England’s top clubs aren’t the force they used to be December 6, 2012 IT WASN’T so long ago that the Premier League had two or three teams in the last four of the Champions League. This season, for the second year in succession, only two have reached the last 16. We can’t ignore that fact that English teams aren’t the dominant force they were just a few years [...]
Platini holds 2020 vision to share Euro host duties December 6, 2012 THE 2020 European Championships will be spread out over numerous cities across the continent for the first time, governing body Uefa has confirmed. The tournament, which will have expanded to 24 teams by then, will be the 60th anniversary of the first European Championship, a landmark Uefa president Michel Platini is keen to celebrate. “Euro [...]
Clattenburg case finally closed as Mikel gets banned for threat December 6, 2012 CHELSEA midfielder John Obi Mikel has been handed a three-match ban and fined £60,000 by the Football Association for threatening referee Mark Clattenburg. Mikel admitted the charge relating to an incident in the match officials’ changing room following Chelsea’s controversial 3-2 defeat to Manchester United in October. The Nigerian’s ban was reduced as the FA [...]
Boycott tips Cook to pass 40-ton mark after England record falls December 6, 2012 FORMER England batsman Geoff Boycott tipped Alastair Cook to reach 40 Test centuries after the captain extended his purple patch with a record-breaking 23rd hundred yesterday in India. Cook, 27, also became the youngest man to amass 7,000 Test runs as his 136 not out put England firmly in the driving seat in the third [...]
Munster tap former Saracens star Stringer for inside info December 6, 2012 MUNSTER have mined their former Saracens scrum-half Peter Stringer for tactical secrets in a bid to gain an edge in tomorrow’s crunch Heineken Cup clash with the Londoners. Unbeaten Sarries lead Pool One and can take a huge step towards the knockout rounds with victory at Thomond Park, while the Irishmen know they cannot afford [...]
Murphy defeats teenager Brecel December 6, 2012 SNOOKER: Belgian teenager Luca Brecel’s run at the UK Championships is over after he spurned two match-winning opportunities before losing 6-5 to Shaun Murphy last night. The 17-year-old, in the quarter finals of a ranking event for the first time, led 5-4 but missed the final pink in the decider to hand world No4 Murphy the [...]
Debut for goal-line technology December 6, 2012 FOOTBALL: Goal-line technology was used for the first time yesterday during the opening game of the Club World Cup in Japan. Two systems are being trialled during the tournament, which Chelsea join on Wednesday: GoalRef, which uses a microchip in the ball, and Hawk-Eye, successfully used in cricket and tennis. Governing body Fifa will choose [...]
Oxford fight back to win Varsity December 6, 2012 RUGBY UNION: Oxford secured a hat-trick of Varsity titles after a dramatic second-half comeback at Twickenham yesterday. Cambridge dominated the first 40 minutes with Andy Murdoch’s try and impressive kicking by Rob Stephens to lead by 10 at the break. But Oxford fought back with three tries including Sam Edgerton’s fine solo effort.
Osborne to slash spending in 2015 December 6, 2012 CHANCELLOR George Osborne will be forced to find £27bn in further spending cuts starting in 2015, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said yesterday. This came after Osborne admitted in Wednesday’s Autumn Statement that austerity would be extended for a further year to 2018. The IFS calculates that, on the chancellor’s current plans, achieving these [...]
Starbucks gives £20m to taxman December 6, 2012 COFFEE chain Starbucks yesterday offered to pay £20m in corporation tax over the next two years even though it records no UK profits, in an effort to calm MPs’ anger that it has not had to pay any for years. But tax lawyers warned the move sets a dangerous precedent with an arbitrary charge being [...]
