aka Dus

Rooney is a very, very good player but simply isn't worthy of this level of hype IMO. Sadly, he'll miss the world cup to prove he's not worthy of it. But we'll still have people making sweeping statements about his ability based on little more than a handful of good performances in competitive internationals for England, and a debatable number of good performances for United.

I'd have thought Rooney was already well broken out. Surely the Euros last time was his break-out tournament? If not, thank Christ he's injured or it would have been an a*** licking frenzy.

Like Northern Ireland? I honestly couldn't say...

What about Stewart Downing?

I think it's equally important to discuss how this impacts on the formation of the team England card school, now that they are a man down also. Who else will Owen groom to take money from?

I hear Mourinho is upset that he's still getting no credit, what with the country being more interested in Rooney's injury rather than his achievement. A plague upon his house.

Congratulations. And how noble of the Translator to throw his medal(s) into the crowd in order to deflect attention away from his players.

If Uri Geller fails, Sven can always appoint Marvin Andrews and David Blaine as physios to the England WC squad. All is not lost.

By the way, is Paco moving jobs or just an internal reorg?

His healing properties wouldn't be great since his nutrients while growing up would have come from dipping in bins and that. Isn't that right my non-LFC-supporting, England-supporting chums?

As usual with the England team, yawn.....

Romarochenko

Does this mean they are already -3 points in the group stages? Ukraine boss Oleg Blokhin: "The more Ukranians who play in the national league, the more examples for the young generation. "Let them learn from a Shevchenko or a Blokhin and not from some Zumba-Bumba whom they took off a tree, gave him two bananas and now he plays in the Ukrainian league."

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What channel was this match on? ITV? Was at a game last night where they play music (and an ad on the big screen) at every corner kick for the home team.

Is he a Manc? The subbie set him up for a fall there, billing it as an article about how Roman fleeced the Russian people. Instead it's just a rambling rant.

I don't know if I will be cheering for Barcenal or Arselona in the final.

Is it true he had them take an official team photo with himself instead of Perez? I guess he's just not a superior human being.

Nothing new there (sorry if Romario) Wenger World - The world according to Wenger Arsene Wenger, August 1996: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, September 1996: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, October 1996: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, November 1996: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, December 1996: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, January 1997: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, February 1997: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, March 1997: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, April 1997: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, May 1997: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, June 1997: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, July 1997: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, August 1997: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, September 1997: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, October 1997: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, November 1997: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, December 1997: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, January 1998: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, February 1998: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, March 1998: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, April 1998: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, May 1998: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, June 1998: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, July 1998: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, August 1998: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, September 1998: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, October 1998: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, November 1998: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, December 1998: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, January 1999: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, February 1999: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, March 1999: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, April 1999: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, May 1999: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, June 1999: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, July 1999: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, August 1999: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, September 1999: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, October 1999: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, November 1999: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, December 1999: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, January 2000: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, February 2000: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, March 2000: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, April 2000: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, May 2000: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, June 2000: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, July 2000: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, August 2000: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, September 2000: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, October 2000: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, November 2000: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, December 2000: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, January 2001: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, February 2001: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, March 2001: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, April 2001: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, May 2001: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, June 2001: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, July 2001: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, August 2001: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, September 2001: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, October 2001: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, November 2001: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, December 2001: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, January 2002: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, February 2002: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, March 2002: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, April 2002: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, May 2002: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, June 2002: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, July 2002: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, August 2002: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, September 2002: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, October 2002: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, November 2002: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, December 2002: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, January 2003: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, February 2003: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, March 2003: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, April 2003: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, May 2003: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, June 2003: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, July 2003: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, August 2003: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, September 2003: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, October 2003: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, November 2003: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, December 2003: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, January 2004: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, February 2004: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, March 2004: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, April 2004: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, May 2004: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, June 2004: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, July 2004: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, August 2004: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, September 2004: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, October 2004: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, November 2004: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, December 2004: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, January 2005: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, February 2005: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, March 2005: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, April 2005: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, May 2005: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, June 2005: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, July 2005: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, August 2005: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, September 2005: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, October 2005: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, November 2005: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, December 2005: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, January 2006: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, February 2006: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, March 2006: "I didn't see it" Martin Jol, April 2006: "I didn't see it" Arsene Wenger, April 2006: "He (Jol) said he didn't see it, I don't believe he didn't see it. You cannot steal the game like that and then pretend you have not seen it People who say they didn't see it are liars."

Irish Indo Mourinho's own goal DION FANNING at Old Trafford THE legend of Jose Mourinho ended at Old Trafford last night. Chelsea's manager has taken on football's principles for too long but in for the second time in important cup competitions this season, he selected an irrational team and again paid the price. Chelsea will probably be champions by next weekend, but the season has seen an unravelling of the Mourinho myth. From the Nou Camp to Old Trafford, Mourinho has been exposed as a man of tremendous limitations. He has prospered despite them and, for a while, because of them. Yet his players must now be questioning the hype and lack of grace that surrounds every defeat will damage the dreams of Chelsea's marketing men. At the end of a thrilling game in which Liverpool created the better chances and played the superior football, Mourinho didn't shake hands with Rafael Benitez, refused to wish Liverpool luck in the final, said they had no chance of winning the Premiership next season and insisted - despite the evidence - that the better team had lost. Mourinho prides himself on attending every press conference after his team loses but if his lack of grace remains, his PR department may ask him not to bother. "I don't like to talk about the other team," was Benitez's restrained response, but in his remark that Liverpool "deserved to win because we have done the right thing for winning" he may have given a clue to his true feelings." No football man could have failed to have been surprised by Mourinho's selection yesterday. His three most creative players, Damien Duff, Joe Cole and Arjen Robben were on the bench (Shaun Wright-Phillips didn't make the squad) with full-back Paulo Ferreira playing in midfield. Mourinho said he was Chelsea's best player and he had a point but so many were dreadful, particularly Geremi playing where Ferreira should have been. Liverpool had a more settled team and a physically imposing side. Benitez had also sent out his team in accordance with football's basic principles. He had wide players on the flanks with Harry Kewell having his finest game since his arrival on Merseyside. Liverpool players said later they were amazed by the Chelsea team and Mourinho was not only taking on Liverpool - and their incredible support to whom Benitez dedicated the victory - but all that remains true about football and how to win matches. It was a gamble too far. For an hour, Chelsea had no shape and were ripped apart endlessly by the guile and strength of the Liverpool midfield which was playing, straightforward, logical football. Even so, their were nerves too for Liverpool, who were burdened by the fact that they had only beaten Chelsea once - in the Champions' League semi-final - in their nine meetings since Mourinho and Benitez came to power. Yet Liverpool looked more like a team than the champions. "The commitment of my players was amazing," Benitez said, deflecting all questions about Mourinho's jibe with a simple, "We are in the final." John Arne Riise's first half goal from a free kick which Mourinho felt shouldn't have been awarded was their reward for superior possession, but Didier Drogba had missed two chances for Chelsea-the second an open net-before the goal. But Liverpool didn't retreat after they scored, instead they went on creating chances until Garcia, who had missed many of them, got the second in the with more than 30 minutes remaining. Liverpool should have cruised from there but a poor Riise header and a disastrous Pepe Reina punch allowed Drogba to head in. The home side conceded possession too easily in the final 20 minutes, but they defended bravely. Joe Cole, with a chance that had echoes of Eidur Gudjohnsen's miss in last season's Champions League semi-final, shot over from six yards in the last seconds. But an equaliser would have been unjust. Chelsea ended with all their wide players on the pitch and John Terry upfront but they had surrendered something more important. They seemed to have no plan, no idea how to play and the blame for that lies fully with the manager, who, unsurprisingly, placed it elsewhere, saying his wingers weren't in form and that's why they weren't picked. This was his most harmful humbug because it destroyed the idea that Mourinho was protecting his players. Instead his comments were designed at protecting his own reputation by blaming his wide players for not being in form. It was outlandish stuff from a man whose reputation is being diminished by utterances and misplaced belief that he can defy football's irrefutable laws. "We dominated the game," was Mourinho's parting shot. It was staggering and as mystifying as all that had gone before it.

Edited I was going to whinge about Cissé costing way more than Diao, but honestly at this stage, I couldn't be f_cked....

Not exactly news, is it? Crap lazy journalism yet again - should have noticed all this a long time ago. Sack the Telegraph.

Nice article from Dion http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/sto...&issue_id=13959 Mourinho's own goal DION FANNING at Old Trafford THE legend of Jose Mourinho ended at Old Trafford last night. Chelsea's manager has taken on football's principles for too long but in for the second time in important cup competitions this season, he selected an irrational team and again paid the price. Chelsea will probably be champions by next weekend, but the season has seen an unravelling of the Mourinho myth. From the Nou Camp to Old Trafford, Mourinho has been exposed as a man of tremendous limitations. He has prospered despite them and, for a while, because of them. Yet his players must now be questioning the hype and lack of grace that surrounds every defeat will damage the dreams of Chelsea's marketing men. At the end of a thrilling game in which Liverpool created the better chances and played the superior football, Mourinho didn't shake hands with Rafael Benitez, refused to wish Liverpool luck in the final, said they had no chance of winning the Premiership next season and insisted - despite the evidence - that the better team had lost. Mourinho prides himself on attending every press conference after his team loses but if his lack of grace remains, his PR department may ask him not to bother. "I don't like to talk about the other team," was Benitez's restrained response, but in his remark that Liverpool "deserved to win because we have done the right thing for winning" he may have given a clue to his true feelings." No football man could have failed to have been surprised by Mourinho's selection yesterday. His three most creative players, Damien Duff, Joe Cole and Arjen Robben were on the bench (Shaun Wright-Phillips didn't make the squad) with full-back Paulo Ferreira playing in midfield. Mourinho said he was Chelsea's best player and he had a point but so many were dreadful, particularly Geremi playing where Ferreira should have been. Liverpool had a more settled team and a physically imposing side. Benitez had also sent out his team in accordance with football's basic principles. He had wide players on the flanks with Harry Kewell having his finest game since his arrival on Merseyside. Liverpool players said later they were amazed by the Chelsea team and Mourinho was not only taking on Liverpool - and their incredible support to whom Benitez dedicated the victory - but all that remains true about football and how to win matches. It was a gamble too far. For an hour, Chelsea had no shape and were ripped apart endlessly by the guile and strength of the Liverpool midfield which was playing, straightforward, logical football. Even so, their were nerves too for Liverpool, who were burdened by the fact that they had only beaten Chelsea once - in the Champions' League semi-final - in their nine meetings since Mourinho and Benitez came to power. Yet Liverpool looked more like a team than the champions. "The commitment of my players was amazing," Benitez said, deflecting all questions about Mourinho's jibe with a simple, "We are in the final." John Arne Riise's first half goal from a free kick which Mourinho felt shouldn't have been awarded was their reward for superior possession, but Didier Drogba had missed two chances for Chelsea-the second an open net-before the goal. But Liverpool didn't retreat after they scored, instead they went on creating chances until Garcia, who had missed many of them, got the second in the with more than 30 minutes remaining. Liverpool should have cruised from there but a poor Riise header and a disastrous Pepe Reina punch allowed Drogba to head in. The home side conceded possession too easily in the final 20 minutes, but they defended bravely. Joe Cole, with a chance that had echoes of Eidur Gudjohnsen's miss in last season's Champions League semi-final, shot over from six yards in the last seconds. But an equaliser would have been unjust. Chelsea ended with all their wide players on the pitch and John Terry upfront but they had surrendered something more important. They seemed to have no plan, no idea how to play and the blame for that lies fully with the manager, who, unsurprisingly, placed it elsewhere, saying his wingers weren't in form and that's why they weren't picked. This was his most harmful humbug because it destroyed the idea that Mourinho was protecting his players. Instead his comments were designed at protecting his own reputation by blaming his wide players for not being in form. It was outlandish stuff from a man whose reputation is being diminished by utterances and misplaced belief that he can defy football's irrefutable laws. "We dominated the game," was Mourinho's parting shot. It was staggering and as mystifying as all that had gone before it.

Maybe he's pissed off cos Roman has said he'd tightening he pursestrings...? http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/sto...&issue_id=13959 BoI lending even more millions to Russian billionaire's hobby NICK WEBB BANK of Ireland has lent Premiership champions elect Chelsea even more money. Brian Goggin's bank agreed to lend billionaire Roman Abramovich's team a further ?3m. Chelsea Training Ground Ltd, registered a mortgage with the bank last September. Earlier this year, the Sunday Independent revealed that Bank of Ireland had advanced over ?6m to the London club. This represented the first clear evidence that Abramovich has not used all of his own money to finance the club. Bank of Ireland is rapidly making inroads into the highly risky sector of financing football clubs. The bank has also lent money to Leed United, which is chaired by former Chelsea owner Ken Bates.

Heh heh