Mancini: City can rival Barca November 20, 2011 Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini believes his side must now be ranked as one of Europe’s premier teams. City top the Premier League and will progress to the last 16 of the Champions League if they beat Napoli tomorrow. He said: “I don’t think we are better than Real Madrid or Barcelona, but probably we [...]
Winning return for Cavendish November 20, 2011 Britain’s world road race champion Mark Cavendish completed a successful return to the track with victory in the scratch race at the Manchester velodrome. In his first track appearance since the 2009 World championships, Cavendish delighted a full house at the National Cycling Centre, finishing ahead of Steven Burke. He said: “It all started off [...]
Whelan ponders Wigan handover November 20, 2011 Wigan chairman Dave Whelan has admitted he is weighing up whether or not to hand over control of the club to his 21-year-old grandson David. The 74-year-old bought the Latics back in 1995 and has overseen their rise from the depths of the Football League to the Premier League. But Whelan has revealed he may [...]
Pakistan celebrate series win November 20, 2011 Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 26 runs in Sharjah to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the ODI series. After recovering from 71-5 to post exactly 200, Pakistan, who face England in Abu Dhabi in January, then dismissed Sri Lanka for 174 in 45.2 overs. Shahid Afridi was the hero for Pakistan, making 75 from [...]
Blatter race row heats up as Ferdinand leads outcry November 17, 2011 EMBATTLED Fifa president Sepp Blatter was facing fresh calls to resign last night after he stood by his comments claiming racism in football is not prevalent, a stance which sparked a public spat between himself and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand. On a day when British footballers and politicians united in their blanket condemnation of [...]
Wounded Fifa chief won’t quit November 17, 2011 ONCE again Sepp Blatter, the most powerful bureaucrat in world football, finds himself the subject of ridicule, vitriol and calls to step down. But once again, there is virtually no prospect of him doing anything other than riding out the storm and waiting for the next one. A few months ago he and his organisation [...]
SEPP’S ARMY OF DETRACTORS November 17, 2011 “It’s appalling to suggest that racism in any way should be accepted as part of the game – PM David Cameron” “Sepp Blatter’s comments are completely unacceptable. This is the latest episode that calls into question whether this man should be the head of world football – Sports Minister Hugh Robertson” “Coming on top of [...]
Johnno should have turned down England November 17, 2011 ENGLAND’S World Cup winning coach Sir Clive Woodward revealed he advised Martin Johnson to turn down his old job back in 2008 and believes the Rugby Football Union took a gamble that was always likely to backfire by hiring a rookie manager. Johnson, who resigned on Wednesday after three-and-a-half years in the role, led the [...]
Swann: England primed to overcome their final frontier November 17, 2011 AFTER a year which has seen England cement their position at the head of the Test cricket, as well as record series victories over the two nations that contested the 50-over World Cup final in April, spinner Graeme Swann believes winning in the subcontinent this winter would complete the cycle of Andrew Strauss’s side. England [...]
Murray has shot at home triumph November 17, 2011 THAT first grand slam title might still be on the to-do list, but Andy Murray has a superb chance of landing his biggest prize yet – and in front of a home crowd – in London next week. The Scot faces the toughest possible opposition, with only the eight best-performing players of 2011 qualifying for [...]