Jordi Cruyff’s late headed goal did nothing to ruin Juninho’s night
Posted in General on 17. Oct, 2010
Jordi Cruyff’s late headed goal did nothing to ruin Juninho’s night.Middlesbrough: Schwarzer;, Stockdale, Ehiogu, Boateng, Geremi, Juninho, Greening, Festa, Maccarone, Whelan, Queudrue. Substitutes: Crossley (gk), Gavin, Parnaby, Wilson, Nemeth, Windass, Johnston, Wilkshire.Alaves: Dutruel; Tellez, Geli, Gomez, Mocelin, Aldo Desio, E Alonso, Astudillo, Llorens, I Alonso, Mestre, Fernandez. Substitutes: Pablo, Begona, Karmona, Cruyff, Helguera, Ujia.Referee: N Barry (Scunthorpe).. The Players’ Union head, Gordon Taylor, yesterday urged the crisis-hit Football League to consider the revolutionary idea of combining with the Scottish Premier League. But Taylor’s radical change goes far beyond anything dreamed up by the club chairmen pondering how to increase their dwindling income.Taylor said: “The PFA wants to be involved in any League restructuring – and we shouldn’t discount the possibility of combining with Scotland. We already have clubs from Wales in our League, so I think serious talks should take place with Scotland, bearing in mind their concern for their future.”Rather than just paper over the cracks of the League, let’s be positive and make sure football is in as many towns and cities as possible in England and Scotland.”If the current problems in Scotland continue, one option for the League is to think about a combination with Scotland to add extra spice and variety to the League.”Taylor’s plan would have to be approved by leagues north and south of the border, the Football Association and the game’s European governing body, Uefa.
But his proposals won the support of his counterpart north of the border, Tony Higgins.The Scottish PFA secretary said: “It is certainly worthwhile debating the issue but Scotland must be viewed as equal partners and not just to shore up the Nationwide League. With the recent resignations of the 10 clubs from the SPL, the time is right for discussions about the future of the game.”We have spoken informally with the PFA about this and it is worth debating Many questions need to be answered about this idea. The Old Firm would be a tremendous draw but, size-wise, the Edinburgh clubs and Aberdeen could hold their own comfortably their own in the First Division too.”The Lincoln City chairman, Rob Bradley, led the calls for regionalisation of the Second and Third Divisions. The hard-up Imps finished third from bottom of the Football League last season and have just had their path out of administration approved.Bradley and his Third Division counterparts believe more games against local opposition will generate desperately needed income for lower-division football. He said: “There must be an overview of the League structure, including regionalisation. The League board and chairmen have already discussed it and it’s certainly an option.”There’s more in favour in Division Three than Division Two – and I’d say that, in Division Three, it’s about 75 per cent of chairmen in favour.”There are a lot of good points for regionalisation, including it being easier for supporters to get to away games, extra revenue from bigger gates against local teams and a reduction in travelling costs.”. Bradford City players found out yesterday they will not be paid until the end of the month.
The First Division club had a meeting with the Professional Footballers’ Association, when they were told that the salaries – unpaid since May – are going to be late by up to three weeks. The union is taking the view that it is better that their members are paid late than the club is wound up and they are left with nothing.The Preston manager Craig Brown is trying to rush through the signing of Fulham’s Eddie Lewis before the First Division season kicks off. The US World Cup player is keen to join North End and a £500,000 deal is in the offing although agreeing personal terms may prove problematic. Lewis may have to consider a reduction in pay to gain the opportunity of playing first-team football.The Everton manager David Moyes is to give the 16-year-old Wayne Roone a senior start in a friendly against Athletic Bilbao on Saturday..