Quotes of the Week: Doping, match-fixing, loan loopholes, goal records and more...

Sunday, February 10, 2013
1:50 PM

With another week gone, London24 Sport takes a look back at the best quotes of the week, from the interesting, to the funny, to the bizarre.

Its very difficult for me to believe that you have 740 players at the World Cup and you come out with zero problems.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger claims not enough is done to detect doping in football

If one in 100 players is doping, then, in my eyes, that isnt a clean sport.

Andy Murray, west Londons Queens Club, calling for doping controls in tennis to be tightened up as he announced his participation in Junes AEGON Championships

Sport is full of legends who are, in fact, cheats.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger reveals his shock at the scale of a Europol investigation into match-fixing and calls for severe punishments

We were not involved in anything. They [Europol] have to check. I think that if they are doing an investigation it will be fantastic if they find something. Its important to clarify things.

Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez reflects on the Champions League match between Liverpool and Debrecen match when he was boss of the Reds that is allegedly the one game on English soil that Europol are investigating

I have never seen anything quite like that 12 foreign loans. Im going to be straight onto my chairman about a foreign scout. How [many] light years behind everything are we? I might get a flight over to Barcelona and see if I can borrow their B-team. I dont think theyll be as good as some of my lads though.

After a 2-2 draw in the Championship Crystal Palace boss Ian Holloway hits out at a loophole that has allowed Watford to sign a raft of loanee (nine from Udinese)

Hes got that little burst of pace which kind of reminds me of Liam Brady - and if he ends up having the same career as Liam Brady, he will be pretty sensational.

Sunderland boss draws comparisons between Arsenals Jack Wilshere and Gunners legend Liam Brady

I dont want to heap silly pressure on him because he is very young and we shouldnt do that but the, way he is performing now, its up to him how far he wants to go because he is going to be a massive, massive player for England, thats for sure.

Frank Lampard hails Jack Wilshere for his man-of-the-match display for England in the 2-1 friendly win over Brazil

I dont try to avoid the issue. I was very clear in the past and I will be very clear now and in the future: Frank is doing a great job for us, hes scoring goals, hes playing well, hes a good professional, hes very working hard. Thats all I can say, because I am the coach. The other issues [speculation], the club doesnt discuss these things.

Rafael Benitez gave nothing away about Frank Lampards future at Chelsea ahead of his latest strike in the 4-1 win over Wigan, which edged the midfielder who will be out of contract in the summer closer to Bobby Tamblings Blues goalscoring record

If he scores 20 goals and breaks the record, Ill be really pleased.

Rafael Benitez on Frank Lampard who is now just four goals short of breaking Bobby Tamblings Chelsea goalscoring record

Maybe the World Cup is now within reach. Its certainly a target for me and, yes, I will try to keep playing at a good enough level to get there. Its a target. I wont retire from England before that, put it that way. But Im not getting carried away.

Frank Lampards great week began when the Chelsea midfielder scored the winner for England against Brazil. The 2-1 win at Wembley in a friendly was the first victory over the five-time World Cup winners in more than 20 years.

I have to do my job until the end of the season. What I can do is win games and I will try to do this. My position is to concentrate on games and to improve the performance of the team. He [owner Roman Abramovich] likes to talk about football. The Arsenal game was the last conversation that weve had. It was normal things that you talk with people who like football. You talk with them about this and that. Its normal things. He wants to be in the top four obviously.

Rafael Benitez reacts to questions about his future as Chelsea manager

The balance we have tried to strike is that a new owner can still invest a decent amount of money to improve their club but they are not going to be throwing hundreds and hundreds of millions in a very short period of time.

Premier League chief Peter Scudamore on the new measure which top flight club bosses narrowly voted for in order to curb spending

Its not a salary cap, its a restraint on over-spending. Its not a cap - its a restraint. If clubs increase their revenues then they can increase their spending. We have got restraint, thats the important thing. Whats driving the whole thing is weve got to avoid another Portsmouth.

West Ham co-owner David Gold on the reasoning behind new Premier League financial measures

Our strikers never used to score a lot of goals. Now I think were fine, but we dont have Clint. If Clint had stayed I think we wouldve been in the top 10.

Fulham boss Martin Jol regrets the loss of Clint Dempsey to London rivals Tottenham

I had a chairman ringing me a week ago asking me about him. He said he wished hed known if he was available.

QPR boss Harry Redknapp says a top club will snap up club record signing Chris Samba if the Rs go down

We have 12 games left and we have to win as many as we can, I would say we have to win six at least. We have got to keep believing, if you give up what chance have you got?

Harry Redknapp assess QPRs Premier League survival chances after a 4-1 slump at Swansea

Most teams have to hang on to their best players, Barcelona losing Messi would be a disaster, Real Madrid losing Ronaldo would be a disaster so this is exactly the same.

Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas says that losing Gareth Bale would be a major blow after his two goals saw Spurs beat Newcastle 2-1

My only fear, from a personal point of view, is I hope we dont lose our best players.

Sam Allardyce hopes the new spending measures dont have negative implications for West Ham

For me I spoke the truth, so if you like I have been fined for speaking the truth, but there you go, we move on.

Sam Allardyce is defiant after the FA fined him 8,000 for an outburst against the officials after West Hams FA Cup exit at Manchester United

Someone contacted the chairman. I was asked if I would want him [Odemwingie]. I said yes. I dont think hes a realistic target for us personally.

Crystal Palace boss Ian Holloway on West Broms wantaway striker Peter Odemwingie following THAT Queens Park Rangers transfer deadline day cock-up

The one thing that has really annoyed me this week is that the Crystal Palace manager has been constantly ringing George. I dont think it is right and Im not having it. He should not be speaking to one of my players. It was clearly different when everyone was chasing his player, Wilfried Zaha. He is the first person to start moaning about it then. Its simple, go through the right channels and either sign him or dont. He hasnt had the courtesy to ring me so Im not going to have the courtesy to ring him.

Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson hits out at Crystal Palace boss Ian Holloways attempts to sign Posh winger George Boyd

It was a really good experience to be out there today - a record batting score for us, and the energy out there in the field was fantastic. It was really calm, but a lot of buzz out there - and thats what youre looking for. It was pretty much the complete performance from us today.

England one-day captain Stuart Broad reflects on the record breaking Twenty20 win over New Zealand

It is an honour to be on that list with them all. I hope to be on top of it one day and then sit back and reflect on it - but not now,

Saracens wing Chris Ashton reflects on breaking in to Englands all-time top try-scoring top ten and eyes Rory Underwoods record as number one

When my head hits the pillow on a night I still think about the defeat to Mikkel. I think about it because he took away my world title and my career was in tatters. I have since avenged it by coming back, but that was a bitter pill to swallow and I need to make amends. Mikkel is an honourable man and I thank him for coming over for what will be an epic contest.

IBF super-middleweight champion Carl Froch announces his rematch against Mikel Kessler in May at Londons 02 Arena

I love swimming but as a competitive element and elite athlete I wont compete any more. Ill always be swimming, even when I am 90 years old.

Double Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington announced her retirement from swimming at a press conference in London