an FA statement.
The FA is awaiting Fifa's reply after sending them a dossier on the abuse.
The Football Association has compiled a dossier for Fifa's investigation into
racist abuse in the friendly in Madrid. The FA has sent a two-page letter
to the world governing body, with a copy to Uefa, detailing the racist chants.
It also highlights the FA's concern at the lack of action so far taken against
Spain manager Luis Aragonés for his pre-match inflammatory remarks. If
racism is proved, the Spanish FA could face a large fine or Spain could even be
handed a five-match ban. A Fifa statement on Thursday said: "We are
concerned about the latest surge of racism and harshly condemn this. (Fifa) will
demand explanations from the Spanish football association." Fifa president
Sepp Blatter said there was, "no room whatsoever for racism or discrimination in
our sport".
Rio Ferdinand has said he was ready to come off the field after Spanish
fans hurled abuse at England's black players in Wednesday's friendly in Madrid.
And Ferdinand said he would have "had no problem at all" walking off with his
team-mates. "I don't think anybody back in England or on the England team
would have blamed us. It is a difficult call for the manager [to bring the
players off], especially when you are losing. But the abuse was disgraceful."
Wayne Rooney has
apologised to his England team-mates over his actions in the 1-0 defeat to
Spain.
Thursday, 18 November 2004 -
The Football Association has denied a claim that England will face France in the
first match at the new Wembley Stadium in March 2006. The French Football
Federation (FFF) insists it has agreed to face England for the curtain-raising
match. But the FA, which is said to be in discussions with a number of national
associations, insist this is premature. "The FA hasn't made any decisions
about the first game to be played at Wembley," said an FA spokesman.
David Beckham will be fit to play for Real Madrid in Saturday's crunch
Primera Liga match at Barcelona. The England skipper was substituted after
59 minutes of England's 1-0 loss to Spain at the Bernabéu on Wednesday. He
left the field holding his side, prompting concerns he could have hurt the ribs
broken against Wales in October's World Cup qualifier. But a spokesperson
for Beckham said: "He'll be fine. There are no problems in him playing 90
minutes in the game."
Jermaine Jenas says the racist
abuse England's black players were subjected to in the friendly against Spain
was the worst he has experienced. And the midfielder says "something has
to be done" after monkey chants were aimed at himself, Ashley Cole and
Shaun Wright-Phillips in
Madrid. "It was not nice to hear such chants going on," he said. "It was
very ignorant and wrong. It was disgraceful. Ashley is very upset, he was
not happy about the abuse he got." He added: "That was the worst I have
ever experienced. I have encountered it before when playing for Newcastle in
Europe but against Spain was the worst. "Something has to be done or else
it will continue to happen. It has to stop somewhere. Ashley Cole and Shaun
Wright-Phillips were very disappointed about what happened."
Prime Minister Tony Blair has joined the criticism after black England
players were racially abused in Wednesday's friendly with Spain. A spokeswoman
for Tony Blair said the Prime Minister was "very disappointed" by the abuse
handed out to the players. "He believes racism has no part to play in
sport or in any other matter,"
Players union chief Gordon Taylor says England should have walked off in
the game with Spain after racist abuse from home fans towards their black
players.
Former England international Rob Lee is training with Oldham Athletic as
he looks to earn a contract at the League One club. The 38-year-old played
more than 650 League games for Charlton Athletic, Newcastle United, Derby County
and West Ham United before retiring at the end of last season.
Wednesday, 17 November 2004 - Asier del
Horno's early goal gave Spain victory in an ill-tempered
friendly. He
headed home after 10 minutes in a game marred by angry scenes on the pitch and
racist chants aimed at Ashley Cole and
Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Paul Robinson saved a penalty
from Spain's Raúl following a foul on the same player after 24 minutes.
And England's Wayne Rooney was
hauled off after 41 minutes to spare him a red card after being booked and
clashing with several Spain players.
Hundreds of former players and fans gathered on Wednesday at Sheffield
Cathedral for the funeral of ex-England and Liverpool captain
Emlyn Hughes. The
Cathedral itself was packed to its 1,700 capacity with hundreds of mourners
standing in the rain outside. John Toshack, who read a tribute, was joined
by former Reds team-mates David Johnson, Jimmy Case, Kevin Keegan and Brian Hall
at the 12 noon service.
The Football
Association has lodged a written complaint with Uefa over racist abuse aimed at
England Under-21 players during Tuesday's 1-0 defeat in Spain. Strikers
Carlton Cole and Darren Bent were subjected to monkey chants during the first
half, with Glen Johnson later receiving the same treatment. "I thought I
heard something in the first half - it was disappointing," said U21s manager
Peter Taylor.
Former Chelsea and Swansea manager John Hollins has applied for the vacant
manager's job at Kidderminster Harriers. The 58-year-old, who also managed
Rochdale, joins Steve Bull, Richard Gough, Russell Osman and Keith Curle in
expressing an interest in the role.
England coach
Sven-Göran Eriksson says his current
squad is the best he has had and believes they have made great progress since
the 2002 World Cup. Eriksson's team thrashed Germany 5-1 in Munich three
years ago but the Swede says his team of 2004 is superior. "We have a
better team now, even if a lot of the same players are still in the squad," he
explained. "Is the squad better than at the World Cup? We have more pace,
more experience and technically we are better." But Eriksson admits a lack
of trophies during his three-year reign has frustrated him.
Tuesday, 16 November 2004 - Spain U21 1
England U21 0 - Arsenal teenage ace Cesc Fabregas scored a second-half winner to
end Peter Taylor's unbeaten record as England under-21 manager. Fabregas,
who came on at half-time, side-footed home a free kick at the far post on 63
minutes. England were reduced to 10 men with 20 minutes to go when acting
captain Glen Johnson was sent
off. The Chelsea defender picked up a second yellow card after disputing a
challenge on defender Nicky Hunt.
Ashley Cole
believes his partnership with Wayne Bridge has solved England's long-standing
problems on the left. The Arsenal defender has been playing at left-back
with Bridge, a defender at Chelsea, lining up behind him. "Playing with
Wayne gives me licence to push forward without being too over-exposed as he
drops back and fills in. I hope we get more chances to strike up that
partnership again. It's always important to have some consistency in front of
you," said Cole. "At Arsenal I have got a great understanding with Robert
Pires because we have played with each other for so long. It's the same
with David Beckham and Gary Neville. They have such a great relationship because
of the number of times they played together for club and country." Cole is set
to line up for England against Spain in Madrid on Wednesday even though he is
still suffering from a knee problem picked up against Manchester United at Old
Trafford last month.
Spain's José
Reyes has warned England's Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville to go easy on him in
Wednesday's friendly. Arsenal's Reyes was critical of the Manchester
United duo's behaviour in the recent Premiership game. "They were filthy
in the United game and if there was kicking going on in another game it would be
very suspicious," the 21-year-old said. "I hope Ferdinand and Neville have
forgotten the Arsenal game and don't kick me as much as in Manchester."
Reyes is expecting Spain to be tested to the full by
Sven-Göran Eriksson's England side.
"The England game won't be very friendly and it won't be easy," he added.
"The England defenders are experienced and their attack will give us a lot of
work to do. But our manager knows the best way to play the game against
England. And let us make one thing clear: Spain wants to win this match."
Monday, 15 November 2004 - Chelsea
midfielder Joe Cole has pulled out of the England squad to face Spain on
Wednesday with a stomach upset. Cole, 23, will remain in England to
recuperate and will not travel with the rest of the squad to Madrid. Coach
Sven-Göran Eriksson has no plans to
call up a replacement for the midfielder, who was unlikely to have started
Wednesday's game. The former West Ham United player has won 19 caps for
England, scoring against Denmark and Serbia & Montenegro.
John Terry has admitted a
determination to prove
Sven-Göran Eriksson wrong fired his
outstanding form for Chelsea. Terry was dropped by Eriksson when
Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand returned to England duty after suspension for
missing a drugs test. Chelsea skipper Terry said: "I had a chat with Sven
and told him I was going to carry on working hard and fight for my place.
"I've had a good taste of England and I want to get my place back."
Real Madrid star David Beckham has played down a report that he was going
to retire from international football after the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
The 29-year-old England skipper hopes to become only the fifth Englishman to
reach 100 international caps. "I'm not looking to retire. I hope to keep
going as long as my legs will take me," said Beckham, who has 76 caps. As
a youngster everyone dreams of playing for and captaining England, and I've been
lucky enough to do both."
Injury-hit Manchester City will be without Danny Mills for the trip to
Portsmouth after the defender was given a one-match suspension.
Spain duo Carles Puyol and Iván Helguera have dropped out of the squad to
face England. Barcelona's Puyol has withdrawn with a twisted knee ligament
in his left leg, while Real Madrid's Iván Helguera also has a knee injury that
he sustained in the 6-1 thrashing of Albacete on Sunday night. Betis'
Juanito and Pablo Orbáiz of Athletic Bilbao have been called up.
Sunday, 14 November 2004 - La Liga:
England striker Michael Owen and captain David Beckham starred as Real Madrid
thrashed Albacete 6-1. Substitute Owen scored for the fifth time in six
matches, latching onto Ronaldo's through ball to make it 5-1 in the 89th minute.
And Beckham made his comeback after six weeks out with a rib injury, completing
90 minutes with no problem. The pair should line up for England against
Spain in Madrid on Wednesday. Real coach Mariano Garcia Remon admitted he
had only let Beckham play the whole game because of an injury to Ivan Helguera.
Premiership:
Bryan Robson's return to management is thwarted by Steve McClaren's
Middlesbrough, Boro are 4th. West Bromwich Albion lose 2-1. A
Wayne Rooney brace helps
Manchester United climb to 7th following their win over Newcastle United, whose
only goal is scored by Alan Shearer. FA Cup: Brian Talbot's
Oldham Athletic beat non-league Thurrock.
Oxford United chairman Firoz Kassam has moved manager Graham Rix to an
upstairs role at the U's, with youth coach Darren Patterson taking over the
first team. Oxford have suffered a poor start to the season and were
dumped out of the FA Cup by Rochdale on Saturday. "Graham has done a good
job and bought some good players but results have gone against us and we need to
make changes," Kassam told their website. "Graham assumes an upstairs role
and Darren will take over the first team."
Mansfield Town caretaker-boss Carlton Palmer says he would take the Stags
job on a full-time basis if it was offered.
Liverpool
manager Rafael Benitez has revealed that midfielder Steven Gerrard is set to
play for the club's reserves as he nears a return to action. The England
midfielder has not played since breaking a metatarsal in his foot on 20
September at Manchester United.
Saturday, 13 November 2004 - England
coach
Sven-Göran Eriksson has named his
22-man squad to travel to Madrid for Wednesday night's friendly against Spain.
Captain David Beckham, Wayne Bridge and
Chris Kirkland return, but
Rob Green, Sol Campbell, Ledley
King and Darius Vassell are out with injury.
England captain David Beckham says he will quit international football
after the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany, according to reports. The Real
Madrid midfielder, 29, told the Daily Star he wants to play on at club level for
several more years. "The 2006 World Cup in Germany is probably as far as
it will go for me as an England player," said Beckham.
Premiership: Jermain Defoe and
Ledley King goals cannot prevent
an Arsenal win, Tottenham Hotspur losing 5-4. Kevin Phillips scores
Southampton's winner as they beat Portsmouth 2-1. A Gavin McCann equaliser for
Aston Villa gives Villa the points against Bolton Wanderers in a 2-1 win.
Paul Konchesky scores Charlton
Athletic's third of 4 goals against Norwich City's nil. Frank Lampard
began Chelsea's scoring against Fulham, ending 4-1 to Chelsea. Danny Mills
is sent off for Manchester City against Blackburn Rovers, ending 1-1.
Championship: Joe Royle's Ipswich Town remain 2nd after beating Leeds
United, unbeaten in 11 games. Steve Coppell's Reading, with an unbeaten
home run of 10 games, beat Cardiff City, to stake 3rd place. Peter Reid's
Coventry City beat Plymouth Argyle. Dennis Wise's Millwall draw with
Preston North End. FA Cup first round: Colin Todd's Bradford City fall at
the first hurdle to Rushden & Diamonds. Peter Taylor's Hull City brush
aside non-league Morecambe. Carlton Palmer's Mansfield Town have to go
through it again after only drawing with Colchester United. Brian Little's
Tranmere Rovers lose at Peterborough United. Graham Rix's Oxford United
fall at Rochdale. Roy McFarland's Chesterfield are beaten by Scunthorpe
United. Paul Merson's Walsall are beaten by Slough Town in one of the cup
shocks of the round. SPL: Chris Sutton scores Celtic's first against
Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Terry Butcher's Motherwell beat Dundee.
Former
Leicester City and England midfielder Keith Weller has died aged 58 after a long
battle with cancer. Weller made 305 appearances and scored 47 goals for
the Foxes in the 1970s, and he also won four England caps, scoring one goal for
his country.
Glenn Hoddle says he has had no
contact with Southampton about returning in place of under-fire boss Steve
Wigley. "It's a little bit unfair because I can assure you there has been
no contact at all. It's paper talk," said Hoddle. "It's unfair on Steve
Wigley who is trying to do a job down there and he's under a bit of pressure at
the moment."
Friday, 12 November 2004 - England
coach
Sven-Göran Eriksson will name his
squad for the friendly with Spain on Saturday evening, with captain David
Beckham his main injury doubt. Beckham, out since cracking a rib against
Wales last month, expects to be fit for Wednesday's game in Madrid, but Sol
Campbell, with a calf injury, is set to miss out. Wayne Bridge and Kieron
Dyer, out for the World Cup qualifiers, could return. If Beckham is out,
Real Madrid team-mate Michael Owen is set to captain England again at the Bernabéu
Stadium.
Birmingham City owner David Sullivan says his club tried to sign Michael
Owen on loan after his move to Real Madrid. Sullivan says the Blues turned
their attention to Owen, who was struggling for form in Spain, after injuries to
Mikael Forssell and Clinton Morrison. "It was on the basis they would loan
him but things have moved on since," he told the Birmingham Evening Mail.
"Unfortunately, Fifa rules say a player cannot move more than once in a season,
unless it is within the same country."
Thursday, 11 November 2004 -
Spanish squad to
face England is announced.
Peter Reid's Coventry City have failed in a second attempt to sign Dion
Dublin, with the move collapsing over personal terms. Dublin, 35, who
rejected Coventry City for Leicester City in the summer, had been allowed to
talk to the Sky Blues. "I've made my mind up James Scowcroft and David
Connolly are the first-choice strikers," manager Craig Levein said.
"Coventry did make an enquiry about him and I believe the deal broke down
between Coventry and Dion. Dion's a little bit frustrated, I can fully
understand that, and he's indicated he might wish to play elsewhere and play
regular first-team football. I understand Dion's position because at this
stage in his career he wants to play football."
Mansfield Town chairman Keith Haslam has placed Carlton Palmer in
temporary charge of first-team affairs. Curle has been told to stay away
from Field Mill pending an inquiry over allegations he bullied a trainee into
doing a weightlifting circuit. "I am a friend of Keith Haslam's and I am doing this as a favour.
I am looking after the team until Monday while the situation is resolved," said
Palmer. The former Stockport County boss will take the reins at Field Mill for
the FA Cup tie against Colchester on Saturday.
Former Wolverhampton Wanderers and England striker Steve Bull has revealed
that he has applied to become Kidderminster Harriers' next manager. The
39-year-old confirmed: "Yes, I've sent my CV in - I've been out the game for a
while, but I'm desperate to get back in - I just need a chance. I had 16
years as a player and learned many different things off many different managers.
I know what players want, how they operate and that experience would help me."
Wednesday, 10 November 2004 - England remain
7th in the FIFA rankings.
Football League (Carling) Cup football: Holders Steve McClaren's
Middlesbrough are eliminated by Liverpool. Andrew Cole scores Fulham's 4th
goal in the last minute of extra-time, as Fulham beat Nottingham Forest.
Tony Adams resigned as Wycombe Wanderers manager to complete his sports science
degree and spend more time with his young family. Adams, 38, quit the
League Two club on Tuesday, citing "personal reasons", but did not specify what
these were. "He wants to go back and finish his sports science degree at Brunel," a close friend of Adams said. "And he's keen to spend more time with
his family - he's getting married on 15 December and has a baby son."
David Beckham remains hopeful of playing in England's friendly against
Spain in Madrid on 17 November. The England captain has been out since
cracking a rib during the 2-0 World Cup qualifier win against Wales last month.
On Tuesday, Beckham took part in his first full training session with Real
Madrid since picking up the injury. And a spokesman confirmed: "David is
hoping to play at the weekend for Madrid against Albacete with a view to being
fit for England next Wednesday." Reports emanating from Spain suggested
that Beckham would definitely miss the friendly at the Bernabéu. It has
also been reported that the midfielder would not return to action until the game
against La Liga leaders Barcelona on 21 November.
Frank Queudrue
has urged England coach
Sven-Göran Eriksson to name his
Middlesbrough team-mate Stuart Downing, 20, in the squad to face
Spain.
Eriksson will reveal his England squad for Wednesday's game over the weekend.
Tuesday, 9 November 2004 - Former England and
Liverpool captain Emlyn Hughes has died from a brain tumour at the age of 57.
Hughes earned 62 caps for the national team and led Liverpool to a string of
honours while at the Anfield club. He played at full-back, centre-back and in
midfield in helping the club to four league titles, two European Cups, an FA Cup
victory and two Uefa Cup titles.
Football League (Carling) Cup football:
Jermain Defoe secures
Tottenham Hotspur's passage through to the quarter-finals, scoring Spurs' third
goal against Burnley.
England duo Wayne Rooney
and Frank Lampard have been nominated for the European Footballer of the Year
award. Rooney and Lampard were both outstanding in Euro 2004, scoring four
and three goals respectively. England captain David Beckham is also
nominated, as is Manchester United's Paul Scholes. Manchester United's
19-year-old Rooney, a Ł27m summer signing from Everton, has also been nominated
for the World Player of the Year award.
Meanwhile, Wayne Rooney emerged unscathed after a 23-ton builder's lorry
hit his car. Rooney's vehicle, a 4x4 Cadillac Escalade, worth Ł40,000, was
damaged in the collision in Wilmslow, Cheshire which happened on Tuesday.
The 19-year-old England international was able to continue driving to training
after the accident.
Chelsea defender John Terry
has signed a new five-year contract with the club. The 23-year-old only
signed his previous contract in July 2003 but is now under contract until 2009.
"It was a mutual decision. Talks have been ongoing but it is finally all
done and all sorted and I'm very happy. I have been here since I was 14
and I would love to stay at Chelsea for the rest of my career and hopefully I'll
do that because I love playing here."
Bryan Robson has been be unveiled as West Bromwich Albion's new manager today.
Robson, 47, is thought to have signed a two-and-a-half year deal, with Nigel
Pearson lined up as his assistant. Viv Anderson, assistant to Robson at
Middlesbrough, said he was surprised the ex-England skipper had not returned to
top-level management sooner.
Kieron Dyer returns to the Newcastle United squad after a hamstring injury
for the Carling Cup game against Chelsea and is aiming to win over the club's
fans.
Tony Adams has resigned as Wycombe Wanderers manager. The former
England captain, who took over in November 2003 but failed to prevent the club
being relegated, told his players on Tuesday he was leaving. He said in a
statement: "It is with regret that I resign from the post of manager due to
personal reasons." Club director Alan Parry said: "I can confirm pretty
categorically that Tony Adams will no longer be managing Wycombe Wanderers
football club."
The Football Association has confirmed no action will be taken against
Robbie Fowler over claims he made obscene gestures in Sunday's Manchester derby.
Monday, 8 November 2004 - Peter Reid's
Coventry City lose to Leicester City in the Coca-Cola Championship.
Coventry drop to 20th in the table.
The Football Association is looking into claims that Manchester City's
Robbie Fowler made obscene gestures during Sunday's derby at Old Trafford.
Substitute Fowler is alleged to have responded to jibes from sections of the
crowd by gesturing to supporters as he warmed up on the touchline.
Paul Ince has ruled himself out of the running to succeed Dave Jones as
manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers. The former England midfielder, 37,
whose playing contract ends next summer, wants to concentrate on winning back
his place in the Wolves team.
Sunday, 7 November 2004
- Alan Smith is sent off in the scoreless Manchester derby. Two cautions
ensured his departure in the 89th minute. United remain 7th in the
Premiership, 11 points behind leaders Chelsea. Steve McClaren's
Middlesbrough draw Bolton Wanderers to take 5th place.
La Liga: Michael Owen's fifth goal in sixth games helped Real Madrid move
up to second spot in the Primera Liga after securing a 2-0 victory at Malaga.
Owen grabbed Real's second 12 minutes from time, eight minutes after coming on
as substitute for Ronaldo. Real are now within seven points of runaway leaders
Barcelona.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes there is little doubt Sol Campbell
will sign a new deal with the club. England international Campbell's
current deal expires next summer when he could leave for free. But Wenger
said: "Listen, I bet you any amount you want that Sol Campbell will play at
Arsenal next season. I have no doubts that he will be here for the next
three or even four seasons. Write that - and if I'm wrong, you can sue me!"
Saturday, 6 November 2004
- West Bromwich Albion have revealed that they will not be appointing
Glenn Hoddle as their new manager.
He had been touted as Gary Megson's successor, with claims he would take charge
after the game at Southampton. But chairman Jeremy Peace said: "I had a
preliminary talk with Glenn Hoddle prior to drawing up a shortlist.
Because of the incessant speculation linking him with the job, I think it is
important to stress we have decided he is no longer a contender."
Football in the Premiership: Darren Anderton scores his first goal for
Birmingham City, and City's first goal in 5 games, as they beat Liverpool at
Anfield. Jermain Defoe
scores one of Tottenham Hotspur's consolation goals as they are beaten by
Charlton Athletic. Championship: Joe Royle's Ipswich Town remain 2nd after
beating Burnley. Steve Coppell's Reading are 3rd after beating Stoke City.
Brian Deane scores one of Leeds United's goala against Preston North End.
League One: Brian Little's Tranmere Rovers are 2nd after beating Swindon Town.
Peter Taylor's Hull City are 3rd, a goal from Nick Barmby gives City a 3-1 win
over Paul Merson's Walsall. Colin Todd's Bradford City drop to 5th after
drawing with Colchester United. Roy McFarland's Chesterfield are 7th after
beating Blackpool. Brian Talbot's Oldham Athletic are beaten by Torquay
United. League Two: Keith Curle's Mansfield Town are beaten by
Macclesfield Town. Graham Rix's Oxford United thrashed by Southend United,
and Tony Adam's Wycombe Wanderers are beaten by Yeovil Town.
Friday, 5 November 2004
- Dennis Wise's Millwall climb to 9th in the Championship table after defeating
Sunderland 2-0. Wise getting the first goal himself.
Manchester City manager Kevin Keegan
has been fined Ł8,500 and reprimanded by the Football Association for comments
he made to referee Steve Dunn.
Manchester City's Trevor Sinclair
has been ruled out for the rest of the season after undergoing a scan on a
troublesome knee injury. City feared Sinclair, 31, may need surgery after
inflaming his knee during the Carling Cup defeat against Arsenal, his first game
since September. But he has suffered a micro-fracture of the femur and
ligament damage and will be on crutches for three months. The verdict is
worse than expected and Sinclair will not return this term.
Nottingham Forest have denied reports they are to replace Joe Kinnear as boss
with Luton Town coach Mick Harford, but confirmed Harford will join the club.
There had been widespread speculation on Friday that Harford would take over as
manager with Kinnear moving upstairs but Forest have vehemently denied it.
"Mick Harford will join as coach next week to work alongside Joe Kinnear," a
Forest spokesman said. "There is no truth in reports Joe is no longer the
manager, it's nonsense."
England captain and Real Madrid midfielder David Beckham has revealed he
has pencilled in a return to action on Sunday, 14 November.
Thursday, 4 November 2004
- UEFA Cup group football: Steve McClaren's Middlesbrough beat Lazio, and
Alan Shearer scores the first of Newcastle United's two against Dinamo Tbilisi.
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Sean
Davis will be sidelined for the rest of the year after having an operation
on his knee. He has missed two months of the season with a cartilage
problem but aggravated his knee injury at Fulham on Saturday.
Colin Todd is the League One manager of the month after leading Bradford
City to five consecutive wins in October.
Millwall boss Dennis Wise has admitted that he is considering retiring
from playing at the end of the season. "I have signed for another
season but as a manager, not as a player," said Wise. "I will have a think at
the end of the year about how I feel. We didn't think it was a good idea
to sign as a player as well at this stage. At the moment I feel fine but
doing both jobs takes its toll on you so I will just have to wait and see."
Manchester United defender Wes Brown has agreed a new four-year deal with
the Old Trafford club. The 25-year-old initially rejected the offer of a
new contract and would have become a free agent next summer when his previous
deal ran out. But he has now reached an agreement with the deal running
until June 2008.
Steve McManaman may not be given a new contract by Manchester City when
his present deal expires at the end of the season, according to reports.
The ex-England player has struggled since joining City in August 2003, and is
yet to score in 22 full appearances. City boss
Kevin Keegan is reportedly
keen to offload the 32-year-old, rumoured to be earning Ł30,000 a week.
Wednesday, 3 November 2004 - UEFA Champions
League football: Manchester United put 4 past Sparta Prague. United
included Gary Neville, Wes Brown, Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes, Phil Neville and
Wayne Rooney in their side.
Liverpool, including Jamie Carragher and
Chris Kirkland, defeated
Deportivo La Coruna. Michael Owen starred in Real Madrids 2-2 draw with
Dynamo Kiev. And Owen
Hargreaves played in Bayern Munich's defeat to Juventus. Championship:
Peter Reid's Coventry City drew with Preston North End.
The Football Association has confirmed Manchester City boss
Kevin Keegan
has accepted a charge of "abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour".
The charge was made after Keegan approached referee Steve Dunn after City's 4-3
defeat at Newcastle United.
England will
play Netherlands at Villa Park on February 9 - the third time they have played
the Dutch in a friendly during
Sven-Göran Eriksson's reign.
Eriksson's team will line up against the side now managed by the great Dutch
striker Marco van Basten having failed to beat them in their previous two
attempts.
Millwall
player-manager Dennis Wise and his assistant Ray Wilkins have both put pen to
paper on new one-year contracts. The deal will see the pair, who led the Lions
to their first-ever FA Cup final in May, stay at the New Den until the end of
next season.
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder
Sean Davis is to undergo surgery after inflaming a knee injury against
Fulham last Saturday.
Tuesday,
2 November 2004 - UEFA Champions League football:
Sven-Göran Eriksson was at Highbury,
home of Arsenal, to watch the only Englishman on show, Ashley Cole.
Arsenal drew 1-1 with Panathinaikos. Chelsea beat CSKA Moskow, a game that
featured John Terry,
Glen Johnson,
Scott Parker and Frank Lampard.
A single Alan Thompson goal
helps Celtic defeat Shakhtar Donetsk. Championship football: Joe Royle's
Ipswich Town thrash Sheffield United, leaving them 6 points from the top spot,
but still in 2nd place. Steve Coppell's Reading draw 2-2 with Plymouth
Argyle, dropping to 4th, and Dennis Wise's Millwall draw with Queens Park
Rangers.
Aston Villa have been charged by the Premier League
with an alleged illegal approach for Southampton and England striker
James Beattie in the summer.
The Saints lodged an official complaint against Villa following public comments
from their manager David O'Leary. He revealed his belief that Beattie
wanted to move to Villa after a Ł6m bid was rejected. Villa deny the
charge but could face a warning, fine or points deduction if they are found
guilty.
Monday,
1 November 2004 - Ex-football player Stan Collymore has alleged he was
assaulted in a clash involving Bath rugby club players. The former England
and Liverpool star claims he was attacked by a group in Dublin city centre on
Sunday after an exchange of words in a nightclub. It is understood Collymore,
who lives in Staffordshire, may have suffered a broken nose in the incident.
Former England boss Terry Venables will coach Newcastle in the new
Australian Soccer Association's A-League, says club owner Con Constantine.
Venables, who coached the Australian national team in 1998, admitted talking
with Newcastle in July but denied he had agreed a one-year contract.
However, Newcastle's inclusion in a new eight-team domestic league which starts
in August 2005 may tempt Venables. Constantine says Venables, 61, will
join the club later this month.
Birmingham City's Emile Heskey has insisted he made the right choice in
leaving Liverpool to find first-team football. Heskey, who joined
Birmingham for Ł6.25m, returns to Anfield on Saturday. "I knew if I moved
on I would get into another first team but I don't have any regrets about my
time spent at Liverpool. In the end I needed to be playing more. Liverpool
is probably one of the biggest clubs in the world but I didn't want to be sat on
the bench."
___________________
CG
England Football Online