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 [...]
British rider in doping charge December 17, 2013 BRITAIN’S Jonathan Tiernan-Locke has vowed to clear his name after the Team Sky cyclist was charged with a doping violation yesterday. World governing body the UCI brought the charge following analysis of his biological passport, having asked him to explain an anomaly earlier this year. Team Sky has suspended Tiernan-Locke from all activities and reiterated [...]
Capital One Cup: Ki strikes late to dump Blues and anger Mourinho December 17, 2013 SUNDERLAND 2 vs CHELSEA 1 AFTER EXTRA TIME. 1-1 AFTER 90 MINUTES FRUSTRATED Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho last night insisted his current crop produces more quality than his great Blues team of the past, despite seeing them dumped out of the Capital One Cup by Sunderland. Substitute Ki Sung-Yueng struck the 118th-minute winner to send [...]
Cricket Comment: Ashes catastrophe means this England team is finished December 17, 2013 THEY say Christmas is a time for reflection and I’ve a feeling England team director Andy Flower will be doing more soul-searching than most over the next couple of weeks. The late Bob Woolmer once told me he believed coaches had a maximum of five years with a team – by then you’ve imparted all [...]
Dzeko sends City into last four December 17, 2013 STRIKER Edin Dzeko took his goal tally into double figures as in-form Manchester City swept to a 3-1 victory at Leicester City and into the Capital One Cup semi-finals. Full-back Aleksandar Kolarov scored the other for City, who cantered to a ninth win from their last 11 games, despite Lloyd Dyer’s late consolation for the [...]