Incredibly, there’s a global football superstar who isn’t dying to check out the Chicago Fire’s new digs, writes the Guardian’s Georgina Turner.
Jose Mourinho has accused awol defender William Gallas of disrespecting him and the rest of the club by staying away from their American training camp.
“It’s not only me that is upset – we’re all upset,” Mourinho said. “Everybody is upset because we had a strong family and a strong group and this has shown a lack of respect to everybody and I don’t like that.”
Gallas, who has one year left on his contract, says his failure to report for the US tour is down to tiredness after France reached the World Cup final. He has previously expressed a desire to leave the club, and now faces the possibility of disciplinary action when he does eventually meet up with representatives from Chelsea.
Chelsea insist they still want Gallas to sign a new deal, but the fact that Mourinho has handed Gallas’s No13 shirt to new signing Michael Ballack suggests the Frenchman will get his wish and leave the club.
MLS, however, have nothing but the greatest respect for tomorrow night’s friendly, featuring the US league’s All-Stars versus whichever Chelsea players were dumb enough to show up, so much so, that they’ve not bothered to postpone Sunday’s Chivas USA v. New England tilt.
Manchester United are currently engrossed in what would be a less-than-memorable exhibition against FC Porto at Amsterdam’s Ajax Arena. The 2-0 scoreline isn’t nearly as sensational as Wayne Rooney being sent off in the 42nd minute for delivering a forearm to the face of Képler Laveran Lima Ferreira. That’s two red cards in 34 days for Rooney, who much like Tony Phillips in his prime, seems to be under a great degree of scrutiny from the officials. Surely there are more subtle ways to hit the opposition in the face.