B-leaguered: Critics round on Dyke plan May 8, 2014 FOOTBALL Association chairman Greg Dyke faces a battle to push through plans for elite clubs to field B teams in a new fifth division after they met with immediate criticism yesterday. Dyke revealed the proposals as part of his blueprint for increasing the number of Englishmen in the top flight, a move designed to help [...]
More Englishmen does not improve England’s results May 8, 2014 PLANS to improve the England team by increasing the number of Englishmen playing in the Premier League are fundamentally flawed and may even damage the national team’s results, according to a new study. Football Association chairman Greg Dyke insists England can win the World Cup by 2022 if his vision for populating the top flight [...]
Mourinho hit with FA fines May 8, 2014 CHELSEA manager Jose Mourinho has been hit with an £18,000 bill by the Football Association for misconduct charges relating to recent defeats to Aston Villa and Sunderland. Mourinho was yesterday fined £10,000 for sarcastic comments made about referees’ chief Mike Riley and match official Mike Dean in the aftermath of a 2-1 home defeat to [...]
Players convinced captain Cook to be part of Moores’ fresh start May 8, 2014 ENGLAND captain Alastair Cook has revealed that intervention from his team-mates convinced him to carry on at the helm after a tumultuous winter. Following a 5-0 Ashes whitewash, England stumbled again in the one-day and Twenty20 series against Australia before limping out of the World T20 in the group stage. Head coach Andy Flower resigned [...]
Wenger: Ban City in Europe May 8, 2014 MANCHESTER City should be thrown out of next season’s Champions League for breaching Financial Fair Play rules, according to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. European governing body Uefa are expected to fine City £49m next week and impose sanctions on their Champions League squad. But Wenger thinks those punishments are not strong enough. “You would think [...]
Magnificent sevens to ride again May 8, 2014 Twickenham braced to host season finale to Sevens World Series AMID the exuberance and outlandish costumes it could be easy to forget that the Marriott London Sevens represents the business end of a gripping HSBC World Series season – and it is far from over. New Zealand may be in touching distance of winning the [...]
Monsters, face painting and cheerleaders May 8, 2014 HIGH-OCTANE rugby is not the only reason that 115,000-plus fans are set to flock to Twickenham for the climax to the HSBC Sevens World Series – there is also a host of off-field entertainment that contributes to the family-friendly carnival atmosphere. DRESS UP Fancy dress is a key component of the Marriott London Sevens experience [...]
The brutal circuits and watt bikes that lend England extra power May 8, 2014 PROWLER: it sounds like a new dating app, but is far, far nastier, and, it turns out, one of the many reasons why the England Sevens squad make the majority of professional athletes look like Mr Muscle. This piece of gym equipment – essentially a trolley stacked with weights – is just one element in [...]
Football Comment: City and Liverpool deserve trophies but Chelsea don’t May 8, 2014 THEY are the two teams who have played the best football and been the most entertaining to watch, so it only seems right that Manchester City and Liverpool have been neck and neck at the top of the Premier League as the season’s final weekend looms. Surely City will win the title now – it [...]
Quins tipped to upset the odds for play-off spot May 8, 2014 HARLEQUINS wing Ugo Monye backs his side to continue thriving against the odds as they seek an Aviva Premiership play-off place with victory over Bath tomorrow. Quins have won four matches in a row and will book a semi-final with a bonus point win, or regular win, provided their opponents do not claim two bonus [...]