Why brand Manchester United keeps them hooked November 30, 2021 Around this time of year, Christmas comes early for many football fans with the release of the immersive fantasy world that is Football Manager. Will this be the year I take Newport County from League Two to Champions League glory? Let’s spend 250 hours over the next 12 months finding out. In this year’s game [...]
Newcastle takeover optimism fizzling out as reality of relegation battle dawns November 30, 2021 The songs for Amanda Staveley have faded, the fake sheikh outfits dwindled in number and the #CANS of celebration long since been drained. Almost eight weeks on, Newcastle United’s takeover by a group led by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund has not had the immediate uplift hoped for at St James’ Park. It may arrive [...]
Ralf Rangnick confirmed as new Manchester United manager November 29, 2021 Manchester United have confirmed the appointment of Ralf Rangnick as their new manager until the end of the season. The influential German coach, whose arrival has been widely expected, will remain at the club after the summer in a consultancy role. “I am excited to be joining Manchester United and focused on making this a [...]
Davis Cup: Feliciano Lopez’s heroics in vain as Russian defeat helps Novak Djokovic’s Serbia reach quarter-finals November 29, 2021 Feliciano Lopez’s heroics were in vain as the Russian Tennis Federation eliminated holders Spain from the Davis Cup Finals and helped Novak Djokovic’s Serbia reach the quarter-finals. Forty-year-old Lopez, now ranked 106, thrilled a partisan crowd in Madrid by beating world number five Andrey Rublev 2-6 6-3 6-4 to give Spain hope of making the [...]
Get tested: Fears for 80,000 rugby fans after England game as rules tightened over Omnicron variant November 28, 2021 Tens of thousands of rugby spectators have been urged to take a Covid test following the England versus South Africa match at Twickenham Stadium amid alarm over a new variant. Spectators have been advised to get a test if they are showing Covid symptoms while the UK readies to tighten its international travel and mask [...]
Amir Khan to fight Kell Brook in Manchester in February November 28, 2021 Boxing star Amir Khan will most likely fight Kell Brook in Manchester in February. Ben Shalom, the chief executive of promoters Boxxer, says an official announcement of the all-British clash is expected on Monday. Shalom told talkSPORT: “It’s no secret, for the past two months we’ve been trying to make Amir Khan against Kell Brook. [...]
Can fans truly have a bigger role in sports clubs? November 26, 2021 The recommendations within the Crouch review will be, quite simply, a symphony to many sports fans up and down the country. But they are just that… recommendations. So just how can real-world examples of fans holding authority in sport push what are currently ideals into actions. Long have sports clubs been toys for owners: left [...]
The time has come for a football regulator with teeth November 25, 2021 The point of free-market capitalism, which this paper subscribes to with whole-hearted support, is not that the animal forces of supply and demand should be left perfectly unchecked. For that reason, we set a level playing field – from the Financial Conduct Authority to the Competition and Markets Authority, we put safeguards in place to [...]
Victory for Roman Abramovich as judge rules claim he bought Chelsea FC after order from Putin is defamatory November 24, 2021 The High Court has ruled that claims that Roman Abramovich acquired Chelsea FC on Vladimir Putin’s orders in order to gain influence in the West are defamatory. The 55-year-old billionaire is suing journalist Catherine Belton over her best-selling book Putin’s People: How The KGB Took Back Russia And Then Took On The West, which was [...]
Retired professional rugby players more likely to be depressed, anxious and irritable November 24, 2021 A new study has found that retired professional rugby players were more likely to be depressed, anxious and irritable compared to amateur players or non-contact athletes. The former top players who took part in the study had suffered more concussions on the pitch than those in the other groups, and the researchers believe this could [...]