Main Page |
Season 1997-98 Chelsea (n) Friendly |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
44 mins: Tomasson
shot 1-0
Kenny Dalglish said:
Ruud
Gullit:
Newcastle United plc may have to wait for
their next money. As one striking asset went into deep freeze at Goodison Park
yesterday, the departure of another might well have been placed on hold. The
£6m Tottenham have offered for Les Ferdinand represents good business to the
money men holding sway at St James' Park. But the transfer looked too premature for
Kenny Dalglish's liking as the Newcastle manager watched Alan Shearer's
stretcher-borne departure in the final minute of his team's meeting with Chelsea
in the Umbro International tournament. The England captain appeared to have
seriously damaged his left ankle when stretching, unchallenged, to gain
possession. And, in that instant, Dalglish's pledge to welcome back Ferdinand
"with open arms" should his proposed move fall through became more of
an urgent plea than an open offer. "It's his ankle, but we don't know what
it is," Dalglish said. "He's gone to hospital." However, Spurs moved quickly to allay fears
that Ferdinand's transfer could fall through. Daniel Sugar, Tottenham's
operations manager, said: "Newcastle have signed an agreement saying they
will sell us the player. If we agree personal terms with the player and if he
passes a medical, he will be our player." The blow came, ironically, after Jon Dahl
Tomasson had provided further evidence of his ability to fit into the Newcastle
firing line. The 20- year-old Dane insists he is an attacking midfielder rather
than a ready- made striking replacement for Ferdinand, but the stunning goal he
scored yesterday - his fourth of such quality in four pre-season games -
suggested otherwise. For £2.2m, the price it took to prize
Tomasson from the Dutch club Heerenveen, Dalglish has acquired a cut-price gem.
It was the least of Newcastle's worries that his side failed to reach today's
final against Everton, losing the penalty shoot-out as Tomasson, Stuart Pearce
and Faustino Asprilla all missed. It was in the same tournament a year ago
that Ruud Gullit claimed his first trophy in management. The Dutchman watched
with satisfaction from the bench as his team overcame Ajax in the City Ground
final on that occasion but, having won a prize of greater value at Wembley in
May, his mission now is to make Chelsea one of the major players in the push for
the Premiership title. Only two of his five foreign reinforcements were called
to arms yesterday, Dutch goalkeeper Ed De Goey and Uruguay midfielder Gustavo
Poyet. Indeed, with four Brits in their ranks, the Chelsea set looked positively
parochial. They set the enterprising tone, however,
with Jody Morris and Poyet forcing promising openings before Newcastle's
legionnaires made an impact. Tomasson is not the only bargain Dalglish has
unearthed from the foreign market. Temur Ketsbaia's blend of pace, control and
industry repeatedly ripped into the side of Chelsea. Gianfranco Zola's talents were instantly
appreciated in the Premiership last season and English football's player of the
year was the second-half star. His left-wing cross supplied Poyet's headed
equaliser, in the 63rd minute. But he and his Italian compatriot Roberto Di
Matteo were guilty of squandering the gilt-edged sitters that forced the issue
to penalties. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||