England star gets hand put in his face, and then gets angry
( 101gg )
England star gets barred from club, and then gets headbutty
( The Sun )
England star gets three points at Portsmouth, and then gets very drunk
( Daily Mail )
Birmingham City star (not quite the same) is banned from a nightclub
( Dirty Tackle )
And now for something completely different. Have you ever wanted an index of all rude player names? Are you really that juvenile? Ah, ok. Midfielddynamo have helpfully compiled one.
1. England have a good first XI. Spain have a very good squad
Starting last night’s match in Bosnia without Ramos, Xavi, Torres or Villa, Spain still smashed five past a side who were unbeaten at home in Group Five. By contrast, England laboured, and were outpossessed for swathes of the match against Belarus.
Critical injuries and suspensions in previous tournaments have often put paid to England’s chances. In 2006, the Italian XI who beat France contained four changes from their opening match against Ghana. Could England survive four players missing from their first choice line-up?
2. Beckham’s MOTM award says more about Lennon et al, than it does about Steve Bruce
National outrage, complaints to OFCOM, even Fabio Capello seemed mildly amused at Steve Bruce’s selection of David Beckham as Man of the Match last night. But there can be no doubt that the right side flourished when Becks came on, and all of a sudden England looked a threat from both flanks, rather than just the left.
Bentley, Walcott, Lennon - all have tried to displace Becks since Steve McLaren tried to axe him back in 2006. Yet over three years later, only the bearded one looks certain to make England’s world cup squad next summer.
3. Maybe it does all even itself out Brian
Cut to any professionally dull football pundit in the aftermath of a shocking refereeing decision or late equaliser, and they will, having mulled it over for a little while, cerebrally conclude that, “at the end of the day, it all evens itself out.” And events in Washington last night, appear for once to vindicate this viewpoint.
Having scored an added time equaliser during their CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-final against Mexico this summer, the ‘Ricans’ were undone by Jonathan Bornstein’s 95th minute header for the United States last night, which sent Honduras to South Africa, and Costa Rica to Uruguay.
Or U R Gay as Homer Simpson famously misread it.
Former Coventry and Norwich star living it up in California
Darren Huckerby was the inspiration behind Coventry finishing 11th in the 1997/98 Premier League, and since then he has floated around at Leeds, Manchester City, Nottingham Forest, Norwich, and now San Jose in America. Such has been his immediate impact over in the MLS that he has been named ‘The Sheriff of San Jose’, as his goals and assists have fired the San Jose Earthquakes towards the play-offs.
Despite now earning just $355,000 a year Huckbery claims he has never been happier, and many would argue that he’s having a more successful time than another English winger giving the American dream a bash.
The Spoiler’s love for Gerrard is deep. Real deep. Not just because he plays great football, we love him because he behaves as a sportsman should. For example, when left to his own devices, he has no idea what to wear.
While the likes of Becks and Lampsie have come out as rampant metrosexuals, unwilling to even leave the house if they’re not draped in the latest chic collection pour hommes, Gerrard’s more your meat and potatoes tracksuit-and-jeans type. And what are all those bags he’s carrying in the above picture? Gucci? Armani? Old Spice? No, woman, they’re Adidas. Adidas for MEN.
The number seven shirt is considered the most prestigious at Old Trafford, having been worn previously by the likes of George Best, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona and David Beckham.
Cristiano Ronaldo was supposed to be the next great player to achieve legend status wearing the number with which he has become obsessed, but it looks like he has craned his extraordinarily long neck in the direction of Madrid.
Paddy Power still make Ronaldo 5/4 favourite to be wearing the shirt next season, while the second favourite is for nobody to inherit the number for the coming campaign should the 42-goal Portuguese leave: say what you will about Ronny’s performance over the season just past, but he surely hasn’t done enough to have his number retired.
Does the armband belong back with Terry, or should it grace another bicep?
Stevie G was handed the captaincy in Capello’s first match in charge, but should he be in command at the France game next week, and indeed in the run up to 2010? Other contenders include John Terry (who is as much of a bully as Capello, but prone to injury, unnecessary aggression and illegal parking), Rio Ferdinand (who’ll probably be too busy and ‘merking’ people), David Bentley (a young player who is likely to feature prominently in the future), Micah Richards (whose favourite film is Home Alone) or Frank Lampard (whose favourite film is a tie between Dirty Dancing and The Notebook).
…And loads of other bizarre pointless stuff in new Pepsi advert
Usually, Pepsi adverts are great spectacles - previously, we’ve enjoyed Beckham in a Wild West shootout, and Roberto Carlos and co losing a game to a bunch of overweight Germans. The latest clip from the cola pushers, however, seems like a big ol’ mishmash of crap designed to get as many high profile names into a minute slot: Thierry Henry runs through the jungle in a dinner suit, Beckham as Indiana Jones mysteriously transforms into Cesc Fabregas, and Princess Frank gets all dolled up in a fetching little kimono. It really accentuates his hips, and black is a very flattering colour for the precious midfielder,
Fans of great lists: get your reading slippers on. A terrifyingly solemn Portuguese website called futebolfinance.com has compiled a list of the fifty highest earning European footballers. It being Portugal, the sums are in euros (and it being Portugal no one playing for a Portuguese club side is on the list), but with one euro worth about 76p, by subtracting a quarter of the sum, the all-important pound value will be revealed.
Once you’ve managed to control the powerful waves of envy and indignation crashing together inside your head, the list makes for some interesting reading. Who’d have thought Darren Bent was top twenty? How much higher would he have been if he’d gone to West Ham instead? And since when was a Harry Kewell worth more than a Joe Cole?
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