The issue, arising from ex-German footballer, Jens Lehmann, tearing down roof joists from his neighbour’s garage in Bavaria because they obscured his view of the neighbouring lake, eventually found conclusion last week. It’s a resolution that many of us might sympathise with.
Initially disputing the charge laid against him back in December, Lehmann decided to accept the guilty verdict last Friday. His fine amounted to €135,000 and he reached a confidential deal with the aggrieved neighbour.
Lehmann, who reportedly boasts a net worth of €24 million, underwent a trying week. The former goalie found himself in custody on suspicion of drunk driving earlier in the week. Moreover, he was convicted of attempted deceit, having been caught twice trying to avoid parking fees at Munich’s airport. Afterwards, Bild reported that, “Lehmann had trailed another car closely in his Porsche so he could slip through the car park barrier without paying.” It appears that despite still making approximately a million annually, in part from earning rent on his extensive properties, Lehmann chose to save himself €230 in parking fees. As the old saying goes, look after the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves.
Shifting to Turkey, the fierce football rivalry between Fenerbahce v Galatasaray has extended into the basketball realm, causing noticeable disruption. The lowdown: Ergin Ataman, the coach of Turkey’s men’s basketball team, also supports Galatasaray football team. Recently, during a club basketball match, he held up his fingers to indicate ‘3-1,’ celebrating Galatasaray’s latest triumph over Fenerbahce.
Despite Ataman’s attempt at apologising, Fenerbahce was far from forgiving: “His actions starkly contradict the respect expected from a national coach.” Consequently, they have vowed to prohibit players from their basketball branch from participating in national team duties until Ataman is removed. Henceforth, Ataman will likely refrain from any further hand gestures.
Damien ‘Del Boy’ Duff, famous for creating compilations of the TV show ‘Only Fools and Horses’ for his Shelbourne players, has shared his strategy for relieving the stress of the championship run. He humorously predicted, his picture might be superimposed over that of Derek’s in newspaper articles.
Evan Ferguson, from the Republic of Ireland, has now participated in a sum of 50 Premier League games, making him the country’s youngest player to achieve this milestone. The information was courtesy of @irish_abroad.
Antonio Cassano, former Italian international player, criticised Cristiano Ronaldo for his singular goal-scoring focus, differing from other players, such as Higuain, Aguero, Benzema, Lewandowski, Ibrahimovic, and Suarez who integrate better with their team. Cassano doesn’t seem to be a fan of Ronaldo, despite the player’s impressive scoring record.
Ronald Araújo, the considerably tall Uruguayan defender was humorously described by Barcelona coach Hansi Flick, for having an intimidating presence in the dressing room.
José Mourinho, current manager of Fenerbahce but formerly of Tottenham, spoke up about his success introducing the ‘Mourinho effect’, designed to bring specialised recognition, at every club he has guided. He made a cheeky remark, however, about the lack of cups during his Tottenham stint.
Ole Gunnar Solskjær expressed his eagerness to become Norway’s manager once Stale Solbakken steps down, honouring his Norwegian heritage. He also hinted at his readiness to accept a second stint as Manchester United’s manager, once Erik ten Hag leaves. It’s clear that Solskjær is keen on getting back into the game.