The Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia • Page 36

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1999 www.smh.com.au SPORT 35 Lisa WHAT'S HAPPENING INSOCCER AROUND THEWORLD-EVERY TUESDAY Turning out for the Socceroos will cap Murphy's career nicely if we (KLOibM SHAUN MURPHY Age: 29 Club: Sheffield United Country: England Former clubs: Heidelberg United, Blacktown City, Perth Italia, Notts County, West Bromwich Albion. Socceroo caps: None on something here'. But do I still want to play for Australia? Absolutely. I know how special it feels." That he does. Murphy was an integral member of the 1989 national youth (under-20) side and later formed a rock-solid central defensive pairing with Dominic Longo during the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

That under-23 side is still regarded as the best Australia has produced. A graduate of the Australian Institute of Sport, Murphy was so highly regarded by Thomson that he won selection for the Barcelona Olympics despite not playing in the national league. After earlier NSL stints with the strength is frightening," he recalls. "But I adjusted, and I've loved it ever since." Four-and-a-half seasons at Meadow Lane, where countryman Bob Catlin was among his teammates, ended with relegation to the second division. A $1.3 million transfer to WBA preserved his first-division status, and again he found fellow Australians in the dressing-room Jason van Blerk and Andrew McDermott But when, halfway through last season, Murphy began agitating for an improved contract, he found the club's ambitions did not reflect his own.

"I was at the average gates of about 1 3,000, the Blades do have potential, and Murphy is happy to be patient Outside the club, he keeps in contact with two former Heidelberg teammates Kevin Muscat (Wolverhampton) and Doug Hodgson (Northampton) and remains a regular visitor to Notts County, where he is still held in high regard by the fans. His latest contract is likely to see out his career abroad, and with wife Alison and daughter Caitlin in tow, he hopes to return to Perth and wind down his playing days with his hometown team, the Glory. By then, he hopes there will be a few green-and-gold shirts in the wardrobe. Heidelberg United and Black-town City, he was back in the State league in his native Western Australia when the final squad was picked. Despite the massive jump from suburban football to the international arena, Murphy hardly flinched.

After an Olympic Games campaign which ended in defeat in the bronze medal playoff, he had done enough to earn his first professional contract, with Notts County, and hasn't looked back. "Initially it was hard, because I'd gone from playing five at the back in Australia, with the slow build-up, to the English game where the passion, the pace and stage where I wanted a good three-year deal to secure my future, but I wasn't going to get it," he says. "I knew I could find it somewhere else, because I could leave on a free transfer. And that's what I did." Bolton Wanderers and Queens Park Rangers were keen, but the timing wasn't right So Murphy made the short trip to Bramall Lane and has immediately established himself in manager Adrian Heath's plans. Boardroom unrest is likely to sabotage any faint hopes of a promotion campaign, so mid-table respectability looms as the most likely outcome.

But with he came was in 1996, when Eddie Thomson called him up for one of his final games in charge, a friendly against Scotland in Glasgow. But Murphy didn't make it off the bench, and has never been as close again. Not that he is bitter, or angry. Philosophical, perhaps. "I've played enough professional games to know that every manager has his own opinions," he says, in his thickening Midlands accent "I haven't lost any sleep over it, although maybe if we'd qualified for the last World Cup, I might have sat back and thought, 'Hold on, I've been missing out AWAY FROM HOME MICHAEL COCKERILL He had to work hard for it, but his reward came in the end.

And having hit pay-dirt with Sheffield United, Shaun Murphy is allowing his thoughts to wander towards his last remaining ambition to play for Australia. That Murphy, who turned 29 last week, has never made the step up from under-23 international to a place with the senior team is something of an anomaly. Few other expatriates can boast seven years in the English first division, almost 200 first- team appearances and spells as club captain. In an environment where respect is earned the hard way, he has it in spades so much so, he is rated the best defender outside the Premiership. And yet still no cap for the Socceroos.

The closest eeds JLd say 9 Kewe TD II SI BRAZIL TOUR i A. i jr "nvt i- 1 4,,. fK tfKt' yt '-tiSt I vv.v-; i h. yr Ml i ii i Tn ii' i mmm mmm mmi "in -J. jW4aiA.jJ-.- f- 111 i i i mi I urn I mill SCOTLAND: Rangers ride ahead Glasgow: Rangers striker Gabriel Amato's solo goal killed off Celtic 4-2 in the Glasgow derby on Sunday and stretched his side's Premier League lead.

Amato put the first Old Firm derby of the season beyond Celtic with a 66th-minute strike at Ibrox Stadium, waltzing past several tackles and goalkeeper Jonathan Gould before slotting in from a tight angle. Rangers trailed 2-1 before equalising on half-time from the spot after Celtic captain Paul Lambert was judged to have brought down Jorg Albertz. Rangers have 31 points from 11 games while Celtic remain on 27 from 12. ITALY Lazio live it up Rome: Lazio moved three points clear at the top of Serie A as second-placed Juventus were held to a 0-0 draw with Torino in Turin on Sunday. Lazio were never troubled in a 4-0 home win over Verona.

After nine matches Lazio have 21 points, ahead of Juventus (18), AC Milan (17) and AS Roma (16). Milan defeated Venezia 3-0 and AS Roma won with four first-half goals at Reggina as both sides kept pace with Lazio. Inter Milan's 3-0 defeat at Bologna means they drop to sixth, overtaken by Parma, who beat Piacenza 2-1. SPAIN Disaster for Barca Madrid: Barcelona suffered their first home defeat of the season on Sunday, losing 2-1 to struggling Malaga. Malaga's second win at Barcelona in the club's history lifted them out of the bottom three in the league.

The result meant Rayo Vallecano, 3-2 losers at home to Real Madrid, stay top after 11 games. Rayo have 22 points, one more than Real Zaragoza, Deportivo La Coruna and Celta Vigo. Barcelona are fifth on 20 points. Celta Vigo cruised past Real Betis 5-1, Atletico Madrid drew 2-2 at home with Numancia, while Valencia lost 1-0 to Mallorca. FRANCE Lyon take lion's share Paris: Brazil's Sonny Anderson scored twice as Olym pique Lyon beat Le Havre 3-0 to return to the top of the first division on Sunday.

AJ Auxerre, two points clear before the day's matches, lost 3-1 at Nantes. Monaco can leapfrog Auxerre into second place on goal difference if they beat Olympique Marseille, while Montpellier are last after a 2-1 loss at Troyes. Strong arm for Armstrong Arsenal's Fredrik Ljungberg pushes Spurs' Chris Armstrong in the face Ljungberg was later sent off. Photograph by kieran doherty Sherwood suns down Arsenal Gordon Strachan, Aloisi has been allowed to join the Socceroo squad to aid his rehabilitation both physical and mental. And while he is reluctant to put pressure on himself, Aloisi has not ruled out making a surprise comeback in the second match of the Brazil series in Melbourne next week.

"I've been looking forward to these games for so long, I guess I just couldn't stay away. I've always loved playing for Australia, and the fact that these are Frank's first games in charge makes me want to be here," he said. "I just want to be involved in any way I can. If I get to play, well, that's a bonus." The full Socceroo squad is due to assemble at Darling Harbour tomorrow, with the first training session set down for Thursday morning. New skipper Mark Bosnich is due to attend a press conference tomorrow afternoon.

Brazil, meanwhile, will arrive today with the Brazilian-based players flying in early this morning and the European-based players including Ronaldo and Denilson arriving tonight Coach Wanderly Luxemburgo will hold his first training session this afternoon. Ticket sales for both matches have been slow, largely because of the ongoing doubts about Kewell's appearance and the quality of the Brazilian squad. At this stage anything more than a 50,000 crowd at either match would be regarded as a bonus. The home-based players in the Australian Olympic (under-23) squad left Sydney yesterday for a 10-day training camp in Tunisia. The promotion of Hayden Foxe and Stephen Laybutt to the senior team for the Brazil series has forced coach Raul Blanco to draft in Dragi Nastevski (Melbourne Knights) and Ralph Bove (Dundee United, Scotland).

In another late change, Millwall (England) midfielder Tim Cahill has made way for Mark Robertson (Burnley, England) because Soccer Australia is concerned FIFA has yet to rule on his eligibility. Cahill played for the Samoan youth (under-20) team as a 14-year-old. BThe Australian under-17 team opens its world championship campaign against Brazil in Christchurch on Friday. The Joeys arrive in New Zealand today after a month-long tour of South America. Australian coach Les Scheinflug said his team had improved considerably since beating Bahrain in a qualifying series two months ago.

Leeds star Harry Kewell will not play in Sunday's international against Brazil after his English Premier League club refused to release him, saying the flight to Australia would aggravate his calf and ankle injuries. Kewell played in Leeds' 2-0 loss to Wimbledon on Sunday, but the club told tour promoters IMG they would not risk sending Jjim on a long flight to Australia. Soccer Australia chairman Basil Scarsella said last night he would complain about Leeds' conduct to world governing body FIFA. The club had sent two letters confirming the talented midfielder would play in the international in Sydney. "I am amazed that a Premier League club like Leeds United would go to such extremes and act so unprofessionally," Scarsella said.

SA would call on FIFA to suspended Keweii irom the upcoming Yorkshire Derby against Bradford City. IMG spokesman Bernie Mandic said Leeds United were treating the Australian public with contempt "Leeds have said because he is carrying a couple of injuries the trip to Australia would slow down the healing process and basically they wanted him to stay," he said. Michael CockeriH reports that while Kewell continues to provide ammunition for those who question his commitment to Australia, John Aloisi arrived in Sydney yesterday to provide a stark reminder that playing for your country can still have its appeal The 23-year-old Coventry City striker has not played for eight weeks, and has officially been left out of the Socceroo squad for the Brazil series. But so keen is Aloisi to be in on the ground floor of Frank Farina's regime as national coach that he has flown halfway across the world in a desperate bid to force his way into the reckoning. A ruptured tendon behind his knee has proved far more troublesome than Aloisi had imagined sabotaging his partnership at Highfield Road with Robbie Keane just as it was gathering momentum.

But as much as he remains frustrated with the inactivity in his club career, Aloisi is even more disappointed that the injury has cost him a green-and-gold shirt against Brazil. Or has it? With the blessing of Coventry manager ked a close-range shot from Marc Overmars, and then kept out Davor Suker's attempt to score from the rebound. Arsenal have now lost four Premier League matches, as many defeats as they suffered during the whole of last season. Meanwhile, Manchester United are still league leaders after Leeds United missed their chance to return to the top of the table, losing 2-0 at Wimbledon on Sunday, Reuters reports. John Hartson scored for the Dons in the 30th minute and Marcus Gayle's header made it 2-0 after 65 minutes to secure the three points.

In the day's other matches, Chelsea drew 0-0 with West Ham, who had Chilean defender Javier Margas sent off after 85 minutes, and Newcastle United drew 1-1 with Everton. England captain Alan Shearer put Newcasde ahead with a 46th-minute penalty, his 12th goal of the season, but Kevin Campbell equalised for Everton with a header from a corner 16 minutes later. The Daily Telegraph, London contributed to their victory. Spurs always suspected that at some time their goal would come under siege, so it helped to be two ahead by the time the match was 20 minutes old. After only six minutes, Oyvind Leonhardsen's chip forward found the last Arsenal defender, Lee Dixon, moving up a fraction late for offside.

The ball arrived at the feet of Steffen Iversen, and the Norwegian calmly slipped his fourth goal in five games past David Seaman. Another 14 minutes, and White Hart Lane was hugging itself with joy and maybe a little disbelief. After Petit had been cautioned for bringing down Chris Armstrong, Ginola touched a free-kick to Tim Sherwood who sent a sharply-swerving shot inside the far post But seven minutes before half-time, an unmarked Vieira headed Petit's free-kick past Walker, and in spite of losing Ljungberg, Arsenal found more space amid the Spurs defence. They came closest to equalising in the 75th minute, when Walker bloc UEFA Cup to Kaiserslautern in stoppage time last week. Arsenal, however, dominated enough of the second half to make out a prima facie case for a point, although this time there was little sign of the sort of late recovery which a fortnight earlier had enabled them to beat Chelsea 3-2 after going 2-0 down.

The Gunners' chronic inability to keep a full set of players on the field did not help. This time Arsene Wenger's side finished with nine men. Early in the second half, David Elleray sent off Fredrik Ljungberg for pushing over Justin Edinburgh; then Martin Keown, having been cautioned for fouling David Ginola, followed in stoppage time when he was shown another yellow card for bringing down Jose Dominguez. In the three years of Wenger's management, Arsenal have now collected 26 red cards. The fact that Tottenham harried Arsenal without losing their heads, even though they had a more or less equal share of 11 yellow cards, PREMIER LEAGUE DAVID LACEY in London TOTTENHAM 2 ARSENAL 1 When the League Against Cruel Sports has finished with fox-hunting, it might turn its attention to north London derbies.

The thrill of the chase inflicted unnecessary suffering on the spectators' nerves at White Hart Lane on Sunday. Tottenham beat Arsenal for the first time under George Graham, indeed for the first time in four years, because from the start they set out to deny Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit the sort of platform from which the French pair so often take charge of matches. Add to this some inspired defending from Sol Campbell and Chris Perry, and a crucial double save from Ian Walker, and Spurs' industrious performance deserved its reward. Their victory was all the more creditable coming so soon after the disappointment of going out of the 1 ifrowo RACING CAP0NE AGAIN Paris: Al Capone II wrote another chapter in his brilliant career by winning his seventh successive Prix La Haye Jousselin. The $2 million steeplechase has fallen to France's top jumper, trained by Bernard Secly, every year since 1993.

TENNIS FRENCH BLISS Leipzig: French veteran Nathalie Tauziat, ranked ninth in the world, scored an easy 6-1 6-3 win over Czech Kveta Hrdlickova in the Leipzig Open final. ATHLETICS KING OF NEW YORK New York: Kenya's Joseph Chebet won the 30th New York City Marathon on Sunday in 2hr 9min 14s. Portugal's Domingos Castro was second, with Kenya's Shem Kororia third. The women's race was won by Adriana Fernandez of Mexico in 2.25:06. CRICKET ENGLISH RALLY Cape Town: Michael Atherton and Chris Adams put or 147 to spare England's blushes in an otherwise indifferent batting display against the Combined Western Province and Boland XI.

Atherton scored 83 and Adams 89 in their fifth-wicket stand which lifted England from 4-87 to 4-234. England were all out for 249 -109 behind on the first innings. TENNIS FIELD FINALISED Paris: The eight-man ATP season finals this month will be filled by Germany's Nicolas Kiefer, American Todd Martin, Swede Thomas Enqvist and Ecuador's Nicolas Lapentti, who will join world No 1 Andre Agassi, No 2 Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Brazil's Gustavo Kuerten and Pete Sampras in Hanover from November 23. LEAGUE BRONCO SIGNS Brisbane utility Ben Walker agreed to a one-year deal with the Broncos yesterday. Walker filled champion halfback Allan Langer's boots for 17 games this year.

LEAGUE TWO-YEAR BAN Wests player Adrian Rainey, 20, was last night suspended for two years for using a performance-enhancing drug. The NRL backdated the penalty to the beginning of 1999, when the second-rower stood down after testing positive in December 1998. GOLF LAWRIE DOWN UNDER Valderrama, Spain: Paul Lawrie, who won the British Open at Carnoustie in a playoff in July and is a Scottish Ryder Cup team member, is to play the Heineken Classic in Perth from January 27 and the Greg Norman International at The Lakes in Sydney next year. NFL BROWN-WASH Cleveland: Eric Rhett ran in two touchdowns as the Baltimore Ravens beat the Cleveland Browns 41-9 on Sunday, while at Detroit Johnnie Morton ran a 12m touchdown with 28 seconds left to lift the Lions to a 31-27 victory over St Louis. SAILING HAPPY DAZE Auckland: The Swiss, sailing Be Happy, were celebrating hard yesterday after becoming the first landlocked nation in 148 years to win a race in the America's Cup, beating the American Abracadabra 2000 in the Louis Vuitton Cup.

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