Passengers review: In space no one can hear you be a massive creep December 21, 2016 A contender for one of the most misleading trailers of the year, Passengers is not so much about Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence tootling about the cosmos on a broken ship. Rather, it’s about one man’s selfish decision to doom a woman he fancies by prematurely yanking her out of her hyperspace sleeping pod for [...]
Meet Tom Vernon, the former Manchester United scout and founder of Africa’s top football academy out to turn the sport on its head December 21, 2016 There is something extraordinary about the union between FC Nordsjaelland, an unremarkable Danish first division football club to the north-west of Copenhagen, and the Right To Dream academy in Ghana. It is not just because the club, from the modest 19,000-person town of Farum, is some 5,000 miles away from Right To Dream’s football-oriented residential [...]
Millwall v Charlton: The South London derby overshadowed by fans’ fighting for their future off the pitch December 21, 2016 In different circumstances, Charlton’s meeting with Millwall at The Den tonight could be a Sky Sports blockbuster capable of capturing the capital’s attention. The “South London showdown” could sit alongside the “Mersey Monday” with the broadcaster’s branding makeover. It sees two clubs who are producers of England internationals, can boast of a combined 28 seasons spent in [...]
Johan Goosen: Players retiring from rugby early should not be a shock December 21, 2016 Last week, Racing 92 announced the “shock” retirement of 24-year-old fly-half Johan Goosen, the reigning Top 14 player of the year – a significant achievement in a league boasting multiple superstars. Goosen reportedly decided to leave the club to become a commercial director in his native South Africa, although one might be forgiven for wondering [...]
Why you should serve a magnum on Christmas day December 21, 2016 Yes, Yes, Christmas is a time for giving. But it is also a time for a decent glass of wine or two and sharing them with friends and family. One of the greatest pleasures in collecting and appreciating wine is choosing the wines that will work just right with the occasion and the planned menu [...]
Calls for Alastair Cook to quit as Test skipper after latest England flop December 20, 2016 England skipper Alastair Cook insists he will take time to consider his future after conceding that stagnation has crept into the side this year as the harrowing series in India climaxed with another spectacular implosion. The tourists were hammered by an innings and 75 runs after being dismissed for 207 as India completed a 4-0 series [...]
Real Madrid free to sign players next summer after transfer ban is halved December 20, 2016 Real Madrid will be free to sign new players next summer after their transfer ban was halved following an appeal. Fifa had initially banned the club from all transfer activity for two windows starting last summer, for violating rules on signing players 18 or younger. The ban was pushed back to cover this January and next summer after Real [...]
Petra Kvitova: Two-time Wimbledon champion “lucky to be alive” following knife attack during home invasion December 20, 2016 Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova says she is fortunate to be alive after a stabbing attack at her home in the Czech Republic. The 26-year-old, who won the Wimbledon women's singles title in 2012 and 2014, was severely injured on her left hand by a knife-wielding intruder during a suspected burglary on Tuesday morning. A manhunt has been [...]
Fifa fines in full: England pay £35,350 for poppy display, but who else got fined by football’s governing body? December 20, 2016 Fifa has raised £1.4m in fines from national football associations in 2016, including £35,350 from England for displaying poppies during November's World Cup qualifiers. Football's governing body has issued punishments for infractions varying from delayed kick-offs, homophobic chants, pitch invasions by dogs and not providing players for post-match interviews. England's Football Association (FA) has appealed against [...]
Exclusive: West Ham transfer boost as club signs up forex and payments provider TransferMate December 20, 2016 West Ham will today announce a deal with global payments company TransferMate that the club believes will give them a significant advantage when buying and selling players. The multi-year agreement sees TransferMate become West Ham’s exclusive foreign currency provider, meaning the club can expect to benefit from better exchange rates and lower bank fees in [...]