Whelan ponders Wigan handover November 20, 2011 Wigan chairman Dave Whelan has admitted he is weighing up whether or not to hand over control of the club to his 21-year-old grandson David. The 74-year-old bought the Latics back in 1995 and has overseen their rise from the depths of the Football League to the Premier League. But Whelan has revealed he may [...]
Wounded Fifa chief won’t quit November 17, 2011 ONCE again Sepp Blatter, the most powerful bureaucrat in world football, finds himself the subject of ridicule, vitriol and calls to step down. But once again, there is virtually no prospect of him doing anything other than riding out the storm and waiting for the next one. A few months ago he and his organisation [...]
Spurs boss Redknapp hopes to return for Villa but Van der Vaart is a doubt November 17, 2011 TOTTENHAM have received mixed medical bulletins ahead of Monday’s clash against Aston Villa, with manager Harry Redknapp optimistic of returning to the dugout but top scorer Rafael van der Vaart an injury doubt. Redknapp has missed the last two games after undergoing heart surgery but is increasingly hopeful of being able to resume charge of [...]
Zamora is your most gifted No9, says Fulham chief Jol November 17, 2011 FULHAM manager Martin Jol has backed striker Bobby Zamora to win a place in England’s squad for Euro 2012, calling him the country’s most gifted No9. Zamora was given a chance to impress against Sweden on Tuesday and put in a mixed performance, leading the line well but lacking ruthlessness in front of goal. The [...]
Grant in Northern Ireland frame November 17, 2011 FOOTBALL: Former Chelsea and West Ham boss Avram Grant has emerged as a contender for the vacant Northern Ireland job. Grant has been out of work since he was sacked by the Hammers following their relegation from the Premier League last season. The Israeli’s agent has been in touch with the Irish Football Association.
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING November 17, 2011 FINANCIAL TIMES AUCTION OF ICELAND FOODS BESET BY DELAYS The auction of Iceland Foods, the frozen food retailer, is facing unexpected delays, with second-round bids now not expected to be lodged until the new year. Work on second-round bids for Iceland Foods – put on the block in May by its majority Icelandic owners with [...]
Chelsea too big at 5/6 on home turf November 17, 2011 THE highlight of the Premier League weekend is Liverpool’s trip to Stamford Bridge on Sunday. The Reds did the league double over Chelsea last season and will be feeling confident having gone unbeaten since their 4-0 defeat at White Hart Lane in mid-September. Kenny Dalglish’s side have won their last four away games across all [...]
United’s commercial revenue boosted by £40m DHL deal November 15, 2011 MANCHESTER UNITED’S pioneering training kit sponsorship deal with logistics company DHL contributed to a staggering 22 per cent rise in the club’s commercial revenues for the quarter ending 30 September. Figures released yesterday revealed the Premier League champions, who signed a £40m, four-year deal with DHL in August, earned £29.6m from their commercial arm, while [...]
What’s in a name? The value of stadium sponsorship November 14, 2011 RECENT murmurings from Chelsea and Newcastle have once again raised the thorny issue of stadium naming rights, and more specifically what they are actually worth in the Premier League. Part of the problem is that no-one is terribly sure. Logically, one would use recent precedent as a guide, but there are inherent problems with using [...]
Venky’s: Rovers not for sale November 14, 2011 FOOTBALL: Blackburn Rovers’ owners Venky’s have insisted the club is not for sale. The Premier League strugglers had been linked with a potential takeover by Middle East oil giant Qatar Petroleum. Co-owner Venkatesh Rao said: “It’s not true and nothing is going to happen like that. We’ve had no offer and we’re not interested. We’re [...]