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MANUNITED.NETLANE.COM : TODAYS NEWS
Date: Fri Apr 03 17:49:32 GMT+01:00 1998
Mail: barry@www.red11.org
Easter in the snow here in Denmark!
Warm up ready for Monday night.....Blackburn here we come!
Greetings to REDS All Over The World!
Barry your editor.
TODAYS PIC: Dave Arnold himself at OT July 97!
Read more about DA's trip
This Issue:
1. Best Tips United For Title (D.Mail)
2. Pilkington joins Celtic
3. Choccy quotes
4. Scholes Give All-Clear (Carling)
5. Fergie Eyes German Again
6. Arsenal's Short Fuse (D.Mail)
7. Del Piero To Leave Juve (D.Mail)
8. Scholes Give All-Clear (Carling)
9. Daily Mail Ramblings
++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========++++++++
Subject: Best Tips United For Title (D.Mail)
Best tips United to hang on in battle for title
Friday, April 3, 1998
Manchester United legend George Best has backed his former club to sneak
home in the title race - but only on goal difference.
Defending champions United have seen their lead in the Premiership whittled
down to three points by Arsenal, who have two games in hand, but Best said:
'I think the title will stay where it is this year but it won't be by much.'
Best, speaking at a soccer function in London, added: 'I reckon it will come
down to goal difference at the end. Arsenal are giving United the fright of
their lives but there is too much strength in depth at Old Trafford for them
to let it go.'
Best also believes that the disappointing Champions League defeat by Monaco
will spur United to greater things in the run-in. He said: 'I think that
result came as such a shock to the system and they won't be making any
mistakes from now on. Obviously, United and Arsenal must try to win every
game they have left. The first side to drop points will be the one that
loses the championship but I still think that my former club will come up
trumps.'
Roy Keane has stepped up his training programme following his cruciate
ligament operation. The midfielder has played in practice matches but is not
yet permitted to tackle. It will be three more weeks before Keane sees the
specialist who can remove the restriction.
Arsene Wenger has pledged his future to English football - even if Arsenal
no longer want him. That is not likely with the club pushing for a
Premiership and FA Cup double but serious negotiations over his new Highbury
contract have yet to start and the Frenchman accepts there are no
guarantees.
Wenger, who has been linked with the French national team job, said: 'If my
contract at Arsenal is not extended I would accept that. It would not be
right to think they could not do without me. But I would like to go
elsewhere in England. I have to work to survive. I cannot turn my back and
just go fishing.'
Much likelier, though, is fat new contract for the Frenchman - and an
eventual teaming-up with Tony Adams as a member of his backroom staff.
Wenger, preparing his side for Sunday's FA Cup semi-final against Wolves,
believes Adams will have a role at Highbury when he eventually quits
playing. The Arsenal coach paid tribute to coach Pat Rice and hinted at a
similar role for inspirational defender Adams.
He said: 'I would have made mistakes without Pat. He knows the spirit of the
club and it is important to have people like him and Tony around. There is a
great togetherness here. People who have played together for 10 years have
something special between them. One day it will be important for the club to
keep one or two of these players in order to retain this kind of spirit.'
Adams, whose return to the team after injury in mid-January has coincided
with a run of seven Premiership wins and a draw out of eight games, paid
tribute to his manager. He said: 'We are talking about my contract but I am
happy playing for this club.
'Arsene Wenger has impressed me with his knowledge and his insight into
people. He's helped me with my self-awareness and I think between us we have
extended my career. The way I was going there was not going to be much life
left in me.'
Wenger, whose side have one of the worst disciplinary records in the
Premiership, insisted there will be no change of style. Arsenal have
collected three red cards and 61 yellows this season but he said: 'We are a
physical team and we play to our strengths.
'Every team is up for it against us which means every game is a fight. I
don't think we are an unfair team and when I look at our disciplinary record
I am a little amazed. We have improved but not enough.'
Marcus Lionel van Geyzel.
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Date: Thu, 2 Apr 1998 16:48:43 +0200 (CEST)
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To: barrylee@post3.tele.dk
From: barrylee@post3.tele.dk (Barry Leeming)
Subject: Pilkington joins Celtic
UNITED STAR JOINS CELTIC ON LOAN
Celtic today solved their goalkeeping headache ahead of Sunday's
Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers by signing Manchester United
reserve Kevin Pilkington on a three-month loan deal. Pilkington, who
has played six Premiership matches for United, will act as cover for
Parkhead number one Jonathan Gould after regular back-up Stewart Kerr
injured a knee in training. With third-choice Andy McCondichie
cup-tied after a recent loan spell at Hamilton, coach Wim Jansen
launched a desperate search for cover ahead of today's transfer
deadline with an Old Firm double-header coming up.
Pilkington, whosepath at Old Trafford is blocked by number one
Peter Schmeichel and his
Dutch deputy Raymond Van der Gouw, will travel north from Manchester
tonight and is expected to join the first-team squad for training
tomorrow. The 24-year-old said: ``I appreciate I'm coming in as cover
for Jonathan Gould but am delighted to have the opportunity to become
involved with Celtic at this stage in my career. I see this as a
career opportunity which I hope to grasp.'' General manager Jock Brown
added: ``With Stewart Kerr currently injured and Andy McCondichie
cup-tied it was essential we brought in quality cover for Jonathan
Gould, and we're satisfied Kevin fits the bill.''
Barry Leeming e-mail: barry@www.red11.org
Theatre Of Dream http://manunited.netlane.com
"RED sky at night UNITED delight"
In memory of 1958/1968
Subject: Choccy quotes
McClair Lifts United Pressure
By Stephen Wood
Brian McClair ... asks question for United
BRIAN McClair today revealed how Alex Ferguson will ease the
pressure-cooker atmosphere in the Manchester United dressing room.
The Reds and Arsenal go head-to-head in the last five weeks of the season
in a battle royal which will decide the destiny of the Premiership trophy.
With no margin for error on either side, it's bubbling up into the most
exciting finish in Premiership history.
Attention switches back to United in the next seven days, as they bid to
establish another nine point lead with victories over Blackburn and
Liverpool - while the Gunners are pre-occupied with FA Cup glory.
It's that heart-stopping time of year again, but McClair reckons they're
cool enough at Old Trafford to overcome any jitters.
``The win over Wimbledon was a tense affair, but it showed we're not ready
to give up when things don't go for us straight away,'' he said.
``The management can really help in this sort of situation and the gaffer
asks us, `why are you worried about the pressure? You could be playing for
a team faced with relegation or doing another job altogether.'
``He reckons that's real pressure and he's right. Maybe we need reminding
every now and then, but every player at Old Trafford realises how lucky he
is to be here.''
United hope to welcome back a quartet of injured stars - Peter Schmeichel,
Ryan Giggs, Gary Pallister and Nicky Butt - for the televised Lancashire
derby at Ewood Park on Monday, and McClair argues you can't underestimate
their impact.
He explained: ``Quite honestly, it's like bringing in new players. People
like to speculate on who United might buy, or who they should buy, but
these four - if they make it - will give us a nice lift.
``It would be unfair to expect any side to lose those quality players and
not be affected by it. But they're on the way back at a good time for us.''
So with United and Arsenal rarely playing on the same day in the run-in,
how will the Reds keep an eye on goings-on with the Highbury challenge?
``We won't get worked up about it,'' adds McClair. ``There's nothing we can
do about Arsenal and their results. The most important thing is us, because
if we don't pay enough attention to our own games, we won't keep up the
pressure on them.''
A Manchester United is for life, not just for christmas.
---------------------------------------------------------
JacKiT@indigo.ie
---------------------------------------------------------
If tomorrow was today, it would be yesterday.
Subject: Scholes Give All-Clear (Carling)
Man United 3 Apr 1998
SCHOLES GIVEN ALL-CLEAR
Alex Ferguson gave England coach Glenn Hoddle a welcome boost when he
revealed Paul Scholes will not need surgery on his troublesome knee.
Scholes' all-clear is the latest good news to emerge from Old Trafford as
United enter the final lap of their title tussle with Arsenal.
And United manager Ferguson is confident the injured quartet of Peter
Schmeichel, Gary Pallister, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt will be fit to face
Blackburn on Monday.
Scholes' knee flared up during United's Champions' League exit against
Monaco just over two weeks ago and he was forced to come off at half-time.
After the match Ferguson feared the midfielder would need an operation to
clear up the recurring problem either before or after the end of the season.
This caused concern in the England camp that Scholes would not be available
for the World Cup Finals in France.
Ferguson, though, claims that rest has proved to be the best cure.
United's recent hectic programme had taken its toll on Scholes' knee, but
with the champions now playing an average of one game a week, he has been
able to recover.
``The one game a week is helping him and there's no great strain on him now
as compared to the period when he was playing with the injury,'' he said.
``That run of Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday just caught up with him.
``Now he's getting rest during the week or at weekends after games and he's
coping well.
``So we don't anticipate him having anything, which is good news for
Manchester United.''
Ferguson revealed that Schmeichel (hamstring), Pallister (back), Giggs
(hamstring) and Butt (calf) all trained this week and are in contention for
the trip to Ewood Park.
Teddy Sheringham is also back after a one-match ban and the return of all
these players will be a tremendous lift to United.
Ferguson will be particularly pleased to welcome back Giggs as United have
won just two of the eight games he has missed.
``I won't decide until Sunday morning what my team will be, but they are all
in the frame for sure and they deserve to be,'' he said.
``They're all fit. Everyone of them has trained this week and there will be
no late fitness tests.''
Jordi Cruyff may make the squad after he came through a reserve game on
Monday night after recovering from a hairline fracture of his ankle.
United captain Roy Keane is recovering well from his cruciate ligament
injury and is doing everything in training - except tackling.
Ferguson, though, claimed it is highly unlikely that he would play a
competitive match for the A team or reserves before the end of the season.
Date: Thu, 2 Apr 1998 16:49:34 +0200 (CEST)
X-Sender: wpa01977@mail.web4you.dk (Unverified)
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To: barrylee@post3.tele.dk
From: barrylee@post3.tele.dk (Barry Leeming)
Subject: Fergie Eyes German Again
Date: Wed, 1 April 1998 19:56:02 +0200
Fergie eyes German again ««
Alex Ferguson flew out to Germany last week for another check-up on transfer
target Oliver Bierhoff.
The Udinese striker started the Germany v Brazil World Cup warm-up fixture
in Stuttgart but failed to score in a 2-1 defeat.
Bierhoff, now 29, has been linked to Old trafford ever since his two-goal
salvo won his country the European Championships in 1996.
Alex Ferguson is thought to be on the lookout for a powerful hit-man this
summer, a player to finally replace Mark Hughes - whose attributes have been
missed.
Second on the list could be Patrick Kluivert who seems certain to be leaving
AC Milan at the end of this season.
Rumours over a move for the Dutchman have been around for a while but Fergie
has not watched the 21-year-old, who would cost over £5 million, in person yet.
Barry Leeming e-mail: barry@www.red11.org
Theatre Of Dream http://manunited.netlane.com
"RED sky at night UNITED delight"
In memory of 1958/1968
Subject: Arsenal's Short Fuse (D.Mail)
Arsenal's thin red line between success and failure
Thursday, April 2, 1998
Arsene Wenger and his players appear to be coping admirably with the mind
game set them by Alex Ferguson. The nation's bookmakers agree, as the odds
once stacked so heavily in favour of Manchester United winning their fifth
championship in six years are being revised almost daily.
Arsenal continue to triumph under the extreme pressure of the Premiership
run-in and the signs are certainly looking good for a first title since
1991.
After all, Arsenal can be trusted not to concede goals.
Tuesday night's victory at Bolton, secured by Christopher Wreh's dazzling
strike, was their eighth successive league game in which they have kept a
clean sheet and meant that Premiership opposition have fired blanks against
them since January 17 in 13 hours and six minutes of football.
Arsenal can also be trusted to keep winning.
Tuesday's 1-0 scoreline saw them record their sixth win of a rampant
seven-match run which has taken them to within three points of United with
two games in hand and into Sunday's FA Cup semi-final with Wolves.
Arsenal can be trusted to be consistent.
While United have lost no fewer than seven league games, when the perceived
benchmark for championship success is six defeats, the Highbury club have
been beaten only four times.
But Arsenal cannot be trusted to control themselves.
It is their failure to exercise restraint in the heat of battle which now
poses the biggest question mark against them.
Perhaps it is no surprise that a team nicknamed the Gunners have a battle
mentality, but some might describe their game of crime and punishment as
misguided at best, dirty at worst.
Martin Keown's dismissal against Bolton for two bookable offences -
ironically only his second and third cautions in the Premiership this
season - took the number of Arsenal players who have seen red to seven.
Patrick Vieira was dismissed in a friendly before the campaign began and he
has subsequently been sent off twice. Dennis Bergkamp, who looks like Dutch
butter wouldn't melt in his mouth, has been dismissed twice and still has
two games of his second three-match suspension to serve.
The others to take the long walk have been Emmanuel Petit, for making
physical contact with referee Paul Durkin, and teenager Jason Crowe, sent
off in a Coca-Cola Cup tie with Birmingham.
In all, dismissals and the totting-up of yellow cards have forced 12 Arsenal
players to miss 39 games. The bookings of Keown and Steve Bould at the
Reebok Stadium took their Premiership tally of cautions to 62 with three red
cards, while in cup competitions hey have amassed another 25 cautions with
four more dismissals.
With another eight league games and at least one FA Cup match to go, the
statistics would suggest that a few more yet will visit the sin-bin.
Yet, at Old Trafford, only 48 cautions have been handed out to United
players during their long, hard slog of a season.
Not a bad record at a time when some referees have used matches as
hand-writing exercises and where often the slightest contact or
out-of-character rush of blood can build a yellow brick road to an early
bath.
United remain favourites to win the title at 7-4 on after the latest odds
were issued yesterday, while Arsenal are 5-4. But at Christmas, Ferguson's
seemingly omnipotent team were 14-1 on, while Wenger's side were rated 16-1
also-rans.
Arsenal's Double chances then were judged equally remote. You could get
118-1 on them to do that before January, now they are a mere 7-2.
The bookmakers may now feel that they should make yet another revision of
their odds on the evidence of Arsenal's disciplinary record which, if it is
not worrying Wenger, should be, for it will certainly be giving comfort to
his bitter rival.
One of Ferguson's greatest reasons for pride is that the players with the
competitive instincts of Nicky Butt, Gary Pallister and Phil Neville know
when they are treading the fine line between the extra tackle that will
constitute a first offence or the missed lunge that generally ends in red.
Butt and Phil Neville have only six cautions each, while Pallister had
received only three before being sidelined by the recurrence of back
trouble.
This week, however, Keown became the fourth Arsenal central defender to
incur a suspension. Tony Adams has had a two-game ban, while Bould and
Gilles Grimandi received three-match suspensions.
The thin red line which has been so praised of late also has a merciless
streak, though Arsenal's penchant for tackling first and asking questions
later runs right through the side.
So far, they have coped with the failing, but for how much longer?
Bould, who faces a one-match ban after his yellow card on Tuesday, admitted
last night that nerves are also starting to play a big part in the push for
silverware. 'You get a feeling that you're close now and you've got double
nerves instead of your usual pre-match ones,' he said. 'One mistake and you
could blow it all. It's great and it's exciting.
'I don't think you can analyse and say if we do this - win here or there.
You don't read beyond the next game and we've got a big one coming up on
Sunday. We could do without a replay, that's for sure.'
It would appear that while Wenger may be tactically sound, he is neither
tough on crime nor on the causes of crime. He and his players may yet regret
that they have lived outside the law for too long.
The injury list
Lee Dixon: Injured hamstring during win over Sheffield Wednesday last
weekend. Expected to miss semi-final and Premiership games with Newcastle,
Blackburn and Wimbledon.
Ian Wright: Troublesome knee and groin injuries. Last start at Port Vale in
FA Cup game on January 14. Battling against the clock to return in time for
the Newcastle game.
Marc Overmars: Picked up an ankle injury at Bolton on Tuesday. Likely to
miss FA Cup semi-final and will be doubtful for Premiership match v
Newcastle United.
Dennis Bergkamp: Suspended for two further matches after elbowing West Ham's
Steve Lomas two weeks ago. Banned for FA Cup semi-final and Premiership
clash against Newcastle.
Martin Keown: The England man faces a one-match ban after being sent off for
two bookable offences at Bolton. Will miss London derby against Wimbledon at
Highbury on April 18.
Gilles Grimandi: Hurt an ankle at Bolton. Out of Villa Park semi-final
against Wolves and remains doubtful for Easter fixtures against Newcastle
and Blackburn.
Steve Bould: Veteran defender faces another ban - this time for just one
match - after being booked at the Reebok Stadium on Tuesday. Will miss derby
match against Wimbledon at Highbury.
Games to play: April 5: v Wolves (FA Cup semi-final, Villa Park); April 11:
v Newcastle United (h); April 13: Blackburn Rovers (a); April 18: Wimbledon
(h); April 25: Barnsley (a); April 29: Derby County (h); May 3: Everton (h);
May 6: Liverpool (a); May 10: Aston Villa (a).
Marcus Lionel van Geyzel.
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Subject: Del Piero To Leave Juve (D.Mail)
£16m star set to move and Arsenal lead race
Friday, April 3, 1998
Juventus are preparing for the sale of Alessandro Del Piero in the summer
and that will start a stampede of British clubs for the £16million signature
of the Italy striker.
Arsenal have made all the running so far and are favourites if the Turin
club take the plunge, with two years remaining on Del Piero's contract, and
cash in on their 23-year-old superstar's extraordinary talent.
But Chelsea, Middlesbrough, Manchester United and Rangers will all bid in
the auction, as will the only other European clubs who could possibly afford
the combination of transfer fee and wages - Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern
Munich and Monaco.
Del Piero, hat-trick hero in Juve's 4-1 demolition of Monaco on Wednesday
night, will not be sold to an Italian rival. In fact, Juventus do not want
to sell him at all but they have a relentless policy of cashing in on their
assets at the point of highest value which the striker, who has hit 30 goals
already this season, will reach after the World Cup Finals.
Juventus have consistently demanded that he extend his contract beyond its
existing span but Del Piero and his advisers know that if they refuse, then
the club run the risk of him playing one more season, running his deal down
for a further six months and signing for someone else for nothing.
Given that Juventus rate Del Piero between Alan Shearer's £15m and Ronaldo's
£19.5m, the Italian club's directors are currently torn between holding on
to him and risking the loss of a huge sum.
For that reason, they will test the market between now and the World Cup in
an attempt to see if the offers become irresistible.
Both Juventus coach Marcello Lippi and Del Piero know of Arsenal's wish to
take this season's Champions League leading scorer to Highbury before the
start of next season. The player likes London and regularly spends time
there for commercial and endorsement projects.
The promotion of Gianluca Vialli to Chelsea manager, the ties between the
two men who helped Juventus win the Champions Cup two seasons ago and the
fact that Vialli wants a top-class Serie A striker to play the pressing game
he prefers all mean that Stamford Bridge remains a possibility.
The only club outside London that Del Piero would consider would be
Manchester United and, at his age and not being remarkably well paid at
Juventus, he fits perfectly the profile of the kind of player on whom United
must focus.
Chairman Martin Edwards recently claimed to have agreed to the £10m purchase
of Marcelo Salas only for manager Alex Ferguson to turn down the deal. But
Del Piero has a far stronger track record than the Chile striker and would
bring massive marketability to the club in terms of merchandising.
Rangers have regularly inquired about the player since he helped Juventus to
two four-goal wins over the Scottish champions in 1995 but it is highly
unlikely he would be persuaded to move to the low grade of football in
Scotland's Premier Division.
The most thorny problem for Luciano Moggi and Roberto Bettega, the Juventus
decision-makers, is how they could sell the idea of transferring Del Piero
to the devoted fans, who view him as one of the best players in the club's
100 years.
Even the surprise sales of Fabrizio Ravanelli, Roberto Baggio, Christian
Vieri, Vladimir Jugovic, Andy Moller and Paulo Sousa would pale into
insignificance compared with offloading Del Piero one year before they have
to.
But with each scoring landmark Del Piero passes, the balance between selling
him and attempting to persuade him to stay becomes more delicate.
Ahead of Marco van Basten and Michel Platini, Del Piero is now the second
top scorer from an Italian club in the Champions Cup - behind the great Jose
Altafini of Milan and Juventus.
Marcus Lionel van Geyzel.
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Subject: Scholes Give All-Clear (Carling)
Man United 3 Apr 1998
SCHOLES GIVEN ALL-CLEAR
Alex Ferguson gave England coach Glenn Hoddle a welcome boost when he
revealed Paul Scholes will not need surgery on his troublesome knee.
Scholes' all-clear is the latest good news to emerge from Old Trafford as
United enter the final lap of their title tussle with Arsenal.
And United manager Ferguson is confident the injured quartet of Peter
Schmeichel, Gary Pallister, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt will be fit to face
Blackburn on Monday.
Scholes' knee flared up during United's Champions' League exit against
Monaco just over two weeks ago and he was forced to come off at half-time.
After the match Ferguson feared the midfielder would need an operation to
clear up the recurring problem either before or after the end of the season.
This caused concern in the England camp that Scholes would not be available
for the World Cup Finals in France.
Ferguson, though, claims that rest has proved to be the best cure.
United's recent hectic programme had taken its toll on Scholes' knee, but
with the champions now playing an average of one game a week, he has been
able to recover.
``The one game a week is helping him and there's no great strain on him now
as compared to the period when he was playing with the injury,'' he said.
``That run of Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday just caught up with him.
``Now he's getting rest during the week or at weekends after games and he's
coping well.
``So we don't anticipate him having anything, which is good news for
Manchester United.''
Ferguson revealed that Schmeichel (hamstring), Pallister (back), Giggs
(hamstring) and Butt (calf) all trained this week and are in contention for
the trip to Ewood Park.
Teddy Sheringham is also back after a one-match ban and the return of all
these players will be a tremendous lift to United.
Ferguson will be particularly pleased to welcome back Giggs as United have
won just two of the eight games he has missed.
``I won't decide until Sunday morning what my team will be, but they are all
in the frame for sure and they deserve to be,'' he said.
``They're all fit. Everyone of them has trained this week and there will be
no late fitness tests.''
Jordi Cruyff may make the squad after he came through a reserve game on
Monday night after recovering from a hairline fracture of his ankle.
United captain Roy Keane is recovering well from his cruciate ligament
injury and is doing everything in training - except tackling.
Ferguson, though, claimed it is highly unlikely that he would play a
competitive match for the A team or reserves before the end of the season.
Subject: Daily Mail Ramblings
Why players must be defenders
By Michael Herd
Thursday, April 2, 1998
You can imagine the scene. The teams are all-square. There's a minute or so
remaining when referee Uriah Rennie awards a penalty. It's a controversial
decision but, then, they all are.
Let's say, for the sake of this comment, that Dennis Bergkamp hammers the
ball into the top corner of the net and Arsenal win 3-2. A Leeds fanatic,
fascist and racist, having eluded the police and stewards, runs on to the
pitch and sticks one on the ref.
Rennie goes down pole-axed and as he lies on the ground, the fan brings back
his foot to kick the official in the head. Everything has happened in a
couple of seconds and only two players are close enough to intervene. Both
are members of the Professional Footballers' Association.
According to Gordon Taylor, the usually sensible chief executive of the PFA,
his members should not get involved. They must not risk facing criminal
charges or put their own careers in doubt because of injury.
Taylor has been most emphatic this week. He doesn't want his lads putting
themselves at risk. Apprehending lunatic fans should be left to police and
stewards. After all, says the trade union leader, that's their business.
That's what they are paid for.
If police and officials fail, if they're not doing their job, they need to
be called to account, says Taylor.
Of course they should, but, first, you've got to help the ref. Let's have an
inquiry when peace has broken out and the ref is safe.
Can Taylor be serious? Perhaps he has been misquoted because the players
have no option. There are times when they must tackle the intruder, as did
Jan Aage Fjortoft of Barnsley and Liverpool's Paul Ince in the match at
Oakwell last Saturday.
Sadly, there are occasions when violence is the rhetoric of the football
fan.
He is unable to keep it in his mind where it belongs. He is the idiot who
expresses his frustration by wanting to kick someone's teeth in.
Sometimes he selects an unfortunate official. If police and stewards are
right there, all right, leave it to them. If the cavalry haven't arrived,
however, a man's got to do what a man's got to do.
At those moments all of us, including footballers, have to act first, think
later, and to hell with the possibility of injuring ourselves. The only
defence then is offence.
Can you imagine the alternative? It is that the two players, heeding the
advice of their union, do nothing as the referee is kicked. There would be a
huge outcry if an official were seriously hurt because of inaction by
footballers.
I wonder what Gordon Taylor would say then?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Martin Edwards, chief executive of Manchester United, says the club want to
experiment with pay-per-view television sooner rather than later.
Of course he does, because he knows that the £7.9million United have
recently received from television would be chicken feed: what Groucho Marx
called a poultry matter.
Edwards knows digitalised TV will enable 200,000 fans or more to 'attend'
every home game. Think of the money if United charge, say, a tenner for
every League, Cup and European match. That's the best part of £50m a season.
Since contra deals will enable fans to have pay-per-view for away games as
well, we're talking major mazuma. With gate receipts, £100m a year will be
fact, not fantasy.
Come the day - and it isn't far away - we will be able to buy digital season
tickets from United which will enable us to watch all their matches without
going anywhere near Old Trafford.
This is the future because United, not the BBC, not ITV and probably not
Sky, will run their digital channel. And kids will ask their parents for
DSTs for United, Liverpool, Arsenal or Chelsea and stop going to Watford,
Tranmere and Norwich. Then, even more than now, all the bread will be Red
and the Blues won't lose.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
According to Joe Kinnear, referee Dermot Gallagher locked himself in his
dressing room after Wimbledon's 2-0 defeat at Old Trafford. This was
probably a wise decision since Kinnear, on the warpath, suggested the ref
should have been locked up in any case.
Pity the poor ref, say I. Watching Match of the Day that evening both goals
were debatable. They might have been off-side but that view was formed with
the benefit of television replays, something Gallagher did not have in the
heat of the match.
Indeed, many of the problems in top sport are caused by TV replays. The ref
who gets it wrong, the umpire who gives a batsman out when the ball doesn't
carry, the line judge who misses a call.
It is difficult to argue against the use of technology but I have a feeling
that the arrival of the TV replay which we thought was a solution to some
problems has, in fact, spawned a dozen others.
Anything which undermines the authority of the referee is bad for the health
of the game, of the players, of Joe Kinnear and other managers, and, of
course, of the official himself. He needs our support and we should start by
assuring him that he is always right. Even when he's wrong.
Perhaps the ultimate answer is to ban television replays.
Marcus Lionel van Geyzel.
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