Rasmus Ankersen interview: Brentford co-director of football denies it’s all data and robots as club continues to utilise mathematical modelling March 21, 2016 When the debate surrounding analytics in football rages, the glare from the number-crunching spotlight inevitably comes to rest on Brentford, the club viewed as the English game’s principal pioneers of mathematical modelling. Much head-scratching ensued when the club announced in February 2015 that then-manager Mark Warburton would leave Griffin Park at the end of the campaign. [...]
Martina Navratilova takes on Novak Djokovic and Indian Wells chief Raymond Moore in tennis equal pay row March 21, 2016 Trailblazing 18-time grand slam champion Martina Navratilova says she expects top women players to boycott Indian Wells due to the “extremely prejudiced and very old fashioned” views of its chief executive. Raymond Moore provoked a storm by saying women players should “go down on [their] knees and thank God that Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal were [...]
Qatar World Cup 2022: Supporters could be housed in vast Bedouin tents instead of hotels March 21, 2016 Qatar is considering putting up spectators at the 2022 World Cup in vast tents in the desert as falling oil prices cause delays to the country’s plans to build hotels for the tournament. Around 500,000 fans are expected to attend the World Cup and Qatar officials believe traditional Bedouin tents could offer alternative accommodation with [...]
Jason Day’s magnificent first three rounds earned him the right to limp over the line at the Arnold Palmer Invitational March 21, 2016 If you're going to take playing tips from anyone at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, then a man who has won it six more times than anyone else is probably an ideal candidate. World No2 Jason Day revealed his text message dialogue with eight-time Bay Hill winner Tiger Woods after completing his first win of the [...]
Harry Kane is one of the best strikers in the world says Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino March 21, 2016 Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino praised Harry Kane as one of the world’s best strikers after his brace helped Spurs beat Bournemouth and keep the heat on Premier League leaders Leicester yesterday. Top-flight leading scorer Kane hit two first-half goals and set up another for midfielder Christian Eriksen in a commanding victory to leave Spurs five [...]
Six Nations 2016: Vindicated Eddie Jones hails his England captain Dylan Hartley as a “likeable rogue” after Grand Slam triumph March 20, 2016 England head coach Eddie Jones has hailed “likeable rogue” Dylan Hartley after his decision to appoint the controversial hooker captain was vindicated by a first Six Nations Grand Slam since 2003. Jones also used his first media appearance since Saturday’s title-clinching 31-21 win in France to predict that his own perfect start was just the [...]
Australian Grand Prix: Fernando Alonso escapes 200mph crash as Nico Rosberg beats Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton in first race of season March 20, 2016 Double world champion Fernando Alonso admits he was lucky to survive a spectacular 200mph smash at the Australian Grand Prix, where Lewis Hamilton was beaten by Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg. Alonso’s McLaren was sent twirling through the air when he hit the Haas of Esteban Gutierrez on lap 17 and lost all four tyres and much [...]
Chinese investment in football continues as Freestyle Football receives £180,000 March 18, 2016 China's growing interest in football has extended beyond even traditional forms of the beautiful game. Freestyle Football Limited, the commercial arm of freestyle football's governing body, has received a £180,000 investment from the Shanghai XiaoYuan Culture Communication Corporation for a 10 per cent stake. The firm owns schools in China, Australia and Cambodia and has an agreement [...]
Six Nations 2016: Billy Vunipola on course to shatter England records in Grand Slam decider v France March 18, 2016 England’s task on Saturday is simple: beat France in Paris and crown a first Six Nations title in five years with a first Grand Slam since 2003. Should they do so, Eddie Jones’s men could be forgiven for paying little heed to the championship stats as they crack open beers in the Stade de France [...]
Six Nations 2016: England predicted to beat France and win grand slam according to complex mathematical formula from insurance group QBE March 18, 2016 England will win the grand slam by the finest of margins on Saturday – that's according to insurance firm QBE who have devised a complex formula to predict the outcome of Six Nations matches. QBE's rugby predictor has correctly forecast 9 of 12 results so far this tournament and came within two points of the [...]