Pro Eleven Headline News
Ryan Giggs extends Manchester United by one year
Rumours of the 35-year-old's retirement were clearly greatly exaggerated, as were suggestions he would be offered a place on United's coaching staff, or perhaps grace another club on the Continent.
Instead, Giggs has his sights set on further rewriting the record books. If there was any doubt that, while the searing pace may have dissipated, he is still a cut above most players in the Premier League, it was dispelled in his masterful display in the 3-0 humbling of Chelsea last month.
The boy who moved from Cardiff to Swinton at the age of six has already gone down in English football history after collecting 10 league titles, four FA Cups and two European Cups.
Should he succeed in his stated aim of bringing yet more silverware to Old Trafford, he will go down in perpetuity, his tally of trophies and medals too high for any successor to expect to match.
Giggs said: "I'm delighted to have been offered a new contract. I feel fit and I'm enjoying my football more than ever.
"This is an exciting young team and the spirit is great in the dressing-room. I want to be a part of that and achieve even more success."
By the time he sees out his new deal Giggs will be almost 37, nearing the 20th anniversary of his debut for United after he came on as a substitute for Denis Irwin in a 2-0 defeat against Everton at Old Trafford on March 2, 1991.
No doubt seeing Giggs turn out at 37, having watched him make his debut aged 17, will be a moment of personal pride for Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager who visited Giggs' house on his 14th birthday to sign him on schoolboy terms having persuaded him to join United rather than Manchester City, in an echo of the tale which helped Matt Busby secure the services of Duncan Edwards.
Tempting as it is to eschew the modern in favour of the past, Giggs will now most likely stand alongside Edwards in the annals of United's history. As well as all of those medals, Giggs, like Edwards, changed the landscape of football.
He was the Premier League's first poster boy, Beckham before the boy from Leytonstone broke into the first team, the player who launched a thousand cliches. The boy wonder who gave defenders twisted blood. That was Giggs.
Those days may be behind him, but while Ferguson knows that Giggs is these days best deployed as a central midfielder rather than a lung-busting winger, he is full of praise for his protege's appetite for success.
Ferguson said: "It would be easy for him to be complacent after all that he has achieved, but that he isn't speaks volumes for his character and explains why we wanted to extend his services and use his experience.
"Although he wants to be involved in every game, he understands that by using his experience when it matters is a benefit to him and to the team."
Ferguson added: "Ryan is a true professional of the game, his lifestyle, the way he looks after himself, and his desire to always want to win is a credit to him and an inspiration to any young kid who wants to become a footballer." Telegraph
Galaxy set Beckham transfer deadline
LA Galaxy have told AC Milan they must agree a deal by Friday if they want to sign David Beckham.
Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber imposed the deadline on Wednesday evening.
Garber said: "There is no reason why this should drag on. They either want to do it or don't want to do it.
"This Friday we need to know if they want to buy David Beckham or not."
The 33-year-old England international joined the Rossoneri on loan at the beginning of last month and was due to return to America on 9 March.
However, Beckham recently announced that he was keen to seal a permanent switch to the San Siro.
Garber wants the matter sorted out as soon as possible, adding: "What they need to realise is that we are getting very close to the start of our season.
"We have to figure out what plans we need to make and if David Beckham is going to be a part of those plans."
Meanwhile, Fiorentina winger Martin Jorgensen has admitted he is growing impatient with the lack of progress in his new contract talks.
The 33-year-old Denmark international has been with the Viola since 2004 following a spell with Udinese, but fears his recent injury problems are causing the club to have second thoughts about handing him a new deal.
He said: "The contract situation is all up to the club. We have agreed the length of a new deal with the directors because it has to be one year.
"However, we haven't reached an agreement on the wages. I will continue to wait but I am starting to lose patience.
"Now I am feeling fine after all my injuries. I am working with the rest of the players and so I am available for the coach to pick." Independent
David James backs Sven-Göran Eriksson to rescue Portsmouth
Portsmouth are pinning their hopes on the arrival of Sven-Göran Eriksson as their new manager giving the club extra clout in takeover talks with two potential bidders as well as boosting their chances of avoiding relegation.
The Times understands that Peter Storrie, the Portsmouth executive chairman, was in London on Sunday to meet one of the parties — believed to be from Europe — interested in buying the struggling Barclays Premier League club from Alexandre Gaydamak. The same day, Storrie dismissed Tony Adams as manager, phoning him at his five-year-old son’s birthday party. According to sources, another bid is being prepared with funds from the Middle East.
The presence of Eriksson in the South Coast club’s dugout would make the club a more attractive proposition despite debts estimated at £80 million and an antiquated infrastructure. Pini Zahavi, the Israeli agent, knows both Eriksson and Gaydamak, who needs Portsmouth to be a top-flight club if he is to recoup anything approaching his original £32 million investment. He would be prepared to pay a substantial bonus if Eriksson can keep the club up.
Prising Eriksson away from his job as head coach of Mexico seemed no easier despite their defeat by the United States in Wednesday’s World Cup qualifying match. “I still have a contract and I think that I would be a man without courage if I quit now,” Eriksson said. And Justino Compean, the president of the Mexican football federation, said: “There’s total support for Eriksson because we have a commitment with him.” However, there may still be room for negotiation if compensation can be agreed.
However, David James, the England goalkeeper, would like Eriksson to take over at Portsmouth, giving him an extra reason for celebration this weekend in addition to setting a Premier League appearance record of 536 games. “As an England manager, he’s the second best I have played under [after Fabio Capello],” James said. “I mean that as a compliment. With the experience he’s got, he commands respect, even if he did drop me.
“I was hoping when Tony took over that he would be a continuation of what we had with Harry [Redknapp]. That didn’t materialise. Putting someone like Sven in charge would be a statement that the club intends to go in the right direction. I know we are fighting for Premiership survival, but the ethos for the last couple of years has been to have aspirations to be getting into Europe and reaching the Champions League. We need someone as manager who has experience and the same desire.”
Which Adams lacked? “Possibly. It was difficult taking over from Harry. You need a manager with experience and who can organise what is fundamentally a good side to play decent football.”
James will overtake Gary Speed’s appearance record at Fratton Park tomorrow against Manchester City, his previous club. The run began with Liverpool on August 16, 1992, in a 1-0 defeat away to Nottingham Forest. He went on to play for Aston Villa and West Ham United as well as City and Portsmouth.
“It means a hell of a lot to me,” he said. “Every time Gary Speed has pulled on a shirt in recent seasons, the lads have given me a bit of stick:
‘You’ll have to go for another game, and another one.’
“As things stand, I have another couple of years with Portsmouth and I hope to go on as long as I can. I am playing in the best domestic league in the world, so if you can play in it for 15, 16 years, that must say something. Portsmouth gave me the opportunity to be in the Premiership and that’s why I’m still with England, too.” Times Online
