“Personally, I’m not ashamed because I see how in a short time they have made very good progress, because I have taken them away from their women, from their wives. We went to the [training] base, because women in soccer are a scourge. They do not understand that men need to work, that they have a hard job to do.”
— Dynamo Kiev coach Josef Sabo, upon being asked by a female reporter if his team’s poor early-season performances as defending champion were shameful. (Reuters)
“I hate to do it to a city that’s very dear to me, but I’m a Dallas man now.”
— FC Dallas goalkeeper Ray Burse, who attended Ohio State in Columbus, after helping his team down the struggling Crew, 3-1. (Columbus Dispatch)
“I have decided that it is necessary to take firm action to reflect the fact that Ricardo Clark‘s violent kick to Carlos Ruiz in last weekend’s game against FC Dallas, while out of character, is unacceptable behavior from an MLS player. In taking this action, Major League Soccer is sending a signal that it will not accept reckless and dangerous behavior on its fields. If there is a repeat of this kind of behavior by any MLS player, even firmer sanctions can be expected in the future.”
— MLS Commissioner Don Garber on the record nine-game suspension he gave Ricardo Clark for kicking Ruiz during last Sunday’s FC Dallas-Houston game.
“I feel OK. The only difference is in training you have the press – and they want to come back home and sleep with you. They are just always there.”
— Barcelona striker Thierry Henry, who arrived this season from Arsenal, compares life in Spain’s La Liga and to the English Premier League. (BBC)
“There will be no loan moves or short-term contracts. He is under contract to the Galaxy.”
— A spokesman for David Beckham puts to rest rumors that Beckham may spend the MLS offseason away from the Galaxy. (Telegraph)
“I want to continue on as coach. I don’t feel my job is done yet with this team. We had a lot of youngster here and this was a first World Cup for so many of our players. With the Olympics up next, having players with a world championship under their belt completely changes them because the only way to get experience is to play.”
— U.S. women’s coach Greg Ryan hopes to stay on the job despite his team’s disappointing third-place finish at the 2007 Women’s World Cup. (Ticker)
“I’m in shock.”
— American goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann after falling 7-4 with Reading in an English Premier League game against Portsmouth. (Telegraph)
“It was the wrong decision, and I think anybody that knows anything about the game knows that. There’s no doubt in my mind I would have made those saves. And the fact of the matter is, it’s not 2004 anymore. It’s not 2004. And it’s 2007 and I think you have to live in the present and you can’t live by big names. You can’t live in the past. It doesn’t matter what somebody did in an Olympic gold-medal game in the Olympics three years ago. Now is what matters.”
— U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo, who was benched for the Women’s World Cup semifinal by Coach Greg Ryan in favor of Briana Scurry, who was the goalkeeper when the USA beat Brazil, 2-1, in the 2003 Olympic gold medal game. The Americans lost, 4-0, to Brazil on Thursday. (VIDEO)
“I’m flabbergasted by our performance. It is a big shock for us all. These are young players that we have shown great hope for and trumpeted them in a loud way.”
— Manchester United coach Alex Ferguson, who fielded a team of young reserves for an English League Cup game against second-tier Conventry, which won, 2-0. It marked the first win at Old Trafford by a minor league team since a loss to York City in 1995. (AFP)
“Once you shake hands with the devil, you have to accept they are in control.”
— Manchester United coach Alex Ferguson on coping with incovenient scheduling to accommodate TV broadcasts, which will earn the English Premier League $3.4 billion for this season and the next two. (BBC)
“I don’t know the ins and outs. … If it is true, it is distasteful, for sure.”
— Reading coach Steve Coppel on reports that striker Leroy Lita used his cell phone to film himself having sex and circulated the video to teammates, who forwarded the 53-second footage to players around the English league. (Telegraph)
“For the most part, it was ‘Really?’ and then ‘Why?’ I walked them through my decision-making process … They definitely bought into it.”
— Andrew Hauptman on the reaction of friends and family to his purchase of the Chicago Fire from AEG for a reported $30 million. (Chicago Tribune)
“They’re saying that the ball boy was annoying him from the start.”
— Jose Quispe, spokesman for Peruvian club Cienciano, whose goalkeeper Juan Flores was red-carded and arrested for kicking a ball boy. Flores was apparently upset after the boy tossed the ball on the field instead of handing it to him. (Reuters)
“He carries a little notebook around with him. The lads will be having a conversation and he’ll write down some of the words he hears. Five minutes later he is laughing to himself and that’s when you know he has finally worked out what the boys have been saying to each other.”
— Norwich City’s Darel Russell on the English-learning progress of Czech teammate David Strihavka, who arrived at the English club two months ago. (BBC)
“I’m very excited with this team because they are ‘playerish’ – if there is such a word – they love to play.”
— Arsene Wenger, coach of English Premier League leader Arsenal. (BBC)
“This is not new. I’ve been thinking about it since I took over. In my opinion, our green is confusing with the field – as grass is green. It looks like there are fewer players on the field. … With the color change, I think we’ll have the impression of having 12 or 13 players on the field.”
— Mexico coach Hugo Sanchez announces the Mexican national team will ditch its signature green jerseys and will wear white shirts for home games and red for road matches. (Ticker)
“I’m absolutely speechless.”
— Toronto FC coach Mo Johnston after his team, playing a man up for most of the game, extended its league record scoreless streak to 822 minutes and its winless streak to 11 games in a 0-0 tie with Real Salt Lake. (London Free Press)
"Words in Spanish directed at my family, I understand perfectly well. As such when I reacted, it was the wrong reaction but sometimes even rational and normal people err. As such, I would like to apologize to you, to the fans, the players and to the people of Portugal."
— Portugal’s Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, who disregarded the sticks-and-stones adage and took a swing at Ivica Dragutinovic after Wednesday’s Euro 2008 qualifier, a 1-1 tie. (Reuters)
“I’m sorry Fergie, I didn’t know it was you.”
— What Kevin Reynolds said after he punched Manchester United coach Alex Ferguson in the groin in an unprovoked attack at a London train station. Reynolds, described as a homeless alcoholic, then chanted, “Fergie, Fergie, shut your mouth.” The 43-year-old, who had 105 previous convictions including several assaults, had been released from prison five days earlier. (The Scotsman)
“I ran off, ran back on; obviously it wasn’t fast enough.”
— U.S. striker Abby Wambach, who was on the sidelines for nine minutes getting stitches while North Korea scored twice. The USA’s Women’s World Cup opener ended in a 2-2 tie.
“The message to the other teams is that they know we are in good shape now.”
— Silvia Neid, coach of defending Women’s World Cup champion Germany, after its record-setting 11-0 victory over Argentina in Monday’s opener in Shanghai.
“We were pleased with our performance but not satisfied with the result. We are continuing to make progress as a team, and I felt like over 90 minutes we did a much more solid job tonight.”
— U.S. coach Bob Bradley after a 4-2 friendly loss to Brazil extended his team’s losing streak to five games.
“I think Victoria’s lifestyle affected his game. He was a really great footballer and had a terrific talent, but everyone is different and his lifestyle has gone in a different direction.”
— Former Manchester United and England great Bobby Charlton assesses David Beckham. (The Scotsman)
“Yes, for your country, you’ve got to haven’t you? Previous players have before. You would do anything to play for your country. I have never played with a painkilling injection but everyone is their own person and if they want to do it then it is up to them.”
— England defender Micah Richards joins the debate on whether midfielder Steven Gerrard should take a needle so he can play on a broken toe in England’s Euro 2008 qualifier against Israel on Saturday. (Reuters)
“He’s had a few headlines this week, some welcome, some unwelcome.”
— Aston Villa coach Martin O’Neill on defender Zat Knight, who on Wednesday was jailed with his brother after a drug raid on his family home and on Sunday scored in a 2-0 win over Chelsea. (The Guardian)
