ENGLAND REPORT June 20, 2012 HOW Chelsea won the Champions League, I’ll never know. The same might be said for England topping their Euro 2012 group by three points. The two achievements were based on similar ingredients, offering hope that Roy Hodgson’s men could progress further, but there are some glaring concerns at the tournament’s halfway stage. POSITIVE England’s biggest [...]
We’ve no fear of inferior Three Lions, says Diamanti June 20, 2012 ITALY forward Alessandro Diamanti believes his team-mates talent to be superior to England’s so they should therefore be confident of victory in Sunday’s European Championship quarter-final. Diamanti has a reasonable knowledge of English football because of a year spent with West Ham from 2009 and is adamant that they have no reason to be concerned [...]
Drogba charmed by Shanghai move a year before transfer June 20, 2012 CHELSEA favourite Didier Drogba admits the seeds for his transfer to Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua were sown a year ago during the London club’s pre-season tour of Asia. Drogba, 34, yesterday confirmed his departure after eight successful seasons with Chelsea and will join former team-mate Nicolas Anelka at the club he believes represents the greatest [...]
West Ham seal Diame signing June 20, 2012 WEST Ham will sign midfielder Mohamed Diame on a free transfer from Wigan when his contract expires on 1 July. Diame, 25, has agreed a three-year deal with the Hammers and becomes their third signing after goalkeepers Jussi Jaaskelainen and Stephen Henderson were recruited to offset the departure of England’s Robert Green. “His potential is [...]
Henman: Murray has to be fit if he wants to win Wimbledon June 20, 2012 FORMER British No1 Tim Henman believes Andy Murray’s only barrier to winning at Wimbledon is purely physical and that he will have to be in peak condition next week to succeed. Murray was yesterday seeded fourth for the All England Club grand slam but doubts remain over his fitness after a back injury undermined him [...]
So You Think back to its best after Ascot win June 20, 2012 TRAINER Aidan O’Brien declared So You Think to be back on top form after the odds-on favourite denied the Queen a jubilee winner on day two of Royal Ascot. The Australian colt, ridden by O’Brien’s 19-year-old son Joseph, held off the monarch’s Carlton House in the 150th Prince of Wales’s Stakes, with Farrh third. The [...]
Ferrari drop big Vettel hint June 20, 2012 FORMULA ONE: Ferrari hinted at a possible future move for Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel, with team principal Stefano Domenicali revealing he believes the German would work well alongside current driver Fernando Alonso. “I think they are both intelligent guys and they could easily co-exist together,” said Domenicali. “But I wouldn’t advise him to as he’s [...]
Springboks make three changes June 20, 2012 RUGBY UNION: Flanker Jacques Potgieter will make his debut for South Africa in Saturday’s final Test against England in Port Elizabeth. Potgieter, who replaces Willem Albertz, is one of three changes to the side. Full-back Gio Aplon replaces Pat Lambie and inside centre Wynand Olivier comes in for Frans Steyn. “Injuries have forced us to [...]
Thomas to miss London June 20, 2012 OLYMPICS: European triple jump silver medalist Nathan Thomas has ruled himself out of London 2012 as a consequence of a back injury suffered last month. “I have been forced to accept the painful reality that I am unable to compete a
FED TWISTS AGAIN June 20, 2012 A WORSE than expected outlook for the US economy has prompted the Federal Reserve to extend its stimulus programme known as Operation Twist to the end of the year, although it stopped short of expanding the overall size of bond purchases. Markets initially sank last night as the Fed revealed that it was not launching [...]