| Portsmouth wages go unpaid again • Cusack to meet officials on Monday, players on Tuesday• Finnan says 'no one seems to know what's going on'The senior executive of the Professional Footballers' Association, Nick Cusack, will meet Portsmouth officials on Monday for talks about the state of the club's finances, after yesterday's disclosure that players' wages had not been paid on time for a third month this season. Portsmouth said that they expected the squad to be paid on Tuesday.A statement released by the club read: "The club has been assured of receipt of funds by Tuesday and the owner and Board have been working hard on resolving the short term delay."Portsmouth's owner, the Saudi Arabian businessman Ali al-Faraj, has never visited the club. It is expected that Cusack will meet with Mark Jacob, Faraj's lawyer, who sits on the board as executive director. Cusack hopes to agree a medium-term strategy to stop Portsmouth's players going unpaid again this season. The PFA does not wish to further destabilise Avram Grant's squad. Portsmouth are bottom of the Premier League.On Wednesday it emerged that Portsmouth had been served with a winding up petition from HM Revenue & Customs on 23 December. That development followed the imposition of a Premier League transfer embargo in mid-October.The Republic of Ireland defender Steve Finnan, who is one of the club's senior professionals, last night became the first member of the squad to admit that the uncertainty over Portsmouth's financial future is affecting the players."You try and do your job as best you can," he said. "There is obviously talk, the players obviously talk about what is going on, about getting paid. Everyone is in the same position. The lads have tried their best. But as players we have to get on with our job for the club and hopefully things can resolve themselves."But I think no one really seems to know what is going on. It worries us, it's not nice for the fans, they have obviously been supporting the club for a long time. It's just not fair on them."Cusack has arranged a meeting with Finnan and his colleagues on Tuesday, at which he will discuss his meeting with the club's executive the previous day. The PFA will also meet with the Premier League to try to find common ground on the issue. Cusack hopes the players' union and the governing body will be able to hold a joint meeting with the club.If the Portsmouth players' salaries have not been paid by Tuesday, Cusack will expect the Premier League to exert extra pressure on the club's hierarchy, beyond the watching brief it has so far kept on a club whose debts of at least £60m are threatening to take it into administration.Sources at the Premier League say it may decide to withhold a further instalment of television money which is due to Portsmouth at the end of this season. The governing body has already reserved the right to do so regarding next month's payment. That money will go towards paying other English clubs what Portsmouth owe them for previous transfers.If the players' salaries fail to arrive on Tuesday then the squad will have the option of serving a mandatory 14 days notice to terminate their contracts. For now, there is no suggestion that they are seriously considering this.PortsmouthPremier LeagueJamie Jacksonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Chelsea let Taiwo go three years after 'poaching' claims • Former Leeds youngster joins Carlisle until 2012• Midfielder made just seven reserve appearances for ChelseaChelsea have allowed Tom Taiwo to join League One side Carlisle United, little more than three years after the youngster was controversially signed from Leeds United.Taiwo's arrival at Stamford Bridge led to the Leeds chairman, Ken Bates, complaining about Chelsea attempting to poach Taiwo and two other academy scholars, with Michael Woods also moving but Danny Rose staying at Elland Road. Following an investigation by the Football Association and Premier League, the two clubs agreed a settlement to resolve the matter, but Taiwo struggled to make an impression at the club.The 19-year-old midfielder, who made seven appearances for the reserves during his time with Chelsea but did not play for the first team, has agreed a deal with Carlisle until 2012.Meanwhile, Chelsea could be among the clubs alerted to fresh comments from Valencia striker David Villa stating he is still open to a move away from Spain. The 28-year-old, who has previously been linked with Manchester United and Manchester City, did not want to move away from the country last summer as his wife was pregnant."At that time I had my own personal reasons," he told Sky. "At that moment, when it looked like I might have to leave Valencia, it's true there were a few problems, or personal reasons why I wanted to continue playing in Spain."I certainly didn't want to move away from Spain. But I'll analyse it again and this summer will be different. You don't know what is going to happen."ChelseaCarlisleLeeds UnitedPremier LeagueChampionshipLeague OneTransfer windowguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Stoke City 1 Liverpool 1: match report More pressure on Rafa Benitez as Liverpool concede in last minute again after looking comfortable against Stoke. telegraph.co.uk |
Neville investigated over gesture toward Tevez Manchester United captain Gary Neville is being investigated by England's Football Association over his one-fingered gesture directed at former teammate Carlos Tevez during the Carling Cup loss at Manchester City. cbc.ca |
Leeds United rejected £1.8m Newcastle bid for Jermaine Beckford Leeds chairman Ken Bates says final decision over Jermaine Beckford will be left to manager Simon Grayson. telegraph.co.uk |