Bullish Uefa declares victory in legal fight over FFP future July 22, 2015 European football’s governing body Uefa believes it is close to defeating a legal challenge to financial fair play (FFP) and ending a long-running debate over the legitimacy of the controversial rules. Opponents of FFP suffered a blow last week when the European Court of Justice (ECJ) refused to rule on whether the rules ought [...]
Tour de france: Froome wary of desperate tactics as he nears second title July 22, 2015 Britain's Chris Froome predicts his increasingly desperate yellow jersey rivals to launch “all or nothing” attacks in the last few stages of the Tour de France. Read more: Should Team Sky's sponsors be worried by doping allegations? Froome successfully withstood two attempts by nearest challenger Nairo Quintana to cut his more than three-minute lead [...]
West Ham: Bilic admits Europa League life made difficult by poor first leg July 22, 2015 West Ham boss Slaven Bilic admitted that his side have made Europa League progress unnecessarily difficult for themselves after only securing a narrow first-leg lead against Maltese minnows Birkirkara. Read more: Bilic fears long Euro expedition may damage West Ham season The Hammers head into tonight’s Europa League second qualifying round second leg against [...]
Benteke targets silverware after Liverpool move July 22, 2015 Striker Christian Benteke believes he possesses the firepower to rid manager Brendan Rodgers of an unwanted association with a lack of silverware after completing his £32.5m move to Liverpool from Aston Villa last night. Read more: Rodgers becomes highest spending Liverpool manager Belgium hitman Benteke, who scored 49 goals in 101 appearances for Villa, [...]
Ashes 2015: Nobody is safe from chop, says Adam Lyth July 22, 2015 Under-pressure opener Adam Lyth believes the axing of Yorkshire team-mate Gary Ballance from England’s squad for the third Investec Test against Australia next week is proof that nobody’s position in the team is safe. Read more: Bairstow into firing line as Ballance axed Selectors responded to England’s 405-run drubbing by Australia in the second Test at [...]
Chris Tremlett on Ashes 2015: A big score from Ian Bell is just round the corner July 22, 2015 Before the Ashes started I wrote that batsman Gary Ballance looked all at sea. I felt the Australian bowlers would work out his technique and find ways to get him out. It was the right decision for the selectors to drop him ahead of next week’s third Test. Equally, Ballance’s Yorkshire team-mate Jonny Bairstow [...]
World Championships 2015: Jessica Ennis-Hill should compete but maybe not Mo Farah, says Jonathan Edwards July 22, 2015 Former Olympic champion Jonathan Edwards has urged heptathlete Jessica Ennis-Hill to contest next month’s World Championships in Beijing, but is less convinced by the merits of much-scrutinised Mo Farah defending his twin titles. Read more: Mo Farah – prove I’m doping or leave me alone Ennis-Hill is to judge her medal-winning potential and decide [...]
The Tour de France is becoming increasingly popular around the world…and is enjoying a sponsorship windfall as a result July 22, 2015 Although newspaper headlines in France and Britain have once again focused on cycling's supposed dark side, global interest in the Tour de France is rising according to sports marketing research firm Repucom. Read more: Froome doubts Team Sky data release will stop doping claims Significantly more people in markets outside of Europe such as the United [...]
Cricket is like spam: The real reason batsmen are piling up higher scores July 21, 2015 The holiday season is getting into full swing, but a shadow has been cast by the abysmal failure of our boys to get anywhere near the enormous target of 509 which Australia’s cricketers set them to win in the second Test match. It may seem preposterous even to have thought they would. But a revolution [...]
Bairstow into firing line as Ballance axed July 21, 2015 RECALLED batsman Jonny Bairstow has been warned to expect a marked surge in the quality of opposition after replacing the axed Gary Ballance in England’s squad for next week’s third Investec Ashes Test against Australia. Selectors responded to a harrowing 405-run demise to Australia at Lord’s on Sunday, which levelled the series at 1-1, by [...]