Thursday, May 17, 2007

UEFA Cup Final and West Ham stuff

Esapnyol 2 - 2 Sevilla (aet) Sevilla win 3-2 on penalties

I shameless ripped these pictures off from WhoAteAllThePies one of the best footy blogs around.


(click on the image to get the full size version.)

Loved every second of that UEFA Cup final. Two teams going at each other hammer and tongs. Fast, expansive attacking football played with flair, skill, passion & commitment from the 1st minute to the 120th. Blistering noise and intensity from the 10s of thousands of fans. The only bad thing was there had to be a loser. I'd have been perfectly happy for them to share the cup.

It's difficult to have affection for Espanyol for the Franco-Republican history but it's impossible not to sympathise with their players and fans after that such a fantastic game. Looks like Glasgow hosted a great party too





I see the Tevez/West Ham issue is rumbling on :

Blades begin legal procedings

Dave Whelan urges chiefs to quit

FIFA investigation

Looks to me like Whelan is softening his stance and won't go through the courts. I feel Sheffield Utd's challenge will meet with obtuse, obstinate denials. The FA should hang their heads in shame. You can't blame the Blades for making noise about it all when there's £40,000,000 riding on staying in the Premiership and the board given responsibility for investigating the eligibility of West Ham's key player come out with stuff like :

"This was not only an obvious and deliberate breach of the rules, but a grave breach of trust as to the Premier League and its constituent members. In our finding the club has been responsible for dishonesty and deceit".

"a deduction of points would normally follow from such a breach of rules".

"docking points would "not be proportionate".


but gave reasons for the fine such as :

A points deduction so late in the season might have consigned the club to relegation

The players and fans of West Ham are in no way to blame for the situation and therefore should not suffer


I'd be apoplectic if I were associated with a club down in that dogfight. Even the way it was done...they announced that the club was basically in the clear two days before a crunch six-pointer against Wigan. How much of a boost must that have been.

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