RFU reshuffle paves the way for Mallett November 30, 2011 THE RUGBY Football Union yesterday confirmed their intention to appoint an interim manager ahead of February’s Six Nations, but hope to have named Martin Johnson’s full-time successor before next summer’s tour of South Africa. Following yesterday’s meeting of the Professional Game Board, it was also revealed that embattled elite director of rugby Rob Andrew will [...]
Analysis: Should Blues ditch Villas-Boas? November 30, 2011 ANDRE Villas-Boas (right) is odds-on to be fired by Chelsea this season, despite only arriving in June. His record after 21 games compares badly with those of others in the Roman Abramovich era – except Claudio Ranieri, who began before the Russian bought the club. However, were he to be sacked today, Villas-Boas would have [...]
Sunderlandmake Bruce first boss to be sacked November 30, 2011 FORMER Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill last night emerged as the early hot favourite for the Sunderland job after the Premier League strugglers sacked Steve Bruce. Ex-Wigan boss Bruce became the first top-flight casualty of the season after winning just twice in the first 13 games of the season – a run that left the [...]
City spend most on agents’ fees November 30, 2011 FOOTBALL: Premier League clubs spent a record £71.8m on agents’ fees last year, according to figures revealed yesterday. Free-spending Manchester City topped the list with a total of £9.7m paid to agents followed by Spurs on £7.6m, then Liverpool on £7m. The combined spend eclipses the previous record of £70.7m in 2009.
Stand-by-stand changes at Lord’s November 30, 2011 CRICKET: The MCC have scaled back on their initial plans to upgrade Lord’s, which will now be redeveloped on a “stand-by-stand” basis. Work, likely to begin at the Pavilion End with work on the Tavern and Allen Stands, will take place in stages and on the club’s freehold land only, following yesterday’s committee meeting.
Lucas fears six-month lay-off November 30, 2011 FOOTBALL: Liverpool’s Brazil midfielder Lucas fears he could miss the rest of the season with a knee injury after he was stretchered off during Tuesday’s 2-0 Carling Cup win over Chelsea.
Former Scotland rugby cap can’t pull off India success in Greenland November 30, 2011 “THERE’S a whole ocean of oil under our feet! No one can get at it except for me!” So screams Daniel Day Lewis as Plainview in Hollywood blockbuster There Will be Blood. Sir Bill Gammell, then chief executive of Cairn, must have expressed similar sentiments when he struck lucky in India in 2004. The former Scotland [...]
Boom and bust-up for villain Nasri November 29, 2011 City midfielder involved in tunnel incident with former team-mate Frimpong after helping seal semi-final spot ARSENAL 0 vs MANCHESTER CITY 1 ARSENAL midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong and former Gunner Samir Nasri were involved in a stormy verbal bust-up in the players’ tunnel after Manchester City dumped the north Londoners out of the Carling Cup. A clinical [...]
Chelsea need an anxiety cure, admits Villas-Boas November 29, 2011 CHELSEA 0 vs LIVERPOOL 2 UNDER-FIRE Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas admits there’s no quick remedy to his side’s alarming slump which gathered unwanted momentum following last night’s Carling Cup defeat against Liverpool Second half goals from Maxi Rodriguez and Martin Kelly inflicted on Chelsea a third defeat in their last four games at Stamford Bridge, [...]
Inquest told Speed’s wife found him hanged at home November 29, 2011 AN INQUEST into the death of Wales manager Gary speed was told that the body of the 42-year-old was found hanged at his home in Cheshire by his wife. Detective Inspector Peter Lawless, of Cheshire Police, told Cheshire coroner Nicholas Rheinber there appeared to be no suspicious circumstances and a post mortem examination found Speed’s [...]