Football Diary
by Patrick O'Connor
THE Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard got a bit miffed on Saturday.
Not only did he get a blow in the mouth causing him to bleed, but a nasty television cameraman had the nerve to move in for a close-up whilst the England player was receiving treatment on the touchline.
Now Lampard was probably feeling a bit sore but he also seemed to think that this was rather intrusive behaviour judging by the manner in which he gestured for the cameraman to move away.
Take note, this is the same Lampard who earns an absolute fortune from a football industry wallowing in television money, this is the same Lampard who seems more than happy to poise for photographs with his attractive TV presenter girlfriend Christine Bleakley and seems more than happy for her to gush about their relationship to the media.
Like a lot of people in the public eye, he wants to have his cake and eat it.
Last week Lampard was whinging about being left out of the Chelsea team, he ought to remember that there may come a time when there's little cake left for him. Will he still be camera shy then?
The Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is quite a character and he has put together a formidable team full of attacking flair which will probably just fall short of challenging for a major honour this season.
And he's no mug when it comes to sussing out the mentality of the modern footballer.
He has refused to lift his ban on his players having a Christmas party.
Two years ago Redknapp was left fuming when his Irish striker Robbie Keane took team-mates to Dublin for a boozy session without telling him.
As a punishment they were forced to donate £300,000 to charity and Redknapp has stuck to his guns ever since.
“We are too busy playing football - they can have a Christmas party in the summer. If they can't behave themselves with the money they are earning then there is something wrong with them. They are earning fortunes, have great careers and lives, so they can get on with their football instead of causing problems at Christmas,” said the Spurs boss.
Too right Harry, who has to look no further than the Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner, now on loan at Sunderland, for an example of how frustrating footballers can be. Bendtner has issued a public apology following his arrest, along with Sunderland team-mate Lee Cattermole, on Thursday in relation to an incident in Newcastle City Centre.
The pair were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and later released on bail.
In a statement published on the website of Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet, Bendtner, said he had "been involved in several incidents that have attracted much negative attention from the media."
He added: "I hope you will understand that I am therefore now intending to concentrate on football, and just about football - it is here and only here that my focus must lie.
"I apologise sincerely that I have allowed myself to get involved in things that are interpreted in such dramatic fashion."
Bendtner also commented on two other incidents which he has been involved in.
"I fully assume responsibility for not distancing myself from these incidents before they got out of hand. I hope you will understand that I now promise to concentrate fully on football and only football. My focus has to be here - and not anywhere else.
"It means that I in the upcoming time won't be involved in extracurricular activities - like too many parties or interviews about my persona.
"Trust takes time to build - and I now can see how quickly it disappears."
This time of the year you tend to get some daft football stories and I love the tale about supporters of German side Hansa Rostock.
The Second Division club were ordered to play their next game behind closed doors after crowd trouble during their 3-1 defeat by St Pauli in which eight police officers were injured.
But although the fans were banned, they were still able to buy 'virtual' tickets to limit the financial loss to the club.'
'Virtual' supporters got a limited-edition sticker for the game while specially made T-shirts were also on sale.
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