Ginola 'narrowly escaped tsunami'

Sports stars affected by disaster

Former Newcastle and Tottenham winger David Ginola had a lucky escape from the Asian tsunamis, say reports.

The ex-France international was on holiday with his wife and three children at a hotel in the Maldives.

A friend of Ginola has been quoted as saying: "The door of their hotel room exploded under the force of the water which had built up against the walls."

Several other football stars were in the region at the time, including Zinedine Zidane.

Real Madrid's Zidane was on Reunion Island off Madagascar and was unharmed, while Serie A stars Filippo Inzaghi, Paolo Maldini , Gianluca Zambrotta, Alessandro Nesta and Cristian Brocchi were all in the Maldives.

The English Premiership paid its respect to the Asia Quake disaster with a minute's silence before Tuesday's Premiership matches.

I'd like to see the whole of football, from the Conference to the Premiership, make a similar effort Wolves boss Glenn Hoddle

And Wolves manager Glenn Hoddle has now urged the football world to help raise valuable funds in aid.

"Natural disasters like this could affect any of us at any time and when we're anywhere in the world," he said.

"I really believe it's important our industry do something to help and the players have started things off by putting into the bucket at training."

He added: "We've started a fund for the victims of the disaster and I'd like to see the whole of football, from the Conference to the Premiership, make a similar effort.

"This is an opportunity for the whole of football to make an unbelievable amount of money for what has been an unbelievable disaster."

Everton, sponsored by one of Thailand's main brewers, Chang, have opened a disaster relief fund.

Full story: Football club helps quake victims

Toffees chief executive Keith Wyness said: "The reason we're doing this is because we are the only Premiership club with a sponsor in that part of the world.

"We will be contacting the other Premiership clubs."