ALL THE REST

Last updated : 06 October 2004 By Editor
Arsenal are getting all giddy about their new ground, failing to realise they can’t even sell out Highbury at the moment. It all smacks of planted hype to cover up financial shortfalls. From the Sun:

Arsenal are ready to hammer Manchester United in football’s battle of the bank balances.

The champions are already ahead of their northern rivals on the field of play. Now they aim to do what once seemed unthinkable — OVERTAKE the Old Trafford money-making machine.

Gunners bigwigs say their new £100million sponsorship deal with Emirates Airlines will propel the London giants to a new level.

And their new stadium will put them within reach of United in terms of profit.
Chairman Peter Hill-Wood said: “It is vitally important to catch them up. We might even overtake them now.”

The Gunners’ amazing deal with the Dubai-based airline will span 15 years and is worth more than £6m a year.

As a result, their state- of-the-art new £357m, 60,000-seater ground at Ashburton Grove — set to open for the 2006-07 season — will be called the Emirates Stadium.


Giggs on England-Wales:

"England are favourites, no doubt about that. But we know we are capable of getting the right result. If we play to the potential we showed a year, 18 months ago, we can cause any team problems. We know we have the players to hurt them.

"For Wales there is no bigger game. It's a great occasion for all the lads to be involved in but even more so for myself because it's at Old Trafford and because I am up against so many of my team-mates."


Arsehole Lehmann tries to influence the ref ahead of October 24th:

"The way keepers are challenged in English football is madness. Refs in Germany would blow for a foul straight away, but not over here.

"Some of our physios here are former keepers, and they told me not to leave my line - if I did it once I'd never do it again. Against Manchester United three of their players would surround me at corners."


The overrated Owen:

"I'm not a quitter, I'm still hungry and I will fight to the death. I've received a lot of criticism but that's part and parcel of the game. Real Madrid have not seen the best of me yet. I have no doubt at all that I will be a success out there.

"I would prefer the Spanish newspapers to be writing nice things about me but I've seen it all before. I can reverse all of the headlines.

"I have scored a constant stream of goals throughout my career and you don't become a bad player overnight. I've not regretted my move to Madrid for a minute. I didn't go into it with blinkers. It was a new country, new challenge and new language.”