Xherdan Shaqiri: Stoke transfer is just latest in European exodus to Premier League’s middle class August 12, 2015 Leading players are increasingly quitting top continental clubs to play for some of the Premier League’s least glamorous outfits as England’s top-flight middle-class flexes its new-found financial muscle. Graphic by Chris Parmenter Stoke’s £12m capture of Switzerland star Xherdan Shaqiri from 18-time Italian champions Inter yesterday is just the latest example of the trend, which [...]
Dozens of athletes suspended after governing body IAAF retests stored samples August 11, 2015 Athletics chiefs have suspended 28 athletes after retesting of samples from the 2005 and 2007 World Championships revealed they may have taken banned substances. Governing body the IAAF, which has been accused of a lack of rigour in anti-doping, said that the athletes could not be named yet for legal reasons but that most of [...]
Australia Test debutant Jess Jonassen thwarts England progress after seamer Anya Shrubsole stars with the ball August 11, 2015 Test debutant Jess Jonassen restricted England’s progress on the opening day of the Women’s Ashes Test at Canterbury by scoring an unbeaten 95 and leading Australia’s recovery from a perilous position yesterday. Seamer Anya Shrubsole claimed the first four Australian wickets to fall as England reduced the tourists to 87-4 and then 99-5 after the [...]
Claims Australia skipper Michael Clarke eroded baggy green culture rubbished by newly-retired seamer Ryan Harris August 11, 2015 Retired Australia seamer Ryan Harris has issued a robust defence of outgoing skipper Michael Clarke as the stream of criticism regarding his captaincy continued yesterday in the wake of Ashes defeat. Former coach John Buchanan, in charge of Australia during the first four years of Clarke’s international career, accused the 34-year-old of allowing the baggy [...]
Francois Carrard: Fifa names former IOC boss as head of reform process August 11, 2015 Dr Francois Carrard, a former director general of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), will lead a committee tasked with reforming scandal-hit Fifa. Read more: Ambushed Fifa boss Sepp Blatter to step aside in February Football's governing body today named its 16-man "2016 reform committee" to develop a package of proposals for change by September. Yet [...]
Newcastle sponsor Wonga named Premier League’s worst for fan engagement while Southampton’s Veho finishes top August 11, 2015 Southampton sponsor Veho is the model to follow for Premier League sponsors "wasting" their investment by failing to engage with fans, while Newcastle United sponsor Wonga is the worst example to follow. Read more: The Saints go marching on to profitability – Southampton’s David Bence is heading for a sustainable business model Veho, the Southampton-based electronics [...]
English clubs spend over £20m on agents’ fees – £7m more than any of the other “big five” European leagues August 11, 2015 English football clubs have spent more on agents' fees this summer than those elsewhere in Europe. Read more: Every Premier League signing in one graph Agents representing players in England have received over £20m from "intermediary commissions", according to data compiled by Fifa's Transfer Matching System (TMS). Between 1 June – when English clubs were first [...]
Yaya Toure at the double as Manchester City sound title warning August 11, 2015 Bullish Manchester City skipper Vincent Kompany insisted that his side have a point to prove this season after starting their campaign with a crushing defeat of West Brom last night. Read more: English clubs have spent over £20m on agents' fees this summer Kompany sealed City’s victory, which immediately fired Manuel Pellegrini’s charges to [...]
Chelsea agree £20m Baba Rahman transfer and appeal Thibaut Courtois red card August 10, 2015 Chelsea are expected to solve their left-back conundrum this week by signing Ghana international Baba Rahman from German side Augsburg. The Premier League champions are believed to have agreed an initial fee of £14m for the 21-year-old, plus around £6m in potential add-ons. Rahman replaces Filipe Luis, who rejoined Atletico Madrid earlier this summer, and [...]
England v France: Stuart Lancaster calls on convert Sam Burgess to seize Rugby World Cup chance August 10, 2015 Head coach Stuart Lancaster has thrown down the gauntlet to rugby league convert Sam Burgess to prove he is worthy of a place in England’s World Cup squad after naming him in the side to face France at Twickenham on Saturday. Read more: I’ll give Cipriani a fair chance, says Lancaster Former Rabbitohs star Burgess [...]