FA to investigate Drogba book's wish that he had punched Vidic

The Football Association are to study Didier Drogba's comments in his autobiography saying he wished he had punched Nemanja Vidic in the Champions League final. The Chelsea striker was sent off in the final in May for slapping the Manchester United defender - and in his book said he now wishes he had punched Vidic.

The FA take a dim view of current players making such comments in books, and will study the remark and the whole book to see whether Drogba may have brought the game into disrepute. An FA spokesman said: "We are aware of the comments and will be examining them in their proper context."

The FA are not viewing it in the same light as Roy Keane's book, in which the former United skipper said he had deliberately injured Alf-Inge Haaland.

Back in 2002, Keane was banned for five games and fined £150,000 by the FA but similar disciplinary action is unlikely to be taken against Drogba, who may simply be warned.

Drogba wrote: "I have seen the match on video and I believe I should not have been sent off with three minutes to go. If I had punched him, I would have understood. Now I wish I had."

In Keane's case, his autobiography said his challenge on Haaland was an act of revenge for the Norwegian accusing him of feigning injury three years before when he had actually ruptured his cruciate knee ligament.

Keane wrote: "I'd waited almost 180 minutes for Alfie, three years if you looked at it another way. I'd waited long enough. I hit him hard. The ball was there (I think). Take that." **

Source: Guardian.co.uk

Theo Walcott's Arsenal Deal Delay Alerts European Giants

The north London club were due to begin negotiating a new deal with Walcott at the start of this month after talks were pushed back during the summer but they have still yet to materialise.

Walcott has just 20 months to run on his current contract, which ends in June 2010, and Arsenal have taken a risk by allowing him to run down more time after his excellent start to the new campaign.

Walcott has established himself as a regular for club and country this season, starring in all four of England's World Cup qualifiers and scoring a stunning hat-trick in England's 4-1 victory over Croatia last month.

The player has not been pressing for a new contract and, privately, is adamant that his development would be best served by continuing to work under Arsene Wenger but he is growing increasingly concerned that he has heard nothing from the club and there will be alarm in some quarters if the situation is still the same by the new year.

Arsenal recognise they may have to offer Walcott up to eight times his current salary of about £15,000-a-week to keep him out of the clutches of covetous rivals.

Emmanuel Adebayor and William Gallas, who earn around £80,000 a week, are believed to be the top earners at the club but even they are dwarfed by Walcott's international colleagues, such as Frank Lampard, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney, who are all in the £5-£8 million a year bracket.

Arsenal announced record pre-tax profits of £36.7 million for the year ending May 2008 but they have a strict wage policy.

There will be no shortage of takers if Walcott decides that his career would be best served by a move away from Emirates Stadium.

Chelsea have privately made it clear that they would break the bank to sign the teenager while Liverpool continue to court the boyhood Anfield fan.

Manchester City and Manchester United, who could lose Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid next summer, are monitoring the situation, as are leading clubs on the Continent.

Arsenal could command a fee of £40 million for Walcott given his immense potential and his age – he does not turn 20 until next March.

Arsenal would not be drawn on Walcott's situation. A spokesman said: "We don't comment on the specifics of player contracts."

Source: telegraph.co.uk

Hleb wants Cesc at Barca

Alexander Hleb admits he is badgering former Arsenal team-mate Cesc Fabregas to join him at Barcelona.

Belarus midfielder Hleb quit the Gunners in the summer to move to Camp Nou and wants to play alongside Fabregas again.

Fabregas, who left Barcelona for Arsenal in 2003, admitted earlier this week that a return to the club would be 'a dream come true'.

The Spain international plans to review his future at the end of the season and Hleb hopes Fabregas will come back to Barcelona.


Like a brother

"We get on very well on and off the pitch. For me he is like a brother. We call each other a lot to talk about things," Hleb told El Mundo Deportivo.

"He tells me he misses me at Arsenal and, without wanting to detract from anyone, I would love it if he came to Barca to be a part of all this.

"I don't stop insisting that he should return to Barca and he doesn't stop insisting that he is very happy at Arsenal and with Arsene Wenger.

"I will keep boring him until he changes his mind. If in the end he listens to me, I think it would be great for Barcelona."

Source: skysports.com

GALLAS: I Flipped My Lid

William Gallas admits he has had to reassert his authority as Arsenal captain after conceding he "flipped his lid" against Birmingham City last season.

French defender Gallas was given the armband by Arsene Wenger ahead of the 2007/08 campaign, but blotted his copybook in a 2-2 draw at St Andrews in February.

Birmingham were awarded a last-minute penalty and, in protest at the decision, Gallas retreated to the halfway line and sat down sulking.

The result was seen as a pivotal moment in Arsenal's faltering title bid and Gallas acknowledged he made a mistake with his actions.

He believes some of the criticism aimed in his direction was unfair, but is confident he still has the backing of his team-mates to be Gunners skipper.

Gallas told L'Equipe Magazine: "The controversy about my captaincy? People had to find a scapegoat as we didn't win any trophies last season.

"So, they talked and talked again about the Birmingham match. Indeed I made a mistake. I must admit I flipped my lid. We should have won that game easily.

"Before Arsenal, I spent six years at Chelsea. That team was capable of getting ugly wins. If we had an opportunity to win a cup, we would never miss it.

"There I became imbued with the winning culture, which doesn't exist yet at Arsenal.

"Of course, some of my Arsenal team-mates could not have appreciated my behaviour against Birmingham.

"I had to state my authority again and today when I motivate them before a match, they say; 'Capi, we need you, we are following you'.

"If I would have been an unworthy captain, they would have banned me.

"The critics went much too far. Maybe I put myself under too much pressure, like Arsene Wenger said.

"I believed I had a message to give to my team-mates and I could not find the right words.

"Our game made people dream, but we had empty hands. We have to show a more clinical state of mind. At the end of last season there was such a frustration inside me."

William Gallas born at 17 August 1977 in Asnières-sur-Seine is a French international footballer of Guadeloupian descent. He played for Chelsea before join to Arsenal.

Source: sportinglife.com