After the revelations which occurred last week that lead to Wayne Rooney signing a new five-year contract, it seems there was only one incentive that Wayne considered when signing that contract; Money.
This seems to be a regular occurrence throughout football, especially within the lower leagues in which the teams rely on their youth academy due to financial difficulties and the players are pressurised into moves due to the huge wage packet and bonuses that are offered to them.
Being a Crystal Palace fan, I have a great experience of this problem when a young lad named John Bostock thought it would be more beneficial for his career to sign for Premier League Tottenham and scrap it out in the u18’s league than play first team football for a Championship side pushing for promotion, bearing in mind he was still 16.
Now I’m not here to criticise and everyone will have their opinion on such debates, but did John really think he was going to break into the Tottenham team at such a young age when they had other young prospects such as Tom Huddlestone?
John has clearly paid to regret the choice he made back in 2008, with only a handful of appearances in the Tottenham first team under his belt; he had an unsuccessful loan period at Brentford last season, which lead to his talents being questioned by Spurs boss Harry Redknapp.
However, John had a good start at Griffin Park and scored a brace on his debut against Millwall, in which one was from a corner.
John is now on-loan at Championship side Hull and again got off to a great start by scoring a 30-yard screamer on his debut against Swansea.
But since that strike, John has found it hard to get games under his belt in the Championship and has only made a few appearances.
So what has gone wrong for a player who was so highly rated?
Being a similar age to John and with us both being Crystal Palace fans, I couldn’t think of anything better then to represent my beloved team on the Selhurst Park turf, so when I heard that John had decided to move to Tottenham it made be very angry and upset.
To make matters worse and rub salt in the wound, rumours were confirmed true that Palace would only receive £700,000 for a player who would have been worth £5,000,000 at a Premier League team.
It wasn’t the first time that this has happened to Palace, with Wayne Routledge making the same mistake and he has only just got his career back on track, after loan spells at various teams including Portsmouth and Fulham.
Although it may seem bitter, it does please me to see that John has failed to make an impact at Tottenham.
After Neil Warnock showed such faith in handing him a debut against Cardiff at the age of sixteen; what a way to repay them.
It would have done John no harm to stay at Selhurst Park for a couple of seasons and make a name for himself by getting regular starts, which he would have done at Palace with him being highly-regarded alongside Victor Moses.
But everyone makes mistakes and characters are judged by the way they bounce back but it seems that John has wasted an important part of his career by making a move that could have been easily prevented.
Who is to blame; the player, Tottenham or his agent?
Somewhere down the line John was given the wrong information and he has paid the price by making such a move, with the player finding it hard to get starts in the Championship.
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My point is that money isn’t always the answer, Wayne.
I have nothing against John and wouldn’t complain if George Burley was to sign him on-loan in January, but surely the laws have to change within the game in order to give these youngsters the right support and information necessary to ensure they make the correct career decisions.
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Newcastle United centre-back, Mike Williamson, has acclimatised to the level of the Premier League with comparative ease. The recently turned 27-year-old has been performing in the mould of a seasoned vet, rarely found out of his comfort zone, and after having formed a reliable partnership with Fabricio Coloccini, Newcastle have been able to produce four clean sheets so far this season. Ah, but wait a minute, isn’t he English? Why yes, he is in fact English! With a player such as Williamson performing consistently and assuredly, surely he would be liable for an international cap.
I think it is portentous that a player such as Williamson hasn’t even been given any credible notion of joining up with the international squad; I believe it is due to circumstance and his demeanour as a player that he hasn’t been recognised. The circumstances I note are where he has previously played and where he currently finds himself playing now i.e. not deemed a big club. For if Williamson were playing for a Chelsea, Manchester United, or Arsenal, then there would be more attention paid to the centre-back. But because he is playing at a newly promoted and less successful club, this will, combined with other factors, suppress his England chances.
Another factor that applies itself against Williamson is his history of football. He was formerly playing in the lower leagues for clubs such as Wycombe Wanderers, Watford and Portsmouth (he didn’t actually play here due to financial clauses in his contract). This less than glamorous past creates an initial prejudice of lacking quality and the inability to assent to the international level. But having come through these challenges, it builds resolve and determination in the player never to become too complacent, always striving to improve and maintain form.
Williamson himself asserts: “Every match is a clean slate, that’s how I look at it. It doesn’t matter what has happened before, it’s up to me to perform week after week. I’ve got to maintain the good start I’ve had.” He’s certainly affirming his word by keeping Sol Campbell on the substitute’s bench and impressing everyone who watches him. His character is a conservative, yet professional one that portrays little flamboyance or pretence.
All of these factors elucidated above combine to dismiss Williamson from Fabio Capello’s thoughts, as this is all I can surmise as to why he won’t get an England call-up. He hasn’t had a meteoric rise to fame as a youngster or played at a consistently Premier League club. His style of play is efficient and straight forward, so all of these, whilst misguided, count against him. It confounds me as to why a player such as Chris Smalling is included in the squad, but not one like Williamson who has greater experience playing regularly and competently.
A comparison can be drawn with West Ham’s Scott Parker, who is, again, playing for a struggling club and repeatedly been looked over when the England squad is announced. I guess some players just don’t appeal to the individual preferences of a manager, but when form is everything, surely the observable evidence could suggest a flaw in your first assumption?
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Former Chelsea assistant manager Ray Wilkins has agreed a compensation package with the club after he was dismissed on November 11.
The former club captain was relieved of his duties last month after helping manager Carlo Ancelotti guide the Londoners to a Premier League and FA Cup double last term.
With former Nigeia international Michael Emenalo handed the number two role, Wilkins is pleased the issues have been resolved and both parties can move on.
"It has obviously been a big wrench leaving such an illustrious club and one which has played such a huge role in my playing and coaching career," Wilkins said in a message left on the League Managers Association's official website.
"I have great affection for the club, the staff, the players and its supporters and wish them all the very best for the remainder of this season and the future.
"I would also like to thank the club and the LMA for ensuring that matters have been brought to a swift and harmonious conclusion."
LMA chief executive Richard Bevan added:"All parties are delighted that an agreement has been reached in a cordial and professional manner.
"I am sure that a manager of Ray's experience will be back involved in a managerial or coaching capacity soon."
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Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay said on Chelsea's official website:"I am pleased to announce that we have come to a swift and amicable agreement with Ray Wilkins and all unresolved matters have now been settled.
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ray for his service to the club and wish him all the best for the future."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
This week we get a break from the magnificent 2010/11 Premier League season and can enjoy one of the stand-out weekend’s on the English football calendar; the 3rd round of the FA Cup. The 3rd Round of the FA Cup is all about upsets, so there are some great betting opportunities available for you and if you can predict which football minnows will triumph then you can win yourself a tidy sum of cash.
First things first, make sure you claim your FREE £20 BET, available to new Paddy Power customers here. Then it’s time to take advantage of the great odds that are available, but which matches should you be looking out for? Here are my top picks for the weekend…
Arsenal v Leeds: Carlos Vela to score first @ 11/2 – Leeds may well have dumped Manchester United out of the FA Cup last season thanks to Jermaine Beckford but don’t expect Arsenal to suffer the same fate. Arsene Wenger’s young Gunners are sure to win, and it’s about time that Vela showed us what he’s made of.
Reading v West Brom: Reading to win 2-0 @ 10/1 – West Brom are in big trouble and their defensive worries make it unlikely that they’ll keep a clean sheet. Reading on the other hand are going well in the Championship and Mark Lawrenson has predicted a 2-0 win for the Royals, and when is Lawro ever wrong!?
Sheffield United v Aston Villa: Sheff Utd to win @ 12/5 – A team struggling in the Premier League against a team struggling in the Championship. 12/5 isn’t a bad price for the Blades to win and given Villa’s current form, don’t expect Gerard Houllier’s men to have an easy afternoon at Bramall Lane.
Use your FREE £20 to bet on an FA Cup accumulator!
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Stoke v Cardiff: 4 or more goals @ 2/1 – This looks like one of the more interesting FA Cup ties of the weekend. Stoke are fairly strong at home and will cause Cardiff problems with balls into the box, but the Bluebirds will be a threat themselves and thus goals should be on the cards at the Britannia Stadium!
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Manchester United v Liverpool: Draw @ 14/5 – Roy Hodgson’s future at Liverpool is uncertain, but maybe a good cup run is on the cards for the Reds. United are unlikely to lose twice in two years in the 3rd round of the FA Cup at Old Trafford, but Liverpool could well earn a draw. The odds on that are 14/5 and you can also take advantage of the Paddy Power special that bets will be refunded if Wayne Rooney or Steven Gerrard score the last goal.
So there are my five picks from a selection of a wide range of different FA Cup markets available this weekend. Make your bets now and remember that new customers get a FREE £20 BET as well!
As we bring the year 2010 to the close there are many club managers who will be hoping for a flying start to New Year in terms of results, largely down to the fact they are under extreme pressure at present. Roy Hodgson, Avram Grant and Gerard Houllier need some points and quick to turn their respective seasons around.
In the papers this morning there have been a mixed bag of stories which includes Howard Webb has been awarded an MBE; Roy Hodgson on the ropes as Liverpool owners are alarmed by fan reaction, while Man City turn down West Ham’s loan request.
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MBE honour for Webb – Sky Sports
Hodgson in peril as anger of Liverpool fans alarms owners – Guardian
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Agbonlahor ignores Houllier on weighty issue – Daily Telegraph
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AC Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri excused Serie A debutant Mark van Bommel for getting himself sent off in their win over Catania.
The league leaders extended their gap at the top of the table with a 2-0 away win, with both goals coming after van Bommel received his second yellow card early in the second half.
But Allegri put the poor discipline from the Dutchman down to a lack of league experience in Italy.
“It’s fair enough. The referees make decisions based on what they see and this is an example. Van Bommel should’ve been a bit sneakier, but it is his second game in Italian football,” Allegri said.
“These fouls are not generally sanctioned with a booking in Germany, but he is a generally aggressive player.”
Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic had a hand in the first goal, before scoring the second himself, on both occasions linking with Brazilian star Robinho.
Allegri had nothing but praise for the 29-year-old Ibrahimovic.
“He is having the best season of his career in terms of intensity,” Allegri said.
“Ibra has a great deal of enthusiasm, feels like a leader and also knows how to defend, which is the most important thing. If he tracks back, then everyone else follows suit.”
Ibrahimovic said he believed Catania goaded van Bommel into a reckless foul to earn his second yellow card, but said it was karma that Milan managed to use the sending off to their advantage.
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“It seemed as if the Catania players were looking for that second yellow card. They found it, but we won with character,” Ibrahimovic said.
“It’s a good sign for the season, as it shows we are doing everything possible to win. It was a tough game against an aggressive and gritty side.”
“In my view it was actually easier to play with 10 men, as that created more space for the forwards.”
Roma defender Aleandro Rosi has blamed Napoli striker Ezequiel Lavezzi for elbowing him in Saturday’s Serie A match.
The Naples outfit took all three points from the Stadio Olimpico after Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani bagged a double, but the clash between Rosi and Lavezzi stole the headlines.
The two clashed in an off-the-ball incident, with Rosi spotted on camera spitting at Lavezzi.
But the 23-year-old blames the Napoli player for the incident, insisting he elbowed him first.
“We spat at each other, but he elbowed me first,” Rosi said after the match.
“Lavezzi elbowed me when we were off the ball and from there it all escalated. He got angry and so did I. The referee didn’t spot it, as he was very sneaky to elbow me like that and he knows it.”
“Now don’t go blaming it all on me. Lavezzi was irritable from the start, he provoked me, elbowed me in the stomach and from that moment we got into a row.”
Rosi admitted spitting towards Lavezzi but maintained the incident would not have occurred if it were not for Lavezzi’s unsportsmanlike conduct.
“I spat in his general direction, but I did not get him in the face. I accept advice from those who tell me not to react that way, but he elbowed me first and it all started from there.”
While a ban could be expected for the two players, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is confident both players will not be punished from video replays.
De Laurentiis said because the players were cautioned, no further action can be taken, and defended Lavezzi, claiming he was provoked.
“Lavezzi was provoked and even explained to the referee how things went,” De Laurentiis said.
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“Besides, he cannot be penalised using video evidence because the referee booked them both during the game. The official made his decision and sanctioned the behaviour on the field, therefore the rules on video evidence do not apply here.”
De Laurentiis was also asked if the victory had seen Napoli eliminate a rival from the title race, but the president did not agree.
“Roma are not our rivals. We are the third biggest club in Italy in terms of average attendances and have more fans overseas than they do.”
Everyone who followed football in 1989 should remember that day at Hillsborough. I was watching Manchester City get a thrashing at Ewood Park, going down 4-0 to promotion rivals Blackburn Rovers. A rumour spread early in the match amongst the supporters of trouble in Sheffield. In those days, communication was a bit more basic, and even as I left the ground down-hearted at the result, I expected nothing more than a couple of injuries – that’s what the rumour had been. Then the radio was turned on in the car, and the TV turned on when I got home, and what I saw will always shock me.
It’s a day that, to state the blindingly obvious, can never be allowed to happen again. No football fan should ever be at risk when entering a football stadium in this (or any) country.
The Taylor Report brought in the introduction of all-seater stadiums, a situation that of course remains to this day (in the top 2 leagues). The effect of the report spread beyond these shores – there was pressure in other countries as a result of Hillsborough to get rid of terracing. The German FA resisted this pressure, and at least 10% of tickets at Bundesliga games must be standing. And it is they that are held up as the shining example by those who propose a return to terracing in our top leagues. There are a few fans groups in this country who have campaigned for many years for a return of terracing – groups such as the Football Supporters’ Federation (FSF) and Stand Up Sit Down (SUSD) are two such examples.
The BBC looked at the German example as far back as 2007. They found that at Schalke’s magnificent VELTINS-Arena, there has not been a single incident or injury that was caused by having standing terraces in the 6 years of their existence. When the FSF asked Borussia Dortmund for injury statistics for its 25,000-capacity standing section, Europe’s largest, it was told the club do not keep statistics for injuries inside the ground as they were not an issue. The BBC article also said:
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The VELTINS-Arena has staggered barriers on every fourth step of its standing section. These can be easily removed and replaced with seating for international and European club games that operate under all-seater rules.
German stadium expert Professor Gunter Pilz has said: “We have never had safety problems with standing in Germany.” Pilz, from the Institute of Sports Science at Hannover University, told BBC Sport: “Standing is part of German football culture and there is no evidence at all that it is more dangerous than sitting.”
Pilz has debated the issue of safe standing sections with Sepp Blatter, the boss of world football’s governing body Fifa. “When I spoke to Blatter about the all-seater rule he said it was a question of security,” said Pilz. “But during the World Cup you had people standing on their seats to get a better view – that is far more dangerous because in panic situations you could get a domino effect.”
Past governments have tended to ignore calls for a return to terracing, but the odd minister breaks ranks – Kate Hoey, for one. Last year, the Liberal Democrats made noises about supporting a reintroduction of terraces. As Don Foster, spokesman for culture, media and sport stated to the Independent: “The Liberal Democrats are committed to exploring options for introducing safe standing at football grounds in consultation with fans, clubs and safety experts and have passed a motion at our party conference to this effect. The evidence from countries like Germany shows that safe standing can operate effectively and safely to give fans more choice about how they enjoy the game.”
Foster tabled a private members bill to reintroduce standing to certain areas of stadiums within the top 2 leagues. However, this being the Liberal Democrats, they’ve probably gone back on their word by now (the truth is it was tabled in December, and has a 2nd reading on 17th June).
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From personal experience, I have been to Schalke, and their stadium in Gelsenkirchen. The stadium, which holds painful memories for England (exiting the World Cup to Portugal in 2006 on penalties), has a capacity of 61,000 with over 16,000 standing places. Adult standing tickets are dirt cheap (often under ten pounds for an adult), and the price includes travel.
I went to there a couple of years ago to watch Manchester City. The away fans were in a seated area, but then so was everyone, with it being a European game, so no insight into terracing from me. Not surprisingly however, everyone stood anyway, making a mockery of the argument that it’s safer to have seats. It isn’t, it wasn’t. With terracing not allowed in non-domestic games, German grounds have utilised “hybrid” terracing, that can be swapped for seats when the need arises. At Werder Bremen’s Weserstadion, seats are connected to barriers that run along the length of every second step in the standing section. They are flipped up and locked for domestic games, and flipped down and unlocked for European and international games, with a 50% reduction in capacity.
The legislation is clearly inconsistent for football. Both the FSF and SUSD have repeatedly asked the authorities why standing is allowed at other sports, football below Championship level, and even music concerts at all-seater football stadia. Are we seriously led to believe that football fans just can’t be trusted or that when a crowd above a certain figure suddenly becomes unsafe?
As I said when discussing Schalke, the issue of many fans simply ignoring the rules and standing up anyway (especially away fans at grounds), often upsetting supporters that want to sit and causing friction with stewards attempting to police the situation, has also been raised by both groups. Standing in a seated area is more dangerous than standing in a terrace, in my opinion.
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Globally, many football tragedies have happened in all-seater stadiums. The idea that all seater-stadiums remove risk of injury is hogwash. Stampedes at football grounds in South Africa and Ghana in 2001, claiming over 150 lives, both occurred in all-seater stadiums. The common factors were ineffective stewarding, fraudulent ticket allocations, crowd behaviour and over-zealous policing. Those tragedies explode the myth that all-seat stadia are necessarily safe. You might argue that a “stampede” is hardly a likely occurrence in a British stadium, but then neither are the events of 1989 anymore. The terracing of 1989 would bear no resemblance to modern-day terracing. No perimeter fences, wider walkways, no penning in of excessive crowds, policing with no communication or lack of turnstiles or crush barriers – there would be little comparison. Strict safety rules would have to be adhered to at all times, but this is no different to rules for seated areas. Capacity could even be limited to the same as if the area was seated, to give a more spacious feel and eliminate any congestion and over-crowding.
Football grounds are safer places than they used to be. Modern stadiums have been built throughout the country, and technology has advanced immeasurably. Lower leagues after all have always maintained terracing. Bigger crowds occur of course in the higher leagues, but this doesn’t mean they can’t be managed – they can. And safety issues apart, there is strong evidence that it would improve atmospheres in grounds (much-needed), and increase capacity, which could also mean cheaper tickets for the terrace itself.
The main opposition (apart from successive governments), understandably, comes from Liverpool. All-seater stadiums retain the firm support of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, which states: “There’s no such thing as safe standing.” Kenny Dalglish spoke in December in opposition to the private members bill. He said:
“To me, I think safe standing is a bit of a contradiction in terms. It might be safe enough if you’re there alone but unless it’s managed and looked after properly, then I don’t see how it could be safe. The football fans at Hillsborough in ’89 put their trust in the authorities to look after them, to make sure that standing was safe. People are going through the process at the moment to get the justice that they’ve waited so long for and hugely deserve. I think it’s really a bit insensitive for someone to put this forward.”
It is a contentious issue – many in Liverpool think a return to terracing is disrespectful to those who died at Hillsborough. I don’t understand how, but I wasn’t there. Maybe British football fans can’t be trusted to behave themselves, and the German comparison is void. Either way, there seems little chance of it being introduced to Premiership or Championship grounds in the forseeable future.
Harry Redknapp, has achieved great things at Tottenham. He is still not a dead-cert for the England job, while he is still under investigation for tax evasion. But with Tottenham doing so well under Redknapp, and with their success in the knockout format of the Champions League, Redknapp looks like an ideal candidate for England Manager. I am a huge fan of Redknapp and I would never want him to leave Tottenham. But if Harry does get the England job, who should replace him at White Hart Lane?
Well my first choice would be Jose Mourinho. You might think this is ridiculous, but the idea of Mourinho becoming manager of Tottenham is not entirely unrealistic.
In Bale, Van Der Vaart and Modric, Tottenham have some world class players in key positions. Mourinho would only need to strengthen a few areas. On paper, Tottenham are not that far off the best, and their players are only going to get better with time. With some intelligent acquisitions, they pose a realistic chance of threatening for the title.
Tottenham are not yet fully on the radar as Premier League title contenders, but have bags of potential. Mourinho would relish the prospect of taking a good Premier League side and making them great. And in Tottenham he has a perfect team to do so. Mourinho is a confident man and I am sure he would believe that he could take Tottenham to the top.
Most importantly, Mourinho would bring belief to White Hart Lane, just as he did at Stamford Bridge, and that is what could make him an ideal manager for Tottenham and Spurs an ideal club for him. Both parties would benefit; Mourinho would get to show just how good a manager he is, success at Tottenham would be considered a great effort, even after their Champions League run this year, and Tottenham would benefit from one of the best managers in the world.
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For Mourinho to come to White Hart Lane, Tottenham would have to qualify for the Champions League this year, which would mean coming fourth in the Premier League. Mourinho would not be interested in managing a club that is not in the highest profile competition in Europe. However, Mourinho would definitely not come to Tottenham if they, (and I’m going to say it) won the Champions League this year. He would never take over a side that has already achieved great success and out performed expectation, he wants to be the one to do that.
On the other hand, he would not receive that much credit for winning the league with Manchester United as they are favourites every year. Plus, he would always be in the shadow of Sir Alex Ferguson. Mourinho is a man who likes to do things his way, and it would be extremely difficult to be the first man to manage United after Ferguson. My guess is that if he harbours ambitions to manage United, he will wait a bit longer. The timing seems to be just right for Tottenham. I think a move to White hart Lane would be more appealing than one to Old Trafford in the near future. With this in mind, the idea of him coming to White Hart Lane is not totally out of the question.
Finally, should Mourinho not end up at Tottenham I want to put the name of Owen Coyle into the mixer. His success at Bolton this season has been there for all to see. He seems like a great motivator who gets stuck in with the players and his sides play an attractive style of football. What I have been impressed with is the way he helped develop Jack Wilshere last season, who went away a boy and came back a man. He seems to be working wonders again with Daniel Sturridge, who is on loan this season. With this in mind, I think Tottenham could do well to give him a chance as they have some great young players. He might not be a massive name just yet, but he could be in the future.
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Paris-Saint Germain’s title hopes were dented when they went down 1-0 at Auxerre on Saturday, while Stade Rennes defeated Montpellier.Auxerre midfielder Kamel Chafni was the hero for the hosts, latching on to a poor defensive clearance and producing a marvellous strike to deny PSG a coveted three points.Siaka Tiene’s miscued clearance fell fortuitously for Chafni, who unleashed a looping half-volley that dipped over PSG custodian Apoula Edel and tucked into the far corner four minutes from time.PSG had threatened on several occasions but were never able to get the better of Auxerre goalkeeper Olivier Sorin, whose clean sheet ensured the hosts rise to 16th place, three points clear of the relegation zone.The Parisians could have risen to second on the table with a win, but instead fall five points adrift of provisional Ligue 1 leaders Stade Rennes.The new leaders notched a 1-0 win at Montpellier for their fifth consecutive league victory, though they will return to second place should Lille defeat Marseille on Sunday.Togolese winger Razak Boukari scored a first-half thunderbolt for the visitors, unleashing a blistering volley from Addelhamid El Kaoutari’s headed clearance that rocketed past Montpellier shot-stopper Geoffrey Jourdren in the 27th minute.It was Boukari’s fourth goal in seven appearances for Rennes since sealing a transfer from Lens in January.Elsewhere, Sochaux put Toulouse’s European ambitions under threat with a 1-0 win at the Stadium Municipal.Modibo Maiga turned David Sauget’s cross past Toulouse keeper Matthieu Valverde in the 64th minute, and things only got worse for the hosts as Valverde then saw red in the last minute of injury time.In other results, relegation-threatened Caen defeated Saint-Etienne1-0 while Youssef El-Arabi’s 90th-minute winner, while Lorient v Nancy, Nice v Lens and Valenciennes v Monaco all ended in goalless draws.