not sure if this has been posted before, here goes anyway:
Eto'o facing Liverpool axe after snub
By JOHN EDWARDS - More by this author »
Last updated at 23:13pm on 12th February 2007
Danger man Samuel Eto’o looks like missing Barcelona’s Champions League tie with Liverpool after an extraordinary fall-out with coach Frank Rijkaard.
The free-scoring Cameroon striker trained on his own in Barcelona’s gym yesterday after flouting Rijkaard’s authority by refusing to appear as a substitute in the closing minutes of Sunday’s home win over Racing Santander.
In a public show of dissent that hasturnedmostof histeam-mates against him,Eto’oreturnedto the bench and ignored instructions to go on after spending several minutes warming up.
A bemused Rijkaard is awaiting an explanation from Eto’o, who hasjustregainedfitness after four months out with a knee injury, but seems likely to exclude him from the starting line-up against Valencia in La Liga on Sunday and Liverpool in next week’s last-16 tie.
Rijkaard said: "Eto’o warmed up but afterwards told my assistant he did not want to come on. It’s a shame, but I haven’t been able to speak to him to find out why."
Eto’o at least appears to have an ally in president Joan Laporta, who said: "Samuel has suffered for four months and needs to be playing and scoring goals. We have to reach out to him and give him some support. Rijkaard is an expert in these situations."
Liverpool made a shaky start to their five-day training stint in the Algarve yesterday when a mid-morning earthquake sent tremors through the region.
The club will also be expected to play promotional friendlies in Japan and China now they have been taken over by U.S. sports moguls Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
Chief executive Rick Parry has flown to the United States for talks about the club’s future with their new owners, and he is likely to be told the "brand" needs to be promoted more in the Far East.
By JOHN EDWARDS - More by this author »
Last updated at 23:13pm on 12th February 2007
Danger man Samuel Eto’o looks like missing Barcelona’s Champions League tie with Liverpool after an extraordinary fall-out with coach Frank Rijkaard.
The free-scoring Cameroon striker trained on his own in Barcelona’s gym yesterday after flouting Rijkaard’s authority by refusing to appear as a substitute in the closing minutes of Sunday’s home win over Racing Santander.
In a public show of dissent that hasturnedmostof histeam-mates against him,Eto’oreturnedto the bench and ignored instructions to go on after spending several minutes warming up.
A bemused Rijkaard is awaiting an explanation from Eto’o, who hasjustregainedfitness after four months out with a knee injury, but seems likely to exclude him from the starting line-up against Valencia in La Liga on Sunday and Liverpool in next week’s last-16 tie.
Rijkaard said: "Eto’o warmed up but afterwards told my assistant he did not want to come on. It’s a shame, but I haven’t been able to speak to him to find out why."
Eto’o at least appears to have an ally in president Joan Laporta, who said: "Samuel has suffered for four months and needs to be playing and scoring goals. We have to reach out to him and give him some support. Rijkaard is an expert in these situations."
Liverpool made a shaky start to their five-day training stint in the Algarve yesterday when a mid-morning earthquake sent tremors through the region.
The club will also be expected to play promotional friendlies in Japan and China now they have been taken over by U.S. sports moguls Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
Chief executive Rick Parry has flown to the United States for talks about the club’s future with their new owners, and he is likely to be told the "brand" needs to be promoted more in the Far East.
Comment