Klopp snub talk is nonsense and Big Sam still boss, say West Ham April 21, 2015 WEST Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady has rubbished suggestions that in-demand Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp has turned down the chance to manage the Hammers next season. Brady also insisted there was nothing sinister in the delay to holding contract talks with current boss Sam Allardyce, who has just two months left on his current deal. [...]
O’Sullivan risks a fine after playing first round in socks April 21, 2015 FIVE-TIME champion Ronnie O’Sullivan has often pushed the boundaries of conformity and that proved the case once more in his World Championship opener against qualifier Craig Steadman yesterday by removing his shoes and playing in socks. O’Sullivan was on course to establish a 4-2 lead over tournament debutant Steadman when he appeared in pain, dispensed [...]
Football Comment: Relegation battle alive but I fear for Burnley, QPR and Sunderland April 21, 2015 THE BEAUTY of this season’s battle to avoid relegation from the Premier League is that no team is adrift. With one win any of the sides scrapping for survival could take a big step towards safety. I think Newcastle and Aston Villa are safe, and that it’s between the bottom five. The Magpies have lost [...]
Smoothtalkinrascal can get punters off to a flyer at Epsom April 21, 2015 BILL ESDAILE PREVIEWS THE INVESTEC-SPONSORED CARD AT EPSOM TODAY TODAY’S opening Investec Asset Finance Handicap (2.10pm) at Epsom features a couple of well-handicapped sprinters and I’m struggling to split Long Awaited and SMOOTHTALKINRASCAL. The former is a hugely talented horse but seems to always find a way of getting beaten. The fact his last win [...]
Lungarno Palace set to bring unlucky streak to an end April 21, 2015 BACKING a horse that was an unlucky loser on its previous start is arguably a quick way to the poor house. Backing a horse that’s been unlucky in three of his last four starts is probably the quickest route to the mad house, but I’m still keen to take a chance on LUNGARNO PALACE in [...]
Manchester United, Newcastle and Aston Villa are the Premier League’s biggest underperformers judged against wage spend April 21, 2015 Manchester United, Newcastle United and Aston Villa have been three of the Premier League’s biggest underperformers in the last two seasons when judged against their respective wage bills. In the 2013/14 season, United spent more money on wages than any other Premier League team with a total wage bill of £215.8m yet finished seventh after [...]
Liverpool’s £30m Standard Chartered sponsorship equals Arsenal Fly Emirates deal April 21, 2015 Liverpool have agreed a three-year extension to their sponsorship deal with Standard Chartered, keeping the American bank's name on their shirt until the end of the 2018-19 season. Standard Chartered' sponsorship has been worth £20m a season to Liverpool since 2010 when it replaced the long-standing Carlsberg who enjoyed 17 years emblazoned on the famous [...]
IAAF teams up with eSports governing body for community programme April 21, 2015 Professional video gaming's growing legitimacy in the traditional sporting landscape has been highlighted by a new partnership between the governing bodies of athletics and eSports. The world of super sprinters will merge with the arena of lightning-quick button-bashers as the International eSports Federation (IeSF) and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) team up to [...]
Captain Cook desperate to banish woes April 20, 2015 ENGLAND skipper Alastair Cook insists he is “desperate” to stoke his side’s bid for batting dominance despite his barren spell overshadowing preparations for the second Test against the West Indies, which starts in Grenada today. Cook mustered scores of just 11 and 13 in the attritional and drawn series opener at the Sir Vivian Richards [...]
Chelsea facing striker crisis for Arsenal fixture April 20, 2015 CHELSEA could be without any of their senior centre-forwards for Sunday’s Premier League summit clash at Arsenal after Didier Drogba became their latest injury victim. Veteran Drogba, who has led the line in the last two Blues games while Diego Costa and Loic Remy have been sidelined, withdrew from a planned appearance in a charity [...]