Spartak may opt to cash in on me now, admits Mcgeady
stadium meets the minimum requirements necessary to put on matches or events.”
she is also quoted as saying that the most recent report presented by police, that was provided yesterday, “shows that the stadium is still in the phase of construction”.
Judge Costa dos santos added: “Because of the inaction of those responsible, there is no way we can allow the stadium to be reopened without the proof that it is in satisfactory conditions for hygiene and safety.”
It was reported widely in Brazil that the cost of putting on the game without the appropriate safety certificates would be a fine of $1 million payable by the CBF and match organisers.
The England team
have
al- ready travelled to Brazil and supporters will be following the team on the rare trip to south america to take on the fivetimes World Cup winners.
Meanwhile, Frank lampard has set his sights on yet another accolade as he closes in on a century of England caps. The 34-year-old Chelsea midfielder has had an eventful season, breaking the west londoners’ all-time scoring record before winning the Europa league and signing a new one-year deal.
lampard has also impressed on the international stage and on Wednesday scored England’s leveller in a 1-1 draw with the Republic of Ireland. ashley Cole, team-mate for both club and country, captained the side at Wembley after becoming just the seventh English player reach the 100-caps mark.
It is a milestone that lampard himself is eyeing, sitting just four games shy of an elite band of players including Bobby Moore, david Beckham and sir Bobby Charlton.
“You can’t not think about it,” the midfielder said. “I am on 96, I have been around for an awful long time. I saw stevie [steven gerrard] get that gold cap, which was well deserved, and then ash last night.
“If I can get there and can stay involved in future games then I would be a very proud man if I did reach that.
“ash certainly deserves the accolades. To get 100 caps, to start every game and to play at the quality and level he has
to played for such a long period of time, he deserves everything.
“I think the fans gave him the very right reception, he deserved the moment and the atmosphere was brilliant.”
lampard was part of Roy Hodgson’s threadbare squad which arrived in Rio yesterday and will be hoping to repeat the victory England achieved over Brazil in February.
lampard’s stunning strike secured a 2-1 win at Wembley and victory over the selecao for the first time in 23 years.
a serious-looking ankle injury to daniel sturridge, which saw him miss the trip, coupled with danny Welbeck’s ongoing knee problem means Hodgson would be left with 15 fit outfield players if the latter fails to recover. FORMER Celtic winger aiden Mcgeady has admitted that spartak Moscow may look to cash in on him this summer as he enters the final year of his contract in Russia.
The 27-year-old winger played for the Republic of Ireland in their 1-1 friendly draw with England at Wembley on Wednesday night as speculation mounted over his future.
Mcgeady has been repeatedly linked with a move back from eastern Europe since sealing his £9.5 million switch from Celtic in august 2010, with several Barclays Premier league clubs having been credited with an in- terest in him. The glasgow-born midfielder insists he is happy in Moscow, despite admitting some time ago he was unlikely to sign a contract extension. But he is aware the rumour mill will swing into action once again in the coming weeks. Mcgeady said: “I have only got a year left on my contract, so it’s bound to happen. Maybe spartak want to cash in on me now because, if they don’t, there’s a possibility I could leave for nothing. But I am happy there just now.”
Mcgeady met up with the Ireland squad after playing what could prove to be his last game for spartak last weekend in a 2-0 final-day victory over alania Vladikavkaz. However, his season looked to have ended significantly earlier after he was handed a six-match ban following his dismissal in a 2-1 defeat at Mordovia saransk.
Mcgeady later admitted kicking a TV microphone as he headed for the dressing room but denied making a gesture towards fans and was also accused of damaging a dressing-room door.
However, his suspension, which would have seen him miss the start of the new campaign, was eventually reduced to two games. He said: “It was blown out of proportion a little bit.
“suddenly, it was a six-game ban and I trashed the dressing room, that sort of stuff. I got a six-game ban for basically doing nothing. Obviously spartak felt the same as me and it was reduced to two. When do you see a six-game ban reduced to two?
“I played the last game – obviously the authorities knew they had got it wrong. I am just glad it was quashed. I was hanging about for a few weeks just waiting to see when the appeal was going to be heard. spartak seemed to rush it through and after two games, I was able to play in the last game of the season, which was great.”
Mcgeady still has work to do, however, before he can embark upon his summer break, with Wednesday’s game the first of four Ireland will play in the space of a fortnight.
They face georgia in dublin on sunday and world and European champions spain in new York on 11 June, but the real business comes next Friday night at the aviva stadium when the Faroe Islands arrive for a World Cup qualifier.