World record wages entice Eto’o to City June 28, 2009 MANCHESTER CITY are on the brink of signing striker Samuel Eto’o in a blockbusting £25m deal after Barcelona admitted being unable to compete with the Premier League club’s gargantuan spending power. City are willing to make Eto’o, 28, the highest paid player on the planet in order to pull off the grandest in a series [...]
Rebel trio got me sacked, says Scolari June 28, 2009 FORMER Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari has accused senior Blues trio Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack and Petr Cech of getting him sacked.Scolari, a World Cup winner with Brazil, was axed in February just seven months into a lucrative three-year deal at Stamford Bridge. The 60-year-old, now coaching in Uzbekistan, says striker Drogba, midfielder Ballack and [...]
Real steal march on Arsenal and United in Benzema war June 28, 2009 THE TRANSFER battle for Arsenal and Manchester United target Karim Benzema has intensified after Real Madrid opened the bidding with a £27m offer. The Lyon and France striker, 21, is a long-standing target of United’s while the Gunners emerged as rivals for his signature at the weekend. But free-spending Real have stolen a march on [...]
He had a dream career but glory days were over June 28, 2009 HIS omission from the Ashes training squad was the final nail in the coffin for Michael Vaughan’s career at the highest level. But if, as expected, he bows out tomorrow he will finish his playing days with the utmost respect of everyone in the game. Vaughan has had his glory days – and more glorious [...]
Burger gets eight-week ban for eye gouging June 28, 2009 SOUTH AFRICA flanker Schalk Burger was last night hit with an eight-week ban for gouging British and Irish Lions winger Luke Fitzgerald’s eyes in Saturday’s brutal clash. Burger was cited after the Springboks clinched the series with a 28-25 victory in an incident-packed dramatic second Test in Pretoria. His team-mate Bakkies Botha was also banned [...]
ENGLAND’S HART FAILURE June 28, 2009 ENGLAND Under 21s will be without first choice goalkeeper Joe Hart for tonight’s European Championship final after an appeal against his suspension was rejected. Hart misses the clash with Germany in Malmo after picking up a booking in Friday’s semi-final. England protested the yellow card, for talking to opponents during the penalty shoot-out, but governing [...]
Brazil dodge shock to claim cup June 28, 2009 FOOTBALL: Brazil overturned a two-goal half-time deficit to beat USA 3-2 and win the Confederations Cup last night in South Africa.Strikes from Fulham’s Clint Demsey and forward Landon Donovan gave the underdogs a surprise lead. Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano pulled one back straight after the interval and the nodded an equaliser before defender Lucio completed [...]
Dougherty triumphs in Munich June 28, 2009 GOLF: England’s Nick Dougherty survived a huge scare before clinching his third European Tour title at the BMW International Open in Munich yesterday.Dougherty was four shots clear and coasting when Argentina’s Rafa Echenique holed a 243-yard albatross at the 18th hole, slashing the lead to one shot. But Dougherty stayed calm to complete an eight-under-par [...]
House upsets home stars June 28, 2009 CYCLING: Unheralded Canterbury rider Kristian House trumped a field boasting Olympic champions to win the British National Road Race Championship yesterday in Wales.Beijing gold medal winner Bradley Wiggins finished in the peloton, while Mark Cavendish, a victor in four Tour de France stages, was further back. Olympic pursuit champion Geraint Thomas failed to finish the [...]
Lomu set for Marseille move June 28, 2009 RUGBY UNION: New Zealand legend Jonah Lomu has confirmed he is set to sign for French third division side Marseille. Winger Lomu, who won 63 caps before illness halted his All Black career but has since played for Cardiff, took a year off for the birth of his child.The 34-year-old said: “Everyone thought I’d ended [...]