Ferdinand out and Terry in as Hodgson picks Euro 2012 party May 15, 2012 ENGLAND manager Roy Hodgson is poised to omit international stalwart Rio Ferdinand and include former captain John Terry, despite his looming trial for alleged racial abuse, when he names his squad for Euro 2012 today. Hodgson is thought to have acted on concerns that 33-year-old Ferdinand, who has not played for England for almost a [...]
Indian Premier League players suspended over fixing claims May 15, 2012 FIVE Indian Premier League cricketers have been suspended and an investigation launched following allegations of spot-fixing. Pune Warriors’ Mohnish Mishra, TP Sudhindra of Deccan Chargers, Kings XI Punjab pair Shalabh Srivastava and Amit Yadav, and Abhinav Bali have been banned by domestic cricket chiefs until the probe is concluded. It comes after an Indian television [...]
Mancini warns rivals City will keep spending May 15, 2012 MANCHESTER City manager Roberto Mancini has urged the club’s super-rich owners to keep the purse-strings loose as he plots adding European titles to his first Premier League success. Sheikh Mansour has spent close to £1bn transforming City from top-flight also-rans into champions but Mancini insists further sprees are necessary if they are to claim the [...]
RAPID RESPONSES May 15, 2012 Premier play things [Re: Do we need rules to stop football teams buying success?, yesterday] I am a Chelsea boy, so it’s no surprise that my answer is no. If a billionaire decides he wants to buy a football club, let him. If that means that the club gains an advantage, tough. Man U has [...]
Norwich issue hands-off threat over Lambert as Villa decide 11 months of McLeish is enough May 14, 2012 NORWICH chiefs have warned bigger clubs off attempting to poach manager Paul Lambert, one of the favourites to replace Alex McLeish, who was sacked by Aston Villa yesterday after just 11 months in the job. Villa’s American owner Randy Lerner axed McLeish hours after the conclusion of a disappointing season, in which the club finished [...]
Hughes given veto as charges leave Barton facing huge ban May 14, 2012 QPR chairman Tony Fernandes has vowed to review captain Joey Barton’s latest breach of discipline, which leaves him facing a possible double-digit suspension at the start of next season. But Fernandes insists manager Mark Hughes will take the lead on whether the controversial midfielder has a future at Loftus Road, after he was charged with [...]
TEVEZ MOCKS FERGUSON AS CITY TOAST TITLE May 14, 2012 MANCHESTER City striker Carlos Tevez mocked former boss Sir Alex Ferguson with a placard that read “R.I.P. Fergie” (left) as the newly crowned Premier League champions took to the streets to celebrate pipping his old team Manchester United to the title (main). Tevez left United for arch-rivals City in 2009.
Do we need rules to stop football teams like Man City from simply buying success? May 14, 2012 YES David Hellier Not before time, new rules are being introduced that should help keep Europe’s football clubs on the straight and narrow financially and prevent them, Manchester City or Chelsea-style, from buying the game’s top honours. The new rules will theoretically put an end to a period during which multi-millions have been spent buying [...]
Drama reigns as City snatch title at death May 13, 2012 MANCHESTER CITY (3) vs QUEENS PARK RANGERS (2) SUNDERLAND (0) vs MANCHESTER UNITED (1) STOKE CITY (2) vs BOLTON WANDERERS (2) Aguero’s winner caps rollercoaster day as United pipped by rivals on goal difference MANCHESTER City manager Roberto Mancini caught his breath long enough to salute a “crazy season” after his team snatched their first [...]
Hughes: Barton hasn’t ruined day May 13, 2012 RELIEVED QPR manager Mark Hughes refused to condemn captain Joey Barton for earning a red card that threatened to derail his team’s bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League. Bolton’s failure to hold onto a lead at Stoke saved QPR, despite Rangers shipping two goals in a frenetic finale at Manchester City’s coronation, who [...]