Storm delays United victory December 18, 2013 A HAILSTORM stopped Manchester United’s Capital One Cup quarter-final at Stoke last night before goals from Ashley Young and Patrice Evra set up a last-four clash against Sunderland. Players were called off for 10 minutes when the downpour prompted referee Mark Clattenburg to halt play half an hour into the match, with the score 0-0. [...]
Djokovic hires Becker as coach December 18, 2013 TENNIS world No2 Novak Djokovic has joined forces with six-time grand slam champion Boris Becker in a bid to reclaim top spot in the rankings from Rafael Nadal. Djokovic has hired the German as his head coach, following the path taken by Britain’s Andy Murray, who has made his major-winning breakthrough after teaming up with [...]
Moores doubts England coach Flower has hunger to continue December 18, 2013 FORMER England cricket coach Peter Moores admits he is unsure whether his successor Andy Flower still has the motivation to continue in his role beyond the current doomed Ashes tour. But Moores insists that Flower, who has refused to commit beyond the end of the Test series, is the right man to inspire a response [...]
Northampton cop North fine December 18, 2013 NORTHAMPTON have been fined £60,000 for releasing wing George North to play in Wales’s 30-26 defeat to Australia last month. Premiership Rugby rules forbid clubs from allowing non-English players to take part in Test matches outside the International Rugby Board’s designated window. Saints have admitted the breach and will not appeal the fine. They have [...]
Ex-Team Sky rider fails drug test December 18, 2013 CYCLING: Former Team Sky rider Michael Rogers has been suspended after the Australian tested positive for banned substance clenbuterol in October, while competing for new team Saxo-Tinkoff. It comes after Team Sky’s Jonathan Tiernan-Locke was charged with an anti-doping violation relating to 2012, before he joined the British outfit.
Journeyman Sannino succeeds Zola December 18, 2013 FOOTBALL: Watford have named journeyman Italian manager Giuseppe Sannino as Gianfranco Zola’s replacement. The 56-year-old, who was sacked by Serie A side Chievo last month, has previously coached 12 sides in his homeland, including Palermo and Siena. Former Chelsea star Zola resigned from the Championship club this week.
Flower still right man, insists Cook December 17, 2013 England lose Ashes and face 5-0 rout but captain says coach must stay on BEATEN England captain Alastair Cook has urged cricket chiefs to stick with team director Andy Flower, despite losing the Ashes and remaining on course for a whitewash in Perth yesterday. Flower refused to commit to England beyond this series after seeing [...]
Clarke orders Aussies to seal a whitewash December 17, 2013 BULLISH Australia captain Michael Clarke has called on his team to compound England’s misery by completing a 5-0 whitewash. Yesterday’s 150-run win in Perth gave Clarke his first Ashes series triumph as captain on the occasion of his 100th Test. But the batsman has demanded his men take advantage of their opportunity to humiliate England [...]
Sherwood eyes winning start to Spurs reign in Hammers cup tie December 17, 2013 INTERIM Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood believes West Ham’s relegation battle can help his team get his reign off to a winning start tonight. Sherwood, placed in temporary charge following the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas on Monday, leads Spurs into a Capital One Cup quarter-final against a Hammers side who have slipped to 17th in the [...]
Wilshere faces Chelsea ban December 17, 2013 ARSENAL midfielder Jack Wilshere is set to miss Monday’s Premier League showdown with Chelsea after being charged for appearing to make a middle-finger gesture during Saturday’s 6-3 loss at Manchester City. The Football Association brought the charge yesterday after studying video evidence of the incident, which was missed by the referee. Wilshere has until 6pm [...]