Reyes, But No Sunshine
‘JOSE Antonio Reyes made a debut appearance as substitute in yesterdays 2-1 win over Manchester City after becoming potentially Arsenals most expensive signing.
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And he got what the Times describes as a crash course in English football a downpour, a pitch like a First World War trench, a punch-up and 90 pell-mell minutes.
It cannot have been like this in the glossy brochure that Arsenal will have shown Reyes over more than a year of courting, the paper says, but it will have done the young striker no harm to see some of the idiosyncrasies of his new country.
In the Telegraph, Alan Smith is impressed by the Spaniards 21 minutes on the pitch.
Even on a lethally skiddy surface, that admirable technique showed up straight away, he says, the debut boys first touch being a perceptive drag back that left two Manchester City opponents trailing in his wake.
By all accounts, Reyes couldnt believe how cold it was yesterday but he is likely to find London positive balmy when compared with the venue of what is likely to be his next outing, Middlesbrough.
With Chelsea also winning, courtesy of three goals from the ex-West Ham duo of Frank Lampard and Glen Johnson, and Manchester United beating Southampton 3-2, there is no change at the top of the table.
But there are signs of movement in Sir Alex Fergusons dispute with Manchester Uniteds leading shareholder John Magnier over stud earnings for Rock Of Gibraltar.
The Telegraph says that the United managers lawyers will offer a compromise, which would see the Scot earn between £5m and £10m, as opposed to the £50m stud fees to which he believes he is entitled.
The brokering of the deal will be crucial if both parties are to emerge with an acceptable compromise, the paper says.
And in a separate development, the Indy reports that Fergusons son Jason has said he is prepared to give up his work as a football agent after becoming embroiled in the row.
To other sport and the Guardian watches Roger Federer win the Australian Open tennis in what the paper calls the passing of the old guard.
There are a lot of young and very good players, losing finalist Marat Safin says. Well be famous in five years. It will be like Agassi, Sampras, McEnroe. Its the evolution of tennis.
The question is whether Federer will be the most famous of all after no less a judge than John McEnroe described him as perhaps the greatest talent in the history of tennis.
Arsenal would be happy if their new talent turns out to be half as good.’
Posted: 2nd, February 2004 | In: Back pages Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
