By Ian Grant
TEAM
Arsenal are the number two club with most representatives at the World Cup. According to ITV, they have eleven, two behind Inter Milan with thirteen.
According to the Express Arsenal are receptive to a cut in the Premiership to 18 clubs. It would suit the FA because of injury problems to England, and the top clubs because of Champions League commitments.
PLAYERS THERE
Junicho Inamoto was man of the match in Japan’s first two World Cup matches, scoring in both and being denied the winner in the first by a bad refereeing decision. He is attracting interest from Atlanta and PSV.
Freddie Ljungberg said:”It would probably be easier for them [England] if they had beaten us and I think that maybe we have a slight advantage now.”
He added:”When David [Seaman] comes close to you, he’s very big and good. It’s almost impossible to score then. He’s a very good goalkeeper.”
He told another paper:”The first year [at Arsenal] was a disaster. I did not settle and I was playing in a strange position – out wide instead of in the hole behind the strikers. I went home thinking ‘why have they brought me here?’ But I stuck at it and things have worked out well.”
Ashely Cole was quoted as saying: “But if they’d scored from that mistaske [sic] I’d have been devastated, because it was so late. I’ve got to take that lesson into the next game and try to keep my concentration.”
Sol Campbell said: “They [Argentina in 1998] were really enjoying ourselves at our expense and let’s just say those kind of things stick in your mind for a long time.”
And: “The first goal for my country is a fantastic feeling for me. It’s been a long time coming. Another one soon would be nice.”
The Sunday Mirror reports Kanu as saying: “It is not in my best interest to sit and watch games. I love Arsenal and the fans. I am at a great club but I need to play more.” One paper reported that Valencia are ready to bid £10m for him.
WENGER
The Mail on Sunday reports that Arsene Wenger wandered into a Niigata restaurant after a match and the whole restaurant stood up and cheered.
Arsene Wenger blames tiredness on France’s poor showing in their first World Cup match, saying some of the players have already played 60 games this season.
Wenger, who is in Japan working for a TV station, says he doesn’t buy players on the back of World Cup performances, and that he thinks about how they may perform at Stoke and Newcastle in February.
PLAYERS AT HOME
Ray Parlour’s agent, Steve Kutner, said: “Ray has been at Arsenal for 11 years now and over the last three-four seasons has probably played more games than anyone else. He wants to play football and if Arsenal can continue giving him that opportunity to play regularly then that’s fine. He’s happy at Arsenal and whatever happens it will be an Arsenal decision, not Ray’s.”
Tony Adams says: ” [Eriksson] reminds me of Arsene Wenger in his calmness and honesty. But he doesn’t play a quick, short-passing game like Wenger and I wait to be convinced by his selections and tactics.”
TRANSFER RUMOURS
The People says Crystal Palace’s teenage winger Wayne Routledge has attracted interest from Arsenal and other Premiership clubs. Palace reckon that any bids for the 16-year-old should start at £1m.
Papers are reporting Arsenal and Liverpool are fighting it out for Lee Bowyer.
Igor Stepanovs is attracting interest from La Liga, according to one Sunday tabloid.
FOOTIE FINANCE
The Express on Sunday warns that Sky could offer individual packages to the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool, which would see them possibly trebling the £25m TV money they each pocketed last year. A Sky spokesman denied the rumour.
OLD BOYS
Scotland Under-21 star Richard Hughes is set to knock back a move to Italy to sign for Portsmouth after leaving Bournemouth.
CELEBRITY FAN
Another Gooner in government to report: David Milliband, schools standards minister is a “fervent Arsenal supporter”.
….AND CELEBRITY RIVAL FAN
MP Andrew Smith confessed that a scar on his face was obtained at Highbury in the seventies when Reading played Arsenal.