Get all the latest 2014-2015 football news, transfers, injuries, interviews from EPL to La Liga and all various Football League.
Monday, November 10, 2014
TRANSFER NEWS: Falcao's SHOCK Man Utd exit, Chelsea's Pique joy, Arsenal's Khedira deal ON
The summer transfer window may have closed, but with the season well underway managers can identify their team's weaknesses and search for potential additions in January...
Manchester United may have a tough time holding onto Colombian star Radamel Falcaoafter reports emerged linking him with a switch to Real Madrid.
The striker commands a weekly salary of £285,000-a-week, and Monaco want a further £46m transfer on top of that to make the move permanent, but suspect United are having doubts.
The Premier League duo are both keen on acquiring Pique for a fee in the region of £24m, but it's believed the Spaniard is more interested in a move to West London.
Identifying a successor means Premier League trio Man Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal are one-step closer to securing his services.
Man Utd have edged closer to signing former Barcelona legend Victor Valdes after the goalkeeper revealed he is 'almost ready' to return to competitive action.
He tweeted: "Great training session Today. Almost Ready! Thanks for your supportive messages throughout these months. They have helped me a lot!"
The Ivorian international showed his ability after netting twice during CSKA Moscow's surprise victory over Manchester City, but would surely have to accept playing second fiddle to Diego Costa.
Real Madrid have lined-up Christoph Kramer as a replacement for Sami Khedira
Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s action
Brendan Rodgers’ selection policy under scrutiny, defensive flaws let Arsenal down and half-and-half scarves in the spotlight
Brendan Rodgers consoles Mario Balotelli while England beckons for Saido Berahino. Photographs: Peter Powell/EPA, Neville Williams/Getty, Paul Ellis/AFP, Richard Heathcote/Getty
Subdued Di María is a worry for United
In the 71st minute of Manchester United’s pedestrian 1-0 win over Crystal Palace at Old Trafford, £59.7m of talent was hauled off by Louis van Gaal. For a British record transfer fee one might expect a player to remain on the field until the end, driving the side on. Yet by that juncture the manager had seen enough of Ángel Di María, who hardly influenced a contest against one of the Premier League’s struggling sides.
This was the latest subdued offering from an Argentinian who was man of the match in Real Madrid’s Champions League triumph in May. Van Gaal defended him afterwards. “He has played in a very small space and he is a dribbler,” he said. “But sometimes you cannot dribble, you have to make it a pass game and Di Maria is not a player who wants to give a pass every time he gets the ball. But in this case we needed that and not dribbles. Therefore he lost the ball a lot of times and that was not good for the balance of the team.”
Midfielder
Angel Di Maria
Appearances
9
Goals
3
Shots
31
Shots on target
32%
Offsides
0
One view of this analysis is that for nearly £60m a footballer should know when to pass and when to dribble every time he receives possession. It could be posited that Di María’s fee was arguably bloated by around £20m.
A counter-argument, however, could run that the 26-year-old shone during his opening games for United, looking about the best of the club’s summer acquisitions so he is merely suffering a loss of form. Time, as usual, will tell. Jamie Jackson
Brendan Rodgers was in no mood for more questions about his team selections after Chelsea had just demonstrated why they and Liverpool have moved in opposite directions since their last Premier League meeting in April. Asked what Dejan Lovren or Mario Balotelli had done to justify a recall to the Liverpool starting line-up on Saturday, he replied sharply: “That was my decision.” Was it a decision based on their performances in training perhaps? “It’s an everyday thing.” And that was that.
Before the Real Madrid 1-0 defeat the Liverpool manager claimed he was resting some players and dropping others following meagre contributions in the previous game at Newcastle United. It does not require a stretch of the imagination to place Lovren and Balotelli in the dropped bracket. After losing at the Bernabéu, Rodgers hailed the performance of his stand-ins (and Saturday’s starting XI confirmed that is exactly what they were in Spain) as “absolutely magnificent”. Yet Glen Johnson, Lovren, Steven Gerrard, Philippe Coutinho, Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling and Balotelli all returned against Chelsea. That is 19 players used in two matches and no points.
No one would claim Kolo Touré is impervious to mistakes or Fabio Borini has the quality worthy of leading a Liverpool attack, although the Italian at least provides the movement the side has cried out for this season, but recalls for Balotelli and Lovren - who was embarrassed at times by Diego Costa – undermines a manager’s time-honoured argument about the shirt having to be earned. Andy Hunter
Hull City’s Hatem Ben Arfa is struggling to make an impact at the club.Photograph: Richard Sellers/PA
Hatem Ben Arfa became a cause célèbre at Newcastle. It was a sign of the fans’ frustrations with Alan Pardew and it seemed a coup when Hull signed him on a season-long loan in the final hours of the transfer window. Two months later he has started only three league games for City and mustered only one shot on target for them. It rather reeks of underachievement. While the Frenchman was sidelined initially by the success of the partnership between Abel Hernández and Nikica Jelavic, now the Croatian is injured and he is still not in the team. And although Hull improved when he came on at Burnley – they could hardly have been worse – it was still an indictment of Ben Arfa that Sone Aluko was preferred in the starting 11. A player of his talent ought to be winning such matches rather than playing bit-part roles in them. Richard Jolly
Aston Villa dug in to stop the rot with the 0-0 draw at West Ham United on Saturday and, after six straight defeats, Paul Lambert was entitled to paint it as a “great point.” The manager talked up the resilience of the performance and he gave special praise to the goalkeeper, Brad Guzan, and the centre-backs, Ron Vlaar and Nathan Baker. More broadly he said his team had not been over-run all season and pointed out, again, how five of the six consecutive defeats had come against opposition from last season’s top six.
Goalkeeper
Bradley Guzan
Appearances
11
Saves
33
Clearances
2
But even Lambert acknowledged that it had to be a turning point. Villa face Southampton at home after the international break and thereafter the fixtures are kinder to them, with trips to Burnley and Crystal Palace, a home game against Leicester City and a visit to West Bromwich Albion. It would be lovely to see Lambert talking and acting in a more proactive manner. No professional team in England has scored fewer goals than Villa this season – their haul of five is a principal reason for the gloom among their supporters.
“No disrespect to any other team at all and they will be really tough games,” Lambert said. “But after playing Chelsea and Arsenal and them sort of teams, it’s tough mentally and physically – it takes it out of you. November and December gives us a chance to get points.” David Hytner
There are some serious ills in football right now, such as racism, sexism, homophobia, soaring ticket prices and Sepp Blatter. But occasionally it is worth focusing on the smaller annoyances and for this contributor there are few things which agitate more than half-and-half scarves.
There were a notable number of people displaying them at Loftus Road on Saturday, among them two men sitting directly in front of the press box. Queens Park Rangers’ colours down one side, Manchester City’s down the other, and once again I had to ask myself why anyone buys these wretched items of merchandise.
They appear to be aimed at one-off visitors looking to mark their visit to a Premier League match but that does not excuse someone showing backing for one team while sitting with supporters from the other. Quite frankly, it was a surprise none of the QPR fans sitting by those two men on Saturday did not tell them what to do with their latest piece of tat.
But this was by no means the worst half-and-half atrocities witnessed in English football. There have, after all, been sightings of spectators walking into Anfield with Liverpool-Chelsea scarves and into Old Trafford with Manchester United-Manchester City scarves. These people need to be banned. Now. Sachin Nakrani
Saido Berahino takes on Newcastle’s Fabricio Coloccini.Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images
Do not expect too much of Saido Berahino if and when he gets thrown in for England over the next week. His goals record for England Under-21s and West Bromwich Albion fully warrants his elevation and he is a talent but he remains far from the finished article when it comes to all-round forward play.
Playing with the assistance of a target man, Victor Anichebe, on Sunday, he mustered one fine shot but his general link-up play still needs far more work. Playing as a lone striker, he shows technique, touch and pace that are attributes. But his hold-up play and game understanding are in the early stages, in terms of top-level Premier League clubs or the international stage.
Playing for Gareth Southgate’s Under-21s during their recent games with Croatia, he was back on the flank, assisting Harry Kane, who looks far more equipped as a sole target man and looks a reluctant wide man. Yet this was where he was utilised more for West Brom last season when he sustained good enough form to keep progressing.
But do not expect him to bail Manchester United or Arsenal out of trouble just yet. What he does have is a goalscorer’s instinct and in a front two he could prosper in time at the highest level. He would be best off sticking with West Brom and the Under-21s for a while yet. Pete Lansley
Southampton have a dicey run of fixtures starting at the end of this month, when they take on Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United in successive weeks. Ronald Koeman’s team are more coherent and solid than all of those sides so should fancy their chances of reaching Boxing Day ahead of them all, and that would make their duel with Chelsea a clash between the Premier League’s top two. And then the focus will come on to Chelsea’s loan policy again: because Southampton’s excellent defence will be deprived of Ryan Bertrand. The left-back is enjoying an excellent season both defensively and going forward and the confidence that he is gaining on the south coast and, perhaps, the tuition of Koeman, is helping him improve from week to week. Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman are a fine full-back duet, as are Branislav Ivanovic and Cesar Azpilicueta, but Bertrand and Nathaniel Clyne now belong in that company too. It is unacceptable that Bertrand will not be allowed to play against Chelsea. Paul Doyle
History does not throw up a long catalogue of connections between Barcelona and Stoke City. Mark Hughes, formerly of the Camp Nou, had reason to be chuffed by the contribution of a player raised in Catalonia who put in an eye-catching display as Stoke City picked up a welcome win at White Hart Lane. Bojan Krkic played more than 100 times for Barcelona in his youth but after a series of moves – via Roma, Milan and Ajax – it was reasonable to wonder about his career trajectory when he turned up in the Potteries last summer for a shade over £1m. Hughes explained how Krkic needed some adaptation time. The inference was that he needed a little toughening up but he demonstrated a pleasing blend of clever running, cute movement and creativity tucked behind a more powerful front three of Jon Walters, Mame Diouf and Victor Moses. “We are really pleased that he is finally coming to the fore,” said Hughes. “He started off like a house on fire when he first joined us in pre-season and people got a little bit carried away too early because I think we all felt it was going to take time to adjust. I played him in the first two games and he found it difficult to have an impact but he has bided his time and I have just started to reintroduce him now. He has had the benefit of three-to-four months training at the intensity he needs and he looks a very accomplished player again. We are going to benefit from his ability and his goal-scoring. He will score goals for us this year.” Amy Lawrence
Arsenal’s defensive failings horribly exposed yet again
At the risk of sounding repetitive, and going back over old ground, what on earth was Arsène Wenger thinking of in the summer when he overlooked the importance of bringing in a top-class central defender and an accomplished holding midfielder? True, a long list of injuries is not helping at the moment. But it is also true that the cover for those players is nowhere near good enough. Wenger admitted as much when he acknowledged the problems that Arsenal were having on their right flank against Swansea, for whom Jefferson Montero, the Ecuador international, ran riot against Calum Chambers. “We were a bit struggling on the right side, but I have no experienced players on the bench,” Wenger said. The feeling is that Chambers would be more comfortable in the middle of the defence, but Mathieu Debuchy’s injury means Wenger is also short at right-back, so the Arsenal manager has to keep playing square pegs in round holes, such as Nacho Monreal at centre-half.
Further forward things are not much better, with neither Mathieu Flamini nor Aaron Ramsey doing enough to dominate midfield against Swansea or provide the defensive protection that a fragile back four needs. All in all, it is a bit of a mess and it was not at all surprising that Wenger sounded so forlorn about the prospect of catching Chelsea. In fact, compare the two teams and, realistically, how many Arsenal players would get into the Chelsea starting XI? Alexis Sánchez. Anyone else?Stuart James
Romelu Lukaku was unimpressive against Sunderland.Photograph: Richard Lee/BPI/REX/Richard Lee/BPI/REX
There are reasons why Didier Drogba has enjoyed such an unexpectedly extended shelf life at Chelsea. Some are down to Drogba himself but one big explanatory factor is to be found in the shape of Romelu Lukaku, the Belgium striker, perhaps surprisingly sold to Everton by Mourinho for £28m during the summer. On his day the 21-year-old “new Drogba” can petrify the best defences but Lukaku has too many off days. The latest came in the 1-1 draw at Sunderland on Sunday. Yes, John O’Shea excelled in Gus Poyet’s defence but Lukaku hardly fully extended that backline. While Sunderland’s Steven Fletcher proved industry personified as a lone striker, Everton’s centre-forward all too often looked to be going through the motions. That tremendous physique and those technical gifts went to waste as Lukaku showed off a poor first touch, frequently failed to hold the ball up properly and played a generally big part in costing Everton two points in a game they really should have won. He is still very young; he is said to be highly intelligent and, when he is good, he is very good, so there is still abundant hope but “the new Drogba” – don’t hold your breath….
Mourinho is not in the habit of offloading star quality – even for £28m – to managers as gifted as Roberto Martínez at clubs as big as Everton so he evidently failed to trust Lukaku to play the right part in Chelsea’s current twin Premier League/Champions League assault. Anyone in the near 44,000 crowd at the Stadium of Light will have understood precisely why. Louise Taylor
Indian Super League: Robert Pires says Van Persie and Rooney could play in India
3
Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney: ISL stars of the future?
Former Arsenal attacker Robert Pires sees no reason why the likes of Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie would not play in the Indian Super League in the future.
Pires is captain of the Goa franchise and the Frenchman explained the chance to be part of India’s attempt to bring football to the mainstream was too good an offer to resist.Ex-Juventus pair Alessandro Del Piero and David Trezeguet, and former Premier League duo Nicolas Anelka and Luis Garcia are among those playing in the inaugural league that runs until December 20.
“Imagine today you have Del Piero, Trezeguet and Robert Pires – who knows, in five or six seasons maybe you can have Rooney or van Persie playing in India,” Pires told Sky Sports.
“When I retired and finished up two years ago - after eight months with Aston Villa - the Indian Super League organisers called me saying they had a big project.
"A lot of people think I’ve come to play here for the money but it’s not only for the money, I have a very good role within this country and with these players."
Robert Pires
“They asked if I was interested and I thought why not. This is the first season for this league so why not try and help India to try and build this Indian Super League together.
“A lot of people think I’ve come to play here for the money but it’s not only for the money, I have a very good role within this country and with these players.
“I’ve missed playing football over the last couple of years and playing in India is a great opportunity for me which has also allowed me to discover a new country with new people.
“I know I need to give everything for the team – my football, my experience and my passion. That’s what makes it special for me as well as the players, because I am here mainly to help the development of the football here in India which is very important.”
Pires insists he retains a special type of passion and spirit for the game which allows him to continue to play competitive football despite being 40 years old.
“My passion for the game is still there which is perfectly normal. It’s there every morning of every day,” he said.
“To keep playing football you need to have a certain kind of spirit. You need to have heart. If you have heart you can play until you are 40 or 41 years old. It’s not a problem.”
ISL 2014: Atletico de Kolkata buoyant after return of Borja Fernandez
Atletico de Kolkata will be bolstered by the return of Borja Fernandez, even as their marquee signing Luis Garcia is all set to miss their ISL away fixture against FC Goa. (ISL)
Kolkata: Atletico de Kolkata will be bolstered by the return of Borja Fernandez, even as their marquee signing and Liverpool star Luis Garcia is all set to miss their ISL away fixture against FC Goa on Thursday.
"Borja's return will give us a big advantage," ATK's Spanish midfielder Jofre Mateu said about his compatriot, who had to sit out in their 1-1 draw against Delhi Dynamos FC in their last outing.
Atletico de Kolkata did not reveal whether their marquee player would travel with the team, but it was almost clear that Garcia would sit out because of his hamstring injury.
"He's one of our main players, but his absence will give others an opportunity to prove a point," ATK's Sanju Pradhan said.
Sanju added they would be on a high and it was Zico's side who would be under pressure.
"We have seven points from three matches, so the pressure will be on them as they have one point from two outings. But, they have quality players and we respect every opposition," he said.
Charlie Webster: 'I don't want kids to cheer on rapist footballer Ched Evans as a hero'
Sky Sports presenter Charlie Webster, who grew up supporting Sheffield United, tells Radhika Sanghani why she will resign her role as a patron at the club if Ched Evans is reinstated and about being trolled by the footballer's fans
Charlie Webster has said she will stand down as a patron of Sheffield United if Ched Evans is reinstated
But one person who has spoken out is Charlie Webster – a TV presenter and a patron for Sheffield United’s Community Foundation. She feels so strongly about Evans not being allowed to play football again that she has said she will resign from her role as patron if the club lets him come back.
“Our club’s footballers are heroes in that moment on the pitch when they score a goal,” she says. “I don’t want to stand by when our next generation cheers on a convicted rapist as a hero.
“I believe in football and know the power but I also know the influence it has and I know my own morals. The foundation I’m a patron of is all about respect and integrity and education for the next generation. I’ll resign because everything I believe in is that – but if they re-sign Ched Evans, it isn’t that anymore.”
Evans, 25, has been released from prison more than two years into a five-year sentence he is serving for raping a 19-year-old woman, who was too drunk to consent. At the time of being arrested, he was still a striker for Sheffield United.
But the fact that he is serving the rest of his sentence outside of jail, and his former club could ask him back to play, has alreadysparked a petitionof more than 150,000 signatures calling for the club to not reinstate him. Webster, 31, thinks that Sheffield United needs to listen these people: “I have heard a lot of people say they won’t be taking their kids to the game. The club needs to listen to those that are voicing their opinion and have signed the petition. The thing about Sheffield United is it’s a real family club. I have been brought up with that club in that community and I went to that football club since the age of four and my dad took me, and it’s something that really influenced me as a kid.
“He didn’t live at home and it was a way for us to connect. It was such a big part of my childhood. It’s why I think it’s so important and plays such a positive role in families.”
'He does what he wants'
Ched Evans
She’s now worried that parents will either stop taking their children to games, or that those young supporters will be influenced by Evans. “I just think it’s a really bad message to send out to our community and our next generation… that someone can be convicted of rape unanimously, and walk out of prison and walk straight into the same job. He’s in a high profile job and with that celebrity and his position comes responsibility. It’s basically sending a message that you do what you want really.”
The effects are already coming through. When Sheffield United played Bradford last weekend, fans were heard chanting: “He does what he wants, he does what he wants, Chedwyn Evans, he does what he wants.” Webster thinks that if Evans is re-signed, it will just get worse – especially considering football is already heavily dominated by men at games.
“It’s making men look really bad, this situation. [Football] needs them to stand up. We need to get society as a whole campaigning against it – not just women. What’s it going to take for us as a society to stand up to it? I have heard upstanding professionals in my job saying they feel sorry for him, but what about the victim who was raped?”
During the rape trial in 2012, the victim’s identity was revealed on social media, and she was forced to change her identity. It has been reported this weekthat the same thing has happened again. “She’s had to change her identity twice now,” says Webster. “She’s had a hate campaign against her by fans of Ched Evans. She’s had horrendous abuse on Twitter never mind the fact that she was raped.”
'Sexual assault is a huge violation'
Webster also has personal experience of sexual assault. Back in January, she waived her anonymity and told BBC Radio 5 Live that she wasassaulted by her running coachwhen she was 15.
It’s partly why she feels so strongly about Evan’s victim and how she is being treated.
“I do know what it makes you feel like,” she tells me. “It’s a huge violation. It takes away who you are and your self-esteem, your confidence. The thing is I didn’t go through what she’s going through because I didn’t have a hate campaign and abuse and Twitter trolls. I was sexually assaulted but I wasn’t a target.”
But ever since Webster aired her views on wanting to resign if Sheffield United reinstated Evans, she has received a number of abusive messages. She has also beentargeted by trollswho believe Evans is innocent. Evans’s sister supports these claims and messaged Webster on Twitter, after finding a tweet which she had posted back in September.
It read: “Just bumped into Mike Tyson in the hotel lobby as I was randomly talking about him! I chickened out on asking for a photo … damn.”
Evans’s sister used the tweet to call Webster a hypocrite, given the fact that Tyson was convicted of rape in 1992.
Mike Tyson
Football doesn't have a higher power
“I’m not proud of [the tweet],” says Webster, explaining that she hadn’t really had time to register Tyson’s past when she wrote it. “But what it does show is that the reason why people don’t step up against sexual violence is because this is what happens. As soon as you do, you get abused and berated. All I did was stand up and [now I] get this Twitter abuse.
“What I’m really worried about is if this carries on people who have been victims of sexual violence won’t come forward because look what’s happened to the victim of Ched Evans. How can she live her life? What did she so wrong? She went to a nightclub and had some drinks just like the majority of us do.”
Now Webster is urging her club to make a decision fast, so that the matter can be put to rest and Evans’s victim can move on with her life. “Sheffield United needs to stand up and either way make a statement because the speculation and the fact that they have been so quiet has been fuelling it. I would be so, so disappointed if they resign him, but they need to make a decision either way.
“The Football Association has a code of conduct. We wouldn’t be allowed to go back to our jobs. Football’s no different. It doesn’t have a higher power. Football needs to see what it can do as a positive, not as a negative. Depending on what happens with Ched Evans, it could be strong in a positive way.
"
Sheffield United manager Nigel Clough must be given chance to reject rapist Ched Evans
Highly respected manager would have to handle fallout if convicted rapist were re-signed so he has to be involved in decision
Deep thinker: Nigel Clough is a highly respected manager who must be given a say on whether convicted rapist Ched Evans re-signs for Sheffield United
Few people in football possess as strong a moral compass as Nigel Clough, the manager of Sheffield United.
Few managers think as deeply about football, about a club’s role in the community, and the game’s responsibility to society. Clough has a well-developed conscience and a sharp mind, a rare combination in football, and that is why he must resist any attempt by Sheffield United to re-sign their former player, Ched Evans.
It was surprising, disconcerting even, to hear such a respected, intelligent soul as Clough insist that any decision on the convicted rapist was one for Sheffield United’s co-owners, Prince Abdullah Bin Musa’ad Bin Abdul Aziz and Kevin McCabe. It will be a decision made “above football level”, said Clough.
It needs remembering in the maelstrom or moralising, fans’ chants and online petitions surrounding Evans’s early release that his contract as an employee of the League One club expired during his incarceration. Evans is not Sheffield United’s player but he is their problem. They are associated with him.
They were his paymasters when he committed his crime. Some of their fans call loudly for Evans’s return on the warped judgment that he scores goals so let’s ignore the crime. Some have pored over photographs of the 25-year-old striker since he emerged from jail and commented that he looked fit and ready to resume playing.
Clough keeps being asked about Evans. “It’s my decision whether to put him in the team if he comes back,’’ Clough said. “It’s not my decision whether he comes back in the first place – that’s theirs.’’
No. Clough has to be involved in the decision because of the damaging ramifications for the team of taking Evans back.
On April 20, 2012, Evans was found guilty by a jury at Caernarvon Crown Court of raping a 19-year-old woman in a hotel on May 30, 2011. The Wales international admitted having sex with the woman but claimed it was consensual. The prosecution argued that she was too intoxicated to have consented.
Evans was sentenced to five years in jail and was released after 2½ years at 5am last Friday.
Claiming a miscarriage of justice, Evans has shown remorse only to the girlfriend he cheated on but not the victim, who has been forced to change her name and address. The Criminal Cases Reviews Commission has now fast-tracked an investigation to establish whether it should refer the case to the Court of Appeal.
The details of the case that can be debated properly currently are that a jury found Evans guilty and that his leave to appeal was turned down at the Royal Courts of Justice on Nov 6, 2012. Other pertinent facts include that clubs accept their stars are role models, making them agree to codes of conduct, and Evans patently let Sheffield United down.
At some point a club with few principles will contact the Football League to register a player who has first to sign the Sex Offenders Register.
(Incidentally, Evans would be barred from the boardroom under the Football League Owners’ and Directors’ Test but not the dressing room).
If Sheffield United are to contemplate bringing Evans back from the cold, it cannot be an HR decision or boardroom decision. It must come from the manager’s office. It is Clough who will have to live with the huge fallout if the board offers Evans a new deal.
There are those who say that a convicted rapist deserves a second chance having done his time but Sheffield United have suffered enough damage to their image by association with Evans. It is hoped that a man of principle like Clough will take a stand.
It is Clough, not Prince Abdullah or McCabe, who will have to deal with the questions at every press conference about whether Sheffield United can still be considered a “family club”, whether the other players have welcomed Evans back, about what the players’ wives think of the recruitment of a rapist and the depth of dismay among the club’s female staff.
If a decision has to be made, Clough has to be involved. It is nonsense to suggest this is “above football level”. It affects every level, especially the football level. It is Clough who will have to defend the club. It is Clough who will have to prepare his players for the inevitable protests outside Shirecliffe and Bramall Lane. How will Sheffield United FC Community Ladies team react? What message does it send to women considering attending matches?
It will also be Clough who has to explain his reasons to the player being dropped to make way for somebody who has spent 2½ years in custody. It will be Clough who has to use part of his team talk to prepare his players for the hostility they will encounter, the constant chants of “she said no” from opposing fans. Do all Blades fans want to be represented by Evans?
One of the more troubling comments was that, given Sheffield United’s occasional problems in front of goal, it made it even more expedient to cut corners in the moral maze, turning back to Evans. Of the top eight in League One, only Notts County have scored fewer than Sheffield United. But principles are more important than points here.
Principles matter to Sheffield United. This correspondent was asked by the club to be a witness at an independent tribunal when they pursued damages against West Ham United after the goals of Carlos Tévez, incorrectly registered under Premier League rules, kept the Londoners up (in the 2006-07 season when Sheffield United went down).
I sat and talked to the club’s lawyers, and to McCabe, and then gave evidence, explaining a headline in Telegraph Sport about Tévez rescuing West Ham. Sheffield United wanted (and won) financial recompense for the cost of relegation but they also said they were fighting for a point of principle. They felt they had received no justice from the Premier League and most neutral observers agreed. Principles clearly mean something to Bramall Lane.
There are those who want to show compassion to Evans but such a famous English sporting institution as Sheffield United, who are celebrating their 125th anniversary, should also be considering the more important principle of showing compassion to the victim. Principles are at stake, as well as reputation, which is why Sheffield United must include Clough in any deliberations about Evans. Clough has always done the right thing. The right thing here is for Sheffield United to confirm Ched Evans is part of their past .
Ched Evans
Mike Tyson
