Premier League: Spurs bite back as Meulensteen’s Fulham tenure begins in defeat December 4, 2013 FULHAM 1 vs TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2 TOTTENHAM are back on track, according to manager Andre Villas-Boas, after they came from behind at Craven Cottage to earn a first league win in five matches. Ashkan Dejagah fired Fulham ahead in Rene Meulensteen’s first match in charge, but late long-range efforts from Vlad Chiriches and Lewis Holtby [...]
Premier League: Allardyce aggrieved at defence in Palace loss December 3, 2013 CRYSTAL PALACE 1 vs WEST HAM UNITED 0 WEST Ham manager Sam Allardyce slammed the sloppy defending that gifted Crystal Palace their first home win since August and sucked the visitors closer to the relegation zone. Palace started tentatively in new boss Tony Pulis’s first match in charge at Selhurst Park, but edged in front [...]
Mourinho eyes decisive spell December 3, 2013 CHELSEA manager Jose Mourinho says the hectic Christmas period will sort the Premier League title contenders from the pretenders. Arsenal sit four points clear but Mourinho, whose side visit Sunderland tonight, will only consider them favourites if they remain atop the table at New Year. “There is a lot to play for in December and [...]
Ramsey tipped to score more December 3, 2013 IN-FORM Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey can still hit new heights, insists his manager Arsene Wenger. Ramsey has scored eight goals in 13 games to help the Gunners build a four-point lead at the top of the Premier League ahead of tonight’s visit of Hull. The Welshman’s displays are in stark contrast to his performance levels [...]
Allardyce tells Villas-Boas he’s been immature December 2, 2013 TOTTENHAM boss Andre Villas-Boas has been branded “immature” by West Ham counterpart Sam Allardyce for his handling of scrutiny of his managerial credentials. Last week Villas-Boas said he was “immune” to the criticism that followed Spurs’ disastrous 6-0 defeat at Manchester City in their last away match, but on Sunday hit back at what he [...]
Cricket Comment: Clarke’s Ashes sledging row highlights silence surrounding the Spirit of Cricket December 2, 2013 Former batsman and son of England great Colin Cowdrey calls for change BACK in 1998 I attended the inaugural match of the Indian Premier League in Bangalore. My brother Jeremy had put together a plan to get Lalit Modi, the commissioner of the IPL, to embrace the Spirit of Cricket. I had dinner with cricketer [...]
Jedinak pens new Palace deal December 2, 2013 FOOTBALL: Crystal Palace captain Mile Jedinak has signed a new three-and-a-half year contract. The Australia midfielder has made 92 appearances for the Premier League strugglers since signing from Antalyaspor in July 2011. New Palace boss Tony Pulis said: “He’s really impressed me in the last week or so as he’s a real soldier and the [...]
Premier League football teams not selling naming sponsorship rights are leaving £50m on the table December 1, 2013 MANCHESTER United football club could earn up to £17m a year if it follows Manchester City’s lead to sell the sponsorship naming rights to its stadium, according to valuation experts American Appraisal. Of the 20 clubs in the Premier League only two have sold off sponsorship naming rights to their stadiums – Manchester City’s Etihad [...]
Fulham’s new boss denies betraying Jol over sacking December 1, 2013 NEW FULHAM boss Rene Meulensteen last night denied that his recent arrival at Craven Cottage had triggered the departure of Martin Jol, insisting that he was shocked to hear of his fellow Dutchman’s sacking. Meulensteen only joined Fulham as head coach less than three weeks ago, prompting suggestions he was being lined up as Jol’s [...]
Premier League: Chelsea must always be in the title race, Mourinho tells team December 1, 2013 AT STAMFORD BRIDGE CHELSEA 3 vs SOUTHAMPTON 1 CHELSEA boss Jose Mourinho has reminded his players that anything less than challenging for the title should be considered a failure, having narrowed the gap at the top of the Premier League to four points. The Blues suffered a disastrous start to yesterday’s game with Jay Rodriguez [...]