Werder Bremen’s Claudio Pizarro set the record for most goals scored by a foreigner in the Bundesliga – and celebrated at home yesterday by watching a DVD of each of his 134 goals with his children.
Pizarro’s 75th-minute strike at Moenchengladbach in Saturday’s
4-1 win gave him the record for the most goals scored by a foreigner and saw the Peruvian pass Bayern Munich’s Brazilian Giovane Elber’s previous mark of 133.
“They (his children) cheered for each goal again,” he said.
The joy extended much further than just the Pizarro household and stretched back to South America.
“Even my friends in Peru had been waiting for this,” he said.
Portsmouth confirm sale to Chainrai
Portsmouth can finally look forward to a brighter future after being sold to Hong Kong-based businessman Balram Chainrai yesterday.
Just two days after Portsmouth were forced to release a statement warning that the club was on the brink of going into liquidation, Chainrai and his partners Levi Kushnir and Deepak Chainrai were able to rubberstamp their protracted takeover.
It briefly seemed that the club’s match at Hull on Saturday might be their last after former owner Alexandre Gaydamak refused to sign a deal to sell the club.
But less than 24 hours after Steve Cotterill’s side won 2-1 at the KC Stadium, there was even better news off the pitch as Chainrai’s takeover received Football League approval.
Rummenigge backing for Van Gaal
Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has given his backing to coach Louis van Gaal, despite the German giants’ struggles in the Bundesliga.
“I am totally satisfied with the work of Louis van Gaal, there is nothing to criticise,” Rummenigge said after Bayern were held to a goalless draw at Hamburg on Friday.
Having won the domestic double last season and reached the Champions League final, Bayern have struggled in the German league and won just three of their nine games.
Van Gaal signed a contract extension last month which will keep him at Bayern until 2012.
Brooking rules out McClaren return
Sir Trevor Brooking has ruled out the possibility of Steve McClaren returning as England manager to succeed Fabio Capello.
The Italian is to step down after Euro 2012, with the FA keen to appoint an English successor.
FA director of football development Brooking recently suggested that he could one day return to the role after rebuilding his reputation by guiding FC Twente to their first Dutch Eredivisie title before departing for Wolfsburg.
But he said: “Steve had a really difficult time and in years to come might be looked on as the ideal age to do the job again but 2012 would be too early for him to come back.”
Cole was close to quitting Chelsea
Ashley Cole admitted he was close to leaving Chelsea in the close-season following his high-profile divorce from his pop star wife.
“It was hard for me in my head,” Cole, who was reportedly keen on a move to Real Madrid, said. “It wasn’t just about the football, it was more my brain and it was getting too much for me.
“I did think about leaving but, of course, when I spoke to (Carlo) Ancelotti he made it clear he wanted me to stay and loved having me around.
“The players didn’t want me to go. I’m glad I stayed. A lot of people were saying,’You can’t leave’.
“I’ve stayed now and I’ve taken the flak and hopefully I’m coming through it.”
Liverpool weren’t at risk – Scudamore
Liverpool were never at risk of going out of business despite the financial uncertainty surrounding the recent takeover, according to Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore.
The Reds were taken over earlier this month by New England Sports Ventures who guaranteed to pay off the club’s £237m acquisition loan from the Royal Bank of Scotland, which had been taken out by former owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
Scudamore explained: “The club was never at risk. There were bidders for it and the outcome was always what was likely to happen.
“There is nothing in place per se to stop another Hicks and Gillett (debt-funded buy-out) happening. When they came along they passed all our tests.”
Di Matteo focuses on the present
Roberto Di Matteo feels it would be foolish to let his ambitions as a manager take his thoughts beyond his current job at West Brom.
Di Matteo’s stock is rapidly rising after his team moved into a top-six position in the Premier League with a 2-1 victory over Fulham on Saturday.
“I am very happy where I am and very grateful for the opportunity I have been given here,” Di Matteo said.
“You can’t have a long-term plan as a manager because you have a few bad results, you get questioned and then you get a ticket for your holidays. But my staff and I are very ambitious.”