What did Frei say to Clinton?
The heat is being slowly turned up ahead of tomorrow night...
:eek: PP
---
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_...298648,00.html
Morrison wants revenge for Frei's 'racist' jibe
Matt Scott in Basle
Tuesday September 7, 2004
The Guardian
Clinton Morrison added an extra edge to Ireland's already fraught World Cup qualifier in Switzerland tomorrow by claiming he had been racially abused during the two sides' meeting here last October.
The Birmingham striker insisted he had not forgotten an alleged racist remark made by the Swiss striker Alexander Frei during the 2-0 defeat last year. That match was conducted in a bitter atmosphere, with Frei's exuberant goal celebrations prompting Mark Kinsella to aim a water bottle at him from the touchline.
Frei will be unavailable for tomorrow's fixture since he is currently serving a ban for having spat at Steven Gerrard during Switzerland's Euro 2004 meeting with England.
"They did us last year in the European Championships," said Morrison, "and there were a lot of things going on in the game which weren't nice.
"Hopefully we can take the form we showed against Cyprus forward and get another win. I am a bit disappointed [Frei misses the game] because he made a remark to me in the game, which I owe him one for.
"It was like a racist remark. I don't really want to repeat it. He said it on the pitch which I went mad about. I will get him when he comes to Dublin."
Frei hits back at Morrison's 'racist' claims
Frei hits back at Morrison's 'racist' claims
Tuesday September 7th 2004
Todays Irish Independant
IRISH striker Clinton Morrison sparked off a war of words last night by claiming Swiss striker Alexander Frei racially insulted him.
Morrison claimed that Frei made the remarks during last October's Euro 2004 qualifier in Basel which Switzerland won. The Birmingham striker vowed to "get him when he comes to Dublin" for next year's return qualifier.
Morrison didn't make an issue of it in the aftermath of last October's game but ahead of tomorrow's World Cup qualifying Group 4 clash he has expressed his acute disappointment that the Rennes striker is banned.
"He made a remark to me in the game, which I owe him one for. I am disappointed he ain't playing but we'll see him again at Lansdowne Road hopefully.
"It was like a racist remark. I don't really want to repeat it. I'll just keep it to myself. He said it on the pitch which I went mad about but I will get him when he comes to Dublin. We will have it out there," said Morrison.
Morrison's accusation was put to Frei last night and he denied he had made any racist remarks towards the Irish striker.
"All I can say is that at Rennes I play with about 15 coloured players and that I have never had the slightest problem with any of them," said Frei.
"It is easy to make these accusations and maybe one player whom I have played with will say that I once threw a bottle at him."
No stranger to controversy, Frei's over-exuberant goal celebrations in front of the Irish bench prompted substitute Mark Kinsella to fling an empty water bottle in his direction.
And in Euro 2004 he received a three-match ban for spitting at England's Steven Gerrard. He initially denied the charge and was cleared but new television evidence, discovered by a Swiss TV technician proved his guilt.
Morrison knows the best way to make his point would be to score the winning goal tomorrow and the Birmingham striker reckons he's quite capable of that after ending a barren run of 778 minutes without an international goal last Saturday against Cyprus.
"I got a goal after a year without one and, hopefully, I can take that form into this game.
"I'm just pleased to have got the goal. I was a bit unlucky with a few others which I should have put away but I hadn't had any football for the previous two weeks."
The 25-year-old striker is hell bent on revenge against Switzerland and confident that it will be third time lucky against the Swiss. "We owe them one and, hopefully, we can take the form we showed against Cyprus forward and get another win."
Morrison was part of the 2002 World Cup squad but didn't get any playing time at the finals in Korea and Japan. But the experience has whetted his appetite and he's now eager to return to that stage.
"It is a big thing for me to get to the World Cup finals. Obviously, I was disappointed not to take any part at the last finals under Mick McCarthy.
"He had his team and all of the players who had helped him qualify did well for him so fair enough. Hopefully, if I am part of this squad that qualifies for the World Cup, I would get more of a chance to play at the finals."
And Morrison believes that Ireland can qualify automatically through Group 4 without having to take a chance in the play-offs.
"Everyone says that the French are the favourites but we're not thinking like that. We just want to win as many games as possible." Like everybody else in the country, Morrison has been mesmerised by the emergence of Andy Reid and he forecasts a bright future for the Nottingham Forest player.
"I don't think he'll be playing in that division too much longer. I think a top club will take him in January. He's got marvellous talent and could do it in the Premiership.
"A few clubs want him. I know Tottenham badly wanted him. We've the same agent and I know my agent is looking forward to getting him out in January. I'm surprised he didn't go anywhere this time," said Morrison.
A week ago, just minutes before the transfer window closed, Birmingham City signed Dwight Yorke from Blackburn Rovers to increase the competition Morrison faces for a place in the attack at St Andrews.
But Morrison says he is ready for the battle with Yorke, Emile Heskey and Mikael Forssell.
"I ain't bothered about Birmingham signing Dwight Yorke. The manager had spoken to me about it and explained that he wanted four quality strikers at the club.
"I have got to battle but if I keep performing and doing well for Ireland the manager will know about it and I will have proved that I am good enough to be in the team," said Morrison.
Morrison now has six goals from 23 games for Ireland, 15 less than his strike partner Robbie Keane, who equalled Niall Quinn's scoring record on Saturday, and he is gunning for more.
"I'm not going to catch Robbie but I will try my best, starting against Switzerland."
Gerry McDermott
