Goalkeeper ploy backfires June 3, 2010 NORTH KOREA’S tactic of naming an extra striker instead of a third keeper has turned into a spectacular own goal. World chiefs Fifa have warned Korea that Kim Myong-Won will only be allowed to play in goal, rather than his usual position of centre-forward. A Fifa statement read: “The three players listed as goalkeepers can [...]
Dunga blasts Fifa in ball bust-up June 3, 2010 BRAZIL boss Dunga has hit back at Fifa in the row over the new World Cup ball. Fifa secretary general Jerome Valcke dismissed criticism, saying there were similar complaints, which have since evaporated, about the 2006 model. But Dunga said: “He needs to play. If he played with the ball he would have a different [...]
Capello pens new deal to send England to World Cup in high spirits June 2, 2010 FABIO CAPELLO handed England the perfect boost before they jetted out to the World Cup last night by pledging to stay on as manager until after the 2012 European Championship. Capello, 63, had sparked unease in the camp in recent days by refusing to commit beyond this summer’s tournament, with Inter Milan thought to be [...]
Benitez poised to quit Anfield with pay-off June 2, 2010 Liverpool show Spaniard the door – and a cheque for £3m – as Inter Milan prepare to firm up their interest RAFAEL BENITEZ’S six-year reign as Liverpool manager looked to be at an end last night after the club offered him a £3m pay-off to walk away. Benitez would be entitled to around £16m if [...]
Arsenal spurn £30m Fabregas offer June 2, 2010 Gunners come out fighting with unusually blunt, public retort to Barcelona offer for captain ARSENAL hope to have driven the final nail into Barcelona’s pursuit of Cesc Fabregas after rejecting a £30m bid for their captain and issuing a strongly-worded statement ruling out his sale. Barca stepped up their campaign to prise their former youth [...]
Joy for Melzer as Djokovic and Serena are dumped out June 2, 2010 THIRD seed Novak Djokovic squandered a two-set lead before crashing out in the quarter-finals to Austria’s Jurgen Melzer on another great day for underdogs at Roland Garros. Former Australian Open champion Djokovic looked to be cruising against Melzer only to collapse dramatically in an epic tussle that the 22nd seed won 3-6, 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 [...]
I’ll be ready for Wallabies clash, claims Wilkinson June 2, 2010 ENGLAND fly-half Jonny Wilkinson has dismissed fears overs his fitness, insisting he will be fit and ready for the first Test against Australia a week on Saturday. The 31-year-old record points scorer is yet to resume contact training after bruising his ribs during Toulon’s Amlin Challenge Cup final defeat to Cardiff last weekend. It had [...]
Boss Grant all set for Hammers role June 2, 2010 AVRAM GRANT is set to be unveiled as West Ham manager today. The Israeli, who quit as Portsmouth boss a fortnight ago, returned from a family holiday yesterday to conclude discussions with Hammers co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold. “After an hour, we knew we could work with this manager. We are very optimistic,” Gold [...]
Shahzad insists he’s raring to go for Test debut June 2, 2010 AJMAL SHAHZAD says he is fit and raring to go should he be handed a Test debut at Old Trafford tomorrow. The Yorkshire seamer, 24, was 12th man for the first Test with Bangladesh at Lord’s last week, and is jostling with recalled Ryan Sidebottom to replace the injured Tim Bresnan for the second and [...]
SPORT | IN BRIEF June 2, 2010 Hearn gets the players’ vote SNOOKER: Barry Hearn won the Battle of the Baize and took control of World Snooker yesterday after coming through 35-29 in a vote of the world’s top 64 players. The sports guru edged out businessman and former Olympic shooter John Davison to take a 51 per cent share in the [...]