Football Diary
by Patrick O’Connor
WITH parts of the country still smouldering from the wreckage of the havoc caused by rioters and looters, it was sad to witness the opening day of the Premier League spoilt by a nasty squabble between two footballers whose priority should have been to set a example of good behaviour to the watching millions.
The actions of these over-pampered prima donnas impacts on impressionable youth but instead of inspiration we got Newcastle’s Joey Barton and Arsenal’s Gervinho in an ugly spat during the 0-0 draw.
Gervinho was sent off on his Arsenal debut for slapping Barton who was booked for dragging him to his feet.
Barton tweeted later: “I went down easy, no doubt. Still, can’t raise your hands. Referee got it right.
“If you raise your hands to faces, you should be off. What do people want me to do, stand and trade blows?”
This was after the two managers, Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger and Newcastle’s Alan Pardew waded in with after-match comments.
Wenger claimed that the referee should have sent both players off whilst Pardew accused Gervinho of diving and said: “Joey’s reaction was to chastise him and then there was a tussle. But then he slapped him and you can’t do that.”
None of those involved in this incident came out of the situation with any credit.
With most professional clubs now back in full-time action, the agony of pre-season training will fade away. It’s a period that players detest but one that has to be undergone to enable them to regain full fitness after their summer break.
But the repercussions for one pre-season friendly match are still being felt.
Conference club Mansfield Town is to issue legal proceedings against Ilkeston FC after three of their players were injured in a friendly.
The Mansfield manager Paul Cox abandoned the friendly at Ilkeston on August 3 after defender John Thompson became the third player to be injured,
Thompson needed over 40 stitches after his nose was broken following a tackle by Ilkeston’s Gary Ricketts.
A statement on the Mansfield club website read: “After dialogue between the clubs, Mansfield Town’s chairman John Radford has since seen the match DVD and decided to issue legal proceedings.
“Thompson was in hospital after an incident involving Ilkeston’s Gary Ricketts and fellow defenders Martin Riley and Ritchie Sutton were also taken to hospital following challenges from Ricketts.”
Mark Stevenson, Mansfield Town’s spokesman, said the club was issuing legal proceedings to newly-formed Ilkeston to recover loss of earnings for Thompson. It is expected that Thompson will not be able to play again until October. Ilkeston FC was unavailable for comment.
The season has only just begun but already there are financial worries in the air.
According to a leading football finance analyst, Scottish Premier League clubs could go bust if fans continue to stay away.
Around 600,000 have stopped attending SPL games in the last five years.
David Glenn, from accountancy firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers, told BBC Scotland: “The doomsday scenario is that the clubs just cannot survive and some may go under. My message to the fans though would be – if you want your club to survive, you are going to have to accept that they have to reduce the wage bill and sell their best players when they become of worth.”
And troubled Plymouth Argyle are still struggling to rid themselves of money worries.
The joint administrators of the League Two outfit are taking the company hoping to buy the club’s Home Park ground to court.
They say they want Bishop International Limited to pay £230,000 ‘immediately’ in order to pay staff and player wages for August.
So there is plenty of gloom and doom around at the moment in the world of football but for one young man the future could not be brighter.
Spanish giants Real Madrid have signed a SEVEN YEAR OLD Argentine boy.
Leonel Angel Coira, who has lived in Spain for three years, was spotted in trials and will start training with the club’s children team in September on a one-year renewable contract.
Coira told the Spanish newspaper ABC: “My dream is to meet Messi, play in the first division with Madrid and for Argentina in the World Cup.”
Not short of ambition is he! The boy will receive travel costs but no salary.
There’s also a ‘rag to riches’ story in the lower leagues of English football where Jason Mooney has signed a one year deal with League One side Wycombe having previously been working as a barman at the club!
The 6ft 9in goalkeeper from Northern Ireland told the club’s website: “I can’t believe what’s happened. Six months ago I was a full-time gardener and playing six leagues down from the Premier League back home.”
Wanderers’ first-choice keeper Nikki Bull said on Twitter: “Big Jason deserves this chance. Don’t think I have ever seen improvement in a player in such a short timeframe.”