Category: What They’re Saying

“People have opinions, and you must respect those, but mine is to give him another chance and back him. There are a lot of things he needs to put right — but I think he can do it. … He’s served his sentence, he’s been punished for what he did wrong.”

— Newcastle United coach Kevin Keegan on midfielder Joey Barton, who is due to be released from prison next week after serving a six-month sentence for punching a man to the ground and pummeling him up to 20 times with his fists. Barton’s criminal past also includes sticking a lit cigar into the face of a Manchester City teammate’s face at a Christmas party and Barton was convicted for a training ground attack on another teammate, Ousmane Dabo, that left Dabo unconscious and bleeding. (AFP)

“As long as he doesn’t do that against the Galaxy, it’s good. Everybody knows his quality. We as players know his quality and try to play to his strengths and tonight we were able to connect, not just me and him, all the players all over the field.”

— David Beckham on Cuauhtemoc Blanco, MVP of the MLS All-Star Game with a goal and an assist in the 3-2 win over West Ham United.

“I’m not concerned about Chelsea, I just don’t know how far that team has got to go. They have lots of experience and big-game temperament and in a sense Scolari is fortunate, joining a big club with a team of internationals. But it’s hard to see where there is going to be an improvement. Maybe they have reached a plateau — although perhaps that’s not the right word.”

— Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson beginning in with the mind games directed at new Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari. (BBC)

“That definitely wasn’t expected. I just laughed when I heard the news. Of course, it’s been one of my goals, and to reach it this soon is pretty awesome. But I’m going to the Olympics. I can’t complain.”

— The Columbus Crew’s Robbie Rogers on being selected to the 2008 MLS all-star team. Instead of playing in Toronto, Rogers is in Palo Alto, Calif., preparing for next month’s Olympics in another surprise. He wasn’t selected to the U.S, team for qualifying but made the 18-player roster for the finals in China. (New York Times)

“We had just finished a game against West Ham and Jonathan Spector was outside the locker room, and Lubos Kubik was there with him. We all just started talking and all of a sudden Jonathan said jokingly: ‘Lubos, did you hear Brian wants to play in the Olympics?’ After a few more jokes I told Lubos that I would seriously consider it if he would. Then I threw it out as just talk at the time but a few days Peter Nowak called me. I was a little shocked but that’s really when it became an interest and a possibility.”

— Brian McBride explains how the ball got rolling to get him on to the Olympic roster. (Yahoo)

“It is my philosophy that each player must want to improve each day. I would like to take the players to the next level, if each player becomes better, so too will the team.”

— New Bayern Munich coach Juergen Klinsmann on the program he has implemented at the club’s new performance center, replete with Buddhist statues. He has banned mobile phones and implemented eight-hour training sessions at the club’s new performance center.

"I want to thank all the fans, the doctors, the players on the team and Tasha Kai for scoring the winning goal. Obviously, it’s devastating, but above everything else, I’m only one player, and you can never win a championship with just one player. I have the utmost confidence in this team bringing home the gold."

— Abby Wambach, the USA’s leading scorer, who will miss the Olympics after suffering a broken leg Wednesday during the USA’s 1-0 friendly win over Brazil. Wambach has been replaced on the Olympic roster by 20-year-old forward Lauren Cheney, an Indiana product who has 12 U.S. caps and three goals. Cheney has scored 42 goals in her first two seasons at UCLA. (AP)

“There’s not going to be any Bret Favre situation here.”

— Former U.S. national team captain Claudio Reyna, referring to the Green Bay Packers quarterback’s desire to unretire and return to the NFL. Reyna announced his retirement less than two seasons after returning from Europe to join Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls.

“We will play with a 4-3-2-1 formation. It’s a model that has worked well for us and brought us great satisfaction. It’s our trademark and it will be again this year, with or without Ronaldinho. Our only objective is to win playing good soccer. This is Milan.”

— AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti on new signing Ronaldinho, who is expected to play alongside fellow Brazilian Kaka behind their young countryman Alexandre Pato. Ronaldinho was in Milan to finalize a $30 million transfer from Barcelona. (AFP)

“You don’t get information firsthand, because you are not allowed to get it. It would be a good idea to probably implement the same system that you have in the United States in Europe in terms of access.”

— Barcelona’s Cameroonian striker Samuel Eto’o, during a visit to the USA, says if media in Europe were given more access to players there’d be less inaccurate reporting. Unlike in Europe, American sports leagues allow journalists into the locker room. Major League Baseball locker rooms, for example, are open to media for at least two hours before games and one hour after games. (AP)

“When I was there [Aston Villa] in January for a few days it was an absolutely brilliant time. Great people, great facilities and I couldn’t say one bad thing about it. It looks like exciting times at Villa and I would love to play for Martin O’Neill.”

— Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan, who is set to get a UK work permit on his second try and join English Premier League club Aston Villa, which will reportedly pay a transfer fee of about $4 million. (BBC)

“The game caused problems and tensions in the camp where I was a prisoner. Some people were on my side and were supporting France, while others took the Italian side. I adored the head-butt by Zidane and I think I would have done the same thing. I stand against those who criticized him.”

— Ingrid Betancourt, the Colombian-French politician who was rescued on July 2 after six-and-a-half years in captivity by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Betancourt was the Green Party candidate for the Colombia presidency when she was kidnapped in 2002 by the FARC guerrillas. (Goal.com)

“I feel mugged and brutalized, it is scandalous, and this sends a message to smaller clubs. Why bother to bring players through if tribunals cannot reflect the work that has gone in? … It’s beyond me and it makes me question why I bother with football. I have an academy that has produced a world-class footballer for someone else and got paid two-and-sixpence for it.”

— Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan on John Bostock‘s transfer to Tottenham. After the clubs could not agree to a transfer fee for the 16-year-old midfielder – Jordan wanted some $10 million — a Football League tribunal ruled on an initial fee of $1.3 million. (Guardian)

“For the international project, we are looking to bring competitive games to our fans in the United States and the international expansion of the brand, also in the United States.”

— Michael Bauer, the new president of Mexico’s Club America, hinted at the possibilities of creating a sister club in MLS a la Chivas USA. (SI.com)

“I would die fighting for people’s rights, but if I don’t get that chance, I would like to die playing soccer.”

— Bolivia President Evo Morales, who has seen action for second division club Litoral this season and credits his soccer background – he founded a team at age 13 and was its captain and coach – for his leadership skills. (Guardian)

“I can’t wait for the 15th of July, when we can sign some players and make a very competitive team. Because at the moment, I think all of our players have had the chance to shine and stake a claim and a lot of them refuse to do that.”

— New York Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio after his team fell, 4-0, at Colorado to drop to 5-5-5 and second-to-last in the Eastern Conference. (mlsnet.com)

“Whether the fish was caught up in soccer ball fever in the aftermath of the European Championship and hence snapped at the ball can unfortunately not be determined.”

— Police statement after a 6 1/2-foot-long catfish was found dead in a Bavarian canal, floating on the surface of the water with a blue-and-white soccer ball in its mouth. (AP)

“We encourage children to play the game, but they should not do so during bad weather.”

— Sao Sokha, president of the Cambodian soccer federation after three players died from lightning strikes during a tournament organized by the government to introduce youngsters to the game of soccer. The victims were in their 20s. (The Guardian)

“I will return to 11-a-side soccer just to become the best manager in the world – and that’s exactly what I’ll become. I will do the job as a creator and an artist. … Obviously I would be the ideal person to manage France.”

— Former French star Eric Cantona, who described France’s play at Euro 2008 as boring and “everything I hate in soccer,” says he’s ready to move on from beach-soccer coaching. (Guardian)

“I think we have to recognize the high quality of the Spanish players. They played very well during the whole tournament and today they were technically excellent and had more chances than us. So I think they deserve victory.”

— Germany coach Joachim Loew after his team lost the European Championship final, 1-0, to Spain. (Reuters)

“Germany is Germany and they seem to win against whoever they play. Let’s see if they let us play, but it is very difficult for any team against us, especially when we add pace to our game.”

— Spain coach Luis Aragones, whose team beat Russia, 3-0, on Thursday to send it into the Euro 2008 final against Germany, which will be broadcast live on Sunday by ABC at 2:30 pm ET. (Reuters)

“I, a hardcore fan all my life, do hereby solemnly promise, before Marca, the country’s fans and the team, to shave every last hair off my Spanish head if the team wins Euro 2008.”

— A pledge sponsored by Spanish sports daily Marca that has been signed by more than 10,000 Spanish fans. Spain faces Russia on Thursday for a spot in the Euro 2008 final.(AP)

“He could come on toward the end as a substitute, as the last man in defense, or as a center forward.”

— Turkey coach Fatih Terim jokes that he might use goalkeeper Tolga Zengin as a field player in Wednesday’s Euro 2008 semifinal against Germany because Turkey has lost nine players to injuries and suspensions and is down to 14 men. Among those missing with injuries are captain Nihat Kahveci, who scored twice in the 3-2 comeback win over the Czech Republic. (The Times)

“I am empty and tired. I need some time off, must recharge the batteries. Chapter closed, mission accomplished.”

— Austria coach Josef Hickersberger quit as Austria coach with six months left on his contract after accomplishing a first-round exit as host of Euro 2008. (BBC)

“Like all the Spanish camp I’m delighted by this victory. But we’ve done nothing more than win a small battle. … We did the job and in Spain we have always talked about not getting past the quarters, but now we have a chance of getting to the final. The team is convinced they can win this.”

— Spain coach Luis Aragones after his team beat Italy on penalty kicks to move into the semifinals of Euro 2008. Spain had not reached the semifinals of a major tournament since it lost the 1984 European Championship final to France. (Reuters)