Workplaces urged to crack down on ‘laddish’ football chat January 27, 2020 Companies should crack down on workplace chat about football and cricket amid fears it excludes women, a top management body has warned. Ann Francke, chief executive of the Chartered Management Institute, said sporting banter could divide offices and pave the way for more laddish behaviour. “A lot of women, in particular, feel left out,” she [...]
Shrewsbury 2-2 Liverpool: League One side’s comeback shows that the FA Cup is alive and well amid renewed questioning January 26, 2020 Teeth gnashing about the death of the FA Cup is nothing new. Every season there are opinions voiced and column inches filled by people mourning the decline of English football’s most historic cup competition. Nobody cares about it anymore, the argument goes. Premier League teams aren’t giving it the respect it deserves. Crowds are too [...]
South Africa v England: How Mark Wood battled injuries and lengthened his run-up to ease the strain on his body January 26, 2020 Before this week Mark Wood had not played consecutive Test matches since July 2017. As much as he wanted to, his body simply would not allow it. Since making his Test debut for England in May 2015, Wood’s career has been defined as much by injuries as his talent. This, after all, is only his [...]
Mike Ashley in talks to sell Newcastle United for £340m January 26, 2020 Retail tycoon Mike Ashley is in talks to sell Newcastle United football club to a consortium including Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund for £340m. The billionaire owner of Sports Direct – recently renamed Frasers Group – bought Newcastle United in 2007 but is now in talks with a group led by British financier Amanda Staveley [...]
Saracens’ relegation from the Premiership is a sad moment for English rugby and salary cap rules must change as a result January 23, 2020 Saracens are being relegated and, putting the specifics aside for a moment, I think that is a sad state of affairs for English rugby. Former chairman Nigel Wray has apologised for his actions in failing to comply with the Premiership salary cap, but I have sympathy for him. In many ways what he did – [...]
South Africa v England fourth Test preview: Home captain Faf du Plessis under pressure both on and off the field as series reaches its climax January 23, 2020 How quickly things can change. After the first Test of the series against England in Centurion, South Africa were left to reflect on a first victory in six attempts in which Kagiso Rabada had taken seven wickets to settle their nerves and given the new coaching team a near-perfect start. Just under a month later [...]
David Pipe looks ahead to his weekend runners January 23, 2020 TRIALS Day at Cheltenham is always a great afternoon and we send two there tomorrow. I was delighted with NIGHT EDITION who finished fourth on his debut for us at Taunton last month. He will take his chance in the opening JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial (12.40pm), but is definitely being pitched in at the deep [...]
Horse Racing Betting Tips: Highway the One to motor home on Festival Trials Day January 23, 2020 THERE are some cracking graded races on Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham tomorrow with the likes of Paisley Park and Santini running, but from a punting perspective I’m more interested in the Paddy Power 45 Sleeps To Cheltenham Trophy Handicap Chase (1.50pm). Although Lalor, Warthog and Spiritofthegames have all run well over course and distance [...]
England should not rush Ollie Pope up the batting order – let him develop his game at No6 January 22, 2020 England’s win over South Africa in the third Test in Port Elizabeth came by a margin of an innings and 53 runs and gave them a 2-1 lead in the series and yet some people still were not happy. I saw some criticism of England’s top-order batting, with people saying openers Dom Sibley and Zak [...]
Tokyo 2020 six months to go: How Japan is looking to Olympic and Paralympic Games as a catalyst for modernisation and regeneration January 22, 2020 The contorted face of the godfather of sumo wrestling, Nomino Sukune, glowers from a mosaic at Tokyo’s New National Stadium. A few metres to the right, a Greek goddess with a laurel wreath is depicted in a similar monochrome mural. Both artworks were salvaged from the previous national stadium, centrepiece of the 1964 Olympics, and [...]