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Morning Ticker: Keane blasts Warner, Gerrard and Torres to face Man Utd and Jamaica fires Simoes

Roy_keane_ap

Just when you thought the controversy surrounding Dwight Yorke’s absence from the Trinidad & Tobago national team’s match against the United States was over. Now comes word that Sunderland manager Roy Keane has blasted FIFA vice-president (and Trinidad & Tobago special advisor) Jack Warner for publicly critizing Keane’s role in Yorke missing T&T’s 3-0 World Cup qualifying loss to the USA on Wednesday.

Keane called Warner a "clown" for publicly releasing a letter he wrote to Keane regarding Yorke. The former Manchester United star also blasted Yorke for his continued desire to play for Trinidad & Tobago at age 36.

”He is probably a small man and he has got this ‘Small-Man Syndrome’," Keane said of Warner. "The world is against him.

”If he is writing a letter representing Trinidad, why is he putting it under FIFA? If he is vice-president – and remember, he is vice-president, he is not president yet – God help us."

Here are some other stories from the morning and last night:

Torres and Gerrard fit for Man Utd clash

Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard have been ruled healthy and will play in Liverpool’s clash against Manchester United on Saturday.

Torres had been sidelined with a hamstring injury but looks ready to go, while Gerrard has recovered from groin surgery.

Manchester United and Liverpool face off at Anfield on Saturday.

Jamaica fires Simoes

Three World Cup qualifying matches without a win was enough for Jamaican national team manager Rene Simoes to be sent packing. Simoes was fired after Jamaica’s 2-0 loss to Honduras on Wednesday, leaving the ‘Reggae Boyz’ in last place in CONCACAF qualifying Group B with one point.

Jamaican Federation president Horace Burrell said he expects to hire Simoes’ replacement within a week.

West ham shirt sponsor files for bankruptcy

You know that sweet revenue stream known as jersey sponsorships? It isn’t always a sure thing, which is something West Ham United is finding out.

XL Holidays, West Ham’s shirt sponsor, has filed for bankruptcy, a move that could leave West Ham short £5million.

That’s all for now. Please free to share your thoughts on these stories, and any other soccer stories from this morning, in the comments section below.

Comments

  1. Way to go Keano!!!

    He better watch his back though. Never insult a member of ‘the family’. I’m sure the FIFA mafia will be making a hit in the near future.

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  2. Jack Warner has responded to Roy Keane via a second public letter. He wrote:

    “The disrespectful tone of your reported comments further demonstrates the total disrespect that you and others of your ilk [YOU IRISH RACIST] have generally for players and officials from ‘small’ countries [YES I KNOW IRELAND IS A SMALL COUNTRY,…BUT DON’T INTERUPT ME].

    “It is obviously difficult for you to accept the fact that someone from a ‘small’ country [READ BLACK MAN FROM THE CARIBBEAN] could rise [BY PLAYING SEPP BLATTERS LAP-DOG AND ENGAGING IN ONGOING CRIMINAL ACTIVITY] to become a vice-president of FIFA.

    “I chose to respond on a FIFA letter-head because [I THOUGHT IT WOULD IMPRESS AND TERIFY YOU] that is a privilege afforded me owing to my said status [BY SELLING CONCACAF VOTES TO BLATTER FOR PAY-OFFS] and the fact that your callousness showed utter disregard for FIFA’s regulations re the release of players for international duty [EVEN THOUGH YORKE PROBABLY TOLD YOU WHEN HE SIGNED HIS CONTRACT THAT HE WAS DONE WITH INTERNATIOANL FOOTBALL]. Regrettably, but not surprisingly, you did not grasp the message [YOU BETTER WATCH YOUR BACK, MICKIE].

    “In closing may I remind you that [IN MY OPINION] a player’s greatest honour is to represent his country [I WOULDN’T KNOW BECAUSE I NEVER DID]in spite of the fact that you chose to walk away from yours during the 2002 Korea/Japan World Cup after publicly abusing your manager… indictment that you will no doubt be proud of up to today. Poor Sunderland [OH,..I FORGOT, YOUR CHAIRMAN IS IRISH ALSO].”

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  3. As much as I can’t stand Warner, Keane did stand in the way of Yorke representing T&T who is in a fight for WC qualification. Don’t be fooled that Yorke would make this decision on his own. Keane shows no respect for T&T’s aspirations and clearly violated FIFA rules. What happens when some of our players are told to stay with their club or risk losing a place on the team instead of representing their country?

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  4. 1-point in 3 games is not good, but they were all away matches. I think Simoes should have stayed. At this point the transition for a new coach will be too much. Simoes may have gotten wins at home against Honduras and Canada…and maybe a point against Mexico at home. Unlikely, but seems too much to fire him after 3 away matches.

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  5. As everyone else has been saying, Warner is a clown, but in this case he is actually right. But I guess we shouldn’t be surprised that Keane doesn’t understand wanting to represent your country

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  6. although i agree with the general sentiment that warner is a clown…keane isnt too far behind him…because the saddest part is that while T & T needed him, keane held him back to play what 15 – 20 minutes this weekend? it isnt as if at “age 36” yorke is still a HUGE part of sunderlands plans…so to me that was a HIGHLY selfish move on keane’s part

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  7. The whole “Keane has to release him” talk is all well and good, but if ol’ Keano says that he had an agreement with Yorke with he signed him, I tend to believe him. Roy doesn’t seem the type to lie about that, since I’m pretty sure he doesn’t give a crap what anyone thinks about him.

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  8. West Ham’s contract with XL pays them for the year ahead of the start to the season. They are not out any money, and probably will not have to give them any $$ back.

    Just a matter of getting another lucratively paying sponsor.

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  9. Yeah, George, you said it all regarding this mess. Keane was WAY out of bounds in holding back Yorke. Also, you just don’t say crap like Keane said on the small man topic…it sounds rather Neandrathal (but Warner is still a clown).

    Figures that Torres is deemed fit. I transferred him off my fantasy roster…hamstrings usually take FOREVER to heal. On the bright side, it’s one less red-scouser on my roster. 🙂 Couldn’t resist.

    Happy f’n Friday.

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  10. Everyone agrees that Warner is a clown and that there’s no defending him on any level, but if Dwight Yorke wants to play for T&T, Sunderland (and Keane) has to release him. It doesn’t matter whether he’s 36 or 26, it’s a clear rule.

    If the player is injured or recovering from an injury, everyone needs to work something out collectively.

    I’m surprised that Warner’s letter wasn’t written on the letterhead of his travel agency which scammed everyone in T&T at the last WC.

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  11. IF, big IF, Europe ever really pays attention to Jack, and people start to care or ghet interested, the Eurp media will have stories to write for years.

    Jack’s greatest strength has been living in our region, which garners little world attention.

    If he steps into the spotlight then wathc the Euro press run riot. Easy stories.

    Reply

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