Dave Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Ouch. Knee ligament damage? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beren Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Stuart Holden out for six months because of that Jonny Evans challenge according to the BBC. Will be a big miss for Bolton and a shame for the bloke who has previously had to sit out games due to a broken leg sustained in a challenge with a certain Nigel De Jong. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bolton_wanderers/9431341.stm Yeah, I saw that earlier. Real shame tbh. Good season so far. Must be highly frustrating for a club such as Bolton - who are somewhat similar to ourselves and don't have a tremendous deal of depth - some oaf from a big club knocks out one of their key first teamers for six months at the cost of three games. Justice? No where in sight. The idea of the offender sitting out the same period as the "victim" for really bad tackles seems fair to me. Didn't see this challenge though tbf, not sure how poor a challenge was/if it was malicious/reckless etc. De Jong would have to serve three consecutive career sentences, no doubt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 It was a 50/50 IMO, both players went in pretty much the same. Rightly sent off but it could easily be Evans facing such a lay-off. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beren Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Fair enough. Perhaps not applicable in this case then. Massive shame for the guy though either way. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 It was a 50/50 IMO, both players went in pretty much the same. Rightly sent off but it could easily be Evans facing such a lay-off. It was a 50/50 but the way Evans went in he was ensuring it would not be him getting hurt. Cowards challenge. Shame for Holden as he has been brilliant this season and he'll miss out on playing at Wembley and possibly a cup final too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
summerof69 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/3480363/Jean-Marc-Bosmans-fight-against-depression-and-alcoholism.html JEAN-MARC BOSMAN'S hand trembles as he shakily pours red wine into a glass. The man whose five-year court battle opened the way for today's footballers to earn multi-million pound wages is broke, down on his luck and facing a different fight - against depression and alcoholism. Jean-Marc, 46, says: "It has been very, very hard. I won in court but I am the one who has paid and paid and paid." Before his alarming personal decline, the legal finding in favour of the Belgian midfielder - dubbed the "Bosman ruling" - meant footballers in the European Union could move freely to another club at the end of their contract. This has strengthened players' bargaining power over wages as clubs now fear losing their stars for no return. Court offside ... Bosman facing the press in 1995 Recently, Manchester United faced the prospect of an unsettled Wayne Rooney leaving "on a Bosman" at the end of his contract, so they tied him down to a longer deal by upping his pay to an eye-watering £200,000-plus a week. But while the game's big names gorge themselves on the legacy left by Jean-Marc Bosman, the man himself is left scrabbling on benefits. Bloated and balding, Jean-Marc lives alone in a small house just outside Liège - the only material item of consequence from his legal victory and lost career. He says his only motivation to keep going in life are his young sons Martin, nearly two, and five-week-old Samuel. Tragically, he cannot even live with his boys and their mother Carine for fear of having the family's benefits cut. Anti-depressants keep him on an even keel and he insists he has been off the booze since December 27, 2007. But his claim is undermined as he slurps from his glass. "I have only a glass of sparkling wine on special occasions... " The red wine he pours is for me as he tells The Sun of his troubles. In the background at the tiny house in Liège where Jean-Marc grew up, his mother Angele cooks us pasta. As a child, Jean-Marc could see the Standard Liège football stadium from the top of this house and he dreamed of playing for Belgium's most famous club. He realised that dream in the early 1980s and also captained his country at youth level. But a transfer to RFC Liège proved a disaster and he found himself completely out of favour when his contract expired in 1990. Jean-Marc tried to force through a move to French side Dunkirk but when they refused to offer a transfer fee, RFC Liège slashed his wages. Jean-Marc decided to take his case to court, citing European law on the restriction of the free movement of workers. He went on to play briefly in the French lower leagues, including a stint on the French Indian Ocean island of Réunion. On his return, Belgian side Charleroi gave him a place in their squad. He says: "They only paid me £650 a month because of who I was. They thought I was a risk." When they stopped paying him, he played on for two years "for fun and to keep fit" but it meant he could not afford the rent on his Charleroi flat. Jean-Marc was forced to move back into the garage of his family home, converted into a single-bed room, but without his now ex-wife and young daughter, now 21, whom Jean-Marc refuses to discuss. He says: "My lawyer wrote to every club in Belgium but they all said, 'No thank you - we wish Monsieur Bosman good luck but we already have players'." Jean-Marc lived in the garage for two years as his court case rumbled on to the European Court of Justice, which finally, in 1995, ruled in his favour. Home town glory ... Jean-Marc Bosman playing for Standard Liège With his victory, players became free agents, able to move without a fee when their contracts were up and without restrictions on which European country they played in. Ambitious clubs filled their teams with foreign stars and the fledgling English Premier League took full advantage. With the power now in their hands, players' wages went through the roof and the perception was that Jean-Marc did not do badly either. His union, FIFPro, contributed £200,000 for him to fight his case and then there was the cash compensation awarded to him by the court - rumoured to be anything up to £1million - plus the proceeds of a lucrative testimonial match. Jean-Marc, it was said, had two houses and two Porsches. But today he simply laughs at the suggestion. He says: "People think I made a fortune. My 'fortune' wouldn't pay Wayne Rooney's wages for one day." Jean-Marc says the FIFPro money was swallowed up by lawyers and court costs. The court award was nothing like the amount speculated and much of it went on settling tax bills. The plans for a grand testimonial game against Barcelona flopped too - he had to make do with a match in Lille in front of just 2,000 fans. Jean-Marc did have one second-hand Porsche before his court case - but was forced to sell it. He invested the bulk of his court proceeds in property, buying the house next door to his parents' home in Liège and another small place outside the city. He rented out the first and lived in the other until hefty tax bills forced him to sell the second plot. His court fee also allowed him to have a vital titanium hip replacement as his health deteriorated - but the rest of the cash was squandered as he attempted to escape into an alcoholic haze. Jean-Marc said: "The pressure of the case was very great. The European Community did not want to have to change the system. It was morally difficult. "My lawyer knew I was crying blood - that it was hard on me - and he said I could stop at any time, but it was important. Normally when you win a court case you feel free, but the media in Belgium were against me after the case. "I got depressed and started drinking more and more. In the end I just stayed at home, drinking wine and beer." Jean-Marc's relentless boozing has left his body in tatters. Medical reports reveal he was just a couple of drinks from damaging his liver beyond repair. But after being admitted to hospital, he insists he has turned his life around. He adds: "My victory in the Bosman process was a big one, but the bigger victory is the one over alcohol." Today he lives on £625 a month, including £180 paid by the state for heating. He holds up a social aid letter addressed to "J-M Bosman". He says: "I must be Belgium's most famous football player, but no one knows who I am!" Girlfriend Carine receives the same amount in benefits because, with a 14-year-old daughter from a previous relationship, she is unable to work. If they lived together, their combined benefits would be capped at £875. Jean-Marc's only constant living companion for the past 15 years has been his black labrador called Freedom Fighter - but he died two weeks ago. He says: "My dog was my most loyal friend. I was so upset to lose him." Jean-Marc has tried to find work, in spite of his health problems. He hopes a new website, using his image to promote amateur sports, might provide an income. Advertisement Another concern for Jean-Marc is Fifa president Sepp Blatter's plans to reintroduce a cap on foreign players - the "six plus five" rule of six homegrown players with a maximum of five foreigners. Jean-Marc believes this will undermine his court victory. He says: "I have my place in history and I had a long fight to achieve what I did. "I don't want everything I did in my life to be for nothing. I'm happy for footballers earning a lot of money. I'm not jealous. I gave my career so European players wouldn't work like slaves. "I just want to be recognised. People know there's a 'Bosman ruling' but they don't realise there's a guy who has given everything, who became an alcoholic." Jean-Marc says he will keep trying to earn a decent living, to find the money to educate his sons. For now he is fighting just to stay sober. He says: "To quote Confucius, our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall." Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gray Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Stop wingeing tbh Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Village Idiot Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Serves him right. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRD Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 In a way he single-handedly dismantled the great Ajax team of 1995. Mental how many top players they lost on frees. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Village Idiot Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Personally I don't mind the "leave on a free" part of the ruling, it's a basic worker right and it was always the case in Spain to begin with. But the "no foreign player limit" part of it has done a lot of harm to football with the rich leagues stocking up all the talent and turning continental football into a wasteland dominated by the same few. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ameritoon Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Stuart Holden out for six months because of that Jonny Evans challenge according to the BBC. Will be a big miss for Bolton and a shame for the bloke who has previously had to sit out games due to a broken leg sustained in a challenge with a certain Nigel De Jong. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bolton_wanderers/9431341.stm Was really excited to see him in June. He's had the worst luck with injuries. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponsaelius Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 This been posted? Cool story. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gash Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 "Who works the hardest at the training ground?" Arshavin: "Our goalkeeping coaches." Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David28 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 "Who works the hardest at the training ground?" Arshavin: "Our goalkeeping coaches." "Who works the hardest at the training ground?" Nolan: "The guy that serves the food and the drinks." Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ameritoon Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 This been posted? Cool story. My friend showed me this yesterday. Class. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
summerof69 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 This been posted? Cool story. Class story. My friend showed me this yesterday. Class. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thespence Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 The Football League has announced the full list of winners at The Football League Awards 2011 after the annual awards ceremony that celebrated on and off pitch excellence across The League's 72 clubs. The Football League Player of the Year npower Championship - Adel Taarabt, Queens Park Rangers npower League 1 - Craig Mackail-Smith, Peterborough United npower League 2 - Ryan Lowe, Bury The Mitre Goal of the Year Dean Furman, Oldham Athletic Contribution to League Football Dario Gradi The Football League Young Player of the Year Connor Wickham, Ipswich Town The Football Manager Apprentice of the Year npower Championship - Connor Wickham, Ipswich Town npower League 1 - Dale Jennings, Tranmere Rovers npower League 2 - Kadeem Harris, Wycombe Wanderers The EA SPORTS Outstanding Team Performance Stevenage (3 - 1 Newcastle United) The Football League Family Club of the Year Cardiff City The Coca-Cola Community Club of the Year Southend United The PFA Player in the Community Darren Moore, Burton Albion The Bluefin Unsung Hero Jim Thompson, Burnley The npower Fan of the Year Kevin Monks, Coventry City Tokio Marine Best Marketing Campaign Reading CSI Sports Best Matchday Programme Middlesbrough Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Conspiracy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 http://www.newcastle-online.org/nufcforum/index.php/topic,73457.msg2871454.html#msg2871454 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolution Number 9 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Man Utd have announced a £104.6m loss. That debts not getting any lower is it. Their finances look seriously fucked right now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest toonlass Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 This been posted? Cool story. Superb Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leffe186 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Man Utd have announced a £104.6m loss. That debts not getting any lower is it. Their finances look seriously f***ed right now. Hadn't seen that on the BBC site, looked again and it's buried. I thought that was a fairly big story, am I missing something? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Village Idiot Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Wouldn't be surprised if they (and a host of others) frontloaded expenses/financial housekeeping before the financial fair play rules came in. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolution Number 9 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 http://i60.servimg.com/u/f60/13/60/06/20/bbc10.gif So much funny on one page Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sander68 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Been posted already here: http://www.newcastle-online.org/nufcforum/index.php/topic,69909.msg2863444.html#msg2863444 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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