Vieira denies sending Cole SMS

[Via iol.co.za]

Here’s a story about a sms and some footballers…London- Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira has denied sending a text message to team-mate Ashley Cole telling him not to accept less than £80 000 (about R1-million) a week from the club. I’m glad to hear Patrick knows also how to project and also protect himself in the public. The Premier League's decision document on the Cole "tapping-up" case involving Chelsea said the England defender's agent Jonathan Barnett had shown Arsenal chief executive David Dein a text message from Vieira during contract talks.

I categorically deny sending any such text message. It's simply not true,

Vieira said in a statement released by Arsenal.
Here are the consequences of that sms…Cole, Chelsea and their manager Jose Mourinho were fined by the Premier League on Wednesday after being found guilty by an independent disciplinary commission of breaking league rules by attending a meeting at a London hotel on January 27. English champions Chelsea were also handed a suspended three-point deduction.
The decision document said Barnett showed Dein the text on January 19 after being told that the club would offer Cole £55 000 (about R600 000) a week.

JB (Barnett) claimed other players were telling AC (Cole) that he was worth more than on offer,

the document said.

JB stated that they could get 80 (thousand pounds) to 90 (thousand) per week and that they could sell AC and get £20-million (about R250-million) for him.

Chelsea have said they will almost certainly appeal against the commission's decision. Cole is also considering an appeal.