Postecoglou unhappy with treatment of Finkler

4 January 2013 02:07

Melbourne Victory coach Ange Postecoglou has blasted rookie referee Lucien Laverdure for his treatment of injured playmaker Gui Finkler.

Finkler went down with a knee injury in Tuesday’s 2-1 loss to Western Sydney Wanderers but was denied medical treatment by Laverdure and forced to drag himself from the playing field.

Scans on Wednesday revealed Finkler had ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and will be out of action for up to eight months.

Postecoglou suggested Laverdure, who was officiating in just his fourth A-League match, and other referees were too easily swayed by vocal crowds who feel players are simulating injuries.

“He’s done his ACL and he’s had to crawl off the pitch without getting any medical help from our people,” he said on Friday.

“We’ve got to be aware that players need to be protected and their welfare is the key thing.

“Whilst there’s a real endeavour in this country to make sure we cut out simulating or acting, it’s still a contact sport and people get hurt in our game.

“This is not a shot at referees about decisions, it’s about just making sure that the workplace is respected and that players are going out there and putting their bodies on the line.”

Postecoglou said Finkler was not the kind of player to feign injury and that the club’s physiotherapist was forced to run on to the pitch without permission to treat the Brazilian.

“Sometimes with foreigners we assume they go down, (but) it was pretty clear that he’d done something fairly serious,” he said.

“This time he goes down, asks for medical help and the referee deems that because he’s close to the touchline he should just drag himself off.

“I’m not talking about refereeing mistakes; I’m just talking about a duty of care. This is just treating human beings with a bit of respect.”

Postecoglou said Victory would look to sign a replacement for Finkler for when the A-League transfer window opens on January 14.

Victory host Wellington Phoenix at AAMI Park on Saturday with both teams looking to return to winning ways.

“They’ve had a couple of narrow losses that they could have easily won,” Postecoglou said of Wellington.

“At their best, I think they’re a tough nut to crack, but so are we, and I think that’s the most important thing for us to get back to playing our best.”

Postecoglou said Australia international Mark Milligan would return to the side from suspension, while he would decide on an immediate replacement for Finkler later on Friday.

Adkins rules out Arsenal swoop for Shaw

4 January 2013 00:56

Southampton manager Nigel Adkins has denied claims that Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger has contacted him about left-back Luke Shaw.

Adkins believes St Mary’s is the best place for a player with ‘a big, big future’.

The 17-year-old defender has broken into the senior team this season and has featured in the past 11 league games for Adkins’ side, starting in 10.

And while the starlet’s fine performances have reportedly turned heads at the Emirates Stadium, his 47-year-old manager recently declared Shaw is not for sale – and believes he is at the right club to develop into a top player.

“No, (Wenger) didn’t say anything,” he told talkSPORT.

“As I have said before, Luke is better playing for Southampton, where he is being nurtured and looked after.

“He is still only 17 and playing in the Premier League, where he is getting an opportunity to flourish, to make some mistakes and to keep kicking on.”

Arsenal have signed two of Southampton’s most promising young talents in recent years, snapping up Theo Walcott in 2006 and beating a host of rivals to the signature of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in 2011.

However, Adkins is firm on his stance over Shaw, and says any team who wants to take the left-back will face a battle from chairman Nicola Cortese.

He continued: “We have a good culture here. (Shaw) is under contract. We are not looking to let him go.

“This is best place for him at this point in his career. He has a big, big future in the game, which he demonstrated with his performance against Arsenal the other night.

“If anyone wants to try and do business, all the best dealing with the chairman.”

The sides drew 1-1 at St Mary’s on New Year’s Day, leaving Arsenal in sixth place and Southampton 17th.

SPL: Hearts 0 Hibernian 0

3 January 2013 23:26

Hibernian claimed a point against a weakened Hearts to remain unbeaten in the Edinburgh derby this season.

The Tynecastle side had both the majority of the possession and the chances but failed to put their city rivals to the sword to give their fans some New Year cheer.

The home side made three changes for the derby fixture, with China-bound Ryan McGowan, Gordon Smith and flu victim Andy Webster out, with Dylan McGowan, Scott Robinson and Arvydas Novikovas all coming in.

Pat Fenlon recalled on-loan Manchester City defender Ryan McGivern in place of Lewis Stevenson from the team that defeated Celtic at Easter Road on Saturday.

The first shot on target did not come until midway through the first half when a cross from the right by Eoin Doyle found Paul Cairney inside the ball but the Hibernian midfielder’s weak effort was straight at Jamie MacDonald.

Hearts should have gone into the lead when a long ball from Ryan Stevenson was missed by the Hibernian defence and Andy Driver got in behind, but his effort skipped just wide of Ben Williams right hand post.

The home side could have been reduced to 10-men going into the break as Stevenson made a studs-up challenge on James McPake, but referee William Collum let the midfielder off.

John McGlynn’s side should have taken the lead early in the second half as Mehdi Taouil’s strike from the edge of the area was palmed into the path of McGowan by Williams and the rebound then hit Stevenson but went out of play.

Hearts had a chance to break the deadlock when Callum Paterson linked up with fellow substitute Jason Holt and the midfielder turned past McGivern but the defender came to the rescue when Holt beat Williams with his chance, clearing the ball.

Hibs were then handed a golden opportunity to take the lead as Doyle once again tried his luck from the left hand side of the box, his effort was palmed by MacDonald onto McGowan and into the path of Griffiths, but the Australian defender managed to clear the danger.

Into injury-time, John Sutton had a golden chance to claim victory as he got onto a Jamie Walker corner, but his header struck the bar.

Pato signs with Corinthians

3 January 2013 22:53

Club World Cup champions Corinthians have signed Alexandre Pato from AC Milan for 15 million euros.

The Brazil international has penned a four-year deal with Corinthians, and he will wear the No. 7 shirt at his new side.

The deal buys all of the attacker in economical terms, but Pato has negotiated 40 per cent of his rights for future sale in exchange for not being given a signing-on fee.

The former Internacional forward made 150 appearances for Milan since his arrival at San Siro in 2007, scoring 63 goals.

The 23-year-old was one of two Brazilians looking for a route out of the Serie A side in the January transfer window, though Robinho is yet to find a club willing to take him.

Pato has suffered an injury-strewn career at the Italian club and the Corinthians’ move could allow him a fresh start, with World Cup 2014 less than 18 months from kicking off in Brazil.

Stam wants bigger challenge

3 January 2013 22:33

Former Netherlands defender Japp Stam will leave his role as the assistant at PEC Zwolle at the end of the season.

Head coach Art Langeler will also quit at the end of the campaign, with Stam wanting to take the next step in his career.

“I would love to join a bigger club,” Stam told Voetbal International.

“At the moment nothing is concrete yet, but I think for me this is the right moment to make the next step.”

The 40-year-old former defender had a sparkling career across Europe and is thought to prefer a move to an English side, having spoken of his admiration for the country’s football.

“A few weeks ago I told the board that it was my choice to stop. I want to take a look around, that could be in Holland or a foreign country. It is well known that English football really attracts me.”

Stam retired from playing in 2007 and in the summer will be leaving the club he started his career with 20 years ago.