Transfers - Gossip Shop: Selfish? Moi?

Eurosport - Sat, 27 Sep 10:27:00 2008

Barcelona's Thierry Henry has revealed that he will leave the club if he doesn't get his way.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 La Liga Barcelona Thierry Henry - 0

The 31-year-old was left on the bench for Barca's narrow 3-2 win over Real Betis in midweek, with boss Pep Guardiola preferring to field Euro 2008 winner Andres Iniesta on the left wing instead.

The former Arsenal main man isn't happy about that - and why should he be? He deserves whatever he wants, after all. He's Thierry Henry!

He told French sport daily L'Equipe: "For now, it is not a topical matter. But if things stay the same, of course we will have to talk about this."

His tone suggests that he is going to give his boss a real dressing down when he gets hold of him, doesn't it? Henry then went on say that he has been given assurances by Guardiola that he would be deployed in his favoured role as a central striker rather than out on the wing.

"It is true I had a talk with the coach before the season began. For me, this talk was very clear," Henry said.

A few more choice quotes like those and those crazy 'Henry to United' rumours will get up and running again.

From one self-important Frenchman to another, and UEFA bigwig William Gaillard says he wants to stop domestic cup runners-up entering European competition when the eventual winners have already qualified.

On the eve of the suits passing the motion to re-brand the UEFA Cup the UEFA Europa League from next season, and change the format to mimic that of the Champions League, Gaillard said: "With a new format you need a new identity. The tournament is supposed to be for winners, not runners up."

Just the three issues with that then:

a) By its very nature, the UEFA Cup has always been a competition for runners-up

b) The Champions League lets in around a dozen non-winners every season, and is more often than not won by one of them

c) The competition that was once the sole preserve of winners - the Cup Winners' Cup - was scrapped to beef up UEFA Cup a few years ago

Still, at least the spread that was laid on for all the delegates must have been a right feast.

West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola has made his point about the independent FA tribunal's ruling over the Tevez affair which stated: "On the totality of the evidence, we have no doubt that West Ham would have secured at least three fewer points over the 2006/07 season if Carlos Tevez had not been playing for the club."

Zola has dismissed the ruling, claiming that even the greatest of players can't influence things all on their own, citing the time he shared with Diego Maradona at Napoli as proof.

He said: "I played with Maradona, who was the best player in the world. But I have never seen a game where Maradona won it on his own."

The little Sardinian then let his cuddly, modest façade slip for just a second, letting out that he realises just how good he was by saying: "Obviously a great player can make a hell of a difference, but you need all the other players to support you."

Players of football management games will know what a pain it is negotiating transfer fees, planning out what size your instalments will be and over what period you will pay them, and then having to wait two or three turns before the offer is rejected.

Well, that doesn't happen if you're Manchester City, as The Independent reports that Real Madrid clicked refresh on their online banking and saw the £32.5 million they charged for Robinho land in their account in one lump sum. That's the way to do it.

Honourable mention must go to the Photoshop effort in The Mirror of Cesc Fabregas lying on his bed, having nightmares about the clutch of teenage usurpers nipping at his heels.

Sadly, the image is upstaged by the one on the opposite page - an old picture of Rafa Benitez pre-goatee. GS almost didn't recognise him.

Finally, the Daily Mail brings us news of Liverpool full-back Philipp Degen's recovery in hospital following his two broken ribs - apparently he's being mobbed by fans.

Degen said: "All the other patients recognised me. But the doctors imposed an autographs ban - I was not allowed to sign any."

Perhaps they have all mistaken for his twin brother, Basel's David Degen.

Tony Mabert / Eurosport

Comment 1 - 3 of 23

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  1. abhi.paka .chow I think he is too old for Arsenal those­ days, He should stay in bench ha ha

    From dereje, on Fri 26 Sep 12:49PM
  2. henry call himself a world class player,but he­ can't even lift up the champion league cup for­ him...i don't think that he deserves to stay at­ barcelona.leave the club and enter back to the premier­ league where his name was on the top flight when he was­ in arsenal...

    From jjy_4536, on Fri 26 Sep 12:44PM
  3. cmon henry.. u deserve better...
    arsenal is were u­ belong

    From abhi_chow, on Fri 26 Sep 12:25PM
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