Madiba,

Thanks for forwarding the African football fixtures. I intend to follow
these African matches via cable TV. Perhaps we might see some of them via
the Euro Sport channel on cable or on satellite.

Yes, my team, Arsenal, was eliminated in the European cup, but I put the
blame on Wembley Stadium. We always have "bad luck" whenever we play our
European cup matches at Wembley Stadium.

I am quite sure that if we (Arsenal F.C) had played our European matches on
our own football ground (Highbury), instead of Wembley, we would have
remained in the competition by now.

We hardly lose when we play at Highbury, which is our own football pitch.
Arsenal decided to use Wembley Stadium, because it is bigger, and needless
to mention that Arsenal make more money when they play at Wembley Stadium.

Like you, I am also a fan of Ian wright, even though he no longer plays for
my team. I think he is a complete striker: good on the ground and in the
air. But he is now aging, 35 years plus. However, no one can deny the fact
he is one of the most prolific scorers the English Premiership has seen in
recent times.

By the way, do watch his talk show on ITV every friday? As for me, I don't
miss it.

Manchester United won Valencia of Spain 3-0 last night. It is always
difficult to beat Manchester United on their ground (Old Trafford). Their
inspirational Captain Roy Keane has signed a new four year contract; and,
consequently, he will now be paid £50,000 per weeks.

Keane is now the highest paid footballer in the English Premiership. Keane
is a fine player, but he lacks discipline, in my view.

In fact, the problem with Manchester United, as a tean, is that as long as
they are winning, they'll be the most disciplined team in the world. But
once they start to lose matches, the indiscipline is apparent. However, I
must admit that they are a great team with very talented players. David
Beckham was at his best last night. As usual, his crosses were excellent.

Your town team, Leeds United, play this evening with Spartak of Moscow in
the UEFA cup. I think Manager David O'leary is lucky to have assembled at
Leeds United, a group of very young talented players. I am of the view that
if David O'leary can hold on to his young skilful players, then Leeds United
would dominate English football just like Manchester United, sooner rather
than later.

By the way, I am a fan of Alan Smith, Ian Harte, Jonathan woodgate, Harry
Kewell, Micheal Bridges and, of course, Lucas Radebe from South Africa.

As for Arsenal, I think we'll win this year's Championship. My only worry is
that one of my key players, Patrick Veira, is on a sixth match ban; and
needless to say that Arsenal always lose matches if we miss either Emmanual
Petit or Patrick Veira.

Omar Drammeh, Madiba, do you know that Patrick Veira speaks fluent wollof.
He plays for the French National Soccer Team, but he was born and bred in
Senegal. Ebou Bah of A.C Milan in Italy was also born in Senegal or brought
up in Senegal.

Ebou's dad is definitely Senegalese. Ebou Bah is also having some difficult
times in Italy. He hardly gets a place in the A.C Milan eleven nowadays. I
think he, too, should move to England. He is on high wages in Italy, over
£20,000 per week, but he can get more in England, because he is a talent.

If I am right, the highest paid Africans playing in England are Ghanaian
born Marcel Desailly of France, who earns £40,000 pounds per week; Nigeria's
Kanu of Arsenal, £25,000 pounds per week; South Africa's Luca Radebe of
Leeds earns £25,000 pounds per weeks.
Nigeria's Celestine Babayoro of Chelsea was, at one point, earning £15,000
pounds per week. Cameronian born Vivien Foe of West ham United, Titi Camara
and Rogober Song of Liverpool, Peter Ndlovu of Birmingham City are also on
very good/high wages.

But they stiil pay more money to footballers in Italy and spain. But the
wages here are not bad at all. In fact, that is one reason why many of the
top European soccer stars want to play in England these days.

It is true that some of the players coming to England from other countries
are not very good, but we are lucky to have the excellent ones such as Zola,
Petit, Bergkamp, Yorke, Overmars, Ginola, Kanu and others, who are
entertaining us with their skills, every weekend.

Anyway, I better stop here. I could have gone on and on, because the subject
is football, my pet.

Ebrima Ceesay,
Birmingham, Uk.


>From: Madiba Saidy <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Football
>Date: Tue, 7 Dec 1999 17:05:09 -0800
>
>Hi Folks,
>
>Omar, Ebrima and all other football (soccer) fans in the house, please
>find below the draw for the first round of African qualifying matches
>for the 2002 World Cup.
>
>The first round is knock-out, and the winners of each match listed
>below qualify for the second round. The second round will be divided
>into five groups of five teams. Unlike the last qualification
>series, no team is getting a bye into round two. The five winners of
>these groups qualify for the World Cup finals.

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html

----------------------------------------------------------------------------