Chelsea make job vow to Euro hero Di Matteo May 20, 2012 CHELSEA insist interim manager Roberto di Matteo is a serious candidate to be appointed to the role permanently after transforming the Blues from a team in terminal decline to Champions League winners. Saturday’s penalty shoot-out victory over Bayern Munich at the Germans’ own Allianz Arena earned the club a first ever European Cup and a [...]
Fitting moment for London clubs to flex muscles May 20, 2012 EXACTLY three months ago Chelsea’s Champions League quest looked over for another year, a 3-1 defeat at Napoli the latest symptom of a rot that would end Andre Villas-Boas’ brief tenure. Today they are kings of Europe, following an improbable reversal of their fortunes and a stubborn refusal to let their season unravel typified by [...]
Promotion star Vaz Te relishes West Ham return to top flight May 20, 2012 WEST Ham forward Ricardo Vaz Te has vowed to savour a second taste of Premier League football after his £90m goal thrust the club back into the top flight. January signing Vaz Te’s late strike clinched a 2-1 win over Blackpool in Saturday’s Championship play-off final as the Hammers returned to the elite at the [...]
Defeat will ruin Chelsea, says Ribery May 17, 2012 BAYERN Munich star Franck Ribery has heaped pressure on Chelsea ahead of tomorrow’s Champions League final, claiming the Blues would struggle to recover from another near miss in the competition Roman Abramovich prizes highest. The success or failure of Chelsea’s season – and perhaps manager Roberto di Matteo’s position – rests on whether they can [...]
Liverpool open Martinez talks May 17, 2012 LIVERPOOL are set to open talks with Wigan manager Roberto Martinez about the Anfield vacancy after being granted permission by the Latics yesterday. Reds chiefs made an approach to Wigan chairman Dave Whelan 24 hours after sacking Kenny Dalglish over their worst Premier League finish for 18 years. The club’s American owners, Fenway Sports Group, [...]
Allardyce: We mustn’t freeze in £90m final May 17, 2012 WEST HAM manager Sam Allardyce has warned his players not to let the importance of tomorrow’s £90m play-off final against Blackpool threaten their quest to return to the Premier League at the first attempt. The Hammers are hot favourites to record a third win of the season over the Tangerines, whom they have already smashed [...]
Dalglish axed as door opens for AVB return May 16, 2012 FORMER Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas last night emerged as a leading contender to replace Kenny Dalglish after Liverpool’s American owners brought the Scot’s second spell in charge to an abrupt end. Newcastle’s Alan Pardew, Wigan’s Roberto Martinez and Swansea’s Brendan Rogers form a trio of rising stars also touted for the Anfield hot-seat, while ex-Reds [...]
Roy’s right: too big a risk to take Ferdinand and Terry May 16, 2012 ENGLAND manager Roy Hodgson’s decision to take John Terry and not Rio Ferdinand to the European Championship has stirred a hornets’ nest but I believe he is right; it would have been asking for trouble to take both. I’m not talking about suggestions the pair would not get along or whether that came into Hodgson’s [...]
Formula One revving up for listing in two weeks’ time May 16, 2012 FORMULA One’s eagerly anticipated £6bn flotation in Singapore will take place earlier than expected within the next two to three weeks, City A.M. understands. It had been feared global market turbulence would cause the initial public offering to be delayed until after the summer but the listing has now been given the green light, according [...]
Euro call-up is surreal, admits teenager Oxlade-Chamberlain May 16, 2012 UNCAPPED Arsenal starlet Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain admits he was stunned by his inclusion in England’s squad for next month’s European Championship. The 18-year-old, who has made just six Premier League starts, only found out yesterday morning when manager Roy Hodgson telephoned to break the good news. “I would have probably laughed if someone had told me [...]