TOP 100 SOCCER SITES
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| Ferguson criticises City over 'unacceptable' Hughes sacking • 'For some reason Christmas brings out the worst in directors'• Manchester United manager critical of Mark Hughes's oustingSir Alex Ferguson has branded Manchester City's handling of Mark Hughes's dismissal as "unacceptable". City have come under fire this week for the whole way they have gone about installing Roberto Mancini as Hughes's successor after he was sacked immediately after last Saturday's victory over Sunderland.The City chief executive Garry Cook has attempted to defend his position, although that has managed only to draw more ire from Ferguson."It was unacceptable behaviour," said Ferguson. "It doesn't matter whether you have lost 20 games or two, there is a way to treat people. For some reason Christmas seems to bring out the worst in directors. I do not know how you can do something like that."From Saturday morning the rumour mill was working and Mark must have realised it was his last game. It was a terrible position to be in."The Bolton Wanderers manager, Gary Megson, has also added to the criticism of City, suggesting that the sacking of Hughes underlines the impatience of modern-day football. Megson feels that rich owners have no understanding of the game and are to quick to get rid of managers unable to live up to their impossible standards set."It [Hughes' sacking] didn't surprise me because nothing ever does surprise you in football," remarked Megson. "It was really sad because you had a manager losing his job, and yet they've only lost two games all season."They were doing okay, people were talking about it taking a while for everything to bed down, and then he was not given a while. I think it's just purely and simply the nature of football in general, and the Premier League in particular."These people, when they put their money in, a draw away from home at Bolton or Birmingham, isn't an acceptable thing any more. It's as if the opposition doesn't exist, and just because you've spent a huge amount of money, you can plough on regardless and you are going to beat everybody. It doesn't work like that."Sir Alex FergusonMark HughesManchester CityManchester UnitedPremier Leagueguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Burnley accuse Owen Coyle of 'sideways move' to Bolton Wanderers Lancashire rivalry hots up as Burnley chairman accuses manager Owen Coyle of making a "sideways move". telegraph.co.uk |
Togo goalkeeper in intensive care after Africa Cup of Nations attack • Doctors say it is 'too soon to assess the injuries'• Obilale's injuries caused by one bullet from assault rifleDoctors treating the Togo goalkeeper who was seriously injured in Friday's terrorist attack have said that it is too soon to discuss his prospects. Kodjovi "Dodji" Obilale is in intensive care in South Africa.Obilale was shot in the lower back in the attack on the Togo team's bus. He was flown to Johannesburg's Netcare Milpark Hospital for surgery. The trauma specialist Elias Degiannis said Obilale was stable, but sedated and on a respirator."The operation went smoothly," said Degiannis, who said that more would be known about the extent of Obilale's injuries in the next day or two, when the player was alert and breathing on his own.Three people were killed and eight injured in the attack on the Togo bus. Milpark doctors, who had said that Obilale had been hit by two bullets from an assault rifle, said today it had been one bullet, with the second injury caused by a fragment of that bullet.Ken Boffard, another trauma specialist caring for Obilale, said the player was alert and able to move his legs before surgery, but in great pain."It's therefore far too early to be able to assess the extent of his injuries," he said, adding that the 25-year-old, who plays for the French club Pontivy, was "extremely fit and has very good resistance. So, it's very much in his favour that he is an athlete".The Togo team were ambushed in an attack which was blamed on militants fighting for the independence of the Cabinda enclave. The Angolan Âgovernment built a new stadium in Cabinda for the group stages of the Africa Cup of Nations.The attack killed a Togo assistant coach, a team spokesman and the Angolan bus driver, according to the team and the Togo government. At least two players had gunshot wounds.Milpark doctors said they had sent a team to transport another injured person to South Africa, but that the person had died by the time the team landed.TogoAfrica Cup of Nationsguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Dario gets World Cup boost Dario Vidosic's World Cup selection hopes gained a boost after his decision to join German second division club MSV Duisburg on loan from Bundesliga outfit FC Nurnberg. foxsports.com.au |
AC Milan falls to 9-man Inter Milan in derby: Italian roundup Goals from Diego Milito and Goran Pandev gave Inter Milan a 2-0 win over city rival AC Milan on Sunday, extending its lead at the top of the Serie A to nine points. cbc.ca |