By Ian Grant
RULES AND REGS
A Premier League spokesman said: “A professional footballer under contract does not have the right to speak to another club without permission from his current employer.”
Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein said at a UEFA forum: “Sadly there are a lot of agents who do not abide by the rules and play fast and loose. The good agents are being contaminated by the bad agents. We as a club have a fairly robust document that we have evolved over the years with our lawyers and one of the clauses is the non-solicitation clause, where agents are not allowed to destabilise a player.”
“We are paying an agent, he will enter into a representation to look after our best interests, and we expect them to abide by the conditions of the contract.”
“If they don’t abide by it, then it’s up to us to report it to the Football Association, the Premier League or indeed we could take civil action if we so desire. Up to now, I am pleased to say we have never had the necessity to do so.”
Lars-Christer Olsson, chief executive of European football’s governing body, said: “All clubs are testifying that the [agent] system as it exists at the moment does not work. It is a market with no control. At the same time, the clubs admit they must also be self-critical (because they are, in a way, creating this market by using agents in an inappropriate way. What is happening now is that different countries are establishing their own laws, and this is not good for football in general.”
He said: “A vast majority were in favour [of the eight home grown player rule]. There are a couple of countries where the clubs and leagues have different opinions, but obviously further discussions will take place.”
Peter Hill-Wood told the Sun, that with all this speculation [about Cole] we felt we probably should ask the Premier League to investigate. “It was a board decision and we will co-operate fully from here. I cannot comment any further until the Premier League have looked at it.”
The Football Association has warned clubs they will be fined heavily if their players abuse referees and linesmen during a game.
PLAYERS
Jens Lehmann told the ES about when he was dropped: “What I did was work even harder. That is what the people do in the area where I grew up. You don’t feel sorry for yourself, you get on with life. Of course I was disappointed to be left out of the team. I have never been dropped for so long in my career. But where I come from, the people have a tradition of working hard and that is what I did.”
He added: “I know where that characteristic comes from. Most of the coal mines are closed now but they keep some open for people to look round, to see the conditions in which the miners had to work. I have been down there, I have seen the long, narrow tunnels in which they were working day after day.”
Lehmann told the Independent: “He told me that he didn’t think I was looking as fresh as Almunia was in training. I think it’s very difficult to compare training with matches, but that’s the coach’s decision and I had to accept it.”
He added: “During the winter I was very close to leaving London, but now I hope that I might not only see out my contract but extend my stay in England. I’m questioned every day at Arsenal. Every time I play and train I’m being scrutinised. The fact that I was in the team last weekend gives me hope that I’ll be in the team to play Crystal Palace next Monday, but there are no guarantees in football. You have to work for yourself every day.”
German coach Jurgen Klinsmann played Lehmann from the start against Argentina in Wednesday’s friendly international but said he’ll bring back Bayern Munich’s Oliver Kahn for the next game away to Slovenia next month.
He said: “They will continue to alternate this year. I’ve discussed it with both men and there’s absolutely no problem. They’ll both get their games.”
Robert Pires insists Cole should stay. Pires said: “I am not sure he will get the same pleasure at Chelsea, even though they’re doing so well at the moment.”
Pires has been left out of the current French international squad.
Thierry Henry has turned down a £30,000 bonus for being Britain”s top goalscorer – and gave the cash to ChildLine instead. Henry, 27, made the donation after Arsenal adopted the organisation as their charity of the season. As the winner of last year”s Golden Boot, Henry received £1000 courtesy of Barclaycard for every Premiership goal he scored last season.
WENGER
M. Partridge writes in the Birmingham Post: “The difference between Arsenal and Villa was clear when you looked at the two managers. O’Leary was hiding at the back of the dug-out, sheltering from the rain, Wenger was getting soaking wet standing in his technical area urging his team on.”
TRANSFER TALK
Arrigo Sacchi, Real Madrid’s director of football, has dismissed a suggestion that the club will try to sign Jose Antonio Reyes in the summer. “Real Madrid are not thinking of Reyes or any other player for next season at the moment,” Sacchi said. “He is an Arsenal player and his position is sufficiently covered in the team.”
The News of the World suggested an Owen-Reyes swap in the summer.
The Express and one or two websites still say the Vieira to Real link is there, with one mooting a Beckham-Vieira swap.
The website goal.com reckons the £5m rated Timo Hildebrand, VfB Stuttgart’s goalkeeper, will be chased by Arsenal and Man U in the summer. They also say Bayern Munich are in the hunt.
OLD BOYS
Ex-Arsenal keeper Rami Shaaban is training with Brighton and expected to join them.
Emmanuel Petit said: “After a good pre-season they [Arsenal] will come back stronger than ever. But if they are to be successful again they need to look at their two wingers. Pires and Ljungberg are great players but next year they will be into their thirties, so they need a good young player and that should be Shaun Wright-Phillips. He could be an Arsenal hero like his stepfather. He has everything.”
He added: “The secret in the Premiership is to have good wingers. English football is very much about the midfield fight and battle, but with wingers you can add that extra dimension.”
MISCELLANEOUS
Liverpool chief, Rick Parry said on the Ashburton Grove sponsorship: “But the Arsenal deal is the sort of deal that causes you to draw breath and say ‘wow – that’s interesting’.”
The Guardian reckons: “Shooting for Bedingfield’s new video kicked off at 7.00am on Tuesday in the Penthouse at London’s Four Season’s hotel – while on the floor below the entire Arsenal squad were trying to get some sleep before their Premiership clash with Manchester United.”
Bayern, coach Felix Magath insists his side have the edge for the Champions League showdown with Arsenal in Munich on February 22 claiming the Premiership champions are running on fumes. Bayern were afforded a five-week break over the Christmas period and Magath believes the rest will pay dividends in the last sixteen of the Champions League.