Changing Room Chat: Home comforts for Nakamura

Published on Monday 8 March 2010 19:13

FORMER Celtic midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura may have failed to make any sort of impact at Espanyol after leaving Parkhead for the Spanish club last summer, but he has certainly made an impression at his new club Yokohama F-Marinos.

So much so that Yokohama manager Kazushi Kimura admitted yesterday that Nakamura is probably the only decent thing about the club just now.

Nakamura, who returned to his boyhood club last month following a frustrating spell at Espanyol, watched from the stands as Yokohama lost 1-0 at FC Tokyo over the weekend in the first J-League match of the new season. But the midfielder has already been barking orders at training.

"The only thing bright spot about training is Shunsuke," explained Kimura.

"It's been rubbish since last year. He's the only good thing."

Nakamura, whose return to Japan has boosted replica shirt sales to the extent the club shop ran out of the numbers two and five for his No25 jersey, said: "There is no need to rush things.

"We need to relax and play our style of football. There is no need to panic."

Lovell a struggle for TV's Schofield

CONFIRMATION that Steve Lovell is not exactly a household name came yesterday when his other half, singer Amy Macdonald, appeared on This Morning.

Just before performing her new single, Macdonald chatted with presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby. Schofield knew she was a WAG, but he was a little sketchy with the details.

"Now, your partner is . . . " said Schofield, desperately rummaging through his notes.

"Stevie Lovell," said Macdonald.

"And he plays for..." added Schofield, racking his brains.

"Partick Thistle," said Amy.

Perhaps Schofield should have then belted out a rendition of "WHO ARE YA?". But he didn't.

West Brom sport 'Help Chile' logo

WEST Bromwich Albion players aim to raise money for the victims of the Chile earthquake tonight with the words "Help Chile" on their shirts for the Championship match against Sheffield Wednesday.

Albion's Chile defender Gonzalo Jara, who is sidelined with a broken bone in his foot, had to evacuate his wife and children from their apartment in Santiago when the earthquake struck on 27 February.

West Brom do not have a regular shirt sponsor and are allowed to carry different logos on a match-by-match basis. The club will encourage fans to donate to the Chile relief fundraising through Red Cross organisations.