Head coach Eddie Jones among three England rugby staff forced to self-isolate ahead of Six Nations January 20, 2021 England’s preparations for the Six Nations have been further disrupted by head coach Eddie Jones needing to self-isolate for 10 days. Jones and attack coach Simon Amor must isolate as they have been deemed close contacts of forwards coach Matt Proudfoot, who has tested positive for Covid-19. It follows the news that skills coach Jason [...]
Right to Dream founder Tom Vernon to explore buying British football club after securing €100m investment for pioneering project January 20, 2021 The English coach behind Africa’s leading football academy, Right to Dream, has secured a €100m investment to expand the pioneering model and explore the purchase of a British club. The deal sees Egyptian conglomerate the Mansour Group become majority shareholder in Right to Dream, which also owns Danish football club FC Nordsjaelland. Founder Tom Vernon, [...]
Tokyo Olympics unlikely to happen, says London 2012 chief Sir Keith Mills January 19, 2021 The Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games are “unlikely” to go ahead this year, says one of the architects of London 2012. Sir Keith Mills, creator of the Air Miles and Nectar loyalty schemes, was chief executive of London’s bid for the Games and deputy chair of the organising committee. He told the BBC: “Personally, sitting [...]
Mesut Ozil: Arsenal exit raises questions about player power and at what point clout becomes baggage January 18, 2021 The case of Mesut Ozil – signed to rapture and fanfare, ushered out the door to relief all round – is a very modern transfer tale. After Arsenal pulled off the surprise signing of Ozil in summer 2013, shirt sales increased 12-fold and tickets at Emirates Stadium became even harder to come by. The club [...]
Why Darren Campbell is telling the story of his rise from poverty to Olympic success – and brush with death – before it’s too late January 15, 2021 Darren Campbell was in no hurry to write a book until May 2018. A near-death experience has a way of rearranging priorities. Aged just 44, the British former Olympic champion sprinter needed intensive care after a bleed on the brain caused a series of seizures. The ordeal brought Campbell the stark realisation that he ought [...]
Week in Sportbiz: Amazon and private equity target Serie A; Arsenal pick Garlick; sponsors keep faith; and boosts for electric racing January 14, 2021 Amazon’s foray into broadcasting Premier League matches could be a taste of things to come in Italy. The retail behemoth has held talks about buying the domestic rights to show Serie A on its Prime Video platform, according to multiple reports. Amazon has already secured a foothold in the Italian market, snapping up some Champions [...]
Metrica Sports: Meet the tech company which works with FC Barcelona giving away its football analytics software to amateurs January 13, 2021 Barcelona were one of Metrica Sports’ first clients but it was when the video and data analysis provider signed up Stockport County that its founders knew they were really onto something. The company, created in 2013 by three football-mad neuroscience PhD students, proved quick to gain a foothold with a handful of elite clubs thanks [...]
Manchester City owner City Football Group makes Club Bolivar the 11th club in its network January 12, 2021 Manchester City owner City Football Group has added Bolivia’s most successful side, Club Bolivar, to their portfolio of football teams. Bolivar becomes the 11th team in the group but the first to be designated as a “partner club” to City. City Football Group said the tie-up would give Bolivar access to its expertise and proprietary [...]
English rugby clubs handed two-week break after European competitions suspended amid French boycott January 11, 2021 Premiership rugby clubs have been handed a two-week break after European competition was suspended. Heineken Champions Cup and Chellenge Cup games due to take place on the next two weekends have been called off due to the French government telling its teams not to take part while Covid-19 cases remain on the rise. Premiership Rugby [...]
Premier League rejigs Tottenham, Fulham, Chelsea and Everton fixtures after Aston Villa Covid-19 outbreak postpones Spurs game January 11, 2021 Aston Villa’s scheduled Premier League fixture against Tottenham on Wednesday has been postponed due the Covid-19 outbreak at the club. Tottenham will instead play Fulham in a rearranged match, while other fixtures involving Chelsea and Everton have also been affected. Villa closed their training ground last week and fielded a team of youth players in [...]