The guy who delivers the milk can give you 10 minutes solid on the weaknesses of Rafa Benitez or Ars?

The guy who delivers the milk can give you 10 minutes solid on the weaknesses of Rafa Benitez or Ars? Wenger or Sir Alex Ferguson. It goes directly to him and is this: when you were a top man in TV and a key appointment had to be made, one vital to the course of the national television industry for the next few years, how would you have reacted to some gnarled old football man coming into your office, putting his feet on the desk, and saying, “OK, sit back, I’ll sort this out.”
Barwick would, of course, have been right to ask his own question: “What on earth in your background qualifies you have to any influence at all in such an important matter?”The trouble with football is that it is so accessible, so superficially simple, that everyone thinks they know it; not just the fascinating, entertaining face of it at its best, but its very nuances. As Brian Barwick, the Football Association’s chief executive, ploughs on in the bizarre beauty parade designed – if you’ll forgive the fancy expression – to land the next England head coach, one question above all begs to be asked. We strongly reject any allegation that pressure was applied or that threats were made.”Charleroi are suing Fifa over the injury to Morocco’s Abdelmajid Oulmers, who was out for eight months after injuring ankle ligaments against Burkina Faso in November 2004.They claim Fifa are liable because under their rules they oblige clubs to release players for internationals without payment.Blatter has since tried to achieve a settlement by announcing that Fifa will cover insurance costs for players during the World Cup, but G14’s ultimate aim is for clubs to be reimbursed the players’ wages while they are on international duty.G14 are also backing a similar legal claim from one of their members Lyon over their France defender Eric Abidal who broke his foot in a friendly.G14’s general manager Thomas Kurth said: “The current regulations favour national associations and expose clubs to serious damages.”Meanwhile, Barcelona vice-president Ferran Soriano has claimed G14 want to increase the number of Champions League matches.UEFA’s scrapping of the second group phase in 2003 has been widely welcomed but was opposed by G14.Soriano told BBC Sport: “We are not talking about doubling the number of games, it may be adding just one or two.”We have to have the opportunity to participate in the final decision.”The last time it was changed from two group stages to one we couldn’t say anything and that can’t happen again.”In general terms the Champions League is a fantastic competition but we want to have more games if possible.”. The Belgium first division side Charleroi are claiming £426,000 compensation for one of their players injured in an international friendly and are being backed by G14, the group of 18 elite clubs including Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal.
If Fifa lose, it will hand much more power to the clubs who believe they should be paid while players are on international duty.Charleroi’s lawyer Jean-Pierre Deprez told the court the club’s chairman Abbas Bayat had been pressurised by Fifa to drop the case.Fifa spokesman Andreas Herren confirmed the organisation’s president Sepp Blatter met Bayat on Friday but denied any pressure was applied.Herren told PA Sport: “The meeting took place in the presence of the general secretary of the Belgium FA and UEFA president Lennart Johansson. Football’s most important legal test case since the Bosman ruling began in a Belgium court yesterday with Fifa lined up against Europe’s richest clubs.

The midfielder may wear protective goggles if he is asked to play.Birmingham have been “waiting to win a major trophy for 100 years”, according to Bruce, although they are the only club against whom Benitez has not tasted victory. Assessing their confrontation in the context of the fixture pile-up, the Spaniard found further common ground with his rival.”It’s not the best situation,” he said “But the FA Cup is perhaps our only chance to win a trophy My players know what they have to do.”. Mohamed Sissoko, who was told that he might lose full vision after sustaining an eye injury against Benfica last month, makes a surprise return to the squad. The European champions are coming, so let’s give it a crack.”Benitez, who rang the changes at Newcastle after the 5-1 rout of Fulham last Wednesday, is likely to do the same this evening. “Major doubts”, as Bruce termed them, include Nicky Butt, Jiri Jarosik, David Dunn and Emile Heskey. DJ Campbell is cup-tied, so Mikael Forssell may operate as a lone striker.”To say it’s not ideal would be an understatement,” said Bruce, his downbeat mood proving that the most ebullient characters can be worn down by setbacks “I’m sick to death of whingeing I’m turned off by myself We’d love to have a full complement to pick from We haven’t.

Pompey won 4-2 but Bruce refused to dwell on the controversy beyond suggesting that he “did not like what happened”.He has more pressing concerns, with Birmingham likely to be without as many as 10 senior players tonight. Definitely out are the injured Chris Sutton, Julian Gray, Muzzy Izzet, Matthew Upson and Mehdi Nafti. Surely, in a season that lasts 10 months, we could have found a suitable weekend.”The other effect of the scheduling was that West Ham fielded a weakened team on Saturday against one of Birmingham’s relegation rivals, Portsmouth. “It’s a fantastic tournament and we were just rebuilding its reputation. However, he felt that the FA had “devalued” the competition by switching the quarter-finals “It’s sad because I’m a great believer in the Cup,” he said. Psychologically, the second day after any game is always the worst for a player.