November
2001 News
News of other stars from the 1970-71
season will appear here ...
28 November
Keegan Update.
Kevin Keegan's back, that's for sure. The
lull in Kevin Keegan stories that followed his
resignation as the England manager, is over. Kev, a
former Saint, is clearly aiming for canonizasion as he
promotes holyness, supports the sick and defends the meek
... Being so close to Sir Alex at Man U, perhaps he
believes he is sitting at the right hand of god.
1) Head Over Heels For Hymns
Manchester Online - News - Soccer boss
Kevin sings bible Blues
reports
MANCHESTER CITY
boss Kevin Keegan - no stranger to crowds in full
song - wants everyone to lift up their voices this
Christmas.
The Maine Road
manager is joining other Manchester celebrities to
front a campaign, launched next week, to encourage
people to ''sing their hearts out for the lad'' by
attending a local carol service.
It has been devised
by a partnership of more than 150 churches to
challenge the commercialism of the festive season by
helping people to rediscover its true meaning.
The £200,000
Campaign for Real Christmas, which has been funded
entirely by charitable trusts, will be promoted by a
30-second TV advert, featuring Keegan as well as
athlete Diane Modahl, rugby star Apollo Perelini, TV
gardener Jeff Turner, and dozens of ''ordinary''
Mancunians.
More than 50
transmissions of the advert are scheduled until
December 16 - the first to be shown on Monday in the
commercial break during Emmerdale.
By the end of the
campaign more than 80 per cent of the adult
population in the Granada region are expected to have
seen the advert at least four times.
It will also be
featured on local radio slots and billboards across
Greater Manchester.
Stephen Goddard,
spokesman for the Diocese of Manchester, said: ''The
advertising campaign will take on the world of
commercialism in its own backyard.
''Attending carol
services is not perceived as a committed religious
act, merely a part of what makes Christmas,
Christmas. Through this initiative the Church is
taking advantage of its own inheritance.
''The campaign's
theme - Sing your Hearts out for the Lad - reflects
the universal enjoyment of a traditional carol
service but does so with a creative twist in the
tail.''
Independent
research, conducted earlier by Manchester marketing
agency CMC, found that non church-goers are still
hungry for an antidote to the expense, frenzy and
stress of Christmas.
Now 250,000
personal invitations have been printed for church
members to use to invite friends, family, neighbours
and work colleagues to their own services.
Rev Tony Porter,
chairman of Campaign for Real Christmas, said: ''Our
pre-campaign research showed that the majority of
non-churchgoers wouldn't go into a church on their
own for very simple reasons - in case they sat in
someone else's pew, for example.
''But they would be
tempted to go to a carol service if invited to do so
by a friend.
With a unique,
highly visible campaign supporting them, we hope
church members will take full advantage of this new
initiative.''
2) Megan Appeal
Manchester Online - News - City
soccer stars pitch in for Megan reports
MANCHESTER City
boss Kevin Keegan turned a training session into an
impromptu fundraiser for little Megan Rajah.
Keegan asked the
players to dip into their pockets - and Megan's
parents were stunned to leave with a cheque for
£1,500.
The 20-month-old
toddler needs £50,000 for brain tumour surgery next
month.
Megan's family has
raised £34,000 from their church, workplaces and
friends but they need to reach £50,000 to send her
to the New York for her op.
As reported in the
Manchester Evening News yesterday Megan needs
specialist surgery.
The treatment is on
offer in Manchester but her parents say statistics of
success rates are not available for UK centres and
they want to be sure they go to a hospital where
their daughter stands the best chance of survival.
Megan's family has
been given renewed hope after they discovered Alicia
McCluckie, now 10, had successful treatment from the
same world-renowned New York specialist, Dr Patrick
Kelly.
The two families,
who live just a few miles from each another, were
united through the internet.
Megan was taken to
City's training ground at Carrington after Mr Keegan
heard his Algerian international Ali Benarbia had
taken part in a photo shoot to help raise money for
Megan's trip.
Megan's father
Walter said of the player's donations: ''It was
incredible.''
Contributions
to the Megan Rajah Appeal Fund can be made by cheque
through the NatWest Bank at 115 Deansgate,
Manchester. A/c No 32635311. Sort code 01-05-31.
3) Rises
Against the Phoenix
BBC SPORT FOOTBALL Keegan
slams Phoenix plans reports
Keegan slams
Phoenix plans
Keegan's is a
powerful voice against the Phoenix League Kevin
Keegan has launched a blistering attack on proposals
to form a breakaway Phoenix League.
The former England
boss claims his club Manchester City is firmly
against the idea, and he is prepared to set himself
up as the champion of the minnows.
Manchester City
boss Keegan said: "I'm really against it.
"I'm going to
speak out for the smaller clubs, not because I feel I
have to, but because I genuinely believe football
should never be determined by just finances and size
alone."
The blast from the
former England manager is the most significant voice
so far to speak out against the proposals.
Keegan said:
"I just think football has gone mad at the
moment.
"Now is the
time to look after the smaller clubs, but it looks
like some clubs want to put the boot in."
Keegan feels
bigger, richer clubs should be helping the likes of
Rotherham, Stockport and Crewe rather than trying to
cut them adrift.
Keegan feels he is
able to speak from a position of strength as manager
of arguably the biggest club outside the Premiership.
"We're the one
club who maybe should be more for it than anybody
because we've got the biggest fan base in this
division.
"Who could
think of forming a second division of the Premiership
without us?"
Keegan, who started
his career at Scunthorpe, said: "I came from a
small club myself and I don't think there's anything
wrong with Rotherham, Stockport and Crewe playing
Manchester City."
"They've
earned the right every week and I don't think the
size of a stadium, for example, has got anything to
do with it.
"If a guy can
build a stadium, which holds up to 30-40,000 his team
can play in the league but Crewe Alexandra and Dario
Gradi, who have worked so hard, and people like
Rotherham are not going to have that chance."
Ronnie Wins Award
Ronnie Moore (Tranmere
Rovers)
presently the manager of Rotherham United has won the BBC
North Award for Achievement at the 2001 Sports Awards.
One of his players at Rotherham United, Andy Monkhouse,
won the Newcomer award, which was presented to him by Eddie
Gray
Strike Off
Well first the players
were DEFINATELY striking, now they're definately NOT. I
think the club directors upped the offer to 52.5 million
pounds over three years. Gordon Taylor and the Players
Union sensed a bout of cold feet cum 'what have we done
!' from the players, and took the offer. I say I think,
because now the strike's off, no-one cares anymore...
Taylor - strike averted -
Football365.com
reports ...
Professional
FootballersAssociation chief Gordon Taylor (Bolton Wanderers) was pleased to have
reached a settlement to halt the threat of strike
action
The dispute over the share of TV money finally ended
when the Premier League and Football League agreed to
pay the PFA 52.5million pounds over three years -
17.5 million pounds a year.
There is also an agreement in place for the PFA to
receive a percentage share of future TV deals, with
that percentage varying depending on the amount of
money involved.
He said: "I am just pleased to say that all
parties are satisfied.I am very pleased to announce
that we have reached an agreement because we really
are a football family.We have secured what we believe
is the long-term future of the PFA and I be lived
there is satisfaction in both parties.There is a sum
of money which means we can continue to improve the
services that we provide for our current members, the
youngsters who have their dreams shattered and for
our 50,000 members who have provided us with
entertainment.
26 November
Fazackerley Returns.
Derek Fazackerley (Blackburn Rovers), who debuted in the 70-71 season, has become
the new coach at Manchester City following the departure
of Willie Donachie (see below). Dereck was the coach at
Barnsley, but had apparantly become available for Kevin
Keegan to bring to Manchester.
Manchester City FC - The
Official Website
reports the story as follows:
As expected City's new coach
was unveiled at the club's Carrington Training HQ
this morning as Kevin Keegan was re-united with Derek
Fazackerley.
"As one door closes
another opens," remarked Kevin Keegan on the
appointment of Derek Fazackerley as Willie Donachie's
replacement. City's new coach took his first training
session with his new charges, while the City manager
expressed his delight that he was able to call on his
former colleague after Willie Donachie's shock
departure.
"When Willie left I
believe I was very fortunate that I could pick up the
phone to Derek. I have worked with him before, I know
him and he knows me. He is an excellent coach and I
am delighted he is on board."
It is just a few weeks ago
that the one time Blackburn player, who still holds
the record for the number of appearances at the
Lancashire club, lost his job as coach at First
Division strugglers Barnsley.
"From my point of view
the appointment is ideal. I kept Willie on here when
I came in because I wanted to, but once he decided to
go we were fortunate that Faz was available as he had
finished at Barnsley. Some things work out in
football and this has worked out ideally."
This is the third time the
two have linked up with spells together at Newcastle
and in the England set up. But, as the City chief
reflected, their working relationship which started
with the Magpies happened by chance.
"Derek had gone to
Newcastle with Jim Smith and then had stayed when
Ossie Ardilles took over. He was working with the
kids and I called him into the coaching set up to
have a look at him. Within four days I had appointed
him first team coach, which tells you what I think of
him."
"He is strong where I
am not so strong so I can get on working with the
team in areas in which I believe I am strong. The
relationship works well, it has been proven in the
past and hopefully it can be proven again."
Williams Returns
It's all as you were between
Dover Athletic and Kingstonian. Bill Williams (Gillingham) has returned to Dover Athletic to
become Director of Football to the Conference side. This
follows an unsuccessful stint as manager of Kingstonian
in the Ryman Premier League. Bill had been appointed due
to kingstonian being relegated and Greg Chappel stepping
down. Now that Bill has left Greg Chappel has returned to
manage the club again !!
See BBC SPORT DOVER ATHLETIC Williams'
Dover return
Dover Athletic Football Club - Official
Website
15 November
Yorath Takes Over Wenesday - Donachie
is the New No.2
Terry Yorath (Leeds
United squad)
has taken over the as manager of Sheffield Wednesday,
having initially held the caretaker role following Peter
Shreeves departure. Since being in charge Wednesday have
won 3, drawn 1 and lost 2, and are now 22nd in Division
1, though they are now better placed to rise up the
table. Tezza's contract is until the summer of 2002, when
there is an option to extend this.
Willie Donachie (Manchester City squad) has join Wenesday as Terry's
assistant with a contract that lasts to 2004. Willie was
with Kevin Keegan at Manchester City the club he was at
in the 70-71 season itself. The news was unexpected for
Manchester City and may even involve Wednesday paying
them compensation.
See BBC SPORT SHEFF WED Owls
appoint Yorath
Sheffield Wednesday Football
Club - Willie Donachie
11 November
Sven-Göran Eriksson Update
Several bits of news.
International
- Firstly, of course, Sven-Göran Eriksson's (Karlskoga) England side played a friendly
against Sweden yesterday. The game had an extra interest
in that Sven-Göran is himself Swedish.
One pub-quiz type
information to emerge from the tie is that Sweden are
presently the side which has the longest unbeaten run of
games against England of any international side ! This
was extended to 9 matches as England could only manage a
1-1 draw at Old Trafford. Like England, Sweden are
already World Cup Finals qualifiers, so they it was a
good measure of progress for the England side.
It was 1968 since
England last beat Sweden, which is the second longest
distance since a win (counting from debut matches and
excluding countries for which there has been no match !)
behind Chile, who England have not beaten since 1953 !!
The match in '68 was Alex Stepney's only game for
England. Goals from Martin Peters, Bobby Charlton and
Roger Hunt (his last for England), won the game 3-1.
Award.
On the eve of Sven-Göran's match as manager of an
international side playing against his own nationals,
Sweden awarded him with Personality of the Year at the
Stockholm Football Gala. Sven-Göran thanked Tord Grip,
his right hand man throughout his management career.
Man U Manager
- Anybody who has even a modicum of success is spread all
over the press as being the favourite to be Sir Alex
Ferguson's successor once he finally steps down from the
post at the end of the season. Last week it was Arsené
Wenger's turn, which he spent the rest of the week
denying. This week, I see that it is Sven-Göran's turn.
See BBC Sweden hold England
England Match Reports -- and
waddle steps up
BBC Sweden honours Eriksson
BBC SPORT MAN UTD Sven
remains Man Utd target
Players OK Strike.
Gordon Taylor's (Bolton
Wanderers) name
continues to be in the papers a great deal at present
following a ballot by the Professional Footballers
Association (PFA) of all their players, in which they
agreed in principle to a strike unless negotiations over
payments to them from television deals are improved..
The Sports section of 'The
Time's' 10 November 2001 edition led with an A4 sized
photo of Gordon and was largely sympathetic of the
players stance. There is fears that a battle of
personalities is developing between Gordon and Richard
Scudamore chief executive of the Premier League, which
could hamper the progress of the negotiations.
In Premier League terms, it
seems the money being fought over is not that large. The
PFA are holding out for 25 million pounds or a 5 per cent
cut of the deal. This is only10 million pounds more than
the Premier League have already offered. That's only the
cost of an averagely good player for a Premier League
team.
The cost for English football if
the strike went ahead would be very much more than
financial. Without the television deal, the money in the
game would evapourate and hence money for World class
players would go, too. Leeds United chaiman Peter
Ridsdale argues that English football would have to use
players of current 2nd and 3rd Division standard to make
up the teams as the foreign legions disappeared back to
the Italian and Spanish Leagues.
Whilst there are some who may
believe this is a good thing, it is doubtful many fans
would like to see their Premiership clubs become the
also-rans of Europe again. The strike is not yet
inevitable, but currently there is a feeling that both
sides are not prepared to back down.
6 November
Little Returns
Alan Little - Brian's
brother (Aston Villa) - is back as manager of Third
Division Halifax Town. In an admitedly difficult bottom
division struggle this year, Halifax are having a
particularly rough time of it. They went 726 minutes
(including 7 matches) without even scoring. Until
Saturday thery were also bottom. Unsettled management has
been a part of the problem, so perhaps with Alan in place
the club can start to improve.
See BBC SPORT HALIFAX TOWN
Halifax appoint Little
Halifax Town Football Club
See more November 2001 news at the
following ...
|
