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[Rutashubanyuma]

Second suspicious parcel for Celtic manager Neil Lennon is intercepted

• Police stop package at sorting office in Ayrshire
• Security officials accompany Lennon to training

• Ewan Murray
• guardian.co.uk, Friday 4 March 2011 22.01 GMT <li class="history">Article history
  
  Neil Lennon, the Celtic manager, arriving at the club's training ground as controversy continued over Wednesday's Old Firm game. Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
  The fallout from Wednesday night's controversial Old Firm derby has taken a sinister turn, with police intercepting a second suspicious package within three months addressed to the Celtic manager Neil Lennon. The parcel, which police believe originated in Lanarkshire, was stopped at a sorting office in Saltcoats, Ayrshire, as security surrounding Lennon was stepped up. In January, a package containing bullets and destined for Lennon was intercepted at a postal depot in Northern Ireland.
  "We can confirm we are currently investigating a suspicious package discovered at a Royal Mail sorting office in Chapelwell Street, Saltcoats," said Strathclyde police on Friday. "The package was examined and the incident is being treated as a hoax. Inquiries are ongoing."
  As the debate about Wednesday's tempestuous game &#8211; at the end of which Lennon clashed with the Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist &#8211; rages on, the Celtic manager was accompanied by security officials for Friday's training session and missed his media conference.
  Lennon has also increased levels of security at his home after threats to his safety were reportedly made last month. The 39-year-old has become accustomed to attention, routinely of a negative kind, during his time as Celtic player and manager. It now remains to be seen whether or not Lennon regards the latest incidents as worth considering his position over.
  Walter Smith, the Rangers manager, has said he has been struck by police concerns regarding the Old Firm fixture. The Scottish Police Federation has suggested the Glasgow derby could be banned, played behind closed doors or not shown on television in a bid to halt external violence. On Wednesday, it was on- rather than off-field matters that were troublesome, but Smith has concerns.
  "Who could disagree with them?" said Smith of the strong police viewpoint. "They live it. They see it. They are the people who experience it. We play the game, we get on the bus, we head back to our stadium. The police, and others, have to live with the aftermath of it. If it is becoming a major problem and the Old Firm fixture itself is at the centre of it then, yes, they should do something about it.
  "It is a sobering moment when someone says to you 'we're having a problem we can't handle.' You then ask &#8211; is any football match worth it?"
  Smith accepted Rangers' role in Wednesday's incidents. The McCoist and Lennon spat aside, Smith watched three of his players &#8211; Steven Whittaker, Madjid Bougherra and El Hadji Diouf &#8211; receive red cards. "We all have a responsibility, me included," said the Rangers manager. "We have to try as hard as we can to keep our discipline. The other night we fell short of the standards we would expect. In terms of the football, I take full responsibility for my team. For everything that happened. I have to make sure that Rangers do a wee bit better [in terms of discipline].
  "Sometimes there is an overreaction after these games, but I'm not so sure this time there has been. We all have to take care of what we're doing.
  "The other night fell short of the standards we would expect."
  As he prepares to depart Ibrox in the summer, Smith added that he will not miss Old Firm encounters.
  "They never have been that pleasant," he said. "I always think I can get motivated and I always felt I was fairly well motivated in anything I did, but all the stuff that surrounds the Old Firm game makes it harder for you to do that."
  
  

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Celtic accept Neil Lennon's reduced touchline ban from SFA

&#8226; Lennon's six-match suspension reduced to four games
&#8226; 'We are pleased the SFA's original decision has been set aside'

• Press Association
• guardian.co.uk, Friday 4 March 2011 12.52 GMT <li class="history">Article history
  
  The first match of Neil Lennon's suspension will be Celtic's game against Hamilton. Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images Celtic have accepted Neil Lennon's reduced ban from the Scottish Football Association.
  Lennon was sent to the stands by the referee Craig Thomson at Tynecastle in November after an argument with the fourth official Steven McLean, and on top of the automatic two-match ban the manager was further punished in January with an additional four games for "excessive misconduct".
  However, following a hearing with the SFA's appeals board, a new sanction of an automatic two-game suspension and an additional two matches was imposed.
  A Celtic spokesperson said: "Clearly, we are pleased that the appeals board has decided to set aside the SFA's original decision in its entirety. We are awaiting the reasons for this in writing and will make further comment on this issue when this has been received. The new sanction imposed is accepted."
  The first game of the new sanction will be this Saturday's Scottish Premier League match at Celtic Park against Hamilton.
  
  

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Birmingham charged by FA over derby violence against Aston Villa

&#8226; Blues charged with failing to keep supporters off the pitch
&#8226; Trouble happened after December's Carling Cup quarter-final

• Press Association
• guardian.co.uk, Friday 4 March 2011 12.39 GMT <li class="history">Article history
  
  Over 1,000 Birmingham fans invaded the pitch after December's Carling Cup win against Aston Villa. Photograph: Andrew Boyers/Action Images Birmingham City, the Carling Cup winners, have been charged by the Football Association with failing to keep supporters off the pitch following their quarter-final victory over Aston Villa.
  More than 1,000 Birmingham supporters invaded the pitch after December's 2-1 win at St Andrew's and confronted the 3,800 Villa fans situated in the Gil Merrick Stand at the other end of the stadium. A flare appeared to be thrown into the Villa section although it was then tossed backwards and forwards between the rival factions. Seats were also ripped out and used as missiles along with other objects.
  The FA described the incidents as "serious crowd disturbances" and have given Birmingham until next Friday to respond. City said in a statement they "would like to thank the FA for their assistance and communication prior to and during the investigation".
  On the night of the trouble, the Birmingham manager, Alex McLeish, called it a return to the "dark ages" &#8211; a reference to the violence that affected the game in Britain in the 1970s and early 1980s.
  The police presence in and around St Andrew's had been increased to nearly 500 officers for the first midweek meeting between the clubs since ugly scenes seven years previously.
  The Birmingham acting chairman, Peter Pannu, added at the time: "Whilst we are very happy with the victory, we are extremely disappointed with the events that took place after the game. I promise there will be an impartial investigation by the club as we do not condone the embarrassing actions of certain individuals."
  
  

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Birmingham charged by FA over derby violence against Aston Villa

• Blues charged with failing to keep supporters off the pitch
• Trouble happened after December's Carling Cup quarter-final

• Press Association
• guardian.co.uk, Friday 4 March 2011 12.39 GMT <li class="history">Article history
  
  Over 1,000 Birmingham fans invaded the pitch after December's Carling Cup win against Aston Villa. Photograph: Andrew Boyers/Action Images Birmingham City, the Carling Cup winners, have been charged by the Football Association with failing to keep supporters off the pitch following their quarter-final victory over Aston Villa.
  More than 1,000 Birmingham supporters invaded the pitch after December's 2-1 win at St Andrew's and confronted the 3,800 Villa fans situated in the Gil Merrick Stand at the other end of the stadium. A flare appeared to be thrown into the Villa section although it was then tossed backwards and forwards between the rival factions. Seats were also ripped out and used as missiles along with other objects.
  The FA described the incidents as "serious crowd disturbances" and have given Birmingham until next Friday to respond. City said in a statement they "would like to thank the FA for their assistance and communication prior to and during the investigation".
  On the night of the trouble, the Birmingham manager, Alex McLeish, called it a return to the "dark ages" – a reference to the violence that affected the game in Britain in the 1970s and early 1980s.
  The police presence in and around St Andrew's had been increased to nearly 500 officers for the first midweek meeting between the clubs since ugly scenes seven years previously.
  The Birmingham acting chairman, Peter Pannu, added at the time: "Whilst we are very happy with the victory, we are extremely disappointed with the events that took place after the game. I promise there will be an impartial investigation by the club as we do not condone the embarrassing actions of certain individuals."

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

• Sport
• Football
• Gérard Houllier

Gérard Houllier says sorry to Aston Villa fans over weakened side

&#8226; 'I took a risk but these are good players,' says Villa manager
&#8226; Houllier claims owner Randy Lerner was aware of his plans

• Stuart James
• guardian.co.uk, Friday 4 March 2011 20.08 GMT <li class="history">Article history
  
  Gérard Houllier, the Aston Villa manager, apologised to the fans for his team selection against Manchester City. Photograph: Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images Gérard Houllier has apologised to the Aston Villa supporters for not informing them of his plans to field a weakened team against Manchester City in the FA Cup on Wednesday night. The Villa fans who travelled to Eastlands were left furious after Houllier made eight changes to his starting line-up on a night when City triumphed 3-0 to end any hopes the Midlands club had of winning silverware at the end of a dismal season.
  In a bizarre chain of events at Villa's training groundon Friday Houllier suggested that he had made the decision to rest a number of his leading players, including Ashley Young, Stewart Downing and Marc Albrighton, because he did not believe that his strongest starting line-up would have been capable of beating Manchester City. Houllier, however, later retracted those comments and apologised to the supporters for his team selection.
  "I'm sorry," said Houllier, who claimed that Randy Lerner, Villa's owner, and Paul Faulkner, the club's chief executive, were aware of his plans at City. "Perhaps I should have warned the fans before but it is not as if I was playing the youth team. I took a risk but these are good players."
  By saying sorry, Houllier has gone a step further than his predecessor Martin O'Neill, who never apologised for his controversial decision to leave out eight first-team regulars in the Uefa Cup tie against CSKA Moscow two years ago. Houllier, however, still has some way to go to repair his relationship with the Villa supporters, who will have noted that the Frenchman was apologising for failing to tell them beforehand about his line-up rather than his decision to sacrifice the FA Cup.
  Houllier, though, seems to be increasingly resigned to the idea that the Villa fans have little time for him. Alluding to the mistake that Wojciech Szczesny made last weekend, when the Arsenal goalkeeper's mix up with Laurent Koscielny handed Birmingham City, Villa's arch rivals, the Carling Cup, Houllier said: "The fans have a go at me because the goalkeeper of Arsenal messes around."
  Asked whether there were a section of Villa supporters that have an agenda against him, Houllier replied: "What's more important for me is your environment, and that's the chairman, the club and the players and I know what I'm doing. The chairman and Paul knew about the selection. I told them. We have got quality now. There's no excuse apart from the fact we conceded two early goals."
  Villa are currently 12th, five points above the relegation zone, and head to Bolton Wanderers on Saturday with Houllier maintaining that they could still need another three wins to be safe. "The league is such that we are more comfortable than at Christmas but we need more points to stay up," he said. "We might need 42 points to stay up, so the job is not done yet. We have an important game. [Bolton] have 37 points and we have 33. It's a final for us &#8211; [there are] 10 finals to play."
  
  

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

• Sport
• Football
• Gérard Houllier

Gérard Houllier says sorry to Aston Villa fans over weakened side

• 'I took a risk but these are good players,' says Villa manager
• Houllier claims owner Randy Lerner was aware of his plans

• Stuart James
• guardian.co.uk, Friday 4 March 2011 20.08 GMT <li class="history">Article history
  
  Gérard Houllier, the Aston Villa manager, apologised to the fans for his team selection against Manchester City. Photograph: Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images Gérard Houllier has apologised to the Aston Villa supporters for not informing them of his plans to field a weakened team against Manchester City in the FA Cup on Wednesday night. The Villa fans who travelled to Eastlands were left furious after Houllier made eight changes to his starting line-up on a night when City triumphed 3-0 to end any hopes the Midlands club had of winning silverware at the end of a dismal season.
  In a bizarre chain of events at Villa's training groundon Friday Houllier suggested that he had made the decision to rest a number of his leading players, including Ashley Young, Stewart Downing and Marc Albrighton, because he did not believe that his strongest starting line-up would have been capable of beating Manchester City. Houllier, however, later retracted those comments and apologised to the supporters for his team selection.
  "I'm sorry," said Houllier, who claimed that Randy Lerner, Villa's owner, and Paul Faulkner, the club's chief executive, were aware of his plans at City. "Perhaps I should have warned the fans before but it is not as if I was playing the youth team. I took a risk but these are good players."
  By saying sorry, Houllier has gone a step further than his predecessor Martin O'Neill, who never apologised for his controversial decision to leave out eight first-team regulars in the Uefa Cup tie against CSKA Moscow two years ago. Houllier, however, still has some way to go to repair his relationship with the Villa supporters, who will have noted that the Frenchman was apologising for failing to tell them beforehand about his line-up rather than his decision to sacrifice the FA Cup.
  Houllier, though, seems to be increasingly resigned to the idea that the Villa fans have little time for him. Alluding to the mistake that Wojciech Szczesny made last weekend, when the Arsenal goalkeeper's mix up with Laurent Koscielny handed Birmingham City, Villa's arch rivals, the Carling Cup, Houllier said: "The fans have a go at me because the goalkeeper of Arsenal messes around."
  Asked whether there were a section of Villa supporters that have an agenda against him, Houllier replied: "What's more important for me is your environment, and that's the chairman, the club and the players and I know what I'm doing. The chairman and Paul knew about the selection. I told them. We have got quality now. There's no excuse apart from the fact we conceded two early goals."
  Villa are currently 12th, five points above the relegation zone, and head to Bolton Wanderers on Saturday with Houllier maintaining that they could still need another three wins to be safe. "The league is such that we are more comfortable than at Christmas but we need more points to stay up," he said. "We might need 42 points to stay up, so the job is not done yet. We have an important game. [Bolton] have 37 points and we have 33. It's a final for us – [there are] 10 finals to play."

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Plymouth go into administration to avoid high court winding up move

&#8226; Club directors surprised by HMRC's court application
&#8226; Plymouth Argyle 'woefully insolvent', says accountant

• David Conn
• guardian.co.uk, Friday 4 March 2011 19.56 GMT <li class="history">Article history
  
  Plymouth Argyle's adviser Peter Ridsdale says he knows of two parties interested in buying the club. Photograph: John Walton/Empics Sport Plymouth Argyle's directors have put the club into administration, saving Argyle from a high court application by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs to wind the club up completely. Argyle's directors had been due to hold a board meeting described by staff as "the most important in the club's 124 year history", but were surprised late on Thursday by HMRC's application.
  Had that action succeeded, Argyle, formed in 1886, would not have been in existence to celebrate their 125th anniversary later this year. That prospect forced the directors to place the club into administration themselves. They have appointed the Leeds-based insolvency accountant Brendan Guilfoyle, who was nominated for the role on 21 February when the club issued a formal notice to appoint an administrator. As that is a form of insolvency, freezing the club's debts, it triggered a 10-point penalty from the Football League, plunging Peter Reid's team to the bottom of League One. There will be no further 10-point penalty now that administration has been confirmed.
  Argyle's Tokyo-based director, George Synan, has been promising this week that money would be sent to pay some of the liabilities and enable the club to stay out of administration. However, none of it, including £350,000 Synan had said would be with the club by Wednesday, has been paid over.
  Those efforts to stave off the club having to declare itself insolvent did not produce the cash required to pay staff or players their outstanding February wages, or HMRC who are owed around £300,000. The vote by the directors, who met in Plymouth while the court proceedings were taking place in London, is understood ultimately to have been unanimous, with another director, Keith Todd, Synan and the Japanese investor, Yasuaki Kagami, assenting to it. The management of the club by all who were directors over the past three years will be formally investigated by Guilfoyle, and a report on their conduct sent to the government, as is required of all insolvent companies.
  Guilfoyle said of Argyle: "The club is woefully insolvent. The actual debts are not that great, but the pressure from creditors is absolutely huge."
  Peter Ridsdale, who was advising the Argyle board, had put the debts at £13m, and said he had two parties interested in buying the club. HMRC and unsecured creditors owed £3.6m are expected to receive only a fraction of their bills, another short-changing by an insolvent football club which will exasperate HMRC.
  Guilfoyle has met the potential buyers, but has no money yet to pay wages. "I am hoping a potential purchaser will be prepared to fund the club during the administration," he said. "I have asked the players and staff to continue to work for me without payment until I secure it."
  
  

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

• Sport
• Football

Premier League players join mourners at funeral of Dean Richards

&#8226; Funeral for former defender takes place at Bradford cathedral
&#8226; Robbie Keane and James Beattie among mourners

• Press Association
• guardian.co.uk, Friday 4 March 2011 16.06 GMT <li class="history">Article history
  
  Dean Richards's funeral took place in the former defender's home city of Bradford. Photograph: Andrew Matthews/PA Premier League players have joined hundreds of mourners at the funeral of Dean Richards, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur defender. Richards, who was forced to retire from the game in 2005 following illness, died last weekend aged 36.
  The Republic of Ireland striker Robbie Keane and the on-loan Blackpool forward James Beattie joined friends, family and former colleagues for the funeral at Bradford cathedral, Richards's home city in west Yorkshire. The Wolves veteran Steve Bull and the former Bradford City manager Chris Kamara also attended the service.
  Richards is fondly remembered at Wolves, where he moved after impressing with Bradford. He went on to play for Southampton and Tottenham, who paid £8.1m for his services.
  Richards was forced to retire from the game after suffering from dizzy spells and headaches &#8211; an illness which was initially diagnosed as an inner ear infection.
  "Deano was a giant," Kamara said. "He played with elegance and composure and was a joy to watch. He was a star player with a Rolls-Royce engine.
  "In the football community we're all stunned. You can't get your head round it. He was someone who brought joy to everyone and, if you knew him, played with him or worked with him, you knew what a character he was."
  Mark Lawn, the Bradford joint-chairman, said: "He was a nice guy and very down-to-earth. Players now would be a lot better men if they took a leaf out of his book. He came back in 2007 to coach the youth players, but I don't think we paid him. That was a mark of the man &#8211; he just wanted to give something back."
  
  

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

• Sport
• Football

Premier League players join mourners at funeral of Dean Richards

• Funeral for former defender takes place at Bradford cathedral
• Robbie Keane and James Beattie among mourners

• Press Association
• guardian.co.uk, Friday 4 March 2011 16.06 GMT <li class="history">Article history
  
  Dean Richards's funeral took place in the former defender's home city of Bradford. Photograph: Andrew Matthews/PA Premier League players have joined hundreds of mourners at the funeral of Dean Richards, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur defender. Richards, who was forced to retire from the game in 2005 following illness, died last weekend aged 36.
  The Republic of Ireland striker Robbie Keane and the on-loan Blackpool forward James Beattie joined friends, family and former colleagues for the funeral at Bradford cathedral, Richards's home city in west Yorkshire. The Wolves veteran Steve Bull and the former Bradford City manager Chris Kamara also attended the service.
  Richards is fondly remembered at Wolves, where he moved after impressing with Bradford. He went on to play for Southampton and Tottenham, who paid £8.1m for his services.
  Richards was forced to retire from the game after suffering from dizzy spells and headaches – an illness which was initially diagnosed as an inner ear infection.
  "Deano was a giant," Kamara said. "He played with elegance and composure and was a joy to watch. He was a star player with a Rolls-Royce engine.
  "In the football community we're all stunned. You can't get your head round it. He was someone who brought joy to everyone and, if you knew him, played with him or worked with him, you knew what a character he was."
  Mark Lawn, the Bradford joint-chairman, said: "He was a nice guy and very down-to-earth. Players now would be a lot better men if they took a leaf out of his book. He came back in 2007 to coach the youth players, but I don't think we paid him. That was a mark of the man – he just wanted to give something back."

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

'An absolute rock': former clubs to remember Dean Richards at Molineux

&#8226; Defender's widow and sons to attend Premier League game
&#8226; Former team-mates talk of 'shock and sadness' over his death

• Comments (12)

• 
• • Rob Bagchi
  • guardian.co.uk, Friday 4 March 2011 20.01 GMT <li class="history">Article history
  
  Dean Richards, who has died at the age of just 36. Photograph: Mark Thompson/Getty Images Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur, two of the clubs that Dean Richards served with such distinction, will celebrate the life of the popular centre-half before Sunday's Premier League match at Molineux.
  The player's widow, Samantha, and their two sons, Rio and Jaden, will be guests of honour at the game which will also be attended by representatives of Bradford City and Southampton. The shirts of the four teams Richards played for during his 13-year career will be held up on the pitch before a minute's applause is held in tribute to the man whose death at the age of 36 last weekend has left his former colleagues feeling devastated.
  "I was working on Sky's Soccer Satuday when the news came through," says Matthew Le Tissier, who played alongside Richards at Southampton for two years. "It was one of those jaw-dropping moments. Horrible news, tragic. I didn't realise how serious the situation was. It was a massive shock to everyone."
  Le Tissier remembers a popular dressing-room figure who "fitted in really well with that relaxed spirit we had at the club". Genial and unassuming off the pitch, on it he was "an absolute rock". "Deano was a very clever player, a strong boy and deceptively quick. In training you would be up against him and getting ahead. Then you'd think: 'Hang on a minute,' and he would cover the ground with his big, long strides and whip the ball away."
  It was that pace that first convinced David Markham, who began following Bradford City's fortunes with the Telegraph and Argus in 1974, that the trainee who made his first-team debut at Valley Parade at 17 was destined for a distinguished career. A boyhood fan of the club he went on to captain before the age of 20, Richards flourished under the management of Frank Stapleton. "He impressed immediately with his composure on the ball," says Markham. "He had an uncanny maturity and always looked to play the ball out of defence. He found the time to play because of his excellent control and he would get the ball and dribble it out. Frank was still playing in the team as a midfielder and he encouraged his instincts to play positively. He looked on him as an exceptional talent but it soon became clear that Dean was so good, so much in advance of other third tier players, that he needed to test himself at a higher level."
  Premier League scouts had been monitoring him for two years but it was Wolves, then in the First Division, who took the plunge, taking Richards initially on loan before agreeing a fee of £1.8m in the summer of 1995. Mark McGhee was his manager at Molineux for three years and remembers "a quiet type in company, bordering on the shy, who just went about his business". On a one-to-one basis, however, Richards was "confident, would certainly speak up for himself and knew what he was trying to achieve".
  On the field Richards was far more extrovert and McGhee's assistant and successor, Colin Lee, was immediately struck by his uncommon qualities. "Centre-halfs of Deano's type were much more rare 15 years ago," he says. "He was very comfortable in possession and could travel at speed with the ball. He had great natural skill and the self-belief that his approach was the right one. We thought his defensive work could be improved and that's why we brought in Keith Curle. We recruited him specifically because he had natural authority. Keith's leadership and experience and Deano's class complemented each other perfectly and I think they formed one of the best centre-back pairings in Wolves' history."
  Both McGhee and his assistant and successor, Colin Lee, believe that Richards's car accident in January 1997 interrupted the progress he was making and derailed an earlier move to the top flight. "I was in the treatment room at Molineux when he came in and he had a dark, livid haematoma on his knee which was swollen to the size of a mini-football," says Lee. "It took him a long time to recover."
  McGhee, while delighted with Richards's subsequent career, feels "what he achieved was brilliant but he would have done a whole lot better without the car crash. Joleon Lescott was a youth player at Molineux at the time and he is a mirror of Dean &#8211; quick, bright and assured on the ball. He went on to play for England and I think Deano would have too but for that awful injury."
  Richards's performances after joining Southampton in 1999 revived expectations that he would receive the full cap many had predicted for him when he had captained an Under-21 side containing David Beckham at the Toulon tournament in 1995. Instead they brought him an £8.1m transfer to Tottenham where his modesty and strength impressed Mauricio Taricco, who played with him at White Hart Lane.
  "He was a top player, very professional," says Taricco, now Brighton's assistant manager. "One you looked up to." David Pleat managed him as Spurs' caretaker after Glenn Hoddle was sacked in 2003 and recalls a player "with great presence and pace. He lacked a little nastiness, perhaps. Several times he played when really under pressure and facing criticism from the crowd, but he bravely played through that period. He was a quiet man and a good man."
  That assessment shines through the enduring sense of shock of all those who knew him. Ian Wright says Richards always used to apologise if he inadvertently kicked him off the ball and others make constant reference to his unassuming nature. For one so quiet, Dean Richards's skill made a big noise in the game he adored, a game that has demonstrated all week that it loved him too.
  
  

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

'An absolute rock': former clubs to remember Dean Richards at Molineux

• Defender's widow and sons to attend Premier League game
• Former team-mates talk of 'shock and sadness' over his death

• Comments (12)

• 
• • Rob Bagchi
  • guardian.co.uk, Friday 4 March 2011 20.01 GMT <li class="history">Article history
  
  Dean Richards, who has died at the age of just 36. Photograph: Mark Thompson/Getty Images Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur, two of the clubs that Dean Richards served with such distinction, will celebrate the life of the popular centre-half before Sunday's Premier League match at Molineux.
  The player's widow, Samantha, and their two sons, Rio and Jaden, will be guests of honour at the game which will also be attended by representatives of Bradford City and Southampton. The shirts of the four teams Richards played for during his 13-year career will be held up on the pitch before a minute's applause is held in tribute to the man whose death at the age of 36 last weekend has left his former colleagues feeling devastated.
  "I was working on Sky's Soccer Satuday when the news came through," says Matthew Le Tissier, who played alongside Richards at Southampton for two years. "It was one of those jaw-dropping moments. Horrible news, tragic. I didn't realise how serious the situation was. It was a massive shock to everyone."
  Le Tissier remembers a popular dressing-room figure who "fitted in really well with that relaxed spirit we had at the club". Genial and unassuming off the pitch, on it he was "an absolute rock". "Deano was a very clever player, a strong boy and deceptively quick. In training you would be up against him and getting ahead. Then you'd think: 'Hang on a minute,' and he would cover the ground with his big, long strides and whip the ball away."
  It was that pace that first convinced David Markham, who began following Bradford City's fortunes with the Telegraph and Argus in 1974, that the trainee who made his first-team debut at Valley Parade at 17 was destined for a distinguished career. A boyhood fan of the club he went on to captain before the age of 20, Richards flourished under the management of Frank Stapleton. "He impressed immediately with his composure on the ball," says Markham. "He had an uncanny maturity and always looked to play the ball out of defence. He found the time to play because of his excellent control and he would get the ball and dribble it out. Frank was still playing in the team as a midfielder and he encouraged his instincts to play positively. He looked on him as an exceptional talent but it soon became clear that Dean was so good, so much in advance of other third tier players, that he needed to test himself at a higher level."
  Premier League scouts had been monitoring him for two years but it was Wolves, then in the First Division, who took the plunge, taking Richards initially on loan before agreeing a fee of £1.8m in the summer of 1995. Mark McGhee was his manager at Molineux for three years and remembers "a quiet type in company, bordering on the shy, who just went about his business". On a one-to-one basis, however, Richards was "confident, would certainly speak up for himself and knew what he was trying to achieve".
  On the field Richards was far more extrovert and McGhee's assistant and successor, Colin Lee, was immediately struck by his uncommon qualities. "Centre-halfs of Deano's type were much more rare 15 years ago," he says. "He was very comfortable in possession and could travel at speed with the ball. He had great natural skill and the self-belief that his approach was the right one. We thought his defensive work could be improved and that's why we brought in Keith Curle. We recruited him specifically because he had natural authority. Keith's leadership and experience and Deano's class complemented each other perfectly and I think they formed one of the best centre-back pairings in Wolves' history."
  Both McGhee and his assistant and successor, Colin Lee, believe that Richards's car accident in January 1997 interrupted the progress he was making and derailed an earlier move to the top flight. "I was in the treatment room at Molineux when he came in and he had a dark, livid haematoma on his knee which was swollen to the size of a mini-football," says Lee. "It took him a long time to recover."
  McGhee, while delighted with Richards's subsequent career, feels "what he achieved was brilliant but he would have done a whole lot better without the car crash. Joleon Lescott was a youth player at Molineux at the time and he is a mirror of Dean – quick, bright and assured on the ball. He went on to play for England and I think Deano would have too but for that awful injury."
  Richards's performances after joining Southampton in 1999 revived expectations that he would receive the full cap many had predicted for him when he had captained an Under-21 side containing David Beckham at the Toulon tournament in 1995. Instead they brought him an £8.1m transfer to Tottenham where his modesty and strength impressed Mauricio Taricco, who played with him at White Hart Lane.
  "He was a top player, very professional," says Taricco, now Brighton's assistant manager. "One you looked up to." David Pleat managed him as Spurs' caretaker after Glenn Hoddle was sacked in 2003 and recalls a player "with great presence and pace. He lacked a little nastiness, perhaps. Several times he played when really under pressure and facing criticism from the crowd, but he bravely played through that period. He was a quiet man and a good man."
  That assessment shines through the enduring sense of shock of all those who knew him. Ian Wright says Richards always used to apologise if he inadvertently kicked him off the ball and others make constant reference to his unassuming nature. For one so quiet, Dean Richards's skill made a big noise in the game he adored, a game that has demonstrated all week that it loved him too.
  
  

 

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Ancelotti in talks with Roma, claims Rizzitelli

Published 16:13 03/03/11 By MirrorFootball

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Carlo Ancelotti is in talks with Roma about becoming the next manager of the Serie A club, according to ex-Roma star Ruggiero Rizzitelli.
The Italian has come under increasing pressure this season as Chelsea have struggled to match last season's double-winning exploits.
Despite beating Manchester United on Tuesday night the Blues are 12 points off the top of the table in fourth and out of the FA Cup.
Meanwhile Roma are looking for a new boss after Claudio Ranieri resigned last month, and Rizzitelli - who spent six years at Roma as a striker - says Ancelotti is the man they want.

He told Goal.com: "I believe there are negotiations with Ancelotti and Roma already. The new owners are negotiating with Ancelotti.
"But it all depends on how much money is available. If Ancelotti comes to Roma, he expects a competitive side.
"So we have to see how much cash the owners are willing to provide for him as he will need the money to bring in important players.
"It depends on the money, and qualification into the Champions League. I believe there are negotiations with Ancelotti.
"Ancelotti is a coach who earns big money, and so it's normal that he would have to reduce his demands to come to Roma. The club cannot permit themselves to spend crazy money for the coach.
"But Ancelotti could reduce his wages on the basis Roma would have to guarantee they would invest money on important players."

​

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

United are running scared of Arsenal's attack - Nasri

Published 23:01 04/03/11 By Neil McLeman

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Samir Nasri claims that Arsenal are favourites to win the Premier League.
And Nasri insists the Gunners can go to Old *Trafford and win in the FA Cup next week after Manchester United ran "scared" in their last clash.
The confident Frenchman said: "Last time, they were scared. They closed the game with three *defensive midfielders and didn't play in the normal way. We can beat Manchester United at Old *Trafford when we play against them.
"I think they know that we can beat them.

"And I am still convinced we can beat Barcelona next week in the Champions League."
Nasri, 23, said: "I think we now have a better chance to win the league than Manchester United because I am convinced of our quality.
"Now we can feel the Premier League. Last year at this time, we were maybe six or seven points behind Chelsea, and last year Chelsea were consistent.
"Now if we beat Sunderland, we come back to one point.
"Manchester United on Sunday play at Liverpool without Vidic and Ferdinand.
"The clubs hate each other &#8211; it is true &#8211; so if we are on our game against Tottenham in our match in hand, we can be on top.
"We have the best schedule. After Liverpool, United still have to play Chelsea again and come to the Emirates to play us."

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"And I am still convinced we can beat Barcelona next week in the Champions League."

DUa la kuku halimpati mwewe...................................

 

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Chelsea continue to plan summer clear out

Published 23:01 04/03/11 By Martin Lipton

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Chelsea are ready to cash in on Jose Bosingwa and Salomon Kalou when Carlo *Ancelotti continues rebuilding the team.
Juventus are poised with a £6million bid for Portugal full-back Bosingwa, while Galatasaray have made striker Kalou a £9m target.
And with Ancelotti looking to further reshape the squad he inherited, having spent £71m recruiting Fernando Torres and David Luiz in January, Bosingwa and Kalou could be first out at *Stamford Bridge in the summer.
Outgoing sporting director Frank Arnesen has already revealed Chelsea are keen on Ajax right-back Gregory Van Der Wiel, while Bosingwa was left out for Tuesday's win over Manchester United.

Ancelotti preferred the defensive solidity of *Branislav Ivanovic on the flank.
Ivory Coast international Kalou, who has nine goals this season despite never really convincing Chelsea fans, has made just two league starts this year and will again be on the bench at Blackpool on Monday.
Luiz is set to play at *Bloomfield Road, Ancelotti believing the Brazilian will recover from the hamstring injury he picked up in the win over United.
But despite Luiz's *impressive start, the Chelsea boss warned the former Benfica man he has to wise up and think before he acts.
The defender was lucky not to have been sent off against United and Ancelotti said: "David has to know English football &#8211; and he has to be calmer on the pitch.
"Obviously he showed fantastic ability and quality. He will improve because he will have more experience and knowledge of English football. He can change his behaviour on the pitch."

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Martinez fears City raid for his young stars

Published 23:00 04/03/11 By Jeremy Butler

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Roberto Martinez reckons some of his relegation haunted stars will be targets for Manchester City in the future.
The Latics boss takes his rock-bottom side to Eastlands today admitting they face the tough task of picking up 13 more points to avoid the drop.
But he is convinced the talent in his squad can pull off a great escape - and then push for a move to big clubs like City and Manchester United.
The likes of Scots James McCarthy and James McArthur have caught the eye this term, along with striker Victor Moses.

And Martinez said: "I feel we have the type of players who, with the right progression, can play at the highest level in world football.
"I feel we have a few players who are not ready yet but they have the potential to play for a team like Manchester City or the top level in world football.
"The next 10 games are so important for these players' careers and everyone involved.
"This is our dream. It is the sixth season in the Premier League and that is a fantastic football story.
"So we are going to give our lives and everything else to stay in the Premier League.
"This is huge. I don't want to hide the importance of staying up.
Everything we are planning in the long term depends on being in the Premier League.
"We are not thinking of being out of this league. When you are in a situation like ours, everyone is focused on that.
"I would say 40 points is still the target for us. I don't think we have got the points we should have but it sounds like excuses.
"We have to get as many points as we can from the next 30. The squad we have now is the strongest it has been all season in terms of numbers, experience and belief.
"But we need to get the 13 points I feel is needed.''
Martinez will please City by revealing he has no intention of pulling down the shutters today and hoping for a point.
He added: "A draw wouldn't be good for us. In the position we're in now ten draws in not going to be enough.
"We have to go into the game looking to win it. There's 30 points to play for but I don't believe trying to sneak draws would give us what we're trying to achieve.''
And the Spaniard is destined to make even more friends at Eastland by tipping the Blues for a title charge.
He added: "It is paramount that we staying in the Premier League. Manchester City are showing signs of a team that is going to challenge for the title. If it's not this season then it will definitely be next season.
"City play with great swagger, great composure and their recent results show they are winning games without going into fourth gear.
"That's the sign of a team that is starting to get all the ingredients to challenge for the title."

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Villa line up £15m bid for Lille striker

Published 23:00 04/03/11 By MirrorFootball

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Aston Villa are gearing up to bid for Lille striker Gervinho.
The 24-year-old has been tracked for six months by Villa boss Gerard Houllier. Gervinho would cost around £15million but a goal record of one in every two games at Lille suggests he's worth it.

 

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How the big one will be won: Five ways Liverpool and Manchester United can triumph on Sunday

By David McDonnell in Mirror Football Blog
Published 14:36 04/03/11

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Always one of the biggest fixtures of the season, Manchester United's trip to Anfield on Sunday has taken on an even greater significance following the league leaders' midweek loss to Chelsea. Liverpool fans will be desperate for King Kenny's men to impede their rivals in the race for a landmark 19th title, and with United in the grip of a defensive crisis, the Kop will be smelling blood.
Ahead of the big match, MirrorFootball's David Maddock and David McDonnell break down the keys to victory.
FIVE WAYS LIVERPOOL CAN WIN by David Maddock
1) Call on handy Andy
United are desperately vulnerable in central defence with Nemanja Vidic suspended and both Rio Ferdinand and Jonny Evans injured. The weakness will be in the air, and who better to exploit it than Andy Carroll, who can destroy the makeshift visiting defence. Liverpool don't want to rush him back, but he's been training all week and it may be worth the risk.
2) Put the left foot in...
If Liverpool have an obvious weakness, then it's down the left flank. Injuries mean they may be without a recognised left-back, and with the attack-minded Maxi Rodriguez likely to play left midfield, it means they could easily be opened up by Nani. They must compensate by shifting their midfield line across to cover and, perhaps, playing with three centre-backs.

3) Get it to the Greek!
Which brings us to number three. If Liverpool do go with three centre-backs, then Soto Kyrigakos will play. With United's expected vulnerability in the air at the back, his heading ability from set-pieces could be priceless&#8230; and worth every penny of what he is paid.
4) Keep their heads when all about are losing theirs
This fixture is notorious for boiling over, with a player sent off on virtually every occasion. To stand a chance, Liverpool must have 11 men on the pitch, and that means keeping their head even when it aches from the passion of the contest and the fervour that will spill down from the Anfield terraces.
5) Lead from the front
If Liverpool have an obvious edge over United, it is in the shape of their true leaders, Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard. They have a real voice of authority on the pitch, where their rivals, in the absence of the likes of Ferdinand and Gary Neville, have appeared to lack leadership in recent weeks&#8230; especially at Chelsea where they drifted in the second half. It is a key area that must be exploited.
FIVE WAYS UNITED CAN WIN by David McDonnell
1) Be quick off the mark
Beat Liverpool with pace. Their defence, particularly Carragher, are not the quickest. A strike pairing of Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez, both of whom started at Chelsea, would stretch Liverpool at the back.
2) Play like wide boys
Play with plenty of width. United have always thrived when attacking from wide positions and with Giggs and Nani left and right respectively, they can get in behind the full-backs and cause maximum damage.
3) Shackle Gerrard
He may not have had a great season, but Gerrard remains Liverpool's biggest threat. Stop him and you effectively stop Liverpool playing. Expect Darren Fletcher to give him no time on the ball in central midfield.
4) Bring on the Berba
If he decides to freshen things up in attack, Fergie could bring Dimitar Berbatov back into the starting line-up for the first time in three games. His guile, first touch and ability to draw defenders to him are potent weapons for United.
5) Play to the gallery
After defeat at West Ham last weekend, Liverpool will be under huge pressure from the Anfield crowd to get back to winning ways and put one over on their fiercest rivals. United must seize upon any anxiety within the Liverpool camp early on.
Who do you think will win... and how? Let us know by leaving a comment below...
Win amazing Liverpool t-shirts commemorating the 1977 European Cup final in our great competition
Martin Lipton's Premier League preview and predictions
Fergie turns to Wes Brown at Anfield
Liverpool's Carroll ready for debut against United
This time I'm ready for United - Dalglish

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

How the big one will be won: Five ways Liverpool and Manchester United can triumph on Sunday

By David McDonnell in Mirror Football Blog
Published 14:36 04/03/11

• 
• Recommend (1)

Always one of the biggest fixtures of the season, Manchester United's trip to Anfield on Sunday has taken on an even greater significance following the league leaders' midweek loss to Chelsea. Liverpool fans will be desperate for King Kenny's men to impede their rivals in the race for a landmark 19th title, and with United in the grip of a defensive crisis, the Kop will be smelling blood.
Ahead of the big match, MirrorFootball's David Maddock and David McDonnell break down the keys to victory.
FIVE WAYS LIVERPOOL CAN WIN by David Maddock
1) Call on handy Andy
United are desperately vulnerable in central defence with Nemanja Vidic suspended and both Rio Ferdinand and Jonny Evans injured. The weakness will be in the air, and who better to exploit it than Andy Carroll, who can destroy the makeshift visiting defence. Liverpool don’t want to rush him back, but he’s been training all week and it may be worth the risk.
2) Put the left foot in...
If Liverpool have an obvious weakness, then it's down the left flank. Injuries mean they may be without a recognised left-back, and with the attack-minded Maxi Rodriguez likely to play left midfield, it means they could easily be opened up by Nani. They must compensate by shifting their midfield line across to cover and, perhaps, playing with three centre-backs.

3) Get it to the Greek!
Which brings us to number three. If Liverpool do go with three centre-backs, then Soto Kyrigakos will play. With United’s expected vulnerability in the air at the back, his heading ability from set-pieces could be priceless… and worth every penny of what he is paid.
4) Keep their heads when all about are losing theirs
This fixture is notorious for boiling over, with a player sent off on virtually every occasion. To stand a chance, Liverpool must have 11 men on the pitch, and that means keeping their head even when it aches from the passion of the contest and the fervour that will spill down from the Anfield terraces.
5) Lead from the front
If Liverpool have an obvious edge over United, it is in the shape of their true leaders, Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard. They have a real voice of authority on the pitch, where their rivals, in the absence of the likes of Ferdinand and Gary Neville, have appeared to lack leadership in recent weeks… especially at Chelsea where they drifted in the second half. It is a key area that must be exploited.
FIVE WAYS UNITED CAN WIN by David McDonnell
1) Be quick off the mark
Beat Liverpool with pace. Their defence, particularly Carragher, are not the quickest. A strike pairing of Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez, both of whom started at Chelsea, would stretch Liverpool at the back.
2) Play like wide boys
Play with plenty of width. United have always thrived when attacking from wide positions and with Giggs and Nani left and right respectively, they can get in behind the full-backs and cause maximum damage.
3) Shackle Gerrard
He may not have had a great season, but Gerrard remains Liverpool's biggest threat. Stop him and you effectively stop Liverpool playing. Expect Darren Fletcher to give him no time on the ball in central midfield.
4) Bring on the Berba
If he decides to freshen things up in attack, Fergie could bring Dimitar Berbatov back into the starting line-up for the first time in three games. His guile, first touch and ability to draw defenders to him are potent weapons for United.
5) Play to the gallery
After defeat at West Ham last weekend, Liverpool will be under huge pressure from the Anfield crowd to get back to winning ways and put one over on their fiercest rivals. United must seize upon any anxiety within the Liverpool camp early on.
Who do you think will win... and how? Let us know by leaving a comment below...
Win amazing Liverpool t-shirts commemorating the 1977 European Cup final in our great competition
Martin Lipton's Premier League preview and predictions
Fergie turns to Wes Brown at Anfield
Liverpool's Carroll ready for debut against United
This time I'm ready for United - Dalglish

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

The Top 10 amazing Eric Cantona pictures

By Mirror Football in Mirror Football Blog
Published 23:00 03/03/11

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Eric Cantona celebrates by kissing the FA Cup after the Chelsea v Manchester United FA Cup Final match at Wembley Stadium, May 14, 1994




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Sixteen years on, Eric Cantona has finally revealed why he launched himself into the Selhurst Park stands to kung-fu kick Crystal Palace support Matthew Simmons, claiming: "When I did the kung-fu on the hooligan, I did it because these kind of people don't have to be in the game."

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