Rio: ‘We’ll be back stronger’ May 28, 2009 RIO FERDINAND insists his Manchester United team-mates are man enough to handle Wednesday night’s crushing Champions League final defeat to Barcelona – and has backed them to come back stronger. Dejected Ferdinand flew back to England with the rest of the United squad yesterday after failing in their bid to become the first side to [...]
Al Fahim eyes Sven for Pompey May 28, 2009 PROSPECTIVE Portsmouth owner Sulaiman Al Fahim is looking to bring former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson back to the Premier League. Al Fahim had an official offer for the south coast club accepted on Wednesday and is expected to complete the takeover from current owner Alexandre Gaydamak in the next few weeks. The Arab property magnate [...]
Torres pens extended contract May 28, 2009 LIVERPOOL have completed their most important deal of the summer by securing the signing of star striker Fernando Torres on an extended contract. The Spaniard, who has netted 50 goals in two seasons at Anfield, had four years left on his original six-year contract, but has now been offered improved terms and an extension to [...]
Coyle close to agreeing new deal May 28, 2009 BURNLEY boss Owen Coyle is “very close” to agreeing a two-year extension to his contract, thus turning his back on Celtic. Coyle was linked with the Scottish giants after steering the Clarets into the Premier League via the play-offs. But chairman Barry Kilby said: “I fully expect it to be signed in the very near [...]
Brilliant Barca ruin United’s Euro dream May 27, 2009 BARCELONA (2) vs MANCHESTER UTD (0) MANCHESTER UNITED’S dream of becoming the first team to retain the Champions League fell apart last night in Rome, unpicked by masterful Barcelona and their Argentine inspiration Lionel Messi. United swaggered into the Stadio Olimpico as slight favourites but shuffled out having been soundly beaten, Samuel Eto’o’s early strike [...]
Where do United go now after their Euro mauling? May 27, 2009 THE big question for Manchester United is: just where do they go from here? That one game, one result, has totally changed the dynamic of the United set-up for the whole summer, and it will certainly be interesting to see whether it has any effect on the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez’s uncertain [...]
Quins duo get England nod May 27, 2009 HARLEQUINS duo Chris Robshaw and Jordan Turner-Hall have been rewarded for their outstanding seasons with a place in Martin Johnson’s England side to face the Barbarians on Saturday. Blind-side flanker Robshaw and centre Turner-Hall were inspirational in Quins’ second-place finish in the regular season and were consequently named Premiership Player of the Season and Young [...]
‘The best team won’, concedes Ferguson May 27, 2009 GRACIOUS Sir Alex Ferguson admitted his Manchester United team lost to the better side after his dreams of retaining the Champions League trophy were dashed by classy Barcelona. But for a bright opening spell, the Premier League champions were second best to the Catalan superstars, who deservedly ended the English dominance in Europe with goals [...]
Pearce stokes Walcott row May 27, 2009 ENGLAND Under-21 boss Stuart Pearce has risked the wrath of Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger by naming Theo Walcott in a strong squad for next month’s European Championships. The tournament comes just days after the senior team’s World Cup qualifying double-header with Kazakhstan and Andorra, and Wenger fears the striker faces burn out for the start [...]
Murray beats a wobble to mash Potito May 27, 2009 BRITISH No1 Andy Murray admitted his relief after battling back from the brink of an upset to reach the third round of the French Open. Having swept to the first set against world No104 Potito Starace, Murray won just three of the following 14 games, losing the second set and going 5-1 in the third. [...]