Soccer News
Rehhagel sets the record straight
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| Greece's head coach German Otto Rehhagel (C) celebrates with his players, 16 June 2004 at Bessa stadium in Porto, at the end of their team's Euro 2004 group A football match against Spain at the European Nations championship in Portugal. The match ended in a 1 to 1 draw. AFP PHOTO Francois Xavier MARIT |
Greek coach Otto Rehhagel had some straight talking for journalists as he faced the media for the last time ahead of Sunday's final between his side and hosts Portugal.
"Listen, write what you want. I will repeat what I said yesterday," said Rehhagel, clearly irritated at the insinuation that referee Markus Merk would favour a team led by a fellow German whom he has known for three decades.
"I do know him (Merk), but he is not my friend. I know him but friendship is different from that," Rehhagel barked.
"He is an honest guy. He is always especially tough and straight with me," he added.
Euro final ref slams bias claims
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| (FILES) Euro 2004 German referee Markus Merk heads the ball during a training session at Espinho, near Porto, northern Portugal, 17 June 2004. German referee Markus Merk will take charge of the Euro 2004 final between host nation Portugal and outsider Greece 04 July. Merk, 42 and a dentist by profession, has already officiated the group matches between France and England and Sweden and Denmark. AFP PHOTO MIGUEL RIOPA |
Referee Markus Merk has dismissed suggestions he would favour Greece in their clash with Portugal in the final because of a long-standing friendship with Greece's German coach Otto Rehhagel.
"I've heard a lot of discussions about whether he (Rehhagel) is a dentistry patient of mine. He is not. I've 5,000 patients and there are lots of Portuguese and Greeks among them," he said.
"I have five restaurants that I go to. One is Greek and one is Portuguese."
"As the refereeing team we have only one thing in our minds - the game starts 0-0 and we have only football in our mind."
UEFA look into limiting foreign players
UEFA have moved to limit the number of foreign players at clubs by proposing that eight players playing for a team should have come through the youth system at the club in question.
The proposal was put forward by UEFA vice-president Norway's Per Ravn Omdal on the eve of the Euro 2004 final.
UEFA have been searching for weeks to find a solution that would meet with approval from the European Union and its belief in freedom of movement and working in the community.
"Never have the ties between us and the EU been so close," said the Swede.
"We must find solutions that are not discriminatory.
I'm not worried about referee says Big Phil
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| Portugal's coach Brasilian Luiz Felipe Scolari gestures as he speaks during a press conference, 19 June 2004, at the Academia Sporting, near Lisbon during the European Nations Championship. Scolari has angered the Spanish press by refusing to speak to them ahead of the Portugal-Spain Euro 2004 showdown tomorrow. Scolari sent a journalist from the Spanish Cadena Ser radion packing when they asked for his thoughts on the game which will likely decide which one of the two qualify for the last eight. AFP PHOTO/Lluis GENE |
Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari on Saturday dismissed any worries his side might have at the choice of German referee Markus Merk to take charge of Sunday's final against Greece.
Merk is a longstanding friend of Greece's German coach Otto Rehhagel, as well as being the latter's dentist.
"The final referee has shown himself to be a marvellous man," said Scolari better known as 'Big Phil'.
"I would like to count him among my friends," said Scolari.
"He is known for his charity work in the Third World.
"I would like to have a Brazilian referee who is my friend in the final," he added.
Euro final ref was Greek coach's dentist
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| referee German Markus Merk (L) and Colombian defender Mario Yepes (R) call medics as Cameroonian midfielder Marc-Vivien Foe lies on the field during their soccer semi-final Confederations Cup match 26 June 2003, at the Gerland Stadium in Lyon. AFP PHOTO PHILIPPE DESMAZES |
Portugal's media on Saturday upped the ante ahead of Sunday's final between the host nation and Greece by noting a long friendship between referee Markus Merk and the Greeks' German coach Otto Rehhagel.
'Record' daily headlined its Euro 2004 digest with the words "the friends from Kaiserslautern," adding that "Merk and Rehhagel are old friends and have a special affinity for the German city," Merk's birthplace.
"Merk was Rehhagel's family dentist," Record added.
"Watch out! The referee is a friend of the Greeks," 24 horas said in a huge front page headline.
Rui Costa to call it a day
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| Portugal's midfielder Rui Costa celebrates after scoring during the prolongations, 24 June 2004 during their European Nations football championships quarterfinal match between Portugal and England at The Luz Stadium in Lisbon. AFP PHOTO ADRIAN DENNIS |
Portuguese midfielder Rui Costa has said he will end his international career after Sunday's final against Greece.
"This will be my last game for the team. I will feel very emotional," said the AC Milan player.
"I am happy and if all goes well tomorrow I will go out on a happy note." The former Benfica and Fiorentina player scored Portugal's second goal in the quarter-final win over England.
Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has used the veteran of 93 international appearances sparingly at the finals, with an embarrassment of midfield riches at his disposal.
Figo fitter than Beckham says Queiroz
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| England captain David Beckham lays on the ground, 24 June 2004 during their European Nations Championship quarter-final football match between Portugal and England at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon. AFP PHOTO Vincenzo PINTO |
Former Real Madrid coach Carlos Queiroz has rejected David Beckham's criticism of the training regime at the Spanish giants and says the England captain should train as hard as Luis Figo.
"In the last three weeks of the season Figo was at every training session, while you'll have to look at those that David missed for one motive or another," Queiroz told the BBC.
"Figo wasn't skiing while his team was still in the Champions League, and there's the difference - one of them has got to the Euro final and the other didn't."
"I am not surprised by Beckham's comments as he has always had excuses".
Owen close to new Anfield deal
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| England forward Michael Owen (R) celebrates with his captain David Beckham after scoring the first England's goal, 24 June 2004 during their European Nations Championship quarter-final football match between Portugal and England at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon. AFP PHOTO Lluis GENE |
Steven Gerrard's decision to stay put at Liverpool is expected to spur his England teammate Michael Owen into signing a two-year contract extension himself.
The new deal is reported to be worth four million pounds (6m dollars), making him the highest paid player at Liverpool.
Owen, who got a third minute goal in England's penalty-shoot-out quarter-final Euro 2004 loss to Portugal, is expected to put pen to paper in the next few days.
New Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez had met both Gerrard and Owen to try and persuade them to stay at Liverpool at the England hotel in Portugal last month.
Everton are big enough for Rooney
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| England forward Wayne Rooney shoots and scores against Croatia, 21 June 2004 during their European Nations football championships match at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon. Croatia and England are competing in Group B with France and Switzerland. AFP PHOTO Francois Xavier MARIT |
Everton manager David Moyes has dismissed as laughable nonsense suggestions that England prodigy Wayne Rooney has outgrown the club.
"This idea that Wayne has suddenly developed beyond Everton's level is just laughable nonsense," said Moyes.
Wayne certainly hasn't outgrown Everton Football Club.
"Don't anyone tell me that he should move on because Everton aren't big enough for him. This is a big club with a big tradition and he has plenty to achieve here.
"He has become a top-class international at Everton, so the club can't be all bad."
Portugal will be ready for Greece
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| Dutch goalkeeper Edwin Van Der Sar (blue jersey) fails to catch the kick by Portuguese midfielder Maniche (not pictured), 30 June 2004 at the Alvalade stadium in Lisbon, during the Euro 2004 semi final football match between Portugal and The Netherlands at the European Nations championship in Portugal. Maniche scored the second goal after this kick. AFP PHOTO Francois GUILLOT |
Portugal midfielder Maniche says his side will be prepared for the challenge of surprise finalists Greece who beat the hosts in the opening match of the tournament.
"This time we'll be ready for them," he said. "But I would put the outcome at about 50-50. We will have to be on our game and keep calm as the Greeks are a patient and well-organised team. They will look to hit us on the counter-attack. We will have to be patient in our build-up going forward. They have several players with tremendous qualities and we will respect them."