The talk in football

Standard Sport14 April 2012
Santini makes a meal of it

With the return of Hell's Kitchen, crazy Frenchmen babbling about food have become all the rage. Jacques Santini, the bug-eyed former Tottenham coach, this week told a French newspaper why he is not quite ready to spill the beans over the circumstances surrounding his departure from White Hart Lane. He said: "I know I made a good choice in leaving this club. I will explain some more later. It is necessary to let the souffle fall down."

Why chauffeur Souness gave Abramovich a lift

Should things continue to unravel at Newcastle, manager Graeme Souness could always consider an alternative career in the high-class limousine business. Talk can reveal that it was the stern Scot who met Roman Abramovich at the airport and drove him to see his first football match in England (Manchester United's thrilling Champions League clash with Real Madrid in 2003). Souness was apparently doing a favour for Abramovich's host, the ubiquitous middleman Pini Zahavi, with whom he has a long-standing friendship. Indeed, according to Zahavi, Souness and his wife were even due at the Elysee restaurant on the night of Peter Kenyon's infamous "second meeting" with Rio Ferdinand.

Loft End prices sky-high

Chants of "Rangers till we're skint" rang out from the Loftus Road terraces during last week's clash with Leeds as QPR fans vented their anger at a near 50 per cent rise in season-ticket prices. The cost of a renewal in the Loft End - £297 a year ago - is going up to £442, while youngsters are also being hit by the hike. The cheapest price for a new season-ticket holder under the age of 16 will be £230, which is more than neighbours Fulham charge for Premiership football. Chairman Bill Power said: "We know it's a big increase but we've done the sums and there's no other way."

Cottee plot red carded

A condolence card to West Ham fans hoping to see chairman Terry Brown's regime ousted by an Upton Park takeover. Don Lewin, the millionaire founder of Clinton Cards, looks to have walked away from the consortium fronted by former striker Tony Cottee. Standard Sport revealed last month that Lewin and his managing director son Clinton had been approached by Cottee's people, but sources close to the family are now playing down the speculation, which they said had really "got out of control" in recent weeks.

Terry the star on Sunday

Talk's official clairvoyant, Mystic Barbara, predicts John Terry will scoop this Sunday's PFA Player of the Year award, but Frank Lampard will be consoled with the European Footballer of the Year gong providing Chelsea get past Liverpool and win the European Cup Final in Istanbul.

Contact us at: talk@standard.co.uk

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