Football Comment: English teams are too tired to cut it in Europe February 19, 2014 WHEN Arsene Wenger woke up this morning I hope he was thinking about the Premier League rather than the Champions League. Because it’s time for him to change his priorities this season. Arsenal are not going to come back and win in Munich. For a team who has spent so much of this season at [...]
Spurs change ticket process February 19, 2014 TOTTENHAM have bowed to supporter pressure and announced a crackdown to “prevent and prohibit” the practice of ticket “flipping” which currently occurs on exchange website StubHub. Season ticket holders who cannot attend a match at White Hart Lane are able to list their tickets for resale at any price. But, as reported earlier this month [...]
Team GB close in on historic gold after curling success for Murdoch February 19, 2014 TRIUMPHANT British skip David Murdoch is targeting a history-making gold medal in tomorrow’s curling final with reigning Olympic champions Canada. Murdoch scored two points with the final stone of yesterday’s semi-final against Sweden to seal a 6-5 victory and at least a silver medal. Britain have never won more than one gold medal at a [...]
Adebayor left behind by Tottenham February 19, 2014 FOOTBALL: In-form Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor has not travelled to Ukraine for tonight’s Europa League last-32 first leg tie with Dnipro. Hugo Lloris, Kyle Walker, Younes Kaboul and Aaron Lennon have also been left at home.
First round exits for English trio February 19, 2014 GOLF: English trio Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter suffered first round exits at the WGC World Match Play yesterday. But former world No1 Rory McIlroy beat Boo Weekley and will meet Westwood’s conqueror Harris English.
Mullins: a man on a mission February 19, 2014 LAST year’s visit to Ballydoyle remains one of the highlights of my journalistic career, but yesterday’s return to the Emerald Isle may just have shaded it when it comes to my racing bucket list. Since a young age I’ve wanted to visit the corner of County Carlow that Willie Mullins calls home – and a [...]
Swedes, you are not a race of refereeing incompetents – and the stats prove it February 19, 2014 If Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini thinks his team got a raw deal in Tuesday’s Champions League defeat to Barcelona because the referee was Swedish he may want to think again, and consider this: at least the pesky whistler wasn’t Croatian. Or Portuguese. Analysis of all referees in the Champions League’s 22-year history shows [...]
Champions League: Ref accused by Pellegrini of Barcelona favouritism February 18, 2014 MANCHESTER CITY 0 vs FC BARCELONA 2 MANCHESTER CITY manager Manuel Pellegrini launched an astonishing tirade at referee Jonas Eriksson last night, believing the official had favoured Barcelona in their Champions League last-16 first leg tie. Barcelona took the lead early in the second half with a contentious penalty after defender Martin Demichelis was shown [...]
Christie smiling again in Sochi as luck changes February 18, 2014 A SMILE was back on the face of speed skater Elise Christie yesterday after she put a testing week in Sochi behind her to qualify for Friday’s 1,000m quarter-final. Christie was stripped of a silver medal in the 500m final after placing her hand on a Korean rival as she fell, was the subject of [...]
Ford primed to make England bow February 18, 2014 ENGLAND coach Stuart Lancaster has backed George Ford to handle the step up to Test level after handing the young Bath fly-half his Test debut on Saturday against Ireland. Ford, 20, was last night retained in boss Stuart Lancaster’s training party for the Six Nations showdown, meaning he is set to come off the bench [...]