William Gallas was locked out of Chelsea’s training ground last week in the wake of his ignominious transfer to Arsenal in part exchange for Ashley Cole, writes Duncan Castles. The action is understood to have been sanctioned by Jose Mourinho, who had resolved not to use Gallas this season if the deadline-day switch had not been completed. Gallas had been attempting to collect possessions he had left at Chelsea’s Surrey training centre upon his return from international duty on Thursday, three days after Chelsea released a press statement accusing the France defender of refusing to play an FA Cup semi-final for the club and threatening to score an own goal in a Premiership game. Gallas was informed that he would not be allowed access to the facilities and that his property would be forwarded by Chelsea to an address of his choosing
Town cryers
Why did new Ipswich manager Jim Magilton praise his players after their gutless, shot-shy performance at home to fellow strugglers Hull City recently? Word reaches us that the Suffolk club’s PR team thought Magilton went too far when criticising his team after a similarly dreadful performance during the defeat by Leicester. It appears that the sensitive things didn’t like being told off. To back up that claim, his words of sympathy have had a galvanising effect; the Tractor Boys have won both of their Championship games since. Bless
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’Ello ’Ello
Interesting to see a new face on the Germany bench as the team rattled in 13 goals without reply in midweek at San Marino. The German football association has hired a little-known coach from the lower leagues to be national team’s new No 2. After three years with TSG Hoffenheim in Germany’s third division, plus some time with Salzburg in Austria, step forward the previously unheralded Hans-Dieter Flick. Hang on, Herr Flick, that sounds strangely familiar.....
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Rock on, now Gibraltar wants a game
Speaking of Germany’s close encounter, isn’t it about time Uefa stopped allowing the likes of San Marino, Andorra (who lost 5-0 to England last weekend) and the Faroe Islands (defeated 6-0 by Scotland) to clutter up the Euro 2008 qualifying fixture lists? Wouldn’t they be better served battling through a pre-qualifying tournament first? Well, hang on to your bobble hats, because the situation could get worse. The latest country to apply for Uefa membership is Gibraltar. All two and a half miles of it, with a population of just under 27,000 that could be easily accommodated in its entirety in any Premiership ground, including the 250 barbary monkeys that are proud to call Gibraltar home
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Not now Sydney
You’ve just sold the one player regarded as your ‘star’ for £200,000 to pay off some debt. So what do you do next? Well, surely you don’t send for Benito Carbone, 35, who once famously earned £40,000 a week for doing not an awful lot with financially challenged Bradford City in its long lost Premiership days. But that’s precisely what Sydney FC in Australia has done. Having punted a bemused Dwight Yorke back over to England to join Sunderland (‘nobody phoned to say they wanted me to stay’) the Aussie league winners, who include Hollywood actor Anthony LaPaglia among their backers, has offered Carbone a month-long trial with a view to a permanent deal
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Watford, probably the best pub team in the world....
There is additional cause for celebration among Watford fans, presently enjoying their team’s return to the Premiership. The club has revealed plans to acquire the Red Lion pub opposite its Vicarage Road home to give supporters some extra good cheer. ‘The opportunity came up to buy the pub, and it was an interesting opportunity because of its historical significance,’ said a club spokesman. ‘Its location to the stadium is very useful, and we hope this decision will improve facilities for our fans.’
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Speaking on behalf of myself
Ashley Cole appears to have become his own spokesperson. Interviewed by Radio 5 Live last week, he adopted the third person view — a rather optimitstic one — to describe his contentious departure from Arsenal. ‘Ashley Cole has moved on, I hope Arsenal fans have, there is no reason for them to boo.’