Darren Clarke has been known to give his caddies a hard time. From the withering look with which he responded to a simple enquiry in his press conference prior to the British Masters, you can believe it.
“I can be very demanding,” said Clarke of his relationship with his bag carriers. The midfielder Clint Easton has had his contract terminated by mutual consent. Last week it was announced that the veteran striker Iwan Roberts and second-choice goalkeeper Paul Crichton would be leaving the club.Easton has featured only 11 times in City’s promotion campaign and has struggled to hold down a regular place in the starting line-up since arriving from Watford for £100,000 in the summer of 2001.The former England Under-20 player said: “The move gives me the opportunity to re-establish myself next season.”Worthington added: “Clint’s first-team appearances have been restricted this season and we felt it would be in both parties’ best interests to go our separate ways, to give Clint the opportunity of first-team football.”. It rounds off a great season for me personally and as part of a team that has achieved so much.”I had no doubts in my mind that I wanted to remain at Norwich City and it was great to hear the manager wanted to keep me here as well.”It is nice to get everything done and dusted with regards to my contract and I can now look forward to the fantastic challenge of Premiership football.”But Worthington has again demonstrated his ruthless determination to create a side capable of competing in the top flight by showing another player the door at Carrow Road. He has helped the club to move forward in his time here and I hope he will continue to do so.”Holt, who, with the central defender Malkay Mackay, has again been included in the Scotland squad for friendlies against Estonia and Trinidad and Tobago at the end of May, added: “I’m delighted to have had my contract extended.

The Norwich City manager, Nigel Worthington, has moved quickly to prepare his title-winning side for the challenge of Premiership football next season by awarding the Scotland midfielder Gary Holt a two-year contract extension. Substitutes not used: Ambrosini (gk), Babayaro, Stanic, Huth.Monaco (4-4-2): Roma; Givet, Squillaci (Plasil, h-t), Rodriguez, Evra; Ibarra, Bernardi, Ciss?Rothen; Giuly (Prso, 66), Morientes (Nonda, 80). Substitutes not used: Sylva (gk), Oshadogan, Adebayor, El-Fakiri.Referee: A Frisk (Sweden).. With Chelsea going the way of Arsenal and Manchester United Sven Goran Eriksson’s players should be well rested for the European Championship That was no consolation for Ranieri. His tenure will now end in anti-climax at home to relegated Leeds United in nine days’ time ­ assuming he survives to then. He will leave fond memories and a sense of what might have been.Chelsea 2 Gronkjaer 22, Lampard 43Monaco 2 Ibarra 45, Morientes 60 Half-time: 2-1 Att: 37,132(Monaco win 5-3 on aggregate) Chelsea (4-4-2): Cudicini; Melchiot (Johnson, 63), Gallas, Terry, Bridge; Gronkjaer, Geremi (Parker, 68), Lampard, Cole; Hasselbaink (Crespo, 68), Gudjohnsen. Though Ranieri tinkered with his substitutes it was never on and everyone knew it There is a beneficial side-effect for the English game.

Twice Bridge delivered from the left but Gudjohnsen mis-kicked, then Gronkjaer blazed over. Punishment arrived as Morientes weaved in from the left, played a one-two with Lucas Bernardi, skipping between Terry and William Gallas to take the return, and scored Chelsea now needed three goals in 30 minutes. It was only when I looked at the big screen I realised the ball had gone in off me.”Chelsea should have overcome this blow within five minutes of the resumption. The ball appeared to hit an arm but not intentionally.Ibarra later said: ” I thought Morientes had scored. Rothen again went down the left, shrugging off Melchiot, before crossing.

Morientes’ header looped on to the bar, bounced back off Ibarra and in. He turned back just in time to see the move, continued by Mario Melchiot and Gudjohnsen, end with Lampard scoring the 15th goal of his impressive season.Stamford Bridge exulted but the celebrations were premature. Showing beautiful foot movement he wrong-footed the defence and bore down on Cudicini but surprisingly steered his shot wide.As half-time approached Morientes almost had another chance as Gronkjaer recklessly rolled a square pass close to him Ranieri turned away from the pitch in horror. Monaco responded with the dangerous Rothen picking out Morientes. Patrice Evra, the Monaco left-back, was injured in this move and before he could return to his station Gronkjaer drifted inside J?me Rothen and crossed. Like most of Gronkjaer’s crosses it did not reach its target, Chelsea’s strikers. However, instead of floating into Row Z it drifted over Roma and in Gronkjaer later admitted it was intended to be a cross Fluke or not Chelsea did not care But Monaco were not to be easily brushed aside.