Blackburn Rovers News 24/7Writer: Walker 
Date:Monday February 19 2007
Time: 1:13AM
UK time is: 18:28:23
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Cesc Issues Apology to Sparky
Arsenal's Spanish International midfielder Cesc Fabregas had angered Blackburn Rovers boss Mark Hughes with his post match comments to him but credit to the guy he sought him out to apologise.
After Saturday's 0-0 FA Cup fifth round tie a frustrated, and arguably understandably so (as I've said all along from an Arsenal or even neutral viewpoint) Fabregas greeted Hughes with the following comments as the pair exchanged the usual after match hand shake:
"I went to shake is hand but instead he asked me if I had played for Barcelona. I said 'yes I had - a long time ago'.
"Then he said something along the lines of 'well, that wasn't Barcelona type of football'."
These comments incurred the wrath of Sparky Hughes and he didn't take these comments very well and rightly so...
However it takes a bigger man to say sorry and issue and apology and credit where credit is due Fabregas later did this. He found Sparky to do just that, and the apology was accepted. Fabregas said:
"I should not have done it but I get really upset when we don't win and I don't play well.
"Luckily, he accepted my apology and I must learn not to do anything like it again.
"But I just felt that they came for a draw and did not care how they did it."
We almost exclusively did come for a draw, it was the game plan but also a game plan to maybe try and pinch something but this wasn't the case. We set out our stall and defended superbly for the best part of ninety minutes and for that deserve credit. It wasn't pretty but it was effective.
Hughes also said:
"I had arguably six or seven players out who would have been first choices, but for the fact that they were injured or I needed to rest them.
"I thought our performance merited a good degree of credit.
"We've restricted a very good Arsenal side to just a few clear-cut chances and I think that is a very good achievement."
The replay takes place at Ewood Park on the final day of the month, Wednesday 28th February by which time the opponents for the victors will already be known with the draw for the Quarter Finals taking place tomorrow lunchtime at 13:30. I'm sure both teams will be hoping to avoid the names Chelsea or Manchester United/Reading. Ideally this would make a very nice Quarter Final pairing in itself...
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Your Comments
Hats off to Cesc he has admitted his wrong doing, takes a bigger man to do so, many men A LOT older than him wouldn't have done so. He had lost a lot of my respect for his actions but has won it back by his re-actions. His frustration can be understood (from a Gooners P.O.V) and his reaction was that of a young man, which lets not forget he still is; he's what 19-years-old. On reflection this kind of commitment can only be good for the Arsenal faithful, for him to get that frustrated and worked up shows he really cares and sees his long term future with the Gooners.
Hughes Da Man
I agree Hughesy........... HOWEVER I can see the the Sun's headline morning after replay............Cescs remark Sparks Ewood Park! ohhh i do hope so.....
govtpros
Hughes, in my eyes you're a class act. Sure you are not a Gooner?
G4L
valentines day was last week! send him a card G4L..........
govtpros
Seriously i don't know why it turned into such a big deal, i thought it was funny but i never thought Cesc did it to insult Hughes in the way he perceived it. Though i might be wrong.
AB_Arsenal
Seems even to this day Hughes is still carrying it on. He clearly has some sort of agenda, but I don't think it will work. I would be very surprised if Cesc actually plays in the replay as he will definately play against psv tomorrow night & will also play against chelski next sunday. Unless we get some injuries it will be denilson & diaby in that replay, although cesc may be on the bench.
Ashburton Gooner
Turned out to be the highlight of the match really didn't it! lol :) Thanks G4L send me a private message and I'll give you the address for the belated valentines card mate lol :) I make no secet of my admiration for Arsenal, they're a class act. Obviously Rovers are my priority but football is the religion that I follow and can appreciate when this is preached in such a quality way and can also when it isn't. So long as football is always ultimately the winner I'm happy.
Hughes Da Man
Let me just clarify that when I say agenda, I don't mean it in a bad way, I mean Hughes is probably trying to keep it in his players minds for the replay to fire his own players up!! I can live with that (all good managers would do the same) however I do feel he should have left the press out of it!!
Ashburton Gooner
In fairness to both parties you have areas of the media that have been running it all weekend so its not so much of a case of either carrying it on to much for me. Some papers don't print at the weekend do they so will only run it today won't they. Cesc apologised Sparky apparently accepted this should draw a line under the whole thing... although should he play in the replay, which he maybe won't as you say Ashburton he won't be allowed to forget it although I'm sure the majority will have accepted the matter they'd just be acting as football fans do.
Hughes Da Man
You make a fair point Ashburton, and it "should" fire up the lads. However the press notice everything don't they they would have kept hounding him (if they hadn't?) until they got what they wanted to know.
Hughes Da Man
Can I just at this point say I have gained a lot of respect for you blackburn fans this season, because of this vital site. Obviously I hope arsenal win next week but should you defeat us (& play a good game to boot, by that I mean no repeat of the last ewood match, I can live with any tactics but those), then I sincerely hope you go on & win both the fa cup & uefa cup.
Ashburton Gooner
Well I was disappointed with Cesc as he is one of my fav players on the world stage today. I have been keeping a keen eye on his career since he was about 15-16 (found him on champ and he got awesome). It was disappointing to hear his remarks but, fair play to the nloke for coming out and apologising. I understood his frustration but if you play in a team where you openly claim you play great attacking football, the kind of football that is renowned then you have to expect clubs, depleted with injuries, to play things tight. Well done to the bloke for apologising though.
roversman
The fact he apologised is proof enough that he felt he did wrong. Fair play to the lad but he aint done nothing yet... he needs to remember that in future. The press actually instigated the whole thing by asking Hughes about it!!!! If Fabregas is a bad loser then its his problem.
MikeyGamst
Many thanks Ashburton I appreicate that, as I hope we all do. I feel this site is doing something, so if it has an effect like that then I'm proud to be a part of it! People often say they don't care what other fans think of them but surely they do really, I know I do. A bit of playful banter is OK and when things need to be said (a la our showing in the "Ewood Battle" in Janury) they are but there isn't always a need for some of the mindless dribble that is spouted. Rovers are a family club so on the whole have these values. To be honest with you I'd be truely gutted if we played those tactics again like we did at Ewood Park in January, that wasn't football!!! I'm not just saying this because you've said it first but should the Gooners overcome us then they'd be the team I'd like to see lift the Cup (my youngest bother is a Gooner (his head got turned by Ian Wright, Wright, Wright and co) so I've always had a soft spot for them!) as realistically Plymouth or Watford won't, I'd like these for the little club factor if we couldn't.
Hughes Da Man
I'd always want the team that put us out to be the one that wins it (Unless we ever got knocked out by Spurs or Utd) I'm just glad there are some gooners out there that actually understand why we played as we did, and also appreciate that we did it well - My estimation of Wenger went up drastically after his post match comments.
Head Rover Heels
Bit surprised to hear Ryan Nelson having ago at arsenal. Cesc was silly to say what he did, but at least he had the sense to apologise & also admit that is was frustration at playing so poorly himself. I don't know why the media always drag wenger into things & say he blasted blackburns tactics. That is a complete lie, if they bothered to read his comments or look at the arsenal website they would've known that wenger placed the blame squarely at his own teams door. I hate it when the s*** media in this country go out their way to stir trouble.
Ashburton Gooner
Fair play to the boy for realising he was in the wrong and apologising. Hopefully a line can be drawn under the matter now.
bmb
Good to see foreign players showing Brits how to conduct themselves for a change!
sandgroanun
I think you've hit the nail on the head there AG - Nelsen wasn't that critical, and Wengers comments were admirable if you ask me, but apparrently they were scathing (according to the media). Pedersen has also "SLAMMED Bellamy" over the spat with Riise - The quote was "I haven't spoken to john, but what happened doesn't sound good. It's not something i would do." Ooh, real harsh words there ;-) Bloody media.
Head Rover Heels
No real need for half the things to come out that do come out come out, Nelsen didn't need to say what he said really and I'm not doing double stands by not producing an article. It is the media they provoke things, take things after a match and then sit on them for a few days before printing etc. They love stiring things up! THEY are the ones that LOVE seeing opposing fans at war!
Hughes Da Man
Thing is fella, although the headlines say "sour grapes", "accused" etc - What he actually said was that "It's probably a bit of sour grapes as they know the game at Ewood is going to be difficult" "Arsenal score a lot of goals" "They are an extremely good side...if we opened up a bit they've got good enough players to hurt us". Not exactly anything accusatory in there at all - Compliments really. The spin they put on this stuff really is unbelievable at times.
Head Rover Heels
Exactly, they try to provoake things don't they. I have to admit that I'd not fully read his quotes until just now, just snippets (again portrayed as the media wanted). But mostly comlimentary as you say and true, but its the spin they put on it.
Hughes Da Man
I'm with AG here, the Rovers folks on this site, you're top lads, and when i've popped on here before, it's been good natured, and intellgent chat and banter. Here's to a well-contested replay... »»Arsene Knows««
Wingston75
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