tragicna vijest

http://www.vecernji.hr/newsroom/sports/football/2981821/index.do

Saturday, 29 December 2007, 18:38 GMT

Motherwell captain O'Donnell dies

Motherwell captain Phil O'Donnell has died after collapsing towards the end of his side's Scottish Premier League game against Dundee United.

The 35-year-old midfielder fell to the ground just as he was about to be replaced with Marc Fitzpatrick near the end of Motherwell's 5-3 victory.

O'Donnell was treated for around five minutes on the field before being taken to a waiting ambulance.

But his death was later confirmed by Well chairman Bill Dickie.

Scottish Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith led the tributes.

"Phil was not just a wonderful footballer, he was a great human being"
Scottish FA chief executive Gordon Smith

"This is absolutely devastating news," he said.

"Phil was not just a wonderful footballer, he was a great human being.

"My thoughts are with his family at this tragic time."

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee had spoken briefly to the press after the game before going to hospital to find out how the skipper was.

"He's had some sort of collapse," he said at the time.

PHIL O'DONNELL'S CAREER

• 1972 - born in Hamilton
• 1991 - joins Motherwell
• 1991 - scores in Scottish Cup final victory over Dundee United
• 1993 - earns only Scotland cap against Switzerland
• 1994 - sold to Celtic for a club record £1.75m
• 1999 - signs for Sheffield Wednesday
• 2003 - released after injury-hit spell at Wednesday
• 2004 - returns to Motherwell, becoming club captain

McGhee said O'Donnell's substitution had been "an absolute coincidence" before his sudden seizure.

"We just felt we would save him a bit for Wednesday," said the manager.

O'Donnell's nephew, David Clarkson, was substituted moments later after scoring two goals in the Scottish Premier League match.

McGhee said: "We took Clarkson off because he got a fright from the nature of the collapse.

"A few of the boys got a fright."

A news conference has been called at Wishaw General Hospital, which will be addressed by chief executive Ian Stillie.

606: DEBATE
"Phil, you were a great lad and a great player"
TOTT

O'Donnell, who earned one cap for Scotland, was lauded as one of the country's brightest talents when he broke into the Motherwell first team as a teenager.

He moved on to Celtic for a club record £1.75m fee, but injury problems were to blight his time with the Glasgow club and his next club, Sheffield Wednesday.

O'Donnell returned to Motherwell in 2004 and became club captain, playing beside his nephew.

=.......

Bentneru crveni nakon katastrofalne igre, njemu očito ne treba privikavanje na premiership on može svaku utakmicu započeti očito da je spreman, ima puuuuuuno godina i iskustva iza sebe 

Čestitke Dudu

A srca ti..opet tragedija na terenu...

Eduardo sam dobio Evertona. Zakazao danas vezni red ( Fabregas, Hleb) pa je danas Eduardo sve morao sam. Svaka cast Wengeru sto ga nije mijenjao nakon prvih 45 min. Vjerojatno je i on vidio da mu svukuda škripi, pa nije nista dirao. Nece ga valjda opet poslati na tribinu, neka mu da 10 utakmica u nizu pa cemo vidjeti. Mudar je to čovjek, sada kada mu pomalo "pada" osovina ekipe on im izvadi Eduarda.