Terry refusing to cave in to pressure as Capello aide Pearce slams witch-hunt February 3, 2010 EMBATTLED England captain John Terry has received a ringing endorsement from the national coaching set-up as manager Fabio Capello ponders whether to strip him of the armband. Terry has so far resisted huge pressure to relinquish the honour following tabloid allegations that he had an affair with the ex-girlfriend of England colleague and former Chelsea [...]
Defoe’s got it licked for Spurs February 3, 2010 JERMAIN DEFOE rediscovered his scoring touch with a stunning hat-trick as Tottenham finally saw off FA Cup giant-killers Leeds at Elland Road. Defoe had scored just once in five games before last night but ruthlessly cut through Leeds with a clinical treble to take his goal tally for the season to 20 and earn his [...]
The A-Team meets James Bond in this gung-ho mercenary adventure February 3, 2010 FIRE FORCE BY MATT LYNN Headline, £12.99 by Jeremy Hazlehurst YOU’VE got to hand it to Matt Lynn, he can certainly write a first line. “Until you’ve sat down to a game of poker inside Africa’s most brutal jail, you don’t really know what it’s like to sweat,” begins his second novel. No man, surely, [...]
Greening strikes as Roy cheers the joy of six February 3, 2010 JONATHAN GREENING fired his first goal for Fulham to end their five-match losing streak and heap more misery on cash-strapped Portsmouth. The former West Brom midfielder lashed home the winner from Damien Duff’s 74th minute cross after new signing Stefano Okaka had missed a first-half sitter. The result was a little harsh on Avram Grant’s [...]
Boss Johnson turning to a happy Easter February 3, 2010 NICK EASTER believes Martin Johnson’s England training camp is the best he’s been involved in as his side prepare for the visit of Wales in their Six Nations opener. The Harlequins star missed the autumn internationals with a calf injury but reclaims the No8 shirt on Saturday when his natural leadership qualities will be vital [...]
Time is right for Allan to make return February 3, 2010 LOSING Ottis Gibson as bowling coach was a huge blow for Andy Flower and his England coaching team. He was highly-respected in the ranks, especially among the seamers, and it’s credit to him that the likes of Stuart Broad and James Anderson are now recognised among the world’s elite. But it is because of his [...]
OUT OF OFFICE February 3, 2010 THE POWER OF YES AT THE NATIONAL It’s been somewhat overshadowed by Enron, Lucy Prebble’s story of Enron’s collapse. But Hare’s breaking news-style drama is a brilliant, intense and eminently watchable explanation of the credit crunch’s origins. There’s a Hare character as narrator trying to make sense of things, with the help of a young [...]
Stylish Valentine’s wining and dining February 3, 2010 THE GREENHOUSE Chic but inviting, with a rustic touch and no expense spared on either the food or the opulent interior, and there’s an impressive wine selection – the owner has been collecting since he was a teenager. An ideal destination for the hardest-to-impress lover, and the Valentine’s menu cannot fail to thrill, either. Canapes [...]
Real pour scorn on Man City February 3, 2010 REAL Madrid have added to criticism of Manchester City’s transfer dealings by portraying as amateurish the Premier League club’s efforts to sign midfielder Fernando Gago. City revived their interest in Gago late on Monday, shortly before the transfer deadline, after a work permit hearing thwarted a deal for Parma’s McDonald Mariga. But the 11th-hour move [...]
On-fire Rooney’s close to being best in the world, says Giggs February 3, 2010 RYAN GIGGS claims Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney is close to being one of the best players in the world at the moment. The England striker took his goal tally to 21 for the season with a sensational second goal in United’s 3-1 crushing of title rivals Arsenal at the weekend. And veteran Giggs believes [...]
