4 match ban for Luiz Felipe Scolari

28 09 2007

The Brazilian manager of Portugal has been given a 4 match touchline ban by UEFA Commission for lashing out at Ivica Dragutinovic during the Euro 2008 qualifier with Serbia.
The punishment has been handed out by UEFA’s disciplinary committee and effectively keeps Scolari off the bench for the remainder of Portugal’s qualification campaign.
The Brazilian has also been fined 12,000 euros (GBP 8,400) while Dragutinovic has landed a 2 match ban.
A statement released by UEFA read: The verdict means that Scolari will be banned from exercising his function as coach for the Euro qualifiers in Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in October, and at home against Armenia and Finland in November.
Before and during the match, he will not be allowed to go in the team dressing-room, the tunnel, or the technical zone, or on the pitch. In addition, he will not be allowed to communicate with his team.



Sam Allardyce hopes to see Mourinho again

28 09 2007

The manager Mourinho admitted he would least like to fight among his former managerial colleagues has lamented his departure from Chelsea.
Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce was amused to learn last week that the Portuguese would not relish the prospect of going toe-to-toe with him.
However, Allardyce is hoping he and English football have not seen the last of the man who helped to revive Chelsea’s fortunes during an eventful reign at Stamford Bridge.
Asked what Mourinho had brought to the English game, he said: “Apart from not fancying me in a fight, charisma, talent…he is a very, very good man-manager and a very successful one in terms of the trophies he has won for Chelsea.
From my point of view, I hope there is no clause in his contract which says he cannot work in this country because I will be sad to see him leave the Premier League.



Michael Owens problem

28 09 2007

The players problem will be cerefuly monitored by Newcastle as he attempts to avoid another bout of surgery.
The 27-year-old striker has been included in the squad for Sunday’s Premier League clash with West Ham at St James’ Park six days after limping off with a tight groin during the 1-0 defeat at Derby.
That may allay fears that the England frontman needs an operation to repair a hernia for now, with vital Euro 2008 qualifiers against Estonia and Russia coming up next month.
However, Magpies manager Sam Allardyce admits it is a situation which will have to be carefully managed to ensure Owen does not succumb once again.
He said: When anybody gets anything where there is a slight tightening, then it’s the beginning of a warning sign to say you need to make sure you find out what the problem is and then sort the problem out.
You would manage that area more cautiously than anything else, and then take a view on a week-by-week basis and see how things are.
Hopefully, going into Sunday’s game, he is okay. He has recovered from Monday night’s match because we brought him off sooner rather than later, and we go from there.
Hopefully he gets through Sunday’s game with no more discomfort, and if he does, we have to manage that from there on and see how we go.
Allardyce has been adamant all week that talk of surgery was premature after the player’s early exit at Pride Park.
A scan on Tuesday showed no lasting damage, but it came as a relief when Owen was able to train on Friday with no problems, although his manager is taking nothing for granted in the longer term.
He said: We will be guided by the scan and that is not showing that Michael needs an operation. He trained today and he is fit for selection on Sunday.
But that is not to say that persistent groin trouble will not turn into a hernia, and if he does need an operation, we will decide about it then.
There was further good news on the injury front for Allardyce when Owen’s strike-partner Mark Viduka was passed fit after suffering a hamstring injury in the 1-0 win over Wigan a fortnight ago.
The 31-year-old is included in the squad and will battle it out with Owen, Obafemi Martins and Shola Ameobi for a place in the starting line-up.
Allardyce said: “It’s a good option – Obafemi Martins is a good option as well, and it’s a difficult area for me because there is a lot of frustration in Oba at the moment.
The difficulty is playing Oba and Michael together, does that disrupt the rest of the team? Maybe, and do I know them well enough yet? No.
Meanwhile, £5.8million summer signing Joey Barton can finally set his sights on a competitive debut for the Magpies after returning to training from a fractured metatarsal.
The 24-year-old is back in training and although he still has some way to go before he reaches match fitness, his time is fast approaching.
Allardyce said: He has started a little bit of football work on his own, which is obviously very pleasing for him more than anybody else.
It’s nice to get a feel of the ball and start kicking it again.
No doubt we will have to hold him back and make sure the medical team push him along the right way and not do it too quickly.
I think he is going to be okay. We just have to do every session with him and if there is no discomfort in that area, then we will push on a little bit further and a little bit further each day.