Each week Futera’s ‘Man in the Stands’ Steve Nolan will keep you upto date with the latest news in the world of Football.

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Article 3 – Jan 2009

*The managerial merry-go-round claimed a high profile casualty last month in the English premier League as ex basement club Tottenham sacked manager Juande Ramos after their dreadful start to the season. Sporting Director Damien Comolli and first team coaches Gus Poyet and Marcos Alvarez were also shown the door after the North London club took just two points from their first eight games.

The Spaniard spent little more than a year in the White Hart Lane hotseat after taking over from Martin Jol in October 2007, and despite getting off to a flying start to his Spurs career by winning the Carling Cup in February, a poor run of form in the league ultimately cost him his job.

Ramos was immediately replaced by former Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp. Redknapp’s appointment appears to have sparked a mini revival and lifted spirits at the lane, after a dramatic first week in charge saw his Tottenham side take seven points from three games, including a thrilling 4-4 draw away at fierce rivals Arsenal, and an impressive home win against high-flyers Liverpool.

Redknapp had previously spent two spells over six years at Pompey, lifting last season’s FA Cup and becoming the first manager to lead the South Coast club into Europe.

Over in Spain, Atletico Madrid have been ordered by UEFA to play their Champions League tie against PSV Eindhoven behind closed doors following violent and racist behaviour from fans during their clash with Marseilles at the Vicente Calderon Stadium on October 1. The club have also been fined 150,000 Euros.

Their punishment was originally a three match ban on fans with one match deferred and ordered to be played at least 300km from Madrid. That punishment has since been reduced to a two game ban, with one match deferred for two years. Nevertheless, Mexican manager Javier Aguirre will still have to serve his two game touchline ban. Atletico plan to appeal.

There was trouble afoot at fellow Spanish side Barcelona this week too as Lionel Messi appeared to spit at an opponent and Samuel Eto’o was subjected to racial abuse in a bad tempered 4-1 win over Malaga. Barca boss Pep Guardiola condemned Messi’s behaviour as unnacceptable and said that he would be dealing with the matter.

Meanwhile, Manchester United’s Portuguese star Christiano Ronaldo is hot favourite to win the World Footballer of the Year award, after 23 players were shortlisted for it. The likes of Kaka, Lionel Messi, Iker Casillas, and Fernando Torres also grace the shortlist. Ronaldo is widely tipped to win the award, which is voted for by international captains and managers, after he took home the Fifpro player of the year gong.

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and does not necessarily represent the opinion of Futera or www.futera.com

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