The Sydney Morning Herald du lieu suivant : Sydney, New South Wales, Australia • 46

40 Sport Tuesday November 6 2001 smhcomau he Sjjbnfjj 3RorninQ 3fjeralb SOCCER law better late than never He might have put Brazil to the sword when last he wore the green and gold but Shaun Murphy is smart enough to know he has a job on his hands to secure a starting berth for the Socceroos in this World Cup play-offs Michael Cockerill reports cm SOCCER FOCUS ITALY Ronaldo makes a limp return Inter Milan moved into second place in Serie A two points behind leaders Chievo after beating Lecce 2-0 with goals from Mohammed Kallon and Luigi Di Biagio But the return of Ronaldo for Inter after almost two years away from league action lasted just 14 minutes as he was substituted after the recurrence of a thigh injury Juventus came from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Verona thanks to an injurytime equaliser from French striker David Trezeguet but AC Milan suffered a surprise 1-0 defeat to Torino Argentine striker Hernan Crespo hit a hat-trick as Lazio bounced back from their midweek Champions League exit to crush Brescia 5-0 while champions AS Roma were held to a 1-1 draw at Atalanta PREMIER LEAGUE Charlton stun the Gunners Charlton Athletic produced one of the shocks of the season coming from behind to stun championshipchasing Arsenal 4-2 at Highbury on Sunday Earlier Leeds maintained their unbeaten run with a 2-1 win over Tottenham thanks to a late goal from Harry Kewell Liverpool enjoyed a 3-1 romp over Manchester United while Chelsea beat Ipswich Town 2-1 Leeds now have 23 points from 11 games a point more than Liverpool who have a game in hand SPAIN Real storming back Goals from Fernando Morientes and Luis Figo earned Real Madrid a deserved 2-0 victory in a Spanish league clash with Barcelona Barca were frustrated by some committed Real defending after Morientes headed his side into the lead after 24 minutes Figo then struck in injury time to seal victory win reignited its Spanish title defence dragging them up from 15th at the start of play to seventh FRANCE Bad boy makes good Former French soccer bad boy Patrice Loko returned to ieague scoring form to give royes a 1-0 win over his former club Paris St Germain Loko scored in the 66th minute with a brilliant header handing PSG its second first-division defeat of the season RC Lens retained a slim lead in the first-division standings despite a dull goalless draw at home to Girondins Bordeaux Struggling Metz beat AJ Auxerre 2-0 SCOTLAND Rangers go with the Flo Rangers reduced lead at the top of the Scottish Premier League to seven points on Sunday with a 2-0 win over Aberdeen at Ibrox Two goals from Norway international Tore Andre Flo in the opening 20 minutes gave Dick men their sixth win out of seven NATIONAL LEAGUE Cheek in Wolves' clothing The Wollongong Wolves risk being thrown out of the National Soccer League if they again defy a Soccer Australia order and wear jerseys with the WIN logo SA has effectively put the Wolves on notice after their players wore the WIN insignia during the match against the Football Kingz on Friday night WIN Television's sponsorship of the Wolves and the subsequent use of its insignia conflicts with sponsorship with rival network Channel Seven Results from around the world Page 37 Happy days: Murphy celebrates with Popovic after scoring the winning goal against Brazil in the Confederations Cup Photo: Tim Clayton CJ I Cd International football has come late for the 30-year-old Sheffield United skipper who only made his Socceroo debut last year despite years of consistent performances in the English first division Making up for lost time has been a theme ever since and there is no question Murphy has made the most of his opportunities In 15 appearances since his debut against Chile in February 2000 Murphy has proved his defensive qualities unbeatable in the air rarely caught out of position fearless in the tackle and an excellent and talkative organiser What may have been a surprise to some has been his work at the other end of the field highlighted by the only goal of the game in the bronze medal play-off of the Confederations Cup which earned Australia its first victory over Brazil Important as that goal was it cost Brazilian coach Emerson Leao his job the next day it was a goal in the tournament opener against Mexico which best encapsulated contribution A corner from the left had been dealt with by the Mexican defence and most opposing defenders would have rushed back into position But sixth sense told him to linger a bit longer and when the Socceroos regained possession and the ball was swung back into the penalty area he was perfectly placed to head the ball home Experience intuition and composure In the white heat of a World Cup battle these are three critical qualities And with a goal-scoring ratio better than those of his two rivals for the central defensive berths Tony Popovic and Craig Moore Murphy has a more than credible claim to start in the coming play-offs against the South Americans But will it work out that way? suppose I can only go on what done and I think done Murphy says Frankie Farina chooses me again give him everything got basically three into two although Poppa Popovic is a natural left-footer so that may give him an edge think we all showed in the Confederations Cup that any combination can do the job At 'If Frankie Farina chooses me again I'll give him everything I've got' SHAUN MURPHY any stage if someone goes down with injury or whatever there is someone who can step in and take his place a great situation for Frankie and probably got as much chance of getting a start as anyone NLike most of the World Cup squad Murphy was a member of under-23 team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics still regarded as the best Olyroos side Australia has produced But unlike most of his contemporaries Murphy did not make a seamless progression to the senior team Despite earning respect ana a reputation in the discerning theatre of the English first division first with Notts County then with West Bromwich Albion and most recently with Sheffield United where he is the reigning player of the year Murphy failed to make an impression with a succession of national coaches from Eddie Thomson to Raul Blanco and then Terry Venables It took the arrival of Farina two years ago to provide a window of opportunity And when Murphy was offered the chance to join an experimental squad for the four-nation tournament in Chile he jumped at it Indeed coach Farina likes to use the example of Murphy as proof that the door to selection has always been open and those who make the most of their chances will be rewarded it international -football comes so late you learn to appreciate it so says Murphy years ago when we played Iran I was sitting at home watching it on TV all honesty especially with Venables in charge I knew I going to get a look in I know if I ever gave up on playing for the Socceroos but at that stage things look very How times have changed and Murphy will arrive in Melbourne tomorrow as a bona fide member of what is regarded as strongest squad -there on merit and nothing else Suggestions from his club manager Neil Warnock that he would be better served remaining in England and having an operation on a minor knee injury were duly ignored by Murphy fit enough to play two games a week for Sheffield United then definitely fit enough to play for he says a little niggling injury but not going to keep me away Apart from the Olympics Barcelona these are the biggest games of my career As a footballer these are the games you want to play in the best thing is going to qualify for the World Spirit seek inquiry over fee claims Pay wrangle with hierarchy casts $4m shadow over Cup preparations NATIONAL LEAGUE Michael Cockerill to be a receipt and bore the letterhead of the Spirit's owners Rangers FC but also carried the stamp of the former owners There are suggestions that the signature at the bottom of the receipt has been forged Spirit sources said the club had not received the DM290000 transfer fee as claimed in the letter The club attempted to contact sponsors last night to discuss the matter but was unsuccessful Instead the Spirit will now hand over all its documentation today and ask Soccer Australia to pursue the matter on their behalf Michael Cockerill point out its demands centre around qualification and if the Socceroos fail to make it past the final hurdle this month the players will settle for the usual fee of 52000 per game plus daily allowances ($154 a day) While Socceroo coach Frank Farina refuses to comment on the matter there is little doubt he is concerned the payments issue could become a major distraction at a time when he needs his players to be focused on their performances- Meanwhile West Ham defender Hayden Foxe was yesterday drafted into the World Cup squad to replace the injured Lucas Neill stant it is believed the new chairman is gearing up for a public relations offensive should the offer that is put to the PFA tomorrow be rejected With leading players among them Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka earning upwards of $100000 a week the view of the federation is that the Australian soccer public would not take kindly to threats of industrial action at such a critical stage of the World Cup campaign However the case is less on behalf of the likes of Kewell and Viduka and more on behalf of the lesser-known members of the World Cup squad The PFA has also been keen to Northern Spirit will today ask Soccer Australia to investigate discrepancies involved in the sale this year of defender Mark Rudan to a German club with an allegation that close to 280000 deutschmarks ($274500) of a 290000 deutschmarks fee remain unaccounted for The Spirit last week received a letter from a company which claimed it was a major sponsor of second-division Aiemannia Aachen asking for verification that the club had received DM290000 for the transfer of Rudan earlier this year The company sent copies of two letters concerning the transfer one of which was purported years) to the players it has yet to make any offer for the Oceania World Cup play-offs against New Zealand which were held in June The reason is that the proposal put forward in March to cover the entire World Cup program was not dealt with in any meaningful way by the federation until the past fortnight The constant changing of the guard at Soccer Australia Knop is the third chairman in the past 10 months is largely to blame After gaining office Knop made public his view that the players were an important stakeholder in his vision for the game and while that view remains con lion ($123 million) bonus paid by the world body FIFA to each nation that qualifies for the World Cup Although it has yet to respond formally Soccer Australia is believed to have settled on a cut of 20 per cent for the players a difference of around $4 million Soccer Australia chairman Ian Knop wants to address the players in their Melbourne hotel tomorrow night to present the view hoping his argument will prove persuasive that the federation rumoured to be carrying a debt of around $22 million desperately needs every cent it can get to fund everything from the inter national program to the grassroots operation There is also a view within the federation that the PFA does not necessarily reflect the views of its members and speaking directly to the players could help In fact nothing could be further from the truth with a group of leading players having been in almost daily contact with the PFA in the past month over payments It is known the players have quickly become as disillusioned with the new regime as the ones which went before it While Soccer Australia under duress last month honoured around $1 million in unpaid wages and bonuses (some of it going back three The S4 million difference between what the players want and what Soccer Australia is willing to give is set to overshadow the assembly of the 22-man World Cup squad in Melbourne in the next 24 hours The ruling body has informed the union the Professional Footballers Association that it will make an offer on World Cup bonuses today as part of a long-term wage deal it would like to put in place for the Socceroos Eight months ago the PFA put its initial position to Soccer Australia seeking a 50 per cent share of the SUS625 mil Agony for Hughes as full tour card slips by for want of a shot Downhill birdie wraps up four-way play-off for Weir GOLF US TOUR help Hughes by finishing a mediocre 73rd in Mississippi but Hughes failed to take full advantage of his poor play He still has a chance to earn a full exemption at the qualifying tournament in three weeks and even if he win back his card he will get into about 20 events next year However with four hungry children to feed his wife Laura recently had twin boys that is not exactly an ideal scenario Tasmanian Mathew Goggin finished 148th on the money list He will also be only partly exempt next year unless he successfully navigates the qualifying tournament the money list by Brandt Jobe whose 28th-place finish in the tournament moved him up two spots from 126th to 124th enough to retain his card The top 125 players are exempt for next year By finishing inside the 126-150 category Hughes still retains partial exemption but will be relegated well down the pecking order for entry into events and will wait in line for a stan behind players who have earned promotion from the qualifying school and the Buycom Tour American Woody Austin who slipped from 123rd to 125th on the money list did his best to Houston Texas: Victorian Brad Hughes has fallen a disappointing and miniscule SUS94 (S185) short of winning full exemption for the 2002 US PGA Tour Hughes tied for 67th at the Southern Farm Bureau Classic in Mississippi on Sunday collecting SUS4896 (S9626) That was not enough however as he dropped from 125th to finish the season 126th on the money list with earnings of SUS406258 (S798777) Had the Australian finished just one shot better he would have been safe Hughes was bumped down Seven Australians are certain to be fully exempt next year Robert Allenby (who finished 16th on the money list) Stuart Appleby (55th) Greg Chalmers (75th) Paul Gow (83rd) Geoff Ogilvy (95th) Craig Parry (102nd) and Steve Elkington (117th) The Australians who lost their cards were Greg Norman (157th) Ben Ferguson (178th) Stephen Allan (186th) Mark Hensby (187th) and Craig Spence (224th) Cameron Beckman meanwhile made up a three-stroke deficit over the final five holes to win the Southern Farm Bureau Classic for his first PGA Tour victory Beckman who nearly withdrew from the tournament last Wednesday because of a stiff neck birdied three of the final five holes for a 67 that gave him a 19-under total of 269 one stroke ahead of Chad Campbell Campbell who was playing his second PGA tournament since earning a promotion for winning three Buycom events this year shot a one-under-par 71 after starting final round at the Annandale Golf Club with a two-shot lead AAP membership after missing the cut in this Italian Open It left him languishing well outside the top 115 on the Order of Merit who automatically retain their cards He intends remaining in Britain before going to Spain for the six-round qualifying school which starts on November 14 It will be fourth visit to the school and the third in a row He was unsuccessful in 1999 but won back his card last year It was a big decision for the 42-year-old Auckland-based Australian to miss the Australian Open title starting at The Grand Golf Club on November 22 a former Australian Open winner one of the highlights of my year competing in the event But as the Tour School in Spain finish until the Monday before the Open I get into Brisbane until Wednesday Fowler said want to miss the Australian Open but my family want me to make a living and the same for a bunch of guys more of a business decision rather than an emotional AAP Houston: Canadian golfer Mike Weir won the season-ending US Tour Championship with a wild finish on Sunday He birdied the first extra hole running in a downhill two-metre putt to win a dramatic four-way play-off at Champions Club Weir shot a final-round three-under 68 to tie with American David Toms (67) Spaniard Sergio Garcia (68) and South African Ernie Els (68) "at 14-under 270 Weir could have won in regulation but bogeyed the par four 18th before making amends by sinking a birdie at the same hole in the play-off The 31 -year-old left-hander collects $US900000 for his third win on the US Tour Robert Allenby the only Australian in the 29-man field tied for 22nd at one-under 283 Meanwhile Peter Fowler has been forced to skip the Australian Open later this month as he strives to regain his European Tour card Fowler winner of the 1983 Open forfeited his European against the clock for Masters place Injured Scott in race Cagliari Italy: Australian golfer Adam Scott remains in doubt for this week's European seasonending Volvo Masters in Spain having injured his knee playing a friendly game of soccer on the eve of the Italian Open It forced him out of the event and Scott headed back to London for treatment to try to get fit for the elite competition travels to Japan where he will team up with Aaron Baddeley to represent Australia in the World Cup of Golf Gregory Havret meanwhile became the second successive rookie to win the Italian Open closing with a three-under 69 for a 20-under 268 to win by a shot from Bradley Dredge of Wales AAP If he can recover in time Scott will be looking to improve on his present ranking of 26th on the Order of Merit A top-15 placing on the money list would guarantee the Hope Islander automatic entry into three of the four majors next year a strong incentive At the completion of the Spanish event the 21-year-old Near miss: Brad Hughes finished 126th on the US money list Photo: Jason South 2R.