Could the Community Shield go abroad? FA inspired by Manchester United success in USA August 12, 2014 In 2008 Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore announced to the world his plans to introduce “Game 39” into the league’s season – a single fixture to be played between all 20 teams at 10 separate locations around the world. The plan was met with near universal derision with opponents ranging from the Football [...]
McGinley: McIlroy ready to be Ryder marked man August 11, 2014 EUROPE’S captain Paul McGinley is adamant that world No1 Rory McIlroy has the talent and temperament to cope with being the prize scalp for United States stars at next month’s Ryder Cup, following his US PGA Championship triumph. The 25-year-old became the first man to win back-to-back Majors since Ireland’s Padraig Harrington in 2008 on [...]
Golf Comment: Swing perfection, a cool head, hunger to win: why Rory’s the best by miles August 11, 2014 WHEN Tiger Woods burst onto the scene in the 1990s, the American was the best player that we had ever seen. It’s no exaggeration to say Rory McIlroy, following successive Major wins and his return to world No1 ranking, has hit those same heights. There’s no limit to what he could achieve over the next [...]
Reigning champions City edge towards FFP transfer limit with Mangala capture August 11, 2014 REIGNING Premier League champions Manchester City have taken their net summer spend within range of the maximum stipulated under sanctions imposed by European governing body Uefa after splashing out £32m on defender Eliaquim Mangala from Porto. The 23-year-old has signed a five-year-deal at the Etihad Stadium and joins fellow new recruits Willy Caballero, Fernando, Bacary [...]
Community Shield: Wenger issues title warning as Arsenal defeat below par City August 10, 2014 ARSENAL 3 MANCHESTER CITY 0 ARSENAL boss Arsene Wenger believes the dominance shown by his side in yesterday’s FA Community Shield hammering of Manchester City proves the Gunners can turn the tables on the Premier League’s elite this season. Substitute Olivier Giroud scored the pick of the goals in the second period after Spanish international [...]
Sport Comment: Hail Harry, back in the top flight like a returning Mitchell brother August 10, 2014 IT IS one of the inexplicable inexplicablenesses of modern life that it’s far easier to ask a politician a difficult question about multiple deaths in Gaza or Iraq than it is to ask a Premier League football manager about an injured player or a disappointing performance. They intimidate their inquisitors with steely, dismissive or just [...]
Celtic decline Legia request August 10, 2014 CELTIC last night dismissed suggestions from Legia Warsaw that they contest a one-off match to decide who enters the final Champions League qualifying round as “disappointing”. The Scottish title winners were reinstated into the competition at the expense of Legia, who beat them 6-1 over two legs last week, because the Polish side were found [...]
Drogba injury fright as Fabregas ensures Chelsea overturn deficit August 10, 2014 RETURNING striker Didier Drogba limped out of Chelsea’s friendly victory over Hungarian side Ferencvaros in Budapest last night and could be a doubt for the start of the new Premier League season. With Real Sociedad next up for Jose Mourinho’s side on Tuesday ahead of a campaign opener at top-flight new boys Burnley, strikes from [...]
Moores demands England make it 3-1 at Oval August 10, 2014 ENGLAND cricket coach Peter Moores has urged his players not to get carried away by successive victories over India and to finish the series with a flourish in this week’s final Test at the Oval. Saturday’s win by an innings and 54 runs inside three days at Old Trafford put England 3-1 ahead and capped [...]
Blythe and Swift upstage Wiggins in London-Surrey Classic August 10, 2014 BRITAIN’S Adam Blythe pipped childhood friend Ben Swift to win the RideLondon-Surrey Classic yesterday, as Sir Bradley Wiggins missed out on a capital hat-trick. NFTO’s Blythe and Team Sky’s Swift battled it out over the last 300m of the 200km race, which began in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and passed through Surrey before finishing [...]