Football Dispatch

Monday Football
10 November 2008
by Jerrad Peters

One of the things I’ve tried to do with this website—which I’m often unable to do for the magazines and newspapers that I work for—is highlight the messy news from throughout the world of football. This often includes covering corruption, match-fixing scandals, and crowd trouble. All too frequently, it also includes racism and shameful acts of extremism.

That said, it brings me joy to convey the following story to you. It was a long time in coming. It marks the first time since I began covering football that a group of racist demonstrators were turned over to the authorities by their fellow supporters. It’s about time. I can only hope that the brave acts by those Werder Bremen fans will be repeated often throughout Europe.

Bremen fans turn in neo-Nazis

Bochum and Werder Bremen played to an uneventful 0-0 draw at Rewipower Stadion, Saturday. What transpired in the visitors’ section of the stands, however, was anything but.

With the match coming to an end, a throng of neo-Nazis unfolded a fascist banner in the away section of the grounds. And although similar acts go unpunished in the leagues of Europe on a weekly basis, each of the demonstrators will have to explain their behavior to police.

Repulsed by the display, nearby Bremen fans immediately reported the activity to the authorities. The activists were detained and will face questioning, stadium bans, and other censures.

“The Bundesliga writes many an excellent story, and an excellent one is certainly what we experienced in Bochum on Saturday,” remarked German Football Association president Dr. Theo Zwenziger in conversation with the Hamburger Abendblatt. “That the police were able to arrest neo-Nazis after they were identified by Bremen fans when they unfurled a banner with extreme right-wing remarks is a perfect example of civil courage in the stadium.”

Keeping up with the Grants

Avram Grant is postponing his appointment at Hajduk Split until the ownership situation at Portsmouth has been resolved.

Grant, the former Chelsea manager, has been offered a 2-year contract at the Croatian club worth 2 million-euros per-year. Currently, Dynamo Zagreb boss Branko Ivankovic is Croatia’s highest paid coach at an annual salary of 250,000 euros.

However, the 53-year-old has asked Split chairman Mate Peros for time to wait out Pini Zahavi’s proposed takeover at Fratton Park. Zahavi, a fellow Israeli, is believed to be keen on Croatia national team coach Slaven Bilic for Pompey’s managerial position and would like to hire Grant to be the club’s director of football.

Current Portsmouth owner Sacha Gaydamak is thought be mulling the sale of the club, creating an unstable atmosphere that led to the exits of Harry Redknapp and Joe Jordan.

Zahavi, a former players’ agent, made his name by helping broker the sale of Chelsea to Roman Abramovic and also arranged the transfers of Rio Ferdinand, Juan Sebastien Veron, and Yakubu. In 2003 he was famously labeled a “dickhead” by former Chelsea chairman Ken Bates.

Ashavin threatening to go on strike

Zenit St. Petersburg playmaker Andrei Arshavin has issued a play-me-or-trade-me ultimatum to the Russian Premier League club.

Arshavin, who made a name for himself with a string of superb performances for Russia at EURO 2008, has been lobbying for a transfer since shortly after the tournament ended in early summer. At first, Zenit seemed likely to acquiesce—although their 20M-pound valuation of the 27-year-old priced him out of the market.

“It comes down to one thing,” Arshavin told SportExpress, “for Zenit to set a realistic price.” He continued, “If they do that, I will, of course, leave. [If not] I will remain a Zenit player, but only on paper. Next year I don’t want to play here and I will not be playing here.”

That Arshavin will be eligible for the UEFA Cup may make him an attractive transfer target in January. Tottenham Hotspur have yet to rule out a move. And should Real Madrid drop out of the running by finishing third in the Champions’ League group, they might suddenly be in the running as well.

Chelsea considering Henry swoop

With Didier Drogba struggling to regain full match-fitness, Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari has turned his attention to Thierry Henry.

Unhappy with manager Pep Guardiola’s decision to use him out wide at Barcelona, Henry is believed to be considering a move back to the Premier League in January. Samuel Eto’o has flourished as the principal striker at the Nou Camp this season, relegating the 31-year-old to a supplementary position.

Compounding Henry’s misery is his recent split with his wife Clare. And as their daughter remains in London, the former Arsenal man would likely jump at the opportunity to move back to the English capital.

“Though I work in Barcelona,” he said recently, “my heart is in London.”

It might be a good fit for both sides. Scolari is uncomfortable with Nicolas Anelka as his only, proven striker. Salomon Kalou, with only 63 first team appearances for the Blues, is the club’s only other option at the position.

Despite having moved from Arsenal to Barcelona for over 18M-pounds in 2007, his current valuation is closer to 8M-pounds. Whether Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich releases the cash for a mid-season swoop is another question entirely.

Chelsea unveil new stadium plans

Plans for a new stadium, with a capacity between 65,000 and 75,000, has been presented to Chelsea officials.

Prepared by HOK—the firm that devised similar plans for Wembley, Emirates Stadium and the North Stand at Stamford Bridge—the design would cost approximately 500M-pounds and call for a move across the Thames to Wandsworth.

Few details have been released. The club’s current ground, Stamford Bridge, was built in 1905. The new facility would be constructed next to Battersea Power Station.

Have a question about football? Email your query to jerradpeters@gmail.com.

Jerrad Peters covers football for the Winnipeg Free Press, Soccer Three-Sixty magazine, ESPN Soccernet, and Soccer365.com. His work has also appeared in The Globe and Mail, TheMirror.co.uk, Canadian-soccer.com, Footy247.co.uk, Foot2ball.com, and Squadinfo.com.