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      in Soccer

      Former Tottenham and France star Stephane Dalmat ‘quit a match 40 minutes early to get out of stadium and beat traffic’

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      EX-TOTTENHAM ace Bobby Zamora revealed how his old team-mate Stephane Dalmat quit DURING a game so he could catch a flight back to France. Dalmat, now 44, spent the 2003/04 campaign on loan at Spurs from Inter Milan, making 22 appearances.
      Dalmat’s talent was undeniable but his attitude was questionableCredit: Alan MacGregor Ewing – The Sun Glasgow
      The midfielder scored three times during his spell in North London but it appears he was best remembered for his moment of madness during a league clash.
      Zamora told Jimmy Bullard’s Off the Hook podcast: “We played a game at Spurs. In the first five minutes of the second half he just walked off the pitch.
      “The ball wasn’t out of play or anything and he just starts walking off the pitch. I think I was on the bench and I thought he has pulled his hamstring or something.
      “He walks down the tunnel. Doesn’t say anything to anybody. We played the game and then came in and he had shot.
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      “So we are like ‘Where is he, where is he? I don’t know. Not sure’. He was supposed to come in for the warm down – but he doesn’t come in for two days.
      “I find out in the end that he has got a plane to catch and he can’t get to the airport after the game because of the traffic and all that so he has gone off the pitch, walked down the tunnel ‘off I go I’m going to get my plane’.
      “He went back to home to France. He was just one of those players that just didn’t care.”
      Dalmat also played for Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille but Zamora adds how he was one of the most talented players he had played with.
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      He added: “He was an absolute player. He was strong, quick, powerful, you could not get the ball off him. 
      “He had that sort of French arrogance.
      “He played for some mad big clubs but just nobody could manage him. He was just an absolute loon.”
      The Spurs team at the time was managed by David Pleat who took over mid-season after Glenn Hoddle was fired from the job.
      Other players in the team’s squad at the time were Jermain Defoe, Jamie Redknapp, Robbie Keane, Darren Anderton and captain Ledley King.
      The revelation about Dalmat’s antics came after fellow footballer Jamie O’Hara revealed the Frenchman slapped him across the face in the changing room following a dispute during a reserve team game for the North London club in the same season.
      Speaking on TalkSport radio, O’Hara said: “Dalmat had come down to the reserves and I think he had got the hump because obviously he has been told he has got to play with the reserves.
      “I was a young kid wanting to impress. We played and he was just strolling about, you know he didn’t want to be there.
      “He was the typical first-team player coming down playing reserves, didn’t want to know and I think I give it to him at half-time.
      “I think I said ‘Listen mate if you don’t want to be here just don’t be here, just go, get on your bike.
      “And he got up and walked across the room and I’m thinking he’s going to be like ‘yeah, yeah, I know you are right’.
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      “But he just slapped me in the face. Just a slap not a punch. It was a slap and I just took it like that. I was in shock more than anything.
      “Obviously I got up and thought I would have a ruck with him but everyone jumped in, you know that one where you are going ‘let me at him, let me at him’. I could not believe it, just a slap in the face.”
      Stephane Dalmat spent just a season on loan with TottenhamCredit: PA:Press Association
      Bobby Zamora revealed how Dalmat was a huge talent at SpursCredit: PA:Press Association More

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      in Soccer

      Five amazing Premier League teams who got relegated, including 2003 West Ham side and Middlesbrough with Juninho

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      THE PREMIER LEAGUE season came to a dramatic close with an intense relegation scrap.Southampton were already doomed as they had plunged to the bottom of the English top flight after a rough campaign that saw them change three managers.
      Leicester were relegated just seven years after winning the Premier LeagueCredit: Getty
      It all came down to Everton, Leeds as well as Leicester and two of them were condemned to follow Saints to the Championship.
      All three of them carried a heavy legacy in the Prem, and so did Southampton.
      The Foxes, especially, were fighting for survival only seven years after they shocked the world and won the title in what will forever be remembered as the greatest underdog story in football history.
      At the end, Leicester couldn’t replicate any of the spark from 2016 and went down along with Leeds after Everton defeated Bournemouth 1-0.
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      Some of these teams may have felt too good to go down.
      Of course, such a thing does not exist – you are down there on merit.
      But, better teams have gone down in the past – as the below list shows…
      Newcastle – 2008-09
      THE 2008-09 season was an utter disaster for the Toon.
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      By the time they were relegated, Newcastle had seen FOUR different managers scrape together just seven wins.
      Kevin Keegan, Joe Kinnear, Chris Hughton and club legend Alan Shearer all took charge of the club.
      But it was Shearer – who vowed to keep the Magpies up – who oversaw the eventual and somewhat inevitable demise, finishing 18th just one point away from survival.
      For a team of Newcastle’s size and with a squad boasting Michael Owen, Damien Duff, Nicky Butt, Obafemi Martins, Jose Enrique, Joey Barton and Mark Viduka, playing in the Championship was utterly alien.
      They would go on to win the league and bounce straight back to the Premier League, but for a team that strong to go down was remarkable.
      Newcastle were relegated in 2008-09 despite their strong squadCredit: Action Images – Reuters
      Leeds – 2003-04
      MUCH like Newcastle, Leeds fell into the bracket of clubs ‘too big to go down’.
      But in 2004, the Elland Road giants slipped out of the top flight and wouldn’t return for 16 years – even slipping into League One for three seasons during that time.
      In 2003-04, Leeds won just eight matches en route to finishing 19th in the Prem, shipping a league-high 79 goals with the club in financial turmoil.
      The Yorkshire side had a strong squad, too – with the likes of Viduka, Paul Robinson, Nicky Barmby, Alan Smith, Aaron Lennon and James Milner on the books.
      Leeds were relegated in 2004, sparking a 16-year top-flight exileCredit: Getty
      West Ham – 2002-03
      EVEN the magic 40-point mark wasn’t enough for the Hammers in 2002-03.
      To this day, West Ham’s tally of 42 points that year is the highest for a relegated team.
      For context, the East London giants also secured 42 points in 2017-18.. and finished 13th.
      But for a team boasting Jermain Defoe, Paolo di Canio, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole, Les Ferdinand, David James, Trevor Sinclair and more to go down? Madness.
      Ultimately the star-studded squad finished two points adrift off 17th-placed Bolton.
      More bizarrely still, it took West Ham two attempts to break back into the big time, eventually scraping through the Championship play-offs despite finishing sixth.
      West Ham were relegated in 2002-03 despite racking up 42 pointsCredit: Getty
      Blackburn – 1998-99
      IN 1993-94, Blackburn won the Premier League trophy. In 1997-98, they finished sixth.
      And at the start of the 1998-99 season, they were being tipped to challenge for a second title, now under Roy Hodgson.
      Rovers boasted the likes of Duff, Stephane Henchoz, Chris Sutton, Kevin Davies, Tim Sherwood and Tim Flowers.
      Despite that, Blackburn finished the season in 19th after winning a woeful five games.
      Hodgson was sacked midway through the disastrous campaign with no player in the squad scoring more than five league goals.
      Blackburn had been tipped for a shot at the title in 1998-99 but were relegated insteadCredit: Getty
      Middlesbrough – 1996-97
      EVEN the heroics of Juninho and Fabrizio Ravanelli couldn’t save Boro in 1996-97.
      The Italian striker scored 31 times in all competitions – including an opening day hat-trick in a 3-3 draw against Liverpool – with the Brazilian midfield magician in full flow behind him.
      However, despite that, Middlesbrough slumped into the second tier after finishing two points shy of safety.
      Read more on The Sun
      After a strong start to the season – winning three and losing just one of their first six games – Boro failed to win a single match between September 21 and December 26.
      Under player-manager Bryan Robson, Middlesbrough finished 19th, one point behind 18th-placed Sunderland and two adrift of Coventry and Southampton, who survived by the skin of their teeth.
      Middlesbrough were relegated in 1996-97 despite boasting Juninho in their teamCredit: Getty More

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      in Soccer

      How David Beckham’s Inter Miami enticed Lionel Messi with celebrity Florida lifestyle and £830,000-a-week salary

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      DAVID BECKHAM’s Inter Miami project has been a slow burner – but you can expect lift off now.The club’s first three seasons have seen them miss out on the playoffs, with manager Phil Neville recently getting the bullet. Credit: Alamy Live News
      Lionel Messi is set to join Inter MiamiCredit: AFP
      But Beckham is still hoping to attract a hoard of superstars to his Inter Miami side.
      The marquee signings of Blaise Matuidi and Gonzalo Higuain showed the club’s ambition, although the French ace’s signing broke MLS rules and Higuain retired.
      However, as marquee signings go, none are bigger than this. The club have reportedly agreed to sign seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi.
      Spanish journalist Guillem Balogue has claimed the Argentina World Cup winner will leave PSG when his contract expires in June and head to the MLS.
      The lure of an £830,000-per-week salary was too good to turn down, and blew any offer Barcelona could tempt Messi with for a Camp Nou return out of the water.
      The move fulfils a promise Beckham made when he announced the club to the world. At a press conference announcing the club’s formation, the ex-England captain made noises that he was regularly speaking to the world’s best talent to lure them to his project.

      So what can Messi and any other prospective transfer targets expect from a life at Inter Miami?
      THE WEATHER
      While you may have to be wary of the odd tropical storm here and there, Miami weather is mostly perfect. January averages around 20 degrees Celsius, while winter highs range between 23-27 degrees Celsius.
      The wet season starts in May and ends mid-October, but the temperatures are between 27-35 degrees Celsius and it’s insanely humid.
      Unfortunately for the players, the MLS football season runs from February to November, making it hell playing in the worst of the conditions.
      Blue skies and sunshine decorate the high skyscrapers of MiamiCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Miami Beach is the best place for a footballer to top up their tanCredit: Alamy
      THE BEACHES
      They say life’s a beach… Miami has several from Key Biscayne to North Beach, where prime athletes can bronze themselves on a daily basis.
      There’s the 21st to 45th street beach, which runs alongside the Miami Beach boardwalk and South Pointe Park. Some of the world’s best hotels and restaurants are nearby, so it’s the perfect spot.
      Anyone feeling active could head to Lummus Beach where volleyball courts are available to rent or there’s thatched huts to lounge under.
      Haulover Beach boasts white sands and a choppy sea, ideal for surfers.
      On Tuesday nights there’s a food truck festival with live music and local foods for the whole family.
      South Pointe Park is perfect for a stroll or jog for a Beckham transfer targetCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Miami Beach is the perfect location for any footballerCredit: Getty – Contributor
      David Beckham won’t have trouble selling the white sands of Miami BeachCredit: Getty – Contributor
      THE RESTAURANTS
      Miami’s cuisine is fit for a king and is influenced by the ocean with plenty of seafood on offer.
      Latin American foods are key here, so most restaurants boast many Cuban-influenced dishes – most meat-based.
      The most exclusive restaurants in town are Terrazza in the Shore Club Hotel, Zuma in the heart of downtown Miami and Jaya at the Setai Hotel.
      Jaya is a favourite of the likes of Jay Z and Bono whenever they’re in town, with menu highlights including a whole branzino for a reasonable £27
      Terrazza’s Italian by-the-pool fare will attract many footballers wanting to load up on carbs.
      While Zuma’s light Japanese meals will have weight-conscious footballers frothing at the mouth.
      Eating by the pool at the Shore Club Hotel is what most sports stars do in Miami
      Jay Z and Bono are fans of the Jaya at The Setai hotelCredit: Jaya at The Setai, http://www.thesetaihotel.com/
      Footballers will love the Asian cuisine on offer at the JayaCredit: Jaya at The Setai, http://www.thesetaihotel.com/
      Footballers could rest poolside at The Setai hotel during preseasonCredit: Jaya at The Setai, http://www.thesetaihotel.com/
      THE STADIUM
      Central to Beckham’s Miami franchise is a super stadium fit for the best players in the world.
      The 18,000 all-seater arena is in the Overtown neighbourhood, near the Miami River, and was originally met with some controversy from the locals who didn’t think a stadium should be built on the site.
      A world-class training centre sits next door to the stadium and boasts first-class facilities.
      However, be sure that it will be a state-of-the-art venue, not only fit for football, but ready to house concerts featuring the world’s leading pop stars.
      Interestingly, it isn’t be the biggest stadium in the country, but it’ll surely be a sellout week in, week out with Messi playing.
      However, there are now plans to create a $1BILLON stadium, which will be ready for 2025 and hold 25,000 fans.
      Plans are almost in place for a new 25,000-seater stadium costing $1BILLION
      David Beckham’s Miami stadium is fit for any top footballerCredit: Splash News
      THE CELEBRITY CULTURE
      After all, this lot can’t be wrong. The most famous faces in the world choose Miami as a holiday destination, pouring in on their private jets regularly during the summer.
      Some celebrities even call Miami home, so any footballer who wants to embrace celebrity culture should look no further. Anna Kournikova and Enrique Iglesias, Lenny Kravitz, Sean Combs, Matt Damon and Jennifer Lopez all have lavish homes in Miami.
      Most opt for Star Island, so expect footballers to be checking out homes in that area.
      With footballers making the crossover into movies and TV, major productions in the city are on the rise.
      A Miami-based footballer could be mates with Anna Kournikova and Enrique IglesiasCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Sean Combs loves living the Miami lifestyleCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      You could bump into Jennifer Lopez living in MiamiCredit: Fame Flynet
      Matt Damon is an active celebrity in Miami circlesCredit: Getty – Contributor
      SPORTS CULTURE
      Anyone moving to Miami will have to be very aware of the sports culture that runs through the city’s veins.
      Although the Miami Dolphins haven’t tasted Super Bowl success since 1974, they’re steeped in NFL history thanks to legendary quarterback Dan Marino.
      The NBA team Miami Heat was the one-time home of LeBron James when they picked up consecutive championships in 2012 and 2013.
      They’re also represented in the MLB by the Marlins, who are co-owned by NY Yankee great Derek Jeter and have won two World Championships.
      The Miami Heat are the most successful sports franchise currently in the cityCredit: USA TODAY Sports
      David Beckham’s football team could have cheerleaders like the Miami HeatCredit: Getty – Contributor
      David Beckham’s Miami franchise will rival the Miami Dolphins for fansCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Any single footballer may be interested in dating a Miami Dolphin cheerleaderCredit: Corbis
      The Miami Marlins are favourites of the Hispanic communityCredit: Getty – Contributor
      BAYSIDE MARKETPLACE
      For shopping and dining, incoming footballers will look no further than taking a stroll along Bayside Marketplace.
      Wrapping along the bay walls of the bank, it boasts designer shops, posh restaurants and a great vibe that encompasses all that’s great about Miami.
      Incidentally, Miami Vice often filmed episodes here, so if it’s good enough for Don Johnson…
      Bayside Marketplace offers fine dining and shoppingCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Bayside Marketplace was where Miami Vice was mostly filmedCredit: Getty – Contributor
      OCEAN DRIVE
      No doubt any big-name Beckham signing will be driving a fresh motor.
      With that in mind, they’ll definitely want to cruise down Ocean Drive with its surrounding Art Deco hotels and bars.
      The Clevelander Hotel, with its bar and massive swimming pool provide a great spot to grab a refresher in the hot heat.
      You’ll be mad not to be impressed by the architecture. It’s an amazing experience for any tourist and any future Beckham signing. So, where do we sign up?
      Ocean Drive boasts some of Miami’s best hotels and barsCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Ocean Drive is a haven for Art Deco buildings and is perfect for footballers to cruise downCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Ocean Drive comes alive at nighttime with its bustling nightlifeCredit: Getty – Contributor
      EVERGLADES
      On the list of must-do things in Miami – and Becks doesn’t even need to sell the tourist haven – is the Everglades.
      Unlike anything in the world, it’s your best chance of seeing a crocodile swimming in its natural habitat.
      Over 1.5 acres long, the wetlands begin in Orlando at the Kissimmee River and end at Lake Okeechobee.
      The Everglades is one of Miami’s most famous tourist attractionsCredit: Getty – Contributor
      You could see crocodiles on a tour of the EvergladesCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      MESSI IS ALREADY SET UP
      Messi, himself, is already set up in Miami – so moving should not be difficult.
      Back in 2021, he reportedly bought a stunning £7.2million apartment in Porsche Design Center, which boasts incredible views of the coastline.
      According to Madrid-based radio station Cadena Ser, he bought the property with a view to make his MLS move a reality.
      One of the home’s most impressive features is a lift for residents’ cars. The king, sitting on top of his penthouse, has most definitely arrived.
      The 35-year-old ace, who inspired Argentina to a World Cup win over Mexico last night, is currently playing for French club Paris Saint-Germain after leaving Barcelona.

      Lionel Messi reportedly bought an apartment at the Porsche Design Tower – which boasts stunning views of the Miami coastlineCredit: GETTY

      The tower contains a lift for residents’ carsCredit: GETTY

      A showhome from Porsche Design Tower’s grand opening reveals the luxury withinCredit: GETTY More

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      in Motorsport

      F1 legend Lewis Hamilton has a £80k EQS electric Mercedes which goes 0-60mph in 4.5 secs and has holographic lights

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      LEWIS HAMILTON showed off his stunning electric motor – the Mercedes EQS.Seven-time Formula 1 champ Hamilton talked up his decision to go green in a bid to protect the environment.
      Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton poses next to his Mercedes EQS
      The F1 champ says he is ‘working closely’ with Mercedes to move towards a more electric fleet
      The EQS, which was announced in 2018, is part of the two-car garage the Merc racer is sticking to off the track.
      Pairing the £80,000 saloon with a Smart car, Hamilton, 38, said he has offset the carbon footprint of his ENTIRE F1 career.
      Yet the EQS still packs a punch, going from 0-60mph in 4.5 seconds with 470bhp generated by a 350 kW electric motor.
      Mercedes reckon a fully-charged EQS can even manage a range of 435 miles.
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      Naturally, it is also packed full of toys including holographic headlights, a rear ‘lightbelt’ of over 200 LEDs, and ambient dashboard lighting.
      Posting a picture of himself beside the car, Hamilton wrote on Instagram back in September 2020: “Recently I’ve been making many changes in my life to reduce my impact on the environment.
      “The first step in this journey was to understand my personal impact on the planet so I could make changes to improve it.
      “Since then, I have offset my carbon footprint from my Formula 1 career dating back to 2007, I have reduced travel where possible, I have gone plant-based and outside of the track, I try to use electric cars wherever possible.
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      “I also want to use my position as a racing driver to enforce positive and permanent change, which is why I’m working closely with Mercedes to slowly move their fleet of cars towards electric.
      “This is my new dream car, the new EQS fully electric Mercedes.
      “It’s difficult to always be perfect when we go about our daily lives, but I’m continuing to learn how to be better and I’m committed to staying educated and informed so I can play my part.
      “Small steps lead to big change, so it’s important we all take a moment to understand our footprint and the small changes we can make in our everyday lives to put our planet first.
      “The last step for me will be when I step away from this sport and can focus fully on helping heal the world to provide a better future for our kids and our kids’ kids.” More

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      Lionel Messi snubs himself and Cristiano Ronaldo from amazing 5-a-side team but who makes the cut?

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      LIONEL MESSI snubbed both himself AND Cristiano Ronaldo in picking his dream 5-a-side team.The PSG star, 35, admitted he believes he and the Al Nassr ace ARE the best players in the world.

      Ronaldo couldn’t find a place in Messi’s 5-a-side teamCredit: PA:Press Association
      Messi, however, claims he and Ronaldo are still world’s best players. But he couldn’t find a place for either in his ultra-attacking 5-a-side crew.
      Instead, Messi opted for former Barcelona team-mates Neymar – now at Paris Saint-Germain – and Luis Suarez – who now stars for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Grêmio.
      Fellow Argentine and Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero also made the cut in the team.
      Messi also selected ex-Chelsea man Eden Hazard and Neymar’s World Cup-winning team-mate Kylian Mbappe.
      However, the Barcelona maestro believed in 2019 neither himself nor Ronaldo have been dethroned as the world’s best players just yet.
      Messi revealed he enjoyed competing with fellow GOAT-wannabe Ronaldo in LaLiga, although less so when the Portuguese star was winning medals at his expense.
      Messi says he enjoyed competing with Ronaldo in La LigaCredit: Reuters
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      Messi told Marca in 2019: “It was nice to have Cristiano Ronaldo in LaLiga because of the prestige he gave it, although it was hard to see him raise titles.
      “[But] excluding him and me, the best players in the world are Mbappe, Neymar, Hazard, Suarez and Kun [Aguero].”
      Messi picked up a record sixth Ballon d’Or in 2019 – and his first since 2015 – when he pipped Virgil van Dijk to the gong.
      Ronaldo finished third, his worst result since 2010, as he trails his old rival by one.
      But the most recent recipient was Karim Benzema, who could be joining Ronaldo in Saudi Araba after revealing he was quitting Real Madrid. More

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      in Soccer

      When Roman Abramovich confided in Chelsea fans and explained why Mourinho was sacked in forum in a Valencia hotel bar

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      AN audience with Roman Abramovich – it’s the golden ticket for any Chelsea supporter and the rarest of opportunities for football reporters too.So when I stumbled across an impromptu fans’ forum with Chelsea’s secretive billionaire ex-owner in 2007, it was one of the most surreal experiences I’ve ever had.
      Roman Abramovich once led a fans’ forum in a Valencia hotel bar to explain why he’d sacked fan favourite Jose MourinhoCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Ex-Chelsea owner Abramovich felt the need to explain why he’d sacked fan-favourite Mourinho to supportersCredit: PA:Press Association
      Literally surreal, in that it was so unlikely, I wondered whether I’d dreamt it.
      Abramovich gave one interview to the Financial Times around the time of his 2003 Chelsea takeover – when the young oligarch caused a sensation by becoming the first foreigner to take over a Premier League club.
      In the intervening years, he has never spoken to another media outlet… but on a strange night in Valencia, I fluked it.
      Just a fortnight after Jose Mourinho’s first Stamford Bridge sacking had caused outrage among supporters, Chelsea travelled to Valencia for a Champions League group stage match.
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      The Blues achieved a 2-1 victory which was something of a breakthrough for the Special One’s replacement Avram Grant.
      Sometime around 1am, I arrived back at the Valencia Hilton, hoping for a swift nightcap at the bar.
      There, I discovered Abramovich – flanked by his then-fiancee Dasha Zhukova, his right-hand man Eugene Tenenbaum and a couple of henchmen.
      They were standing in the bar, holding court with a group of seven or eight Chelsea supporters, drinking bottled beers.
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      Stung by the reaction to the dismissal of a boss who had won Chelsea back-to-back Premier League titles, Abramovich had been on a minor charm offensive.
      On the previous Saturday, Grant’s first home match in charge, the Russian had sat in the upper tier of The Shed alongside the rank-and-file, for a dismal goalless draw against neighbours Fulham.
      But in Valencia he had taken the extraordinary step of telling Tenenbaum to go and find him a bunch of Chelsea supporters so he could personally explain his decision to sack Mourinho and appoint Grant, an Israeli then virtually unheard of in England.
      Chelsea’s players and hierarchy had stayed at the Hilton on the eve of the match but Grant and his squad had flown straight back to London after that Wednesday night match.
      The hotel was a couple of miles outside the busy town centre, so apparently it hadn’t been easy for Abramovich’s minders to round up any of the 1,200 travelling supporters.
      Especially as the majority of those asked if they ‘fancied a drink on Roman Abramovich’ had – quite understandably – assumed the offer was a hoax and carried on to find a beer elsewhere.
      Yet the lucky few – and me, the unwitting gatecrasher – were given the rarest insight into Abramovich’s mind.
      Speaking fluent English in a thin, reedy voice, Abramovich told them: “I love Jose and will always love him because of what he did for Chelsea – but nobody is bigger than the club.
      “I understand that you are upset he has gone but things had not been right for some while and the time was right for a change.
      “I want you to trust me that Avram is the right man and he is a permanent appointment.
      “There will be more additions to the coaching squad but Avram is here to stay.
      Abramovich has since been forced to sell Chelsea after falling foul of government sanctions
      “You could see tonight against Valencia we still have a great spirit in our team.”
      Abramovich is not an imposing man, slightly built and with no obvious charisma.
      But he listened to those supporters who tried to tell him Mourinho deserved more time, then insisted they would understand his decision far better had they been aware of the full picture.
      Their chat had started late and finished when the bar closed at 1.30am.
      I listened to the majority of it and spoke to the supporters to get the full story.
      Abramovich posed for photos with them and then headed for bed, with Zhukova.
      I took the lift with the couple, but when I tried to engage him in conversation, Abramovich was in no mood to elaborate further.
      Still, this wasn’t a bad little story to stumble across, especially as I had only been working for the newspaper which then employed me for less than a month.
      The following morning, before heading to the airport, I rang my sports editor and told him I had some exclusive Abramovich quotes.
      Given that these were like hen’s teeth, and my boss didn’t know me well, he responded with the words ‘f*** me, Kiddo, pull the other one’.
      Then he asked whether I was certain I hadn’t been duped by the very convincing Abramovich lookalike, who was sometimes employed by The Sun during the early part of the Russian’s reign. 
      Abramovich fired Mourinho in 2007, replacing him with Avram Grant, before re-hiring the Portuguese boss in 2013Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      I replied that the Abramovich lookalike didn’t tend to hang out with a Zhukova lookalike, a Tenenbaum lookalike and a couple of Bond villain lookalikes.
      Anyway, we ran the story, and Grant proved to be as permanent as any other Chelsea manager.
      He lasted nine months and led the club to their first Champions League final, losing a penalty shoot-out to Manchester United in Moscow.
      Abramovich was true to his word about his enduring admiration for Mourinho – reinstating the Portuguese boss in 2013.
      Jose would win another title before he was sacked again with the Blues in a genuine relegation fight in December 2015.
      I was reminded of that twilight-zone story when Abramovich caused fury among fans by firing another club legend, Frank Lampard in 2021.
      Then, during the pandemic and a visa issue, Abramovich became more remote and elusive than ever.
      And, of course, with sanctions placed he was forced to sell up to Todd Boehly – as a new era at Stamford Bridge begins.
      It was easy to imagine him as an unseen God-like figure, striking down managers without mercy.
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      Yet there was a small part of him which did seem to care about his personal popularity with Chelsea supporters.
      And he proved it on that weird night in Valencia. More

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      in Soccer

      Sir Alex Ferguson was left ‘numb’ by forgotten Man Utd star’s ‘really serious’ injury after horror challenge

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      SIR Alex Ferguson was left “numb” by one horror challenge on a now forgotten Manchester United star. Rodrigo Possebon was being tipped for big things at Old Trafford after his 2008 move from Brazilian club Internacional.
      Injury after this tackle saw Possebon struggle to get his Manchester United career going againCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Possebon was given oxygen as he left the pitch in a league cup gameCredit: PA:Press Association
      The midfielder had impressed in pre-season and was fighting his way into the first team – before one injury put paid to his progress.
      Possebon, now 34, was selected to make his full debut in a League Cup game at home against Middlesbrough in September, forming a midfield alongside Anderson and Ryan Giggs.
      But one moment left his promising career to unravel as he sprinted for a loose ball in the middle of the park.
      A shocking late tackle by Boro captain Emanuel Pogatetz caught the youngster.
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      The Austrian flew in with his studs up, and the challenge’s force left Possebon flying into the air.
      He was given oxygen by medical staff and taken off the pitch on a stretcher.
      Despite initial fears he had a broken leg, he was miraculously playing again a month later.
      But his career would never get going again with the midfielder sent on loan a season later before making a scattering of appearances at far less glamorous clubs than Man United.
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      Speaking after the game, Ferguson said: “It looked a really bad one. For the kid to make his first team debut and get an injury like that it was pretty horrendous.
      “For 10 minutes, everyone was numb about it. I have seen a video of it and you don’t want to see that again. We just hope it is not really, really serious, but it looks bad.”
      Possebon was the director of football at Brazilian club Ferroviária SAF until March earlier this year when he resigned from the position.
      He had however reflected on the moment his career changed.
      He told the Manchester Evening News: “Getting injured is never good, mainly because I was in a good sequence of games, but I never thought that the injury could end my career.
      “Before the injury, I was in great physical and technical shape, so the period that I was off the activities with the squad hindered me from having opportunities in the team again. Manchester United had one of the best teams on the planet at the time, so having an opportunity in the squad again was not an easy thing.”
      He added: “I have no regrets. Playing for Manchester United was a dream come true. More than that, I learned a lot and it gave me incredible experience to carry out my activity today as a Director of Football.
      “The whole environment that involves a club like Manchester United, the level of professionals, the pressure, the demands, living in the UK, were fundamental to shaping me as director of football.” More

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      Bruno Fernandes named unknown Francisco Ramos as a player he’d sign for Man Utd.. and snubbed Solskjaer as top boss

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      BRUNO FERNANDES named little-known Portuguese midfielder Francisco Ramos as the one player he would love to join him at Manchester United.Fernandes secured his dream move to Old Trafford in 2020 in a £55million deal.
      Bruno Fernandes named little-known Portuguese midfielder Francisco Ramos as one player he would love to join him at Manchester UnitedCredit: PA
      Fernandes played with Ramos in the Portugal youth team
      But Fernandes revealed his former Portugal youth team-mate Ramos – now playing for Radomiak Radom – is the one player he would add to strengthen United even more.
      He told Carolina Deslandes on Instagram: “It is very difficult to choose, because I have a lot of locker room people who are my friend.
      “Wherever I played? Francisco Ramos.”
      The 28-year-old also said Jorge Jesus, the current Fenerbahce boss, is his most influential manager.
      Jesus spent spent a season with Fernandes at Sporting, having signed him from Sampdoria in 2017, a move that kick-started the playmaker’s career.
      Meanwhile, the Portuguese international revealed winning the league is his ultimate Old Trafford ambition, having already won the Carabao Cup while reaching the FA Cup final.
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      He said on his targets as a United player: “To be champion of a league. In this case in the Premier League.
      “Of course I would like to win the European or the World Cup.
      “Everyone has ambitions, but mine is to win the Premier League ”
      Jorge Jesus spent spent a season with Fernandes at Sporting, having signed him from Sampdoria in 2017Credit: Getty More