Soccer Shorts: Manchester City will sell Joey Barton in the summer after the midfielder put his French team-mate Ousmane Dabo in hospital yesterday following a brutal and prolonged attack at the training ground, Daniel Taylor reports.
Dabo needed treatment for facial cuts after being repeatedly punched in an incident that was witnessed by a group of children who were watching the practice session. Barton was immediately suspended for the season and he will be informed at a disciplinary hearing that he will never play for the club again. City's board has decided to cut its losses and accept cut-price offers, a development that is likely to interest Everton, Newcastle and Middlesbrough.
The flare-up comes only 10 days after Barton, who has undergone anger-management counselling at the Sporting Chance clinic in Hampshire, complained that City's summer signings, including Dabo, had let down the club and said he would not pay to watch if he were a fan.
Barton apparently incited the fight by sliding into a late tackle on Dabo during a game to work on tactics for Saturday's derby against Manchester United. A few minutes later Dabo retaliated with a late tackle of his own. When Barton fouled him for a second time the two squared up and Barton repeatedly lashed out before being dragged away. Dabo was taken to hospital but released after treatment. Now, he may take Barton's place against United.
- Guardian Service
Speed is player-coach
Gary Speed believes the road ahead is exciting not just for him but for Bolton. The former Wales captain has been named first team player-coach by new manager Sammy Lee with immediate effect. Speed is now helping in the preparation for the match against West Ham on Saturday which could see Bolton cement a place in the Uefa Cup.
He will join Ricky Sbragia and Jimmy Phillips as first-team coaches at the Reebok Stadium reporting into Lee, who has replaced Sam Allardyce. Speed said: "I am saddened by the departure of Sam Allardyce - he has created a legacy that everyone is proud of here at Bolton.
"But everyone knows that life must go on and we have the responsibility of taking Bolton forward. I am delighted to be joining a new exciting era for the club under the leadership of Sammy Lee."
Operation for Johnson
Michael Owen's return to Premiership action was tempered last night when Andrew Johnson was ruled out of England's friendly against Brazil at Wembley next month and their Euro 2008 qualifier in Estonia because the Everton striker is to undergo an operation to remove a growth on his ankle immediately after the end of the season, Dominic Fifield and Michael Walker report.
Johnson missed Saturday's defeat by Manchester United after spraining his other ankle, but the original problem has been causing him pain for some time. The club's medical staff expect him to have surgery on May 14th, with the recovery time required putting him out of the England matches on June 1st and 6th.
Meanwhile, Owen is on a potential collision course with his manager, Glenn Roeder, over his immediate England future after making a long-awaited Newcastle comeback on Monday night. Newcastle believe they lost Owen largely because of his premature return for England last year after a metatarsal injury. The club are wary of risking any repeat now.
Owen, though, has declared himself available for Steve McClaren's next squad, providing there are no setbacks before the end of the season. "I'll play two games (more) for Newcastle and then I'll be available for selection for England," said Owen. Owen believes his new bulk has added an extra weapon to his arsenal after putting on 10lb of "pure muscle" during his long injury absence. The England striker insists he now has a physical presence that defenders are not accustomed to.
Owen told the Newcastle Evening Chronicle: "I have actually put on a lot of weight since I have been out, probably about 10lb, which is a lot for a lad who is 5ft 8in.
I felt a different player - a much stronger player. I felt I could hold people off, win headers and back into people. I don't think any defender could get a free header in for the half-a-dozen balls that did come my way."
Tevez to play
West Ham have insisted Carlos Tevez will be able to play his part in the club's last-ditch attempts to avoid relegation.
The club have still yet to reach an arrangement with MSI, the company that owned the Argentinian, over his future but the Hammers say Tevez is eligible to play their remaining two matches of the season. West Ham were forced to end their third-party agreements with MSI following the £5.5 million fine imposed by the Premier League and although the striker has been cleared to continue playing, the amount of money the club will pay the company has yet to be agreed.
A West Ham spokesman said: "New arrangements are in place with the Premier League and dialogue is taking place in terms of Carlos Tevez's future beyond the end of the season.
"He is a registered player with West Ham and nothing has changed since he played against Wigan on Saturday."
