Hull City’s record signing Jimmy Bullard was sacked by the club back in August following an incident which was thought to be related to breaching rules over alcohol during a pre-season training camp in Slovenia. He had previously been warned over his over-the-field behaviour and it was not a surprise to see him dismissed.
Bullard’s antics got me thinking about other footballers and managers who had put their football club in a extremely embarrassing position with their actions off the pitch.
Bullard is certainly not the first and won’t be the last football personality to make the headlines for their alledged drinking. Many others have had extra-marital affairs to the detriment to their career in football but we hear less about these now because of the rise of injunctions that prevent publishing details of these affairs. However we normally get to hear about them eventually, isn’t that right Mr Giggs?
Click on Bullard below to see the Top Ten
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Tottenham Hotspur fans are agreeing with what former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher had to say about the club’s league finishes in recent seasons, despite a lack of investment in the squad by Chairman Daniel Levy.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football show, Carragher said that under Mauricio Pochettino, the current Spurs team has overachieved significantly compared to the poor financial backing they received. A net spend of only £29m since Pochettino took charge of the North London club in 2014 doesn’t sit well with the club’s fans, but given the fact that the club has the third most points during that period paints a picture of what they could’ve achieved if money was made available to make signings.
Spurs suffered a 1-0 loss to Manchester City on Monday evening and their manager’s future at the club has become a worry for some fans after Real Madrid sacked Julen Lopetegui during the clash at Wembley and the Spanish giants could be keeping tabs on Pochettino as a possible replacement for Lopetegui.
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Here are some of the Twitter reactions by Spurs fans:
Whilst many of us would dream of being paid to play football week-in week out for our clubs, for a number of the world’s top footballers this is not the only passion or, for some, the only career path that they have shown an interest in. We are not taling about things like playing golf, or partaking in other common sports, but genuine hobbies or interests outside of the world of sport that these footballers find the time to pursue seriously. I have compiled a selection of 10 footballers with ‘another life’, most of whom I am confident are relatively unknown to the general public, though one or two are certainly familiar.
Click on Daniel Agger to see the 10 players and their secret second lives
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Wolves manager Terry Connor has stated that the side’s critics should wait to the end of the season before judging the Molineux outfit.
The Midlands team dismissed Mick McCarthy after a poor run of form, installing assistant Connor for the remainder of the campaign.
With Wolves still in bottom place, four points adrift of safety, Connor has asked critics to delay their slating.
“You will have to ask the football club whether it was the right decision to get rid of Mick,” he told Sky Sports.
“That was the decision. They’ve asked me to take the job to the end of the season.
“What’s happened in the past has happened. What we are looking forward to now is eight more games and wanting to survive in the Premier League.
“Was it the right thing to do? It’s hindsight. You are looking back at something which actually hasn’t finished yet.
“We will look over the whole season, review it, and if you’ve made mistakes, learn from them, and hope you don’t make those mistakes.
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“It hasn’t finished yet. Who knows if it was the right or wrong thing to do. But the club made the decision and we all have to move on from there,” he concluded.
Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech has admitted that his side have not been happy with the results they have been picking up of late, but feels the Stamford Bridge outfit can still challenge for the Premier League title.
Andre Villas Boas’ men have been beaten in their last two domestic fixtures, and disappointingly drew 1-1 against Genk in midweek in the Champions League.
Despite the dip in form, the Czech Republic international feels his team are capable of finishing top of the pile this season.
“We have had two results that we didn’t wish, the last two results, against Arsenal and the Genk draw, but the best way to forget about this is to win games,” the stopper told Mirror Football.
“Obviously, we cannot afford to drop many more points in the Premier League, because we are already behind. There is a long way to go and everything can happen, especially in the Premier League.
“At the moment our opponents have an advantage. Obviously we have to keep working, get the wins and then see what will happen,” he stated.
The London outfit take on Blackburn at Ewood Park this weekend, but Cech has league leaders Manchester City in his sights.
“The Blackburn game could be a turning point for us, because it’s a difficult place to go. Let’s see.
“City have been doing very well, and that’s why they are where they are but there is a long way to go. We play them twice.
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“We can’t forget that, last year, we had a brilliant start and then a difficult period and then we had a brilliant finish and could have won the title,” he concluded.
It would be so easy to laugh at Arsenal right now. In fact, I have, in the not so distance past. Financial restrictions, injuries at the most inconvenient times and your star player wanting to leave. The truth is, it could so easily be us in Arsenal’s place right now.
A couple of important things happened in 2005.
Arsenal won their last trophy and The Glazers took full control of our club, placing a massive debt on to us. Then, in 2006, Arsenal moved from Highbury to The Emirates Stadium, which also put Financial strain on them. At the time, Manchester United and Arsenal were the two teams in the league who were battling it out for the title and the trophies, year in, year out. Chelsea had just started to find their feet after the injection of Abramovich’s cash and won the league in 2005. The difference in Manchester United’s and Arsenal’s fortune since 2005 has been like night and day. While Arsenal have not won anything, Manchester United have won 4 Premier League trophies, 3 Carling Cup trophies and 1 Champions League trophy. Arsenal have not spent much since their last trophy win (if Manchester United had spent as little, I am sure we would be struggling too) They have instead decided to give their young players a chance to shine. This is an ideology shared by both Manchester United and Arsenal.
Whether the lack of spending is down to Arsene Wenger or the Arsenal board, you have to say, it is a problem. The Glazers have taken a lot of stick since they took control of our club. Personal abuse, TV documentaries and fan protests about how they run the club, have been common place over the past couple of years. However, the way they run the club since, is the difference between us and Arsenal. Well, that, and of course, the absolute brilliance of Sir Alex Ferguson . Despite the huge debt we have, the Glazers have made sure that we have kept competitive, not only in the Premiership, but also in Europe. They have made a lot of money available to buy some of the best young players in the world. They allowed Ferguson to spend £30 million on Berbatov, while we still had Rooney, Ronaldo and Tevez at the club. They have even allowed Ferguson to take risks in the transfer market, with the signing of Bebe being the biggest example of this.
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While Arsenal still boast to have the best young team in the Premiership, they have slipped behind on this front too. They have two of the best young mid-fielders in the world in Jack Wilshere and Arron Ramsay, but beyond that, and the possible emergence of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Wojciech Szczesny, you have to say that Manchester United have the better young players. Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Jonny Evans, Fabio Da Silva, Anderson, Nani, Ashley Young, Danny Wellbeck and Chicharito would each walk in to the Arsenal first team, with David De Gea and Tom Cleverley probably on a par with Arsenal’s first team. The future off the pitch also looks great for Manchester United. With the sale of a relatively small percentage of the club, it looks as though the huge debt on our club, may be cleared.
This would probably mean even greater power in the transfer market for years to come. It would also mean that the Glazers would own the majority of a club, and in the end, not paid any money. In fact, they may have even made a profit. While Arsenal have fallen behind over the past few years, Chelsea, and now Manchester City, have emerged as our main rivals. While Manchester United and Arsenal both used the money gained by their success to get by, Chelsea and Manchester City are both bankrolled by their rich owners. That is why I have a little soft spot for Arsenal. If you get past the dislike for some of their players, they are a club a bit like Manchester United. Giving youth a chance and using success as a springboard for even more success is the way football should be done.
As a Manchester United fan, I miss fighting for the title with Arsenal. I would much rather have them as our main title rivals, than Chelsea or Manchester City. I find their recent demise really sad, and, although I don’t like to admit it, I really hope they turn things round.
Article courtesy of Stockport Red from the excellent Red Flag Flying High
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Reports in the British press on Wednesday are linking Arsenal attacker Andrei Arshavin with a potential January move to Lazio.
The Russia international has lost confidence and form at the Emirates Stadium, and is no longer guaranteed a first-team place when everyone is fit and available.
Arshavin himself has admitted that his form over the last 12 months has not been good enough, and is eager to be at his best to represent his country at Euro 2012.
Mirror Football state that Arsene Wenger is ready to let the Eastern European leave North London for around £6 million, with the Serie A side keen to bolster their attacking options.
Arshavin’s contract is due to expire in the summer of 2013, and Arsenal have a dilemma on their hands whether to try to extend his deal or sell him before he can leave for nothing.
The Russian’s deal runs out at the same time as club captain Robin van Persie, but Wenger has admitted that Arshavin’s situation is somewhat different.
“He is a bit older than Van Persie,” the Frenchman told Mirror Football.
“Sometimes the visual impression you get from a game has been frustrating, but he is very efficient. We can all have big responsibility but we need confidence for what we do,” he concluded.
By Gareth McKnight
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Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has praised Luka Modric and Emmanuel Adebayor, after the duo starred in the London club’s 4-0 victory over Liverpool at White Hart Lane on Sunday.
Modric scored the first goal of the rout, with Adebayor grabbing a brace, in what was Spurs’ first home win of the season.
The Croatian midfielder was the subject of a number of transfer bids from Chelsea over the summer, but Redknapp now believes that his playmaker is back focussing on his football again.
“Luka is fine now, he’s just getting on with it,” he told Sky Sports.
“I think the chairman will sit down with him now and discuss his contract. That’s what I’d like to happen. It was a great strike today. That’s why we were offered £40million because he’s a top player.”
Meanwhile former Arsenal striker Adebayor has had an impressive start to his time at White Hart Lane, scoring three goals in his first two appearances, and Redknapp applauded the African’s qualities.
“I asked William Gallas about him, who came to us from Arsenal, of course, and he told me he was a fantastic player. Gallas won our fans over – he was close to being player of the year last season – and this is a great chance for Adebayor.
“At Wolves last week, he held the ball up, brought people into play, scored, and looked a real handful. He’s got to prove that just because it didn’t work out for him at Manchester City, he’s still a top drawer striker. It’s great chance for him – and a no-brainer for me to take him on loan.
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“He has been flying in training. You think he’s going to run out of petrol but he doesn’t. He trains like someone’s wound him up. He always has a smile on his face. Let’s hope it continues,” he concluded.
John Terry has admitted it is his ambition to captain England at a major tournament, as his nation are on the verge of qualifying for Euro 2012.
The Chelsea defender will lead his side out against Montenegro on Friday night in Podgorica, knowing that a draw will ensure The Three Lions’ participation in Ukraine and Poland next year.
With the centre half having missed out on leading the team at the World Cup in 2010 due to allegations about his private life, he is hoping he can skipper his nation in the upcoming European Championships.
“It is obviously my dream to take the England side into a big and major tournament,” he stated to Sky Sports News.
“Personally that is my aim, but collectively the team is the priority and whether that is a draw or a win we have to do the right thing, we are full of confidence and top of the group but we have to get over the line.
“It brings back memories of the Turkey game a few years ago when we needed a draw in Istanbul to go through to Euro 2004. The manager has got us in the right frame of mind for the game,” he stated.
England suffered a poor World Cup campaign in South Africa last year, but Terry believes the team have put the disappointment behind them.
“We have come back and taken a look at ourselves and we have come together collectively, we are very pleased with how things have gone and make sure we put ourselves in the Euros,” he concluded.
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In Rio Ferdinand’s absence either Gary Cahill or Phil Jones is likely to partner Terry in the centre of the visitors’ rearguard, and the Chelsea man’s experience will be vital in nullifying Montenegro’s able forwards Mirko Vucinic and Stevan Jovetic.
QPR have sacked manager Neil Warnock, as the newly promoted side look to stop their slide down the Premier League table.
After a combative start to the campaign, the Loftus Road outfit have found the going in the English top flight difficult, and currently hold 17th place in the standings, a point above the drop-zone.
With club owner Tony Fernandes worried about the team’s chances of staying in the division, the London club have announced that they have parted company with Warnock.
“This decision has been made in the best interests of the club and I can assure everyone that this is not a decision that was made lightly,” Fernandes told the club’s official website.
“Sadly, our recent run of poor form has seen us slip alarmingly down the table and the board felt it was the right time to make a change.
“Neil has acted with honesty, professionalism and integrity throughout his time at the club, and I would personally like to thank him for his significant contribution to QPR over the last 22 months.
“I genuinely wish him all the very best for the future and he will always be welcome back at Loftus Road,” the executive concluded.
Mark Hughes and Steve Bruce are believed to be amongst the front-runners for the vacant position.
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