| Rubin Kazan 1 Barcelona 1: match report Russian side Rubin Kazan frustrate Barcelona by holding the Spanish side to a draw in Champions League Group D. telegraph.co.uk |
I was out of order, admits Holloway • Holloway apologises for outburst at the referee Mike Dean• 'I used the word "useless" and put a horrible one in front of it'Blackpool's manager, Ian Holloway, has apologised for using abusive language towards the referee Mike Dean at Bloomfield Road last Saturday.Holloway has been charged with improper conduct by the Football Association after he confronted Dean in the tunnel following the 2-1 defeat to Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League.The manager, who could face a touchline ban, had until today to respond to the charge and Holloway admits he was wrong to speak to the official in the way he did. "I apologise for the abusive language I used," Holloway said. "I should have gone in and calmly said: 'I felt this, why did you do that,' because he is trying to do his job."My lads need me on the side, so if I am going to be punished up in the stand where I can't help them, what good is that to me and my team? So I have got to learn."Asked how big a disadvantage he felt a touchline ban would be, Holloway said: "It will be huge, but you are asking me to talk about something I don't know. I might be pre-empting things. But I'll be up front and honest with you – I shouted at the referee coming off."I used the word 'useless' because I didn't think he had a very good game, and I put a horrible one in front of it. That was out of frustration and I shouldn't have done it."I'm still learning and I have got to learn quickly. I should have learned last week that whatever I shout out at someone because I am frustrated isn't acceptable, not from my position. That is not a good example to show to anyone in that tunnel and it is not what I want to say to that referee, because he did his best."I couldn't understand it, but that is not his fault – it's my fault, so I want to get some help." Holloway hopes the refereeing authorities can clarify for him what does and does not constitute an infringement on the pitch. "I'd like them to explain to me why that is a foul," Holloway said. "Then I can show my defenders 'that is a foul and you can't do that at this level'. Then I can move on and I'll stop arguing."I've asked for [a meeting]. It makes sense doesn't it – if I don't understand something and I am going to fight for my lads, I'd better shut up if I am wrong."I was told I was wrong last week, so I would like them to explain why I was wrong – apart from the swearing. You shouldn't abuse anyone and I did, and I am bang out of order."Blackpoolguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Roy Hodgson asks for time to complete his 'major job' at Liverpool • Manager says club is in 'rebuilding phrase'• Hodgson says he has spoken to new owner John W HenryRoy Hodgson has appealed to Liverpool's new owners for time to complete "the major job" of restoring the club's fortunes. The manager approaches his first Merseyside derby, at Goodison Park, under pressure to arrest the club's worst start to a season for 57 years.The Liverpool manager spoke briefly to John W Henry, the principal investor in New England Sports Ventures, prior to its £300m takeover of the club."I don't think there's any need to talk about my position at the club, but he did back me," said Hodgson. "He said he was looking forward to working with me but we didn't talk about investment [in the team]."Hodgson said that the change of ownership had lifted a cloud from above the club. However, his position would be further strained by a defeat at Everton. Liverpool were booed off the field after their last league game, a home defeat by Blackpool that left them in the relegation zone and saw chants from the Kop for Kenny Dalglish, a rival candidate to succeed Rafael BenÃtez as manager last summer.Hodgson said: "My appointment was not taken lightly. I knew this was going to be a difficult job but I think it's a very sad day for everyone if, after a bad spell of six or seven games, people think the solution is to find someone else. The magic wand doesn't exist. I would be disappointed if after such a short space of time they decided to get someone else in. The situation has been complicated, but I know I can turn it around. But I will need to be given time and patience to do it."Hodgson signed a three-year contract when he joined Liverpool from Fulham in July and it is understood to contain a compensation clause in the event of a new owner wanting to install its own manager. He said yesterday: "I have a three-year contract so if someone wants to get rid of me they presumably will have to pay out my three years contract."The Liverpool manager has refused to use the effects of Tom Hicks' and George Gillett's time as owners of the club as an excuse for the team's poor form. However, yesterday he admitted that the threat of a nine-point deduction for entering administration had affected his players. He also, for the first time, said that the "rebuilding phase" at Liverpool represented a "major job".Asked if the job was bigger than he had thought, Hodgson said: "I'm frightened to answer that because if I say yes it would give the impression that I didn't realise what the job entailed. If I said no I would be denying the enormous size of this great club. It's a very difficult one for me. At my age [63] and with all the years I've spent in football, a quiet, more tranquil start to the beginning of my work at this great club would have been very desirable. I've not had this, partly because of the ownership issues but partly because we've got six points from seven games and we lost at home to Blackpool."Nothing I can say can put a positive complexion on that. What I can put a positive spin on is how the great interest in Liverpool over the last two weeks shows how important the club is to so many people. If anything, I am even prouder to be Liverpool manager now because I know the importance of the job I've taken on. I won't do it overnight but if with new owners we can turn this around, it will be a wonderful feeling."Hodgson said that despite the change of ownership of the club, recent results would make his players "nervous" at Goodison Park and "worried that if the game doesn't go their way they will be criticised from all corners again".LiverpoolRoy HodgsonJohn W HenryAndy Hunterguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Europe to host 2018 World Cup as USA shifts focus to 2022 The World Cup bidding contests became a lot clearer Friday after the United States withdrew from the 2018 race to focus on earning hosting rights ... rssfeeds.usatoday.com |
FIFA to Investigate Report Of World Cup Vote - Selling BERNE (Reuters) - World soccer's governing body FIFA said on Sunday it would investigate a newspaper report that two members of its executive committee had offered to sell their votes in the contest to host the 2018 World Cup. feeds.nytimes.com |