Allardyce hits out at 'astronomical' wage demands

Big Sam: Has slammed 'astronomical wage demands'

Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce claims that players wage demands have soared so high that he can barely even afford to sign players available on free transfers. Even though Blackburn on on the verge of a takeover by Indian poultry conglomerate, Venky's, Allardyce doesn't expect to have any more than £5 million to spend on players.
And he admits that even players who are available for nothing are becoming a struggle to afford!
"I think that there's a big factor that's sneaked in that's made it that much more difficult - and it's not transfer fees it's wages.
"They are astronomically high and have now made it very difficult to even take a very talented free transfer today which is what the norm would be for Blackburn in the past, or a small fee with good wages.
"Now astronomical wages are making it very difficult to take somebody who might not even have a transfer fee attached to them, because of the net value that they want and the net value that they're worth.
"And they know if you don't give it to them somebody else will."

Bolton star Klasnic accused of teen rape

Klasnic: Arrested on suspicion of rape

Bolton Wanderers' Croatian striker Ivan Klasnic has been arrested and bailed on suspicion of raping a 17-year-old girl.
The 30-year-old - who is married with one daughter - was held was questioned by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) before being released on bail.
Police were called by the alleged victim at 5am on Monday. She claimed she had been attacked at the star’s flat in Deansgate, Manchester city centre.
Klasnic signed a two-year contract with Whites in August of this year after becoming a free agent after leaving French side Nantes.
The German-born Croatia international scored his first Premier League goal of this season in the 2-1 victory over Stoke at the Reebok Stadium two weeks ago but was then sent off.
Klasnic fell under the media spotlight when he became the first international footballer to have received a kidney transplant.
In December 2006, he suffered renal failure and was forced into hospital.
His mother stepped forward to donate one of her kidneys but, just a month later, the star was back in hospital again after his body started to reject it.
He underwent a second successful operation in March 2007, this time with one of his father’s kidneys.

Ferdinand handed six month driving ban

Ferdinand: Banned from driving

Sunderland defender Anton Ferdinand has been issued with a six month driving ban and a fine of £1000 by Newcastle magistrates.

The 25-year-old -- brother of England captain Rio Ferdinand -- spoke only to confirm his name and address during a brief hearing which saw him convicted of using a mobile phone while at the wheel of his Range Rover in July.

Ferdinand was banned because he has already accumulated 12 points on his licence from previous motoring offences.

"As the officer drew up alongside, he realised he was a police officer and immediately put the phone down from his ear."

Ferdinand had told the officer that he was making an important call to his mother as he was on the way to the airport.

The ban brings about the end of a case where Ferdinand failed to appear for a court hearing and then handed himself in to Newcastle police station following the threat of arrest.

It's not the first time Ferdinand has been in trouble with the law. Three years ago he was charged with assault and affray following a fracas outside a nightclub in Ilford, for which he was later acquitted. Ferdinand had claimed he was defending himself from someone who he thought wanted to steal his £64,000 diamond-encrusted watch!The Sunderland defender was spotted using his mobile by a police officer who had followed him over a course of two miles.
The prosecutor Kerry Gate said: "He was leaning towards the centre of the car as if leaning on an arm rest and had his mobile telephone in his left hand against his left ear.

Barca's lavish expenses called before the courts

Laporta: Lavish expenses

Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta and his management team are to be called before the courts to explain why they approved accounts last year that saw a staggering annual loss of over £70 million for the club.

Among those pushing that action be taken is Laporta's former right-hand man Sandro Rosell, who was elected club president in July, and has become one of his predecessor's most outspoken critics.

Laporta and his team will be asked to explain certain payments, notably the £7 million paid to the agent of Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Barcelona's record signing at around £61 million, who signed for AC Milan during the summer...at a loss of around £32 million!

But, it is the lavish personal expenses and director's allowances which have irked Mr Laporta's critics most. They include:

• £4.9 million on private jets
• £2.32 million spying on directors, fans and journalists
• £504,000 a year on vol-au-vents
• £229,000 on restaurants
• £46,000 on the chauffeurs' credit card – for drinks, cigars and perfume

Barcelona is owned by more than 170,000 members who pay annual fees of £137, or about 15 percent of the club’s revenue. The president and club directors are elected by the members every four years and don’t receive a salary.

World Cup medal sells for what Rooney earns in five days!

Less than a week after Wayne Rooney signed a staggering £1 million-a-month contract with Manchester Utd, former legend Nobby Stiles was yesterday forced to part with his prized 1966 World Cup winners' medal, along with the medal he received for winning the European Cup with the club.

Stiles' decision to sell his medals came about after a period of ill health made him consider how he could provide for his family when he is gone. Announcing the decision to auction some of his memorabilia in September, Stiles said:
"I have had a bit of bad time and I want to leave something for my family,” Stiles told reporters.

The fee for World Cup medal, bought at an auction for football memorabillia in Edinburgh, is thought to be £188,200, eclipsing the previous record paid for a winners' medal — that of the late Alan Ball's World Cup winners' medal that fetched £165,000 five years ago.

To put that in perspective, Stiles' prized posession has fetched what Rooney would earn in just over five days work!

Manchester United - who bought the medals - will now display the medals at Old Trafford as a mark of respect to their former loyal servant Stiles.





Rooneys splash the cash in Dubai

The Rooneys: Enjoying life in Dubai

Wayne Rooney and wife Coleen have reportedly embarked on an orgy of spending that will disgust even the most fervent of football fans.

Fresh from signing a record £200,000-a-week Manchester United deal, the Rooneys are said to have splashed more cash in four hours than most fans would earn in a month.

Lapping up all the luxuries money can buy at the £2,000-a-night suite at the seven star Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai, the pair were spotted knocking back £50 glasses of pink champagne before tucking into a four-hour lunch by the pool which set them back a cool £400.

The Rooneys suite boasts a 10ft square mirror on the ceiling above their king-sized bed and a hot tub complete with champagne and caviar. Even a one-night stay at the hotel cost nearly twice the average monthly wage in the UK.

Rooney had cancelled a pre-planned 25th birthday party at the last minute to go to Dubai with Coleen. The 'champagne' party cost £90,000 and was to be held in a specially erected marquee at his mansion.

Last month the football star was accused of having a threesome with a prostitute while his wife was pregnant. It has been speculated that Rooney is taking this time to away to work on his marriage after the recent allegations of his affair.

Gazza back in rehab after drugs arrest

Gascoigne: Back in rehab...again

Former England footballer Paul Gascoigne is back in rehab following his arrest for drugs offences.
Gascoigne had spent a night in police custody last week on suspicion of possessing a class A substance.
According to a national newspaper, the 43-year-old was brought to Providence Projects clinic in Boscombe by friends in a bid to stop him from drinking.
"Gazza's not in a good way. He keeps giving in to the same temptations and he needs help once again," the tabloid quoted a source, as saying.This is happening time and time again and it's difficult to see how he will ever break out of this destructive pattern of behaviour," the source added.
Gazza was earlier warned that he faces being jailed after admitting charges of drunk driving at a short hearing at the Newcastle Magistrates' Court
District Judge Stephen Earl was told that Gascoigne had 142mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath when he was stopped in Jesmond, Newcastle, on October 8 at 2:45pm. The legal limit is 35mg.
Gazza, a former star of Spurs and Newcastle, has been in and out of rehab since he stopped playing football in 2004. He estimates that he has blown up to £20 million on a booze and drug-fuelled lifestyle which included a high-profile divorce from former wife Sheryl, who he admitted to beating on a regular basis for two years.
He first visited the £600-a-week Providence Project days after he tried to take chicken and beer to gunman Raoul Moat during his stand-off with police in Rothbury, Northumberland earlier this year.

Le Tissier hits out at greed of modern day players

Le Tiss: Modern players lack perspective

Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier has delivered a devastating critique of the modern footballer, claiming the new breed of superstars are disloyal, greedy and show no sense of understanding reality.

Le Tissier - a one club man - told today’s pampered top flight stars that they should "get real" and "have a bit of perspective on what’s going on in life."

He was speaking after Rooney last week staged a stunning U-turn to sign a new five year Manchester United contract just days after saying he wanted to quit Old Trafford.
"He (Rooney) did it on the day they announced half a million jobs were going through the cuts the Government had to make".
"I just think footballers need to get real and try and have a bit of perspective on what’s going on in life, outside of their little bubble."

“I remember the Ashley Cole incident where he wrote in his book ‘only £55,000 a week.

“It goes to show how greedy some of these players can be."

Le Tissier totally understands the public’s rage that some footballers are paid obscene weekly amounts in comparison to the fraction earned by doctors, nurses, firemen and policemen – some of whom put their very lives on the line most days.

"It seems to be money that drives the players these days," he added "With inflated wages you get inflated egos. And some players feel they are almost indestructible.

“There’s a certain arrogance about people that have that kind of money. Some of them might have grown up on council estates and they’re not used to being in that position. And, all of a sudden, the money goes to their head and they just think that they can do whatever they please."

Ferguson blasts Rooney agent Stretford



Paul Stretford: In the money



Sir Alex Ferguson has laid the blame squarely with agent Paul Stretford over his role in last week's Wayne Rooney saga.

Fergie, who claimed that modern-day players live firmly in the pockets of their agents, pointed the finger of blame at Stretford for the high-profile, public soap opera involving Rooney.

Rooney eventually signed a five-year deal worth £60million, but not before he had threatened to walk out on United over their perceived lack of ambition, a move seen as a blatant negotiating tactic.

Ferguson - whose own son Jason used to be an agent - said: ‘You have to deal with agents of this world today which is difficult.'

“It’s always tough at United,” said Fergie. “There are always issues to deal with. When your top players come towards the end of their contracts, you have to do something to get them a new one.
It was noticeable how Stretford did not feature in any of the public relation exercises after his client's new lucrative five-year deal was signed.
The former vacuum salesman has already made a fortune off the back of Rooney since acquiring the player's services eight years ago and is rumoured to be pocketing anything up to £2.5 million from last week's negotiations.

Hooligans sentenced after train station clashes

Fifteen Newcastle fans given banning orders

Fifteen football hooligans have been sentenced after admitting charges of violent disorder over clashes involving Newcastle and Sunderland fans.

The incident took place at Newcastle Central Station on 8 August 2009.

Hundreds of Sunderland fans were passing through on their way home from an earlier friendly match in Scotland.

One of the men was jailed for 12 months and the others were given either suspended sentences or curfews and community service orders.

All were given football banning orders.

At Newcastle Crown Court, Judge Beatrice Bolton said: "The forward planning by police officers prevented a serious outbreak of violence and because of the police presence the incident was over and done with in a flash."

A group of Sunderland fans, who were also arrested following the incident, will be tried in February 2011.

Finance expert issues Premier League wages warning



Premier League football is on the brink of a financial meltdown, a top expert has warned.

Jim Wood-Smith, head of research at wealth managers Williams de Broe, said only television revenue and a handful of very rich men were holding the system together.



Football Debts: unsustainable in the long term



But, speaking at an investment breakfast held at Hotel du Vin in Birmingham, he claimed anyone could now watch their favourite team for nothing.

“Every Premier League game is there on the internet for free if you search hard enough,” he maintained.

And, given it was primarily TV revenues which were propping up the game, allowing clubs to pay big wages to big players, “the boom is bound to go bust sooner rather than later”.

He went on: “While there are still a few people like at Chelseaand Manchester City prepared to put in enormous amounts of money, this can support football for a while. But there are an awful lot of clubs which are not owned by people with a bottomless pit of money.

“The rich clubs however raise the wage structure across the whole industry. It means some have wage bills in excess of their annual revenue, and that is unsustainable.

“My impression is that the number of clubs prepared to spend large amounts of money on players is diminishing season by season.”

Bruce blasts egos of new generation footballers

Steve Bruce: "Young millionaires hard to handle"

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce believes that the bloated egos of Premier League footballers combined with their massive salaries is a “cocktail for disaster.”
The former Manchester United stalwart, believes that the arrogance epitomised by modern-day superstars such as Wayne Rooney is alienating ­grass-roots supporters.
And Bruce admits that management has become increasingly more difficult and demanding since the Bosman ruling sparked an explosion in wages with many millionaire footballers now showing scant respect or regard for the game or its supporters.
Bruce said: “The hardest part of managing in the Premier League is dealing with the egos.
“The difference between my time playing and now is the ­player power that’s come since the ­Bosman ruling. You are dealing with young footballers who have become millionaires at a very young age and it can be difficult to handle. When even a club of Manchester ­United’s stature are struggling with it, it shows how difficult it is.”
And Bruce concedes that it is becoming harder for managers to gain respect from players who in many instances earn more than their bosses.
He added: “All you can do is try and gain their respect. Sometimes that’s difficult. The vast majority of players are of a similar ilk and background, and I don’t mean that disrespectfully.
“Then you add to that the power that money gives. It’s a cocktail for disaster. You just have to hope the player gets good advice.”

Andy Carroll fined for nightclub assault

Carroll: Fined £1000

Newcastle striker Andy Carroll has been fined £1,000 after admitting assaulting a man in a nightclub.

The 21-year-old pleaded guilty to common assault and was ordered to pay an additional £2,500 compensation at Newcastle Crown Court.

Carroll had earlier denied assault occasioning actual bodily harm - a charge which was dropped when he pleaded guilty to the lesser offence.
The incident happened in the city's Blu Bambu club on December 7 last year and left victim,  Michael Cook, requiring hospital treatment for a head injury.

Carroll had been out drinking since 2pm on Sunday December 6 last year before heading the Blu Bambu nightclub in Newcastle's Bigg Market.

He continued drinking inside the nightclub and had drunk between eight and nine pints of lager before lashing out at Sunday League footballer Mr Cook, who was with a group of friends, following an incident involving a spilled drink.

Carroll had in the past received a caution for causing actual bodily harm after he slapped a woman outside a nightclub in 2008, bruising her face.

In a separate incident, Carroll was arrested last week over accusations of attacking his teenage ex-girlfriend after she allegedly caught him having sex with another woman.