Llamaggeddon for Frei
Friday 6 August 2004
e-mail
Print
Digg
Save
Alexander Frei has adopted one of Basel zoo's llamas (©AFP)
As penance for being caught spitting at an opponent at UEFA EURO 2004™, Swiss international striker Alexander Frei has adopted a llama at the zoo in Basel. The Stade Rennais FC player was spotted on camera spitting at England's Steven Gerrard during Switzerland's 3-0 defeat by Sven-Göran Eriksson's men and was handed a three-match ban by UEFA. However, the forward - who was branded a llama by the Swiss press with reference to the South American mammal's habit of spitting to ward off enemies - has further abased himself by taking charge of the Basel beast's upkeep. "I became the godfather of this animal to remind players that they don't have to spit in the future," he explained. "I learnt a lot during this tough period for me. Yes I spat and I have to apologise for that." Frei's gesture has received a positive response in the Swiss press, and may yet start a new trend for players adopting the animals that best represent the dark side of their characters. However, in customary style, rumours of England striker Emile Heskey's adoption of a headless chicken were tantalisingly unconfirmed at the time of writing.
Radioactive blood, apparently
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? erm, not really, it's Juan Pablo Úbeda - CF Ciudad de Murcia's new summer signing who is taking goal celebrations to unprecedented depths. Úbeda, who has just penned a one-year loan deal from Chilean side CSD Colo-Colo, has become famous in South America for pulling on a rubber Spiderman mask every time he scores a goal. The 24-year-old said that his odd habit began when he slipped on the mask after scoring to entertain kids in a charity match. The player however, was quick to refute rumours circulating Murcia that he is able to render opposing defences completely static by squirting sticky, gelatinous mucus from his wrist. In other daft Spanish news with a vague relevance to cinema, it has been revealed that former Republic of Ireland player Michael Robinson plays a part in the animated epic Shrek 2. With the film's makers Dreamworks changing the cast from nation to nation in order to get maximum recognition, the former striker and now Spanish television personality was persuaded to take on the role of cross-dressing barmaid Ugly Sister in the Spanish version of the film. What was that great line from the musical 'Singing In The Rain'? Ah yes: "Dignity, always dignity."
Chrazy spelling
Dignity is in short supply at Crystal Palace FC after the club's new replica kits for their first season back in the Premiership were revealed to feature a dreadful spelling mistake. The first batch of kits sold at the club shop featured the words 'Chrystal Palace' emblazoned under one of the club badges. "If the club can't even get their name right, how can we expect the players to do the business on the pitch?" one supporter told BBC Online. "It makes us look like a total bunch of clowns." Finally, what appears to be an outright lie from Liverpool FC. On their recent trip to Toronto, Canada, it has been alleged that goalkeeper Chris Kirkland had to hide inside his hotel room to avoid being mistaken for international hip-hop megastar Eminem. With Eminem allegedly staying in the same hotel as Liverpool while his group, D12, were passing through Toronto, Kirkland was reportedly kept under house arrest in order to avoid being mobbed by the erstwhile Marshal Mathers' rabid fans. Utter rubbish, as we are sure you will agree, but it is a quiet week so it gets in.
©uefa.com 1998-2008. All rights reserved.
