Official Premier League 2010/11 thread

[brenchill]

West Ham's relegation puts Hitzelsperger one step closer to home. I'd mark out for a return of Der Hammer.

DU-DU-DU-DU-HITZELSPERGER!

[IAceI]

I'd take Hitzelsperger at Sunderland, we really need a midfielder who can score goals since Own Goal is our fourth top scorer this season I think.

Of course we'd probably ruin him if he came to us. What with us being us and everything.

[Colly]

At Newcastle we could do with another forward though, how much is this Own Goal character going for?

[brenchill]

I'm not sure. I would imagine he would be in the same price range as Rick O'Shea and De Flection.

[Starvinho]

Own Goal is coming back United next season, Newcastle can have Owen back though if they want?

[Starvinho]

UEFA have awarded the prem an extra Europa League spot for the fair play league I'd assume, I think Fulham will be getting it.

Edit:

England, Norway and Sweden have topped the Fair Play Rankings, with Tottenham most likely to benefit, and Fulham, Blackpool and West Ham in line for a place if Spurs finish fifth.

Tottenham Hostpur could be in line for a Europa League place whether they finish 5th in the Premier League or not, after Uefa awarded England an additional spot in next year's tournament for topping its Respect Fair Play rankings.

Each year, Uefa reward the three countries who have fared best in the rankings with an additional Europa League spot, and this time around England, Norway and Sweden have benefited.

As it stands, Harry Redknapp's side currently top the Premier League's Fair Play table, meaning they will qualify for Europe even if they lose out in the race for 5th place.

However, if Spurs do secure European football through their league finish, the Uefa spot is awarded to the next highest ranked club in the Fair Play table who has not already qualified for Europe - meaning Fulham, Blackpool or even relegated West Ham could yet benefit.

Redknapp has gone on record recently expressing his reluctance to play in the Europa League next season, believing the scheduling of the tournament could adversely affect his side's quest to get back into the Champions League.

But in the wake of his sides victory over Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, the Spurs manager conceded that if his side qualify for the tournament regardless of their finish to the season, he would prefer to finish 5th and so avoid the qualifying stages, which he is worried may impact on his preparations for next season.

“I scared them [his players] before the game [against Liverpool] by telling them that we were top of the Fair Play League and would be back in June if we didn’t win today,” he told reporters.

“We’re not fighting for the Europa League. We’re just fighting to finish fifth; if it means playing in that, then it’s not ideal because you have to play on Thursdays and Sundays. But if that’s what we get for finishing fifth, then we will take it.

"It’s better than qualifying via the Fair Play League because that means you start three weeks earlier.”

Edited May 16, 2011 by Starvinho

[MDK]

Normally Fulham only get into Europe via Eurovision.

[Colly]

UEFA have awarded the prem an extra Europa League spot for the fair play league I'd assume, I think Fulham will be getting it.

Edit:

England, Norway and Sweden have topped the Fair Play Rankings, with Tottenham most likely to benefit, and Fulham, Blackpool and West Ham in line for a place if Spurs finish fifth.

Tottenham Hostpur could be in line for a Europa League place whether they finish 5th in the Premier League or not, after Uefa awarded England an additional spot in next year's tournament for topping its Respect Fair Play rankings.

Each year, Uefa reward the three countries who have fared best in the rankings with an additional Europa League spot, and this time around England, Norway and Sweden have benefited.

As it stands, Harry Redknapp's side currently top the Premier League's Fair Play table, meaning they will qualify for Europe even if they lose out in the race for 5th place.

However, if Spurs do secure European football through their league finish, the Uefa spot is awarded to the next highest ranked club in the Fair Play table who has not already qualified for Europe - meaning Fulham, Blackpool or even relegated West Ham could yet benefit.

Redknapp has gone on record recently expressing his reluctance to play in the Europa League next season, believing the scheduling of the tournament could adversely affect his side's quest to get back into the Champions League.

But in the wake of his sides victory over Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, the Spurs manager conceded that if his side qualify for the tournament regardless of their finish to the season, he would prefer to finish 5th and so avoid the qualifying stages, which he is worried may impact on his preparations for next season.

I scared them [his players] before the game [against Liverpool] by telling them that we were top of the Fair Play League and would be back in June if we didnt win today, he told reporters.

Were not fighting for the Europa League. Were just fighting to finish fifth; if it means playing in that, then its not ideal because you have to play on Thursdays and Sundays. But if thats what we get for finishing fifth, then we will take it.

"Its better than qualifying via the Fair Play League because that means you start three weeks earlier.

Silly Spurs, they could've avoided having to beat Liverpool by simply getting 3 players sent off for comedy reasons. Random shirt removals, swearing at a mascot, DDT'ing Andy Carroll etc. They could've had great fun.

Edited May 16, 2011 by Colly

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Having to play EIGHT games just to make the group stages is terrible. I think it screwed Villa over one season. If Spurs ended up in that then I'd hope they'd purposefully get knocked out against whatever Latvian team they played.

[TCO]

It'd be hilarious if Spurs are losing comfortably on the last day and everyone suddenly starts flying into 2 footed challenges.

[Lineker]

Having to play EIGHT games just to make the group stages is terrible. I think it screwed Villa over one season. If Spurs ended up in that then I'd hope they'd purposefully get knocked out against whatever Latvian team they played.

THIS.

I hope our match against Brum gets abandoned as we go down to below six men. Stupid shitty tournament.

Premiership footballer Nile Ranger has expressed "regret" after being photographed in a gangster-like pose holding a replica handgun.

The Newcastle United striker appeared in a national newspaper wearing a hooded top holding the silver handgun in front of his face.

The photograph was apparently taken at his home by his girlfriend.

In a statement, the club said officials had spoken to the 20-year-old, who now regretted posing for the photograph.

A United spokeswoman said: "The club have spoken to Nile and can confirm that the item shown in the photograph is a replica firearm which it is not an offence to own.

"Nile regrets posing for the photograph, which was taken by his girlfriend at home.

"The club will be speaking with the player this week about the importance of being a positive role model to young fans."

The player was a substitute in Newcastle's game at Chelsea on Sunday and played a part in setting up his side's late equaliser.

He served an 11-week sentence in a young offenders institution when he was 15 after he took part in a street robbery.

The London-born England Under-19 player, moved to Newcastle in July 2008 following his release by Southampton.

[IAceI]

But Niles IS a gangsta. Look, here is him on his pimped out vehicle that he made to resemble your typical everyday bus.

OG 4 lyf, innit boi.

[Lineker]

Giggsy is a lucky boy.

A footballer granted an injunction to stop details about a relationship with a reality TV star was "fully entitled" to anonymity, a High Court judge says.

Justice Eady issued a statement of his reasons for the injunction after a private hearing with the man's lawyers, the Sun newspaper and Imogen Thomas.

He said the footballer was married with a family and the court had to consider his privacy rights under European law.

Outside the hearing, Ms Thomas said she had been "gagged".

Justice Eady granted the temporary injunction last month and said Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms applied to the man's right to privacy.

He said the footballer was likely to obtain a permanent injunction if the case went to trial and the "information" was such that he was entitled to a "reasonable expectation of privacy".

The judge added: "It seemed to me that the (footballer) was fully entitled to the protection of anonymity."

The injunction was issued against News Group Newspapers, publisher of the Sun, and against Ms Thomas to "restrain publication" of the footballer's identity and further accounts of the relationship.

It came after the Sun published an article on 14 April about a sexual relationship Ms Thomas had with the footballer, who was not named in the story.

The footballer made a statement saying he met Ms Thomas last September, and two further times in November and December, the judge said, although Ms Thomas's "published account" said an affair lasted for six months.

After more meetings this year at hotels where the footballer was staying, the judge said the footballer had started to "smell a rat".

It seemed that the footballer "may well have been set up" so that photographs could be taken of Ms Thomas going to hotels, the judge said.

On 13 April Ms Thomas told the footballer that the Sun was considering publishing a story about them having an affair for six months - with photographs of her at or near hotels.

"It seems... that the Sun was ready to take advantage of these prearranged meetings in order to be able to put forward the claim that it was The Sun which had found him 'romping with a busty Big Brother babe'," added the judge.

"This is no doubt to give the impression, which Ms Thomas herself may have fostered, that a sexual liaison between them was still continuing... in April," he said.

Ms Thomas' lawyer, David Price, told the court that his client denied "causing the publication" in the Sun or asking the footballer for money during their meetings.

Outside court Ms Thomas said in a statement: "I've read the judgment and am stunned by how I'm portrayed. Yet again, my name and my reputation are being trashed while the man I had a relationship with is able to hide.

"What's more, I can't even defend myself because I've been gagged. Where's the fairness in this? What about my reputation? If this is the way privacy injunctions are supposed to work, then there's something seriously wrong with the law."

Also at the hearing, lawyers for the footballer applied to see e-mails sent by former Sun editor and now columnist Kelvin MacKenzie.

They applied because MacKenzie said, on the BBC's Today programme, that he sometimes breaks injunctions and sends details to readers.

MacKenzie is not a party to the case, but if the application is granted and the e-mails show him to be flouting injunctions he knew about, then he would be in contempt of court, says BBC legal correspondent Clive Coleman.

The judge has reserved judgement on the application regarding the e-mails, and the application to vary or lift the injunction.

Cue jokes about gagging her, etc.

[Baddar]

Haven't we all fucked Imogen Thomas, anyway?

[Gazz]

Haven't we all fucked Imogen Thomas, anyway?

I'm not allowed to answer that question due to a court order.

Also, Nile Ranger, what a pleb.

[stokeriño]

Can someone explain to me how this injunction case differs from the John Terry one.

Honestly, I have two conflicting problems with the whole matter. 1) I don't give a damn what people sleep with what other people, and the fact that it's even reported in the media is an aggravating indictment of humanity, and 2) The apparent double-standards I can see between this and other cases and John Terry's one. I've read a column in the Evening Standard write "who cares about these injunctions", "let two grown ups get on with their lives", etc. when not too long ago the same guy was blasting Terry for ever having applied for one, nevermind the attacks that then came for the act itself.

Unless there is an objective difference between the two cases, of which I am awaiting an explanation.

Also, the fact that this injunction has protected the man and not the woman is pathetic. They can write as much as they want about her, but she can't defend herself or say her piece because she's not allowed to mention any specifics? What kind of bullshit justice system is this?

[Berober]

Oh god, what else could go wrong at West Ham.

And I'd welcome Hitzlsperger back home in a heartbeat.

[stokeriño]

Oh god, what else could go wrong at West Ham.

And I'd welcome Hitzlsperger back home in a heartbeat.

Good news! McClaren says he doesn't want the job.

[Lineker]

There's been a mass brawl at the West Ham end of season dinner! Brilliant!!

[Jimmy]

What?