‘Inappropriate text messages’ to female colleagues force Marc Overmars to resign at Ajax with immediate effect February 7, 2022 Marc Overmars has left his role at Ajax after sending a series of “inappropriate messages” to female colleagues, the Dutch giants have announced. Director of football affairs Overmars has stood down after discussions with chief executive Edwin van der Sar and the supervisory board following reports of alleged misconduct. A statement on Ajax’s official website [...]
Six Nations: France start with win but there’s room for growth February 7, 2022 France’s opening round victory over Italy in the Six Nations on Sunday wasn’t dripping with a special je ne sais quoi, but it was a hard earned result to get their promising quest for a Grand Slam underway. Flying wing Gabin Villiere had three career tries prior to kick-off in Paris but doubled that tally [...]
Five talking points from FA Cup weekend as Nottingham Forest stun Leicester February 6, 2022 If anyone thought their elimination of Arsenal was a fluke, Nottingham Forest underlined that it was nothing of the sort with a barnstorming 4-1win over another top-flight opponent in Leicester City in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday. Forest were irresistible as they raced into a 3-0 lead inside 32 minutes, albeit helped by [...]
Watch: Reporter violently removed and dragged away by Chinese officers during live broadcast at Beijing Olympics February 6, 2022 A Dutch reporter was in the middle of a live broadcast when Chinese security officials showed up, surrounded him and dragged the journalist away. During a live report on broadcaster NOS, on Friday night, the reporter, Sjoerd den Daas, was mid-air when security officials interrupted and dragged him away. Another officer held his hand in [...]
The Long Weekend: Schnitzels and schmetterlings in Vienna February 6, 2022 The weekend: The schmetterlinghaus in Vienna is almost unbearably hot in August, the high summer sun transforming the humid confines of this tropical greenhouse into a veritable sauna. The schmetterlings seem to love it, flitting between the wet vines in a kaleidoscopic display which, combined with the sweltering heat, can make you feel delirious, as [...]
Focus on: Why magic Marylebone is the new prime hotspot February 5, 2022 Marylebone, known for its Georgian architecture, is an area that has carefully preserved its past. But how has the area changed over the last decade? “The Portman Estate has played a large part in the transformation of the area,” says Priya Black, head of Baker Street new homes at Knight Frank. “Marylebone has a broad [...]
Frozen the Musical review: A crowd-pleaser that plays the hits February 4, 2022 When Disney’s Frozen hit screens back in 2013, only those hiding under rocks escaped round-the-clock renditions of Let It Go by children across the land. The announcement of an adaptation for theatre, initially on Broadway and then the West End, was hardly a surprise. With an extravagant set featuring icicle-laden bridges, mountain cabins and luxurious [...]
The Glow at the Royal Court review: A messy time-travel conundrum February 4, 2022 Were playwright Alistair McDowall and I to go for a pint, I think we’d get on pretty well. Having seen three of his plays to date – Pomona, X and now The Glow – we seem to share a love of lo-fi sci-fi, dystopian fiction and Lovecraftian horror. Each of his plays have tickled that part of [...]
Neil Hopkins: Why TikTok is big news for the Six Nations February 4, 2022 Kids, eh? On one hand, Alan Hansen reckoned you couldn’t win anything with them, on the other, The Who figured they’re alright. The dilemma facing almost every sport that isn’t football is how to attract younger audiences without alienating what the European Super League disparagingly labelled “legacy fans”. As the Six Nations looms, rugby union’s [...]
Ollie Phillips: ‘England’s squad is uninspiring but it’s dangerous’ February 4, 2022 Tomorrow’s Calcutta Cup will no doubt be explosive. There’s a real clash of styles in the Six Nations match between Scotland and England in Edinburgh – but that’s just going to make the game even more exciting. I really like the England squad, and bar Elliot Daly at No13 it is a 23 in form, [...]