Coyle close to agreeing new deal May 28, 2009 BURNLEY boss Owen Coyle is “very close” to agreeing a two-year extension to his contract, thus turning his back on Celtic. Coyle was linked with the Scottish giants after steering the Clarets into the Premier League via the play-offs. But chairman Barry Kilby said: “I fully expect it to be signed in the very near [...]
Brilliant Barca ruin United’s Euro dream May 27, 2009 BARCELONA (2) vs MANCHESTER UTD (0) MANCHESTER UNITED’S dream of becoming the first team to retain the Champions League fell apart last night in Rome, unpicked by masterful Barcelona and their Argentine inspiration Lionel Messi. United swaggered into the Stadio Olimpico as slight favourites but shuffled out having been soundly beaten, Samuel Eto’o’s early strike [...]
Where do United go now after their Euro mauling? May 27, 2009 THE big question for Manchester United is: just where do they go from here? That one game, one result, has totally changed the dynamic of the United set-up for the whole summer, and it will certainly be interesting to see whether it has any effect on the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez’s uncertain [...]
Quins duo get England nod May 27, 2009 HARLEQUINS duo Chris Robshaw and Jordan Turner-Hall have been rewarded for their outstanding seasons with a place in Martin Johnson’s England side to face the Barbarians on Saturday. Blind-side flanker Robshaw and centre Turner-Hall were inspirational in Quins’ second-place finish in the regular season and were consequently named Premiership Player of the Season and Young [...]
‘The best team won’, concedes Ferguson May 27, 2009 GRACIOUS Sir Alex Ferguson admitted his Manchester United team lost to the better side after his dreams of retaining the Champions League trophy were dashed by classy Barcelona. But for a bright opening spell, the Premier League champions were second best to the Catalan superstars, who deservedly ended the English dominance in Europe with goals [...]
Pearce stokes Walcott row May 27, 2009 ENGLAND Under-21 boss Stuart Pearce has risked the wrath of Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger by naming Theo Walcott in a strong squad for next month’s European Championships. The tournament comes just days after the senior team’s World Cup qualifying double-header with Kazakhstan and Andorra, and Wenger fears the striker faces burn out for the start [...]
Murray beats a wobble to mash Potito May 27, 2009 BRITISH No1 Andy Murray admitted his relief after battling back from the brink of an upset to reach the third round of the French Open. Having swept to the first set against world No104 Potito Starace, Murray won just three of the following 14 games, losing the second set and going 5-1 in the third. [...]
Rashid replaces Flintoff for T20 May 27, 2009 CRICKET: Yorkshire leg-spinner Adil Rashid has been drafted into England’s World Twenty20 squad as a late replacement for the injured Andrew Flintoff. Flintoff is recovering well following knee surgery but the tournament, to be held in England starting on 5 June, will come too soon for him. ECB Chief Medical Officer Nick Peirce said: “Andrew [...]
Williams suspended by FOTA May 27, 2009 FORMULA ONE: Williams were yesterday suspended by teams’ alliance FOTA after breaking ranks and confirming their entry into next year’s championship. The deadline for entries is tomorrow, with FOTA still at loggerheads with governing body the FIA over proposed sweeping changes, including a voluntary £40m budget cap. Ferrari are one of several teams threatening to [...]
Halfpenny poised to rejoin Lions May 27, 2009 RUGBY UNION: Injured Wales wing Leigh Halfpenny could rejoin the British and Irish Lions squad as early as this weekend. Halfpenny, sent back to Cardiff Blues to recover, is almost over his thigh problem and poised to fly to South Africa to join the squad in the next few days. Blues physio Tim Atter said: [...]