You’re fulfilling every young boy’s dream June 8, 2010 STILL, this day, he’s the only English player ever to win three league championships in three different countries. He’s won two league titles, an FA Cup, a European Cup Winners Cup and has also scored the 1,500th goal for England. Yet, despite a trophy-laden career, spanning 17 years, nothing, he insists, will ever compare to [...]
HOW ENGLAND FARED IN WORLD CUPS GONE BY June 8, 2010 1966 – WINNERS That memorable day – 30th July, 1996 at Wembley Stadium when a Geoff Hurst hat-trick and Martin Peters goal saw England beat West Germany 4-2 after extra time to hold aloft the Jules Rimet Trophy. 1970 – QUARTER-FINALS Goals from Alan Mullery and Peters put England 2-0 up in their quarter-final clash [...]
Put your faith in Fabio, with this lot, we’ll go close June 8, 2010 EXPERT VIEW RAY PARLOUR IN Fabio Capello we trust. The Italian is the ideal man to lead the England charge in South Africa. He believes we have a chance, and that’s good enough for me, now it’s up to the nation to share that belief. Man for man, this is our best chance of success [...]
ITALIAN TAKING HIS TILT AT IMMORTALITY June 8, 2010 WHEN Fabio Capello named his final 23-man squad, he surprised most observers by plumping for experience over youthful vigour. Shaun Wright-Phillips (28) got the nod over Theo Walcott (21), Joe Cole (28) was preferred to Adam Johnson (22), despite scant playing time, while Jamie Carragher (32) was tempted out of exile for the campaign. One [...]
Magical Messi the inspiration for Argentina June 8, 2010 WE are now only days away from World Cup 2010 and let’s just hope there are no more last minute injuries to some of the stars on show. I can’t remember a tournament where so many top players have missed out due to physical breakdowns, but at least the world’s best player, Lionel Messi, seems [...]
THE RACE FOR THE GOLDEN BOOT June 8, 2010 David Villa is the favourite with every bookmaker to win the Golden Boot and his goalscoring record for Spain is excellent, finding the net 37 times in 57 games. LIONEL MESSI is next best at 10/1 with Paddy Power and if Argentina are to do well he has to have a decent chance of winning [...]
France could struggle to get through Group A June 8, 2010 FRANCE have made it to two of the last three World Cup finals, but they were knocked out in the group stages in 2002, taking just one point and the same happened at Euro 2008. It is remarkable that Raymond Domenech has managed to keep his job and they are only really in South Africa [...]
See the World Cup in world-class style June 8, 2010 FEVER PITCH, FULHAM You won’t miss a second of build-up if it’s up to World Cup pop-up bar Fever Pitch in Fulham. Open since May and closed after the final, this is the place to enjoy the action on nine screens spanning 360 degrees while sipping a pretty decent selection of beer. The 400-capacity venue [...]
We’ll be ready for USA, vows Defoe June 7, 2010 PLATINUM STARS (0) vs ENGLAND (3) JERMAIN DEFOE admitted England are still struggling with the high altitude in South Africa – but insists his side are ready for their World Cup opener on Saturday. The Tottenham striker was among the goals as England cruised to a 3-0 win over local side, Platinum Stars, in their [...]
Quins flanker Robshaw gets captaincy chance in opener June 7, 2010 ENGLAND boss Martin Johnson has backed international rookie Chris Robshaw to excel as captain after choosing the Harlequins flanker to lead the side for the first time against the Australian Barbarians today. Once-capped Robshaw, 23, is joined in a strong England side for the opening fixture of a five-match tour Down Under by Test regulars [...]