Rio Ferdinand the latest star in trouble over comments on Twitter

by

There have been quite a few instances of footballers getting into trouble because of comments that they have made on the social networking site, Twitter. The latest is Rio Ferdinand, the Manchester United and England defender. He has been charged by the FA after he allegedly endorsed the term ‘choc-ice’ on the site.

This comes at the same time as former England captain, John Terry, is defending a charge of racism after allegedly abusing Anton Ferdinand, Rio’s brother. Now FA chairman, David Bernstein, has spoken at a meeting of guests from FIFA and ‘Kick it Out’, the anti-racism group within football.

At the meeting, at Wembley, Mr. Bernstein said that there will be ‘tough’ consequences for anyone found guilty of discriminatory abuse. He said that the regulatory bodies must continue to take a hard stance on this and that it also included sites such as Twitter as well as on the pitch and in the stands.

Beckham speaks of expectations of his sons where football is concerned

by

If you are a top footballer of the class and calibre of David Beckham and your children have aspirations of following in your footsteps, then it is obvious that you are going to worry. David Beckham has been talking about this to Esquire magazine. David and his wife, Victoria, have three sons and a daughter together and he says that sometimes expectations are high when it comes to the boys playing football.

Thirty-seven-year old David thinks that there is a lot of pressure on the boys, thirteen-year-old Brooklyn, Romeo, nine, and Cruz, seven. He says that if they go for a trial, then people think that they should be able to play just like their dad. He adds, however, that he doesn’t think that they feel the pressure and are confident enough to take it in their stride.

David was also talking about stripping off for advertising campaigns. He says that it is not as difficult for him now as it once was and that it has become easier for him over the years. He remembers that it was quite daunting, at first, seeing big posters of himself on the sides of buildings in places like New York.

Gareth Bale brands Charlie Adam a coward

by

Not for the first time, Gareth Bale has been at the receiving end of a Charlie Adam tackle which has left him injured. The latest took place in match between Spurs and Liverpool which resulted in a goal less draw. Welsh international ended up on crutches after the latest tangle between the two, with their previous clash in May 2001 resulting in Bale suffering an injury to his ankle that saw him side lined for 3 months.

Following this latest incident, Bale branded Adam a coward, a remark that was quickly refuted by Adam’s agent, Kenny Moyes, who says his comments were both outrageous and schoolboyish. Moyes was quoted in the Daily Star as saying that the comment didn’t warrant a reply, as everyone who knows Charlie knows he isn’t a malicious kind of player, and Bale was bang out of order.

Both Bale and his manager at Tottenham, Andre Villas-Boas, have called for an apology from Adam over the incident. They have now, however, received encouraging news about the injury that has seen Bale on crutches, as a scan has revealed the damage is not as severe as first thought. The 23 year old has now resumed light training and looks set to be able to take his place in the Spurs team for the beginning of the new season.

Villas-Boas has been reported as saying that obviously they are hugely relieved that the injury is not as serious as they first thought, as winger Bale was integral part of their squad. With the sale of Steven Plenaar to Everton looking ever closer to completion, the last thing the Spurs boss will want to worry about is a serious injury to one of his key players, whilst the Bale/Adam feud shows now sign of abating.

Andy Carroll heads to West Ham

by

After much speculation that the Liverpool striker Andy Carroll would be heading back home to Newcastle, the story took a surprise twist today with the news that he will be instead pulling on a West Ham shirt for 2012/1 season. The Hammers have signed Carroll on loan for the season for a reported £2, and could sign him permanently if they stay in the Premiership.

Carroll, on the other hand, has been reported as saying that he want to go home to the Toon, and that he also wants to stay in Liverpool, so where he really wants to play is anyone’s guess. Liverpool have already apparently rejected an offer from Newcastle, who sold Carroll in January 2011 for a Liverpool club record of £35. After being the darling of St James’, he has struggled at Anfield scoring only 11 goals in his 56 appearances.

When Carroll left the north east for the north west, a social media campaign branding him a ‘Judas’ swept across the nation, and many posters displaying his face with the word Judas beneath it were waved at matches. The fickleness of sport, however, is evident as in recent weeks, staunch Toon supporters have said they would welcome the 23 year old’s return to a team looking to further improve on the top 5 finish they enjoyed last season.

Ex Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce is the man in charge at Upton Park, and has spoken of welcoming Carroll into his squad. Allardyce was just one of many managers Newcastle went through in a very short period while they tried to settle into a routine of winning ways. Alan Pardew is the man at the helm now, and he is credited with turning the club around and once again making them a team to be reckoned with

Welsh star calls for National Anthem to be respected at the Millennium Stadium

by

When Great Britain faces Uruguay at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Welsh striker, Craig Bellamy has called for the British National Anthem to be respected by the supporters. When England played Wales, in March 2011, the anthem was booed by a hardcore of Welsh supporters.

This may seem slightly ironic as Bellamy and his fellow Welsh players, Ryan Giggs, Aeron Ramsey, Neil Taylor and Joe Allen, have not sung a word of the anthem while representing Great Britain in the Olympics. Bellamy, however, should be commended for his comments regarding the booing.

He says that no nation’s national anthem should be booed by opposing supporters. He says that all national anthems should be respected even that of your worst rivals. The Liverpool striker, who was born in Cardiff, adds that it is only for one or two minutes and that people who are not singing should remain silent.

He says that this should be the same everywhere and at every sporting occasion where anthems are sung. A lecturer in Modern Welsh and Sports history at Swansea University, Dr. Martin Jones, agrees but does not think that there will be any booing at the game during the national anthems.

Dr. Jones says that this is because most hardcore Welsh supporters will stay away and that the crowd will be much more diverse. He told BBC Radio Wales that he thinks that there will be a lot of English supporters at the game and that the crowd will also include a lot of families.