Fulham could be investigated by The Premier League after
defender John Pantsil allegedly claimed Roy Hodgson gave him
£10,000 for keeping Cristiano Ronaldo quiet at Craven
Cottage.
The 90 minutes newspaper in Ghana quotes the full back as saying
he earned the bonus after Fulham’s 2-0 victory over United last
month.
The club, however, have categorically denied that any of their
players received money following their surprise win.
But it may not be enough to satisfy The Premier League whose
rules say bonuses must be written into a player’s contract and
cannot be awarded on an ad hoc basis.
The player reportedly said: “I remember hearing our fans in the
stands who were surprised at my refusal to join the attack shouting
and urging me to get forward.
“But I refused and it paid off in the end. Ronaldo couldn't
score, we won the match and my coach gave me £10,000 for a good job
done.
“The coach confided in me that he believed in my capabilities
and so I should go into the game and prevent Ronaldo from causing
any havoc if he's positioned on the left.
“The coach gave me specific instructions not to cross the centre
line unless it was extremely necessary. If I had to, I would have
to inform one of the midfielders to cover me.”
A Fulham spokesman said: “It is rubbish to suggest any of our
players were given £10,000 for beating Manchester United. None of
them received any extra money.”
The Premier League investigated Chelsea in 2004 after Jimmy
Floyd Hasselbaink claimed the players had received double their
agreed bonus for reaching the 2004 Champions League
semi-finals.
The club and owner Roman Abramovich were eventually cleared
after documentation was studied relating to bonuses.