Alastair Cook was a nice, reliable England Test captain but not a great one February 8, 2017 Alastair Cook will not be remembered as one of England’s great Test captains. He will be recalled as a nice, reliable and uncontroversial skipper who over the last couple of years has taken a young England side to pretty good heights and laid the foundations for that team to achieve more in the future. Others [...]
Tiger Woods adds to doubts over his future by admitting he may never play pain-free again February 8, 2017 Injury-riddled former world No1 Tiger Woods has fuelled concerns that he may never be competitive again by conceding that he is unable to play without pain. His admission comes after the 14-time Major winner withdrew from the Dubai Desert Classic after just one disappointing round last week, citing back spasms. Woods has not won a [...]
Mayor Sadiq Khan facing calls to make London football clubs foot £5m policing bill February 8, 2017 Mayor Sadiq Khan has been urged to ensure that London’s football clubs pay the £5m it costs to police their matches every year. The London Assembly agreed a motion on Wednesday asking Khan to lobby government for a change in the law that would make clubs foot the full bill for policing. Clubs are currently [...]
England head coach Eddie Jones is like Brian Clough, says Wales defence chief Shaun Edwards February 8, 2017 England head coach Eddie Jones has been likened to colourful former football manager Brian Clough by Wales defence chief Shaun Edwards ahead of Saturday’s Six Nations showdown in Cardiff. Edwards shrugged off Jones’s references to England’s “horrendous” record in Wales as mind games designed to spur on his players, but praised the Australian’s approach and [...]
Fed Cup captain Anne Keothavong enjoys winning start as Great Britain whitewash Portugal 3-0 in Estonia February 8, 2017 British No1 Johanna Konta praised the leadership of new captain Anne Keothavong after Great Britain made the perfect start to a gruelling week of Fed Cup competition on Wednesday. Konta’s defeat of Michelle Larcher de Brito and further wins for Heather Watson and the doubles pair of Laura Robson and Jocelyn Rae earned the team [...]
The bastard’s guide to business: How to grow a company the Ray Kroc way February 8, 2017 Ray Kroc may be the man who created arguably the western hemisphere's most recognisable symbol – but he wasn't always nice about it. In new movie The Founder, Michael Keaton stars as McDonald's founder Kroc, telling the story of his unlikely rise from small-time milkshake mixer salesman to big bucks entrepreneur after he was dazzled by Mac and Dick [...]
Bill Gates ignored opportunity to buy Liverpool ahead of 2010 FSG takeover February 8, 2017 World's richest man, tech pioneer, philanthropist…football club owner? Bill Gates, the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft and one of the world's wealthiest people, passed up on the opportunity to add the latter title to his resume after being offered Liverpool Football Club in 2010. Intermediaries trying to find a buyer for the Premier League club from [...]
“I will have failed”: Football Association chairman Greg Clarke offers to resign if he doesn’t reform organisation February 8, 2017 Football Association chairman Greg Clarke says he will step down from his role if he fails to "deliver real change" to the under-fire organisation. Ahead of Thursday's House of Commons debate on a motion of no confidence in the FA, Clarke said he had already begun a process to improve its governance. The Commons Culture, [...]
Tom Wood injury presents question of inexperienced England back-row for Six Nations clash with Wales February 7, 2017 England could be forced into fielding a rookie back-row during their Six Nations showdown with Wales after flanker Tom Wood missed training on Tuesday due to the shoulder injury he suffered against France. Wood was last night retained in a 24-man squad for the clash at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on Saturday despite having his arm in a [...]
Alastair Cook talks up Joe Root but throws three other names into mix for next England captain February 7, 2017 Erstwhile England skipper Alastair Cook has extolled the virtues of would-be successor Joe Root, describing his heir-apparent as someone who would command huge respect in the dressing room. Root, 26, has been installed as the frontrunner to replace Cook, who brought his four-and-a-half-year reign as England Test captain to an end on Monday, admitting he [...]