Govou in hot water again with Panathinaikos

Wayward former France international Sidney Govou is in danger of having his lucrative two year contract terminated by Greek side Panathinaikos after breaking team curfew for the third time this season, press reports claimed on Tuesday.

The 32-year-old – capped 49 times but now out of the international picture – is alleged to have been drinking heavily and out clubbing way beyond the team’s deadline on Saturday.

This came hours after his team’s dismal 1-1 home draw with Larissa and which saw the former Lyon striker play badly in the first-half and was eventually substituted.

Panathinaikos boss Nicholas Pateras has asked for a written explanation from Govou about the latest incident.

Govou had promised Pateras in a meeting that he would not break the rules again after he was fined by the club 25,000 euros for each of the two previous incidents when he was again caught clubbing late.

Media reports said that the Panathinaikos administration is angry with Govou for his actions and that they are seriously entertaining the idea of terminating his contract.

Govou joined Panathinaikos on a two-year deal worth a reported 1.5 million euros a year with a one million euros signing on bonus this summer, but he has not been impressive in the few matches he has played.

The Frenchman – who came into the sport relatively late as unlike the majority of professional footballers he stayed onto finish his school studies and emerged by passing the top-rated leaving exams the science baccalaureat – had his problems at Lyon, being stripped of the captaincy for similar misbehaviour.