Sullivan and Gold vow to nail Hammers’ £110m debt pile January 19, 2010 WEST HAM’S new owners David Sullivan and David Gold have pledged to drag the Hammers out of the financial mire after laying bare the full extent of the club’s crippling £110m mountainof debt. Former Birmingham City owners Sullivan and Gold yesterday took charge of the East End outfit they grew up supporting after acquiring a [...]
Wenger denies any interest in Mandzukic January 19, 2010 ARSENE WENGER has dismissed speculation he is chasing Croatian striker Mario Mandzukic. The Gunners boss admits he is in the market for a new front man with ankle victim Robin van Persie not expected to play again this season and Nicklas Bendtner out since the end of October. Mandzukic, 23, has shot to prominence at [...]
Redknapp ponders van Nistelrooy bid January 19, 2010 TOTTENHAM boss Harry Redknapp admits he is interested in signing striker Ruud van Nistelrooy on loan. The former Manchester United hitman, 33, has been linked with a return to the Premier League after falling out of favour at Real Madrid. But while Redknapp heads the queue for the free-scoring Dutchman, the deal would only hinge [...]
Portsmouth suffer High Court defeat January 19, 2010 PORTSMOUTH’S battle to avoid administration suffered another blow yesterday when they lost their High Court bid to have a winding-up order struck out. Pompey failed to convince Mr Justice Newey that Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs had overcalculated the VAT portion of their mammoth tax bill by £7.5m. The Premier League’s bottom club hinted last [...]
Federer finds his feet after surviving an early scare January 19, 2010 WORLD No1 Roger Federer came through a shaky start to open his Australian Open account with a stuttering victory over Igor Andreev at Melbourne Park. The Swiss star, seeking a fourth Australian Open title, dropped the opening set before coming back to win 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-2) 6-0 against the Russian. “I knew it was [...]
Murray’s ready for Gicquel in night clash January 19, 2010 BRITAIN’S No1 Andy Murray will get his first taste of evening conditions when he takes on Frenchman Marc Gicquel in the second round of the Australian Open today. Murray has enjoyed maximum recovery time from his first-round blitzing of South African Kevin Anderson on Monday, while Gicquel, a Melbourne quarter-finalist in 2008, is back on [...]
Strauss will rue his clanger January 19, 2010 I’VE been one of Andrew Strauss’ biggest supporters since he took over the mantle as England captain. He took the reigns at a difficult time, yet brought togetherness to the side, eventually reclaiming the Ashes and leading his side to a creditable drawn series in South Africa. But, for me, he has dropped an almighty [...]
Morgan joins KP in IPL but Swann left on shelf January 19, 2010 ENGLAND batsman Eoin Morgan is set to join international team-mate Kevin Pietersen at Bangalore Royal Challengers after the Indian Premier League outfit snapped him up at auction. Bangalore paid £134,000 for the 23-year-old left-hander, but the seven other Englishmen on offer at yesterday’s sale were all overlooked, including in-form spinner Graeme Swann. England stars Monty [...]
Gouger Attoub hit with 70-week ban January 19, 2010 STADE Francais prop David Attoub has been banned from playing until April 2011 after being hit with the second longest ban for eye-gouging in professional history. Attoub’s 70-week suspension relates to a clash with Ulster flanker Stephen Ferris during last month’s Heineken Cup defeat to the Irish province. The 28-year-old was found guilty last week [...]
Voice of rugby Bill McLaren dies aged 86 January 19, 2010 LEGENDARY BBC commentator Bill McLaren, dubbed the “voice of rugby”, has died at the age of 86 in the Scottish Borders. McLaren, who retired in 2002, was awarded the CBE, OBE and MBE for services to the sport and in 2001 became the first non-player to be inducted into the international rugby hall of fame. [...]