Wenger calls for outdated away goals mechanism to be shelved March 19, 2015 EUROPEAN football’s away goals rule is an anachronism and should be scrapped or overhauled, according to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. The Gunners and Chelsea both tumbled out of the Champions League this month after falling foul of the rule, which favours teams who have scored more goals away from home in the event of scores [...]
Allardyce cools talk of switch to Sunderland job March 19, 2015 WEST HAM manager Sam Allardyce has dismissed suggestions he could return to former club Sunderland in the summer but admits his Upton Park future hinges on agreeing terms on a new contract. Allardyce’s current deal expires at the end of the season and has been allowed to run down despite engineering what has been, despite [...]
Sport Comment: Hoddle is right, Friday fixtures can reverse English teams’ Champions League struggles March 19, 2015 SKY Sports turned their cameras on one of their own last weekend with a revealing profile of Glenn Hoddle, a fabulously talented footballer who was mistrusted by England managers and then mistreated by the Football Association when he took charge of the national team himself. Hoddle never quite got over the shock of being forced [...]
Whole country is excited about Kane, says Roy March 19, 2015 TOTTENHAM striker Harry Kane has been elevated to the England senior squad for the first time because he excited the whole country, manager Roy Hodgson said yesterday. Kane’s 26 goals in 42 games this season have earned him a place in Hodgson’s squad for a Euro 2016 qualifier against Lithuania and a friendly with Italy [...]
Kick-off times to stifle title drama, insists Howley March 19, 2015 WALES assistant coach Rob Howley believes the final day drama in the battle for Six Nations glory would be intensified had all fixtures been scheduled to kick off simultaneously. Leaders England will play France in the championship’s final clash at Twickenham tomorrow evening knowing exactly what is required to be crowned Six Nations champions, while [...]
Sky Sports subscription fees rise following record Premier League deal March 19, 2015 Sky Sports has raised its prices for subscriptions just weeks after winning the rights to a record £4.2bn Premier League TV deal. Sky’s average subscription price increasing by £2.50 per month, while the sports bundle will rise by £1 to £47 a month from 1 June onwards. The broadcaster paid £4.2bn for the rights [...]
Champions League: Pellegrini blames FFP for City exit as English fail in Europe March 18, 2015 BARCELONA 1 MANCHESTER CITY 0 (Barcelona won 3-1 on aggregate) Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini pointed an accusatory finger at Financial Fair Play (FFP) sanctions after his side crashed out of the Champions League following defeat at Barcelona’s Camp Nou last night – leaving no English teams remaining in the competition. For all [...]
Champions League: Wenger: Arsenal were so unlucky March 17, 2015 Gunners crash out at last-16 stage for fifth year running MONACO 0 ARSENAL 2 (3-3 on aggregate. Monaco won on away goals) DEJECTED Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admitted his side paid for their tactical naivety in the first leg after falling agonisingly short of a historic and heroic comeback in their improbable Champions League assignment [...]
Tireless Advocaat backed to deliver on survival task March 17, 2015 SUNDERLAND can expect obsessive dedication from the man tasked with saving them from relegation, veteran Dutch coach Dick Advocaat, according to one of the players who knows him best. Advocaat, 67, was yesterday confirmed as the Premier League strugglers’ new boss, following the sacking of Gus Poyet on Monday. Arthur Numan, who played under Advocaat [...]
Chilean Pellegrini refuses to accept his players have lost faith in him and his methods March 17, 2015 DEFIANT Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini last night denied claims his players have lost faith in him on the eve of their make-or-break Champions League last-16 clash in Barcelona. Pellegrini also reiterated that he expects to see out a contract that runs until the end of next season, regardless of whether his team pull off [...]