Bournemouth face £240m windfall April 28, 2015 Cherries can bank a huge sum even for a short top-flight stay. DEBATE may rage over whether Bournemouth’s dizzying ascent deserves to be deemed a fairytale, but there can be little disputing that their historic promotion is about to utterly transform their finances. Critics point out that the Cherries’ rise from the bottom of the [...]
Generation next handed England one-day chance April 28, 2015 ENGLAND have given a strong hint towards a limited-overs revolution by naming a youthful squad for the first one-day international since their dismal World Cup showing, against Ireland at Malahide, Dublin on 8 May. The 11-man travelling party includes five players – Zafar Ansari, Sam Billings, Lewis Gregory, James Vince and David Willey – yet [...]
Bournemouth’s promotion push isn’t as romantic as it seems April 28, 2015 After smashing Bolton on Monday night, Bournemouth sealed (barring a miracle) their place in next season's Premier League. Just six years after they avoided relegation from the Football League, the final step into the promised land was one of the easier tasks Bournemouth have faced in their steady climb up the Football League. On the [...]
Possession but no goals? That’s boring April 27, 2015 CHELSEA manager Jose Mourinho has derided football’s fetishisation of possession statistics, arguing that the game is losing sight of the only numbers that truly matter. Continuing a strident defence of the style in which his team have marched to the brink of the Premier League title, Mourinho yesterday insisted it was contradictory to prioritise ball [...]
Rodgers banking on a Reds-style crash for top four April 27, 2015 LIVERPOOL boss Brendan Rodgers has not given up hope of one of the current top four mirroring his side’s late collapse last season and opening the door for the Reds to snatch Champions League qualification. The Anfield club were on course to land a first top-flight title for 25 years before skipper Steven Gerrard’s infamous [...]
Bournemouth bask in glory of meteoric rise to top flight April 27, 2015 AFC BOURNEMOUTH all but sealed promotion to English football’s top flight for the first time in the club’s history with a 3-0 victory over Bolton at the Goldsands Stadium last night. Goals from Marc Pugh, Matt Ritchie and Callum Wilson means only a remarkable turnaround in fortunes can deny the south-coast side a place among [...]
Premier League: Mourinho in title swipe at Arsenal fans April 26, 2015 AT EMIRATES STADIUM ARSENAL 0 CHELSEA 0 CHELSEA manager Jose Mourinho mocked Arsenal’s continued failure to launch a sustained title bid after a stoic defensive performance yesterday edged his side closer to being crowned Premier League champions. Two victories will see Chelsea claim a first top-flight gong since 2010, an accolade which could be secured [...]
Premier League: Van Gaal fumes as United come unstuck against in-form Toffees April 26, 2015 EVERTON 3 MANCHESTER UNITED 0 MANCHESTER United manager Louis van Gaal blasted his team’s lack of fight after they suffered successive Premier League defeats for the first time under the Dutchman. Fine goals from James McCarthy, John Stones and Kevin Mirallas earned resurgent Everton an emphatic fifth victory in six top-flight games and prevented United [...]
PFA team of the year 2014/15: I’d have eight Chelsea men in mine April 26, 2015 While it's hard to argue with the Premier League Team of the Year voted for by players and named at last night’s PFA Awards dinner, it is missing two very deserving candidates who would get in my XI. One of those is Thibaut Courtois, because as good as David de Gea has been, for [...]
Hazard and Kane big winners on PFA award night April 26, 2015 CHELSEA playmaker Eden Hazard was last night crowned PFA Player of the Year at the 42nd edition of the awards held at the Grosvenor Hotel in London. The 24-year-old followed up his PFA Young Player of the Year gong last term by taking this season’s major accolade after netting 18 goals across all competitions for [...]