Bell thrilled by Flower decision May 4, 2011 CRICKET: England batsman Ian Bell has welcomed Andy Flower’s decision to stay on as head coach of the national team. Bell has thrived under the Zimbabwean tutelage having regained his spot in the side for the final Ashes Test of the 2009 series and gone on to become a mainstay of England’s middle order. Bell [...]
FERGIE’S GAMBLE May 3, 2011 United boss ready to rotate his squad with Sunday’s title showdown against Chelsea on the horizon MANCHESTER UTD vs SCHALKE Man Utd lead 2-0 from first leg MANCHESTER UNITED manager Sir Alex Ferguson admits Sunday’s Premier League title decider against Chelsea has forced him to gamble with his team selection ahead of tonight’s Champions League [...]
Work to do if England are to maintain their upward curve May 3, 2011 ANDY FLOWER’S decision to extend his contract with the England and Wales Cricket board has been rightly celebrated by those with an interest in the national side. The former Zimbabwe batsman has transformed England’s fortunes on the back of his dedication, thoroughness of preparation and man management skills. Ever the perfectionist, however, Flower will appreciate [...]
Guardiola relieved he’s finally free to focus on Barca’s Wembley date May 3, 2011 BARCELONA 1 vs REAL MADRID 1 Barcelona win 3-1 on aggregate BARCELONA manager Pep Guardiola admitted he’s glad to see the back of the four-game marathon with Real Madrid after his side booked their place in the Champions League final later this month. Leading 2-0 following last week’s highly controversial first leg at the Bernabeu, [...]
Pearce defends Wilshere Under-21 call May 3, 2011 ENGLAND Under-21 coach Stuart Pearce has risked the wrath of Arsenal and Liverpool by picking youngsters Jack Wilshere and Andy Carroll for this summer’s European Championship. Gunners midfielder Wilshere (right) and Reds striker Carroll are regulars in the senior squad but still young enough to play for the Under-21s, and Pearce wants his strongest side [...]
Clubs could sue over FA QPR ruling May 3, 2011 QPR’S Championship rivals could sue for millions of pounds if the west London outfit escape a points deduction over the signing of Alejandro Faurlin, a leading sports lawyer has warned. A Football Association hearing into seven charges levelled at QPR and Faurlin over the Argentinian midfielder’s signing in 2009 got underway yesterday at Wembley, with [...]
Arsenal fan anger at 6.5% price hike May 3, 2011 ARSENAL have been criticised by fans’ groups after hiking ticket prices by 6.5 per cent for next season. The Gunners have not won a trophy since 2005 and already boast some of the costliest tickets in the Premier League, before the planned increase. A spokesman for the Arsenal Supporters Trust (AST) said: “The AST is [...]
Flower signs new deal and sets lofty goals May 3, 2011 ENGLAND coach Andy Flower insists he can take the team to new heights after resisting overtures from India to extend his contract with the England and Wales Cricket Board. Flower has worked wonders in his two years as team director, winning two Ashes series and the Twenty20 World Cup and hoisting England from sixth to [...]
Frankel to miss Derby but Cecil still favourite May 3, 2011 WORLD DOMINATION has been installed as the new favourite for the Investec Derby after trainer Henry Cecil revealed much-fancied Frankel will not run. Cecil is reluctant to step up 2000 Guineas winner Frankel to a mile and a half next month at Epsom, leaving his stablemate to take top billing. “I think the Derby would [...]
Melbourne Rebel Cipriani hit with one-game ban May 3, 2011 ENGLAND outcast Danny Cipriani has accepted his punishment of a one-match ban for breaking a curfew imposed by his Melbourne Rebels team-mates. Cipriani, 23, who won the last of his seven international caps three years ago, and scrum-half Richard Kingi defied an agreement to avoid a late night after Saturday’s 28-9 defeat by the New [...]