Goal king back to stoke Palace September 3, 2014 FORMER England striker Andrew Johnson aims to help establish Crystal Palace as a Premier League force after returning to Selhurst Park for a second stint yesterday. The 33-year-old, who scored 85 goals in 160 games for the Eagles between 2002 and 2006, has signed a short-term deal which will tie him to the club until [...]
Tykes close to county glory September 3, 2014 SKIPPER Andrew Gale will miss the final two games of the season for champions-elect Yorkshire after an altercation with Lancashire batsman Ashwell Prince during this week’s Roses match at Old Trafford. The 30-year-old, who was also punished for dissent in the reverse fixture in May, was reported by the match umpires for “using language or [...]
McGinley bolsters his backroom September 3, 2014 CAPTAIN Paul McGinley believes the knowledge base at his disposal will prove invaluable when Europe bid to retain the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles this month after naming Padraig Harrington, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Jose Maria Olazabal as vice-captains. The experienced triumvirate have clocked up 17 Ryder Cup appearances between them and join City A.M. columnist [...]
Golf Comment: This is as strong a Europe side as we’ve ever seen September 2, 2014 TO HAVE a Scot on Europe’s Ryder Cup team at Gleneagles is a great asset as the crowd will love it, and Stephen Gallacher’s selection as one of captain Paul McGinley’s three wildcard picks is certainly a wonderful story, but let’s be clear: he has thoroughly earned his place in the side and sentiment didn’t [...]
US Ryder Cup 12 finalised September 2, 2014 UNITED States captain Tom Watson last night announced Keegan Bradley, Hunter Mahan and Webb Simpson as his wildcard picks, completing his line-up for this month’s Ryder Cup showdown with their European rivals at Gleneagles. Watson has never tasted defeat in the Ryder Cup either as a player or captain, having been involved five times between 1977 [...]
Skipper hope for axed Luke September 2, 2014 EUROPE captain Paul McGinley insists England’s Luke Donald has a Ryder Cup future despite leaving the former world No1 out of his team to face the United States this month. McGinley yesterday named Stephen Gallacher, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood as his three wildcards, at the expense of Donald, who has been on the winning [...]
Indian nightmare continues but Cook refuses to quit as skipper September 2, 2014 BEWILDERED skipper Alastair Cook hinted at a cull of England’s under-performers should his side continue to show a lack of fight, but dismissed any suggestion of resigning after India wrapped up the one-day series with a thumping nine-wicket victory at Edgbaston yesterday. Lifeless England were brutally crushed as opener Ajinkya Rahane scored his maiden century [...]
England squads now reliant on top-flight benches, admits Roy September 2, 2014 ENGLAND boss Roy Hodgson believes the selection of players who predominantly feature as substitutes for their club is an inevitable consequence of the Premier League’s exponential growth. The four uncapped players set to make their Three Lions debuts in tonight’s friendly with Norway at Wembley has been reduced to three with injury to Newcastle midfielder [...]
Murray needs to box clever, says Henman September 2, 2014 FORMER British No1 Tim Henman believes Andy Murray needs to execute the perfectly crafted game-plan to outwit Novak Djokovic in tonight’s US Open quarter-final. World No1 Djokovic has won four of the last five meetings between the two rivals, although Murray did prevail during the big money stakes of grand slam finals at the US [...]
Rooney sees Falcao deal as huge statement September 2, 2014 MANCHESTER United skipper Wayne Rooney prefers to focus on the impact deadline day capture Radamel Falcao might have in returning the club to former glories rather than contemplate how it affects his own status. The Red Devils shelled out £20m to secure the services of the Colombia marksman on a year-long loan from Monaco as [...]