YOU DI-AMOND
Jansson reveals bad blood with the Rams over Spygate
PONTUS JANSSON claims Leeds and Derby “hate” each other because of the bad blood between the clubs.
Spygate – when a member of Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa’s staff was caught snooping on Derby training before they met in January – overshadows their play-off semi-final.
Rams boss Frank Lampard was furious with Bielsa and his striker Mason Bennett claims they are using the row as motivation for tomorrow’s first leg.
There is historical animosity between the clubs, but even in recent history Jansson knows Derby want revenge and says Leeds dislike them too.
“There have been two good games, especially from our side,” said the defender. “We played good football against them.
“They will be two more good games with good football and high intensity and probably a lot of goals. Hopefully Leeds will be the winners again. Everything else outside of that has no meaning. They hate us probably and we hate them, that’s how we go into the game.”
Jansson (above) then admitted hate was a bit over the top, but added there is bad feeling.
“Hate is not the right word, that’s just me as a football supporter using the wrong word,” said the big Sweden international.
“Because of everything that happened and beating them twice and because we are Leeds and because of what Leeds are in England, maybe hate is not the right word, but you understand what I mean.”
Bielsa says Jansson is doubtful for the first leg at Derby because of an ankle injury, but the centrehalf has vowed to “play in a wheelchair” if necessary.
Bielsa revealed last week he paid Leeds’ £200,000 Spygate fine and admits the falling-out between the clubs “could be” BIG-GAME hunter Padraig Amond stalked the Stags with a vital Newport goal at Rodney Parade.
The 31-year-old Irish striker, who scored in all five rounds of the Exiles’ FA Cup adventure this season, saw his 83rd-minute penalty saved by Mansfield keeper Conrad Logan.
But Amond followed up to net the rebound and keep Newport’s hopes alive for Sunday’s second leg. Mansfield took a 12th-minute lead when winger CJ Hamilton rifled the ball into the roof of the net. motivation for Derby. While that controversy rumbles on, the Argentinian wants to avoid a repeat of the row when his side scored against Aston Villa while they had a player down injured.
He sportingly ordered his players to allow Villa to equalise straight from the restart and says they will not kick the ball out if one of Derby’s players is hurt.
“We understand if we have one player down the opponents don’t have to kick the ball off the pitch,” said Bielsa.
“We also think if a player from the opposing team is down, we
won’t interrupt the game by putting the ball out.
“We all know the person who has to take this decision is the referee. But we don’t want to disappoint anyone, not the fans or the other team.
“This has nothing to do with Aston Villa because in that situation, we feinted we were going to put the ball out and didn’t. We’re not talking about that.
“We just want to clear up this doubt and we will tell the referee and the head coach of Derby that we will behave like this, that we will behave by the rules.” PETER CROUCH will be at the centre of a tug-of-war if he decides to retire at the end of the season.
The BBC and talkSPORT are both among those keen to sign up the veteran striker as a pundit as soon as his playing days are over.
Veteran Burnley striker Crouch, 38, already does a podcast with the BBC but is not tied beyond that and will be in demand after proving himself to be eloquent, funny and knowledgeable.
The BBC are considering moving their flagship 6-0-6 phone-in show with Alistair BruceBall and Chris Sutton to Saturday rather than Sunday evenings.
Both radio stations have understandably championed themselves as the big winners of the last round of rights.
talkSPORT have basically got two live games on Saturdays while the BBC have the Sunday matches.
But the BBC will be keen to make sure they keep a good audience share on the Saturday as they also have first pick of the 3pm games.
The excellent former Brighton defender Leroy Rosenior, 34, should be another character the media companies pick up after proving himself a superb broadcaster during stints on Sky.
GARETH SOUTHGATE will name his squad for the Nations League next Thursday.
The England boss is highly likely to include Harry Kane in the enlarged group, especially as the Tottenham striker now has a huge incentive to get back quickly ahead of the Champions League final.
Southgate (below) has been making fitness checks on Kane’s ankle but now also faces a nightmare scenario with players from Liverpool and Tottenham – two of the clubs who provide most players – not reporting up until just two days before the Nations League begins. Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino was less than impressed at being asked whether Kane would be fit after his team’s dramatic win over Ajax – presumably as he wanted to focus on the players who had played.
BBC commentator John Murray, one of the nicest guys in the business, asked the question and got a rude shock when Pochettino walked out in a huff.
UEFA are stepping up security ahead of the Champions League final in Madrid now that it will be an all-English affair between Liverpool and Tottenham.
European football’s governing body knows it has potential for problems with a huge number of English fans descending on the
Spanish capital. They fear many will travel without tickets as each club will only be given 17,000.
A UEFA spokesman said: “We had already discussed security arrangements with the potential participating clubs ahead of the semi-finals and will further collaborate with the finalists on the matter until the final.”
There has also been uproar over the newly built Wanda Metropolitano stadium having “obstructed-view tickets” but UEFA insists that will only be 200 tickets in each allocation and that in a new stadium it may not mean what it did in older grounds.