FA in lurch as Watmore quits top job March 22, 2010 THE Football Association was thrown into chaos last night after chief executive Ian Watmore resigned less than nine months into the post. The 51-year-old quit just 80 days before England’s World Cup bid amid reports he had become fed up with the on-going power struggle with the Premier League. Watmore only undertook the role last [...]
Van Persie eyes comeback after stepping up training March 22, 2010 ARSENAL striker Robin van Persie has revealed he is close to making a return and expects to play a role in the Gunners’ final push for Premier League and European glory. Holland star Van Persie says he is “medically fit” following a four-month lay-off and has recovered from his ankle injury sufficiently to train with [...]
Ashton sets sights on trip Down Under March 22, 2010 CHRIS ASHTON has set his sights on starring in England’s tour of Australasia this summer after “slotting in” for his Test debut against France on Saturday night. The Northampton wing clearly enjoyed his first taste of international rugby at the Stade de France and capped a fine display by setting up club-mate Ben Foden for [...]
Centurion Bell eyes Tigers’ whitewash March 22, 2010 IAN BELL insists England are on course for a series whitewash over Bangladesh after his century edged the tourists into a first-innings lead in Mirpur. The Warwickshire batsman struck a patient 138, the 10th Test ton of his career, as England finished day three of the second Test on 440-8 – a lead of 21. [...]
I may retire for worried mum, reveals Pacquiao March 22, 2010 POUND-FOR-POUND king Manny Pacquiao has hinted he may retire from boxing – to make his mum happy. The 31-year-old is again being touted for a showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr after retaining his WBO welterweight title against Ghana’s Joshua Clottey in Texas last week. But the Filipino insists his future plans do not revolve around [...]
DEATH OF ‘ARRY, AGE 84 March 22, 2010 TRIBUTES were flooding in last night for legendary BBC boxing commentator Harry Carpenter, who died in his sleep on Saturday at the age of 84. Carpenter was the BBC’s voice of boxing for almost half a century and was known for his great double act with Frank Bruno, whose catchphrase “Know what I mean, ‘Arry?” [...]
Lewis wary of ‘ridiculously fast’ Red Bull March 22, 2010 MCLAREN’S Lewis Hamilton says he is awe of the Red Bull team for being “ridiculously faster” than the rest of the F1 field. The Milton Keynes-based team won the last three races of last season and would surely have opened the 2010 campaign with a win had Sebastian Vettel not suffered engine trouble in Bahrain. [...]
Tiger planning’s meticulous March 22, 2010 SO, the lure of a possible fifth Masters title and a 15th Major was too much for Tiger Woods to refuse – and I can’t see many complaints. Woods will play competitively for the first time in five months at next month’s Masters and typically, Tiger’s thought about his comeback meticulously. Most would have expected [...]
SPORT | IN BRIEF March 22, 2010 Sarries land prop Du Plessis RUGBY UNION: Saracens have freshened up their crumbling Premiership title campaign by completing the signing of South African front row forward Petrus Du Plessis, from Nottingham. The 27-year-old tight-head prop had been lined up to join Sarries for the start of next season but director of rugby Brendan Venter has [...]
Woods fears hostile crowd reaction on his return March 21, 2010 “I tried to stop and I couldn’t – it was horrific” Therapy has given world No1 new-found strength CRESTFALLEN world No1 Tiger Woods last night admitted he is nervous about his impending return to competition following the scandal over his numerous affairs. In his first media interviews since the storm surrounding his private life broke, [...]