PREMIERSHIP NEWS (31/01/06)

KOROMAN READY FOR BLUES DEBUT

PORTSMOUTH January Transfer Window Purchase Ognjen Koroman is ready to make his Premiership debut this Weekend against CHELSEA. The SERBIAN & MONTENEGRO International arrived at the club last month and has been working on his fitness since then after not actually playing a competitive game since November. Koroman joined on loan from TEREK GROZNY, but with the Russian Season finishing last year, he had lost his match fitness. Koroman said "I wasn't match fit when i arrived here because the Russian Season had ended in November. Now i have played some reserve games and i am ready for the first team. I am available to play against CHELSEA. It will be a difficult debut against the best team in england but one i would love." Koroman is also looking forward to going Head To head with Arjen Robben, as HOLLAND are in the same World Cup group as SERBIA & MONTENEGRO. He also added "Arjen Robben is a very good player and it would be a big fight between us if i come up against him. There is extra interest becasue Robben's NETHERLAND team are in SERBIA'S group in the World Cup."

DUDEK BACK IN THE FRAME

Jerzy Dudek is set to step back in the frame after LIVERPOOL chose not to appeal against Jose Reina's red card. LIVERPOOL did not challenge the sending off, because they did not anticipate the Fa reversing the descision. Dudek must now hope Rafael Benitez sticks with him, instead of 3rd choice keeper Scott  Carson. Reina will be elegible for the Fa Cup tie against MANCHESTER UNITED on Feb 18th

GEORGE BOATENG SIGNS NEW CONTRACT

George Boateng last night (07/02/06) signed a new £45,000 per week contract that will keep him at MIDDLESBOROUGH until 2010. It will net Boateng £10 million. The midfielder, whose exsisting deal expires this summer, has been involved in talks for several months now. MIDDLESBOROUGH wanted to avoid a repetition of last year, when Bolo Zenden joined LIVERPOOL for nothing.

SOL UNDER ASSESMENT

Sol Campbell was back in training yesterday (06/02/06) and now manager Arsene Wenger will spend the next 3 days assesing his physical and mental condition, before deciding whether or not to include him in the side to face BOLTON at home this saturday. But its more likely that Wenger will gradually ease Campbell back following his dramatic-breakdown, when he walked out of the club at half time during ARSENAL'S defeat by WEST HAM last week. The ENGLAND defender rejoined his team-mates, following a 5 day absence, after he went abroad 'to clear his head'.

STATE OF PITCH NO PROBLEM FOR MOURINHO

The worlds wealthiest club could buy anything they wanted, but they will not change a CHELSEA pitch that resembles a 'Pub Style' Playing Field. While the other players are unimpressed by the muddy state of their pitch, boss Jose Mourinho said he will not ask for it to be relaid, incase their is a repeat of the injury that happened to Scott Parker last season. Mourinho said "Its the same for both sides and you cant say it favoured us against a team that plays in the air like LIVERPOOL do. Id prefer to play on a good pitch, but when we relaid it last season, it caused us big problems. The system we use puts it down in strips and that was why Scott broke his foot." YEAH RIGHT!!!!! ANY OLD EXCUSE JOSE!!!

MANDARIC OFFERS HIS SUPPORT

PORTSMOUTH'S Chairman Milan Mandaric has described suggestions that new russian owner Sacha Gaydamak wants Harry Redknapp out of PORTSMOUTH, as 'Absolute Rubbish'. Redknapp has come under quite a lot of pressure since taking over as manager, for failing to lift them out of the Relegation Zone, but Mandaric insists 'that he and Gaydamak are still firmly behind Redknapp.' He later said "Both Sacha and i are going to support Harry every way we can. Anyone who suggests anything else is being very silly and totally unwise. We have to be patient and stay united behind the manager, and that is the only way forward."

HAMMERS TAKE ON VETERAN JONES

WEST HAM have taken veteran goalkeeper Paul Jones on trial. The 38 year old former WOLVES and SOUTHAMPTON goalkeeper is available, but will spend a week training with WEST HAM. Paul left WOLVES last week by 'Mutual Consent', but he is hopeful of being offered a permanent deal. Paul Jones said "It happened very quickly,i got a phone call last week from Kevin Keen (part of the hammers coaching staff), whom i played with at WOLVES in the nineties, and he told me Alan Pardew wanted to know if i had plans."

PAPA FULHAM PLEDGE

FULHAM were handed a massive boost last night, with the news that Papa Boupa Diop will sign a new contract when he returns from the African Nations Cup, Diop's SENEGAL lost to EGYPT in the Semi-Finals on Tuesday (07/02/06). But Diop is also being hunted as a possible replacement for Viera at ARSENAL and is also being tracked by MAN UTD and NEWCASTLE. Diop is expected to hold talks about a new deal with manager Chris Coleman.

RICHARD'S WRIGHT OFF!!!

EVERTON goalkeeper Richard Wright was forced out of last nights (08/02/06) Cup Tie against CHELSEA, after taking an embarassing tumble in the warm up. He tripped over a sign telling players not to practice in the goal mouths, and twisted his ankle. EVERTON manager - who was also without 1st choice keeper Nigel Martyn - had to give a first start to 20 year old scottish rookie keeper Iain Turner. David Moyes allready had a catalogue of injuries and suspensions before this, which has ruled out Duncan Ferguson, Joseph Yobo, Andy Van Der Meyde and Alan Stubbs (cup-tied).

N REO COKER FOR SIERRA LEONE

Nigel Reo Coker has revealed that he could play internationaly for SIERRA LEONE if he is not picked by ENGLAND'S next manager. The ENGLAND U21 captain was named by Sven Goran Eriksson in December as a possible late-comer into his World Cup Squad, but the WEST HAM midfielder said he was becoming increasingly frustrated at his lack of full squad recognition. He said "I can still change my allegiance. As soon as you stop playing Under 21 Football, you have a year to change if you want to. There is an alternative. Icould play for SIERRA LEONE, but i've not thought that far ahead. I just want to see what happens and my main focus is with WEST HAM."

WEST BROM'S KEEPER WORLD CUP DREAMS STILL ALIVE

WEST BROM Goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak's World Cup dream is still alive, thanks to a recall to the POLAND squad, after a Two-Year absence. The POLAND Coach Pawel Janas named a 30-strong squad for the games against KAISERSLAUTERN and USA in Germany, and Kuszczak will also compete with LIVERPOOL'S Jerzey Dudek, CELTIC'S Arter Dudek and SPARTAK MOSCOW'S Wojciech Kowalewski for the No.1 spot at this years World Cup.

GUNNER'S CURTIS BID KO'D

ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger failed with a £3 million january Bid for WEST BROM Defender Curtis Davies. WEST BROM rejected the bid for Center Half Davies, but the ARSENAL boss could make another bid for the Ex-LUTON star in the Summer.

BUTT IN FINAL WARNING WITH BRUCE OVER WALKOUT

Nicky Butt has been fined 2 weeks wages by manager Steve Bruce and warned that he is just one step away from being sent packing by BIRMINGHAM. Steve Bruce was angry when Butt reacted to being left out of the squad of 16 for the game against WEST HAM on Monday night, by storming out of the team hotel and going home. Those actions will now cost the midfielder £76,000 and he will be left in no doubt that if it happens again, he'll be out. Steve Bruce said "The inccident upset me because its out of character for Nicky, but i cant have any player of mine acting in the way he did." Nicky Butt later appologised, saying "It was the wrong decision and unacceptable."