Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has called into question the motives of agents in football after receiving a sports ethics award in Rome.
“Compared to the past, nowadays the player doesn’t take part in negotiations and that’s why I ask myself if the agent is working for himself or for the player,” said Ferguson.
The United boss also denied that Italian football was in crisis.
“International football goes in cycles. The AC Milan of (Arrigo) Sacchi and (Fabio) Capello and (Marcello) Lippi at Juventus were great moments for Italian football,” he said.
“Now this cycle has changed with the emergence of two great Spanish clubs. English football is also enjoying a great period and I hope that continues.”
Sion to fight UEFA decision
Sion plan to fight UEFA’s decision to give Celtic a Europa League reprieve and are confident of winning their case.
The Swiss side beat Celtic 3-1 on aggregate in the play-offs but were thrown out by UEFA for fielding players deemed by FIFA to be ineligible due to a transfer ban, although a Swiss court had ruled in their favour.
Celtic were reinstated last Friday and took Sion’s place in the group which includes Atletico Madrid, Udinese and Rennes.
Sion’s lawyer Alexandre Zen-Ruffinen insists the Swiss club will win their case as UEFA defied the decision by the Swiss court to allow the players to take part against Celtic.
Yobo returns to Fenerbahce
Everton defender Joseph Yobo has rejoined Fenerbahce on a season-long loan.
Fenerbahce were keen to keep the player and a new loan deal was completed before the Turkish transfer deadline passed on Monday night.
Yobo had looked set to join Fenerbahce at the end of last season but instead returned to Merseyside and reported for pre-season training in July. However, the Nigeria international failed to feature in any of Everton’s pre-season fixtures.
City launch probe into email row
Manchester City have launched an investigation into claims chief executive Garry Cook sent an email to Nedum Onuoha’s cancer-suffering mother which ridiculed her illness.
It is understood Cook denies sending the email, which was supposed to be going to City’s director of football Brian Marwood anyway, and thinks his email account was hacked into.
“Following allegations made to the club by Dr Anthonia Onuoha, subsequently reported in the media, the club can confirm that a board-led review has been launched into the matter,” City said in a statement.
Balotelli a big hit in Florentine prison
Errant striker Mario Balotelli joined Italy coach Cesare Prandelli and captain Gianluigi Buffon in making a surprise visit to a prison in Florence on Monday.
While Prandelli and Buffon had planned to make the trip, Balotelli asked to come along as well and proved a big hit with inmates.
“I was supposed to go with Buffon and when he found out about it, Mario asked to join us,” said Prandelli.
“I said ok, as long as you smile when you get out of the car.”
And Prandelli added that the inmates made a beeline for the troubled star, who has often found himself in hot water despite his tender years.
“It was as if they were giving him a message, we’ve made mistakes but you don’t need to,” said Prandelli.
Pulis failed to sign Parker
Stoke manager Tony Pulis has revealed he failed in a bid to sign England midfielder Scott Parker who eventually moved to Tottenham.
The Potters were in negotiations with West Ham for much of the week leading up to last Wednesday’s transfer window deadline but missed out because of the player’s wish to remain in London.
“We did have a go for Parker. It was something we were trying to do for a few weeks,” the Stoke boss told The Sentinel.
“But we realised that if he could, he wanted to stay in London. That was a big part of it with him.”
Van Basten tips Elia to shine for Juve
Marco van Basten has given his thumbs-up to Juventus’ decision to sign Eljero Elia from Hamburg.
The winger has joined the club in a €9m deal and the Milan legend thinks the Bianconeri have pulled off a transfer coup.
“He’s a really quick player,” Van Basten said.
“He’s very good at dribbling and in one-on-one situations.”
Elia was signed at the request of coach Antonio Conte who wanted an offensive left-sided midfielder in his 4-4-2.
“He’s a player who can make the difference for a side,” Van Basten added.
“However, he needs to be left a certain amount of freedom in order to invent.”