Euro 2016 qualifiers: England boss Roy Hodgson unwilling to risk club versus country row over Wayne Rooney injury October 8, 2015 England boss Roy Hodgson admitted he was unwilling to risk a club versus country row after ruling out skipper Wayne Rooney for his side’s Euro 2016 qualifier against Estonia at Wembley tonight. Manchester United striker Rooney has been unable to train with his international team-mates at St George’s Park this week having suffered an ankle [...]
Fifa scandal deepens as Sepp Blatter, Michel Platini and Jerome Valcke all hit with 90-day suspensions October 8, 2015 Scandal-hit world governing body Fifa has been warned by International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach that only urgent and deep-rooted reform will prevent football's credibility being besmirched irreparably. The IOC’s statement yesterday followed another harrowing day in the Fifa epilogue after outgoing president Sepp Blatter, UEFA boss Michel Platini and Fifa secretary-general Jerome Valcke were [...]
Rugby World Cup 2015: England coach Stuart Lancaster ready to face review that could spell end of his tenure October 8, 2015 Under-fire England head coach Stuart Lancaster insists he does not fear the imminent review into his failure to guide the team past the group stage of their home World Cup. England face Uruguay in their final Pool A match on Saturday in Manchester, having already been consigned to an early exit following defeats to Wales and [...]
Ascription can bounce back to form for red hot Palmer and Smullen October 8, 2015 Trainer Hugo Palmer had a weekend to remember last week, winning two massive prizes, and he can land more success at headquarters this afternoon with ASCRIPTION, available at 7/1 with Betway in the Dubai Challenge Stakes (2.40pm). Palmer saddled Sunday’s Prix de l’Opera winner Covert Love in Paris less than 24 hours after Gifted [...]
Wales v Australia Rugby World Cup 2015: Battle of the turnovers will go way of waltzing Wallabies October 8, 2015 A week is a long time in sport and, for Australia and Wales, the joys of dumping England out of their own competition will be well forgotten. Now the focus turns to an enthralling battle to top Pool A. The winners will dodge an improving South African side, with Scotland the likely quarter-final opponents. [...]
Lionel Messi faces possible 22 months in jail after judge orders Barcelona star to stand trial October 8, 2015 Barcelona star Lionel Messi learned today that he will have to stand trial on tax fraud charges, even after the prosecutor said he should be cleared earlier this week. The judge handling the case at Barcelona Provincial High Court overruled the prosecutor and turned down a request from Messi's lawyers that he should avoid trial [...]
Sepp Blatter suspended: Fifa bans its president and Uefa boss Michel Platini for 90 days October 8, 2015 Sepp Blatter's hold on power at Fifa appears to be slipping after he was banned from the organisation for 90 days along with Uefa boss Michel Platini over alleged corruption. Blatter's 17-year reign at the top of football's under-fire governing body has hit its biggest crisis yet, while Platini's hopes of eventually succeeding him in [...]
Rugby World Cup 2015: England chiefs play down training ground spat between Mike Catt and Danny Cipriani October 7, 2015 England chiefs have denied that a pre-World Cup training ground spat between coach Mike Catt and overlooked fly-half Danny Cipriani left the squad on the verge of mutiny. The Rugby Football Union confirmed that the flashpoint occurred the day before England announced their 31-man squad for the tournament, and hours after Sale’s Cipriani had learned [...]
Rugby World Cup 2015: Warren Gatland hands Wales licence to attack Australia in Pool A decider October 7, 2015 England's World Cup demise at the hands of Australia has given Wales the licence to attack the Wallabies in their Pool A decider at Twickenham on Saturday, according to fitness coach Paul Stridgeon. The winners will face either Scotland or Japan in the quarter-final, while the losers will face two-time world champions South Africa, who [...]
England need to exorcise their familiar demon in foreign climes October 7, 2015 I was in the squad the last time England played Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates. We were No1 in the Test rankings but it was an embarrassment. We couldn’t cope with spin and we were comprehensively beaten 3-0. Going overseas and playing in subcontinental conditions is something which England have struggled with for some [...]