Mail Is Guus In No Rush To Defect To Chelsea

Sun Herald

Sunday January 14, 2007

Matthew Hall

AMID the recent frenzy suggesting Guus Hiddink is poised to quit Russia and replace Jose Mourinho at Chelsea (or return to lead Australia), an email dropped into Parrot's inbox all the way from Holland. "Whatever you do, don't write a story about Hiddink leaving Russia and that he wants another job!" the message suggested. "The stories in the British press are based on an interview with a Dutch newspaper. They are very wrong." Parrot's pal suggested the Brits shredded a reasonably factual story in the Dutch media. "It was originally a perfectly innocent story but the UK tabloids mixed up some words to make Guus the No.1 candidate at Chelsea," our Hiddink insider wrote. "Now I see stories that he's a candidate with Australia, as well!" Here comes the clincher: "Guus told me he's not planning to leave Russia before 2008 and England - with their media - is definitely not on his list for the future." So, back to sleep everyone.

Kop's faith shot to bits

IT'S been a tough week for Liverpool fans. Their boys suffered a 3-1 loss to the Gunners in the FA Cup and were smashed 6-3 a few days later in the Carling Cup. Both games were at Anfield, The Kop let rip with a neck-hair-tingling rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone as Steven Gerrard and his mates shipped their fourth goal on Wednesday but delusions of Liverpool's grandeur continue. "The problem was conceding goals like we did," Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez suggested, a bit too obviously.

Moyes's talk backfires

MAGIC of the FA Cup, part one: "The gaffer asked us beforehand to remember the 1980s and all the great cup traditions that this club has had," recalled Everton's Phil Neville of David Moyes's pep talk before their cup clash with Blackburn Rovers last weekend. "The last thing he said before we left the dressing room was, 'Let's have a right good cup run'," Nev added. Thirty-eight minutes later, Everton were 3-0 down to Blackburn.

I was wrong . . . again

HAS January become the season for apologies? Last week, Parrot admitted that earlier reports of Alex Ferguson's demise were perhaps greatly exaggerated. But our back-tracking doesn't stop there. Remember the New Zealand Knights? A team from Auckland sorely missing something was the A-League's sorriest side for all of 2006. Parrot climbed aboard the wagon suggesting this rabble be tossed from the A-League train. Chaos had reigned in Auckland before Kiwi coach Ricki Herbert took the reins and they are now undefeated since Christmas (OK, that's three games). You get the point. Go you Kiwis!

Blunder in Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM City and Aston Villa have one of the hottest cross-city rivalries in British football. A match between the sides a few years ago resulted in Birmingham players, including former Socceroo Stan Lazaridis, being locked in the dressing room for their own safety as the Villa crowd went wild. So, imagine the look on the faces of some Birmingham fans when they opened their 2007 official club diary to discover a list of Aston Villa's comparatively many achievements had been printed on the "club honours" page. Birmingham, apparently, have won the title seven times, the FA Cup seven times, and the European Cup. "We would also like to make it clear that Birmingham City Football Club has never won the European Cup," said a doubly embarrassed Brum official. The diary's printers were given a severe talking-to.

Pearce deflates Mills

HOW to boost the confidence of your defender, by Stuart Pearce, Manchester City coach: "We want to keep the top players here, not sell them. I only want people who better the squad, otherwise it is a waste of time." But he added: "If an opportunity came for Danny Mills to go and play some football, we would listen to it." Thanks. Danny will get his coat.

Win, loss for Tamworth

MAGIC of the FA Cup, part two: Yay for little non-league Tamworth, who earned a money-making home tie with Norwich City in the FA Cup third round last weekend. Norwich won 4-1 but the match was the little club's biggest pay day in history, a full house and about $600,000 in the bank for TV rights. But boo to the three masked men who held up the club's bar after the game and escaped with the takings, believed to be close to $20,000. You win some and you lose some.

Sven in holiday mode

SVEN-GORAN Eriksson takes a lot of holidays for someone the England FA still, technically, employs. Then again, he can obviously afford to - the Swede "earned" #14,000 ($35,000) a week for the first six months after England's World Cup exit and still pockets #7000 each week until he gets a new job. The world's most overrated coach recently had a holiday in Australia and was last seen in Dubai taking notes while watching Lazio play Marseille in a friendly match . "I'm here on holiday, that's all," he said a bit too loudly after suggestions the French club might soon employ him. "I haven't even thought about going to Olympique Marseille." But Sven, the Mediterranean city is beautiful this time of year.

A quick word with ...

LOS Angeles Galaxy general manager Alexi Lalas last November: "Signing players of Beckham's stature would be a wonderful step in the right direction, not just for the Galaxy but for soccer in America."

© 2007 Sun Herald

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