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I’m cursed, says disappointed Rio Ferdinand

June 6, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

London, June 6 (IANS) England football capitan Rio Ferdinand, who was ruled out of the World Cup by a last moment injury, feels he has been ‘cursed’.

Ferdinand damaged his left-knee ligaments during training after tackling Emile Heskey and catching his studs in the turf, reports thesun.co.uk.

Ferdinand’s agent and long-time friend Pini Zahavi, told Sunsport: ‘Rio said, ‘I think somebody cursed me’. That is honestly how he feels. Rio is very down. He cannot understand why this has happened to him.’

Shocked players heard Ferdinand scream in agony as he collapsed to the ground on Friday.

Ferdinand has been replaced by Tottenham strike Michael Dawson.

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Swann hopes to wake England pals from their one-day slumber

September 15, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Sep.15 (ANI): Off-spinner Graeme Swann is hoping to give a wake up call to his England team-mates when they take on Australia in the fifth of the seven match NatWest series.

The day-night clash is to be played at Trent Bridge tonight.

The spin ace told SunSport: “I’m going to try to lift the camp. I find it easy to have a laugh while playing cricket – and it’s probably more important to do that when you are losing. I don’t target anyone in particular with the piss-taking. It is whoever walks in the dressing room at the wrong time. But you can’t kid anyone, we’ve played terrible cricket in the one-day series so far.”

England’s one-day form needs a sharp hand-brake turn if they are to stand any chance in the upcoming Champions Trophy in South Africa. Their mini-World Cup campaign starts on September 25 and once again you wouldn’t back them to bag the silverware.

Swann was meeting fans on the Ashes Urn Tour. (ANI)

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Collingwood believes he has Australia’s number ahead of Ashes

July 3, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, July 3 (ANI): England all rounder Paul Collingwood has revealed his double century in the last Ashes convinced him he could cut it against Australia.

The 33-year-old goes into his third series against the world’s No1 Test side, having played a bit part role in the famous 2005 win.

Things soon turned sour for him on the 2006/07 tour Down Under.

On a personal note, there was one highlight for the right-hander though, with a gutsy 206 in the first innings of the Adelaide Test.

And with that feather in his cap, Collingwood goes into this summer’s clash believing a repeat of that knock is possible.

He told SunSport: “I do think playing in the Ashes is about belief – and doing well against Australia in the past, and scoring that double ton, does give me that. I have a lot of confidence from a personal point of view.”

“I would like to think I can do it again. I’m ambitious enough to say I want another double ton and no one has done it for a while,” he added.

He added: “Of course there is an element of revenge – but the ultimate revenge would be winning back the Ashes. (ANI)

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‘We will destroy Manchester United, warns Barca’s Messi

May 27, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, May 27 (ANI): Barcelona and Argentine superstar Lionel Messi has warned that Manchester United face a humiliating roll over in Wednesday night’s Champions League final in Rome.

Predicting that Barca would see the face-off as a revenge outing for last year’s semi-final loss, Messi said that the Catalan giants were now better prepared and that Manchester United would not be able to repeat its 2008 heroics.

Messi told SunSport: “I don’t think Manchester will play like that again. They have players to play football and will be a bit more open. We’re the best team in Europe in an open game and this will give us the advantage. If they come out to play it will be a beautiful game – and I hope it will benefit us.”

“I remember last year’s semi-final. They were two evenly-matched games, very tight. The tie was decided by the great goal they scored.”

Back on May 2, Barcelona thumped Real Madrid 6-2 at the Bernabeu in La Liga’s title sealer.For Messi, that game proved any team, however great, which attacks Barca does so at their peril.

In this season’s dramatic Champions League semi-final against the Catalan giants, Chelsea spent practically 180 minutes camped inside their own half with Barcelona frantically trying to find a breakthrough.

Messi added: “The game in Madrid shows why Chelsea did what they did – sit back and try not to leave any spaces for us to play our football.

“For that reason, I say that for us it’s an advantage when a team plays football and tries to match Barcelona as equals. Manchester can be that team with the players they have.”

Messi said: “I was very frustrated and angry after last year’s semi-final loss to United. I was so sad we couldn’t make the final after coming so close. But the way we’ve turned things around this season gives us more desire and hunger to beat them this time. I’m very confident we’ll win.” (ANI)

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Tottenham Spurs join in the bidding race for Argentine Tevez

May 11, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, May 11 (ANI): Tottenham Hotspurs are fighting Manchester City, Chelsea and Real Madrid to land Argentine forward Carlos Tevez.

The Argentinian striker believes his time is up at Manchester United but wishes to stay in the Premier League.

Sources close to Tevez have told SunSport that Spurs boss Harry Redknapp loves the player so much he will try to buy him from his owners for around 25 million pounds.

Wheeler-dealer Redknapp is planning a major clear out at White Hart Lane in a bid to raise substantial funds for new players.

He wants to get rid of Russian striker Roman Pavlyuchenko, England attacker Darren Bent and midfielder David Bentley – and will also consider offers for others.

Redknapp can guarantee Tevez first-team football and is convinced the popular striker would be a major hit in North London.

He reckons Tevez could take Spurs to the next level and give them a chance of competing for Champions League places. (ANI)

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Man U may put up 30 m pound bid for French striker Benzem

May 3, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, May 1 (ANI): Manchester United will bid 30 million pounds for French striker Karim Benzema, who will replace Argentine Carlos Tevez.

SunSport can reveal that Man U coach Alex Ferguson sent his brother Martin to see striker Benzema play for Lyon last week.

France ace Benzema is seen as the best striker outside of Europe’s major leagues and United will face strong competition for his signature from Real Madrid, Barcelona and Chelsea.

Benzema, 21, will be sold if Lyon miss out on a Champions League berth – and that explains Martin Ferguson’s visit to France last week.

United want to be in pole position if the French club decide to offload their star striker.

Lyon are currently third – a point above Paris St Germain – and in serious danger of missing out on finishing second in Ligue 1 and a place in Europe’s elite competition.

Tevez’s two-year loan deal expires at the end of the season and United have to pay Kia Joorabchian – the man who owns the rights to the player – the best part of 32 million pounds to keep hold of him.

Fergie is reluctant to part with that sort of money because Tevez, 25, is not a prolific goal scorer. (ANI)

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Injured Rio likely to miss return leg of Man U’s Champions League semi-final

May 3, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, May 1 (ANI): Defender Rio Ferdinand is likely to miss the return leg of Manchester United’s Champions League semi-final after spending Wednesday night in hospital for examination of a rib injury.

Ferdinand went off near the end of Wednesday’s 1-0 win over Arsenal.

SunSport reveals the England defender, 30, stayed in hospital all night after damaging ribs in a collision with his own keeper Edwin van der Sar.

United now fear he will miss the return leg of their Champions League semi-final at The Emirates on Tuesday night.

United boss Alex Ferguson admitted after the match that he feared Rio, 30, might have cracked a rib.

Medics were still assessing the situation last night but Ferdinand is definitely out of tomorrow’s Premier League game at Middlesbrough. (ANI)

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Flintoff says will not allow IPL to compromise Ashes dream

April 5, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

St. Lucia (West Indies), Apr.4 (ANI): England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has said that he will not allow the Indian Premier League (IPL) to compromise his dream of recapturing the Ashes from the Australians.

Having helped England to a 3-2 one-day series win over West Indies, Flintoff is expected to pocket around 75,000 pounds a game for the Chennai Super Kings.

He told SunSport: “I’d be lying if I said the money wasn’t appealing, but from a playing perspective the standard looks excellent. For me it’s a perfect start to the summer, with some short but high class warm weather cricket.”
“Test cricket is still the ultimate and as professionals we have to be able to switch between the different forms of the game,” Flintoffaid, adding: “I want to experience the high of winning the 2005 Ashes again, and definitely not the whitewash of 2006/07.
“The Ashes will be huge, but there is so much cricket before then we have to stay focused on the job in hand,” he said. (ANI)

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Mourinho says that he is ‘not after Fergie’s job’

March 10, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Mar.10 (ANI): Inter-Milan football team coach Jose Mourinho has rubbished claims that he is after Manchester United coach Alex Ferguson’s job.

Interviews at the weekend had quoted Mourinho saying he was ready to replace Fergie as United chief and would defeat him in the second leg.

But Mourinho said that he made no such comments.

Former Chelsea boss Mourinho’s advisor Eladio Parames told SunSport last night: “Jose did not give an interview or speak with anyone about Alex Ferguson’s job.

“The contents of the article are ridiculous. First, it shows a lack of respect to Sir Alex, whom Jose is a great admirer of and believes will manage Manchester United for many years to come. “Jose has a deal with Inter, which he plans to honour,” he added.

“And it shows a lack of respect to Manchester United in a week in which Inter are preparing to face them in an important Champions League match,” Parames said. (ANI)

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Becks must move to Milan to be able to lift FIFA World Cup like ’66′ heroes

February 18, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Feb.18 (ANI): Arsenal legend Ian Wright has said that England midfielder David Beckham should seriously consider a move to the Italian club A C Milan if he wants to lift a FIFA World Cup like England’s 1966 World Cup heroes.

Becks, who equalled Bobby Moore’s 108-cap record in last week’s friendly with Spain, has already revealed his desire to move full-time to Serie A. He is due to return to America next month, even as Milan has sent a team to that country to negotiate a deal with the MLS club L A Galaxy.

“Beckham is desperate to play for England at the World Cup – that’s good news for me. It means he’s getting himself into a state of fitness and a mindset that he wants to win the tournament. I feel there is still something great left in Beckham – and I can definitely picture him holding the World Cup,” The Sun quoted Wright, as saying.

Wright, who is now SunSport’s leading football columnist, believes that Beckham has jeopardized his international career somewhat by playing for L.A. Galaxy.

“On his CV you’ve got Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy and AC Milan. LA Galaxy? What’s that about?

“It was a bad move and I’m just pleased he’s realised now,” he added.right fears the ex-England skipper will not rank alongside the game’s greatest players without lifting the biggest prize in football.

“He’s got so much to offer still and his quality is starting to show – that’s why Milan want him to stay. Beckham has got everything. He knows it was a nightmare going to L A Galaxy. If the permanent switch to Milan doesn’t come off, he’ll look back in years to come and realize he made the biggest mistake of his life,” he said. (ANI)

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Ex-England skipper Vaughan wants no SOS from the Caribbean

February 14, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Feb.13 (ANI): Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan has told the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) that they must not send him an SOS from the Caribbean.

He told SunSport: “I don’t believe in SOS calls. If there are injuries, they have to select someone and if that is me, then great.

“But I’m a firm believer that you pick a squad for a tour, and then you stick by those men to get the job done. I know the characters in the dressing room and I know they’ll be hurting badly from what happened last weekend. The one thing that is good for England is there is a quick turnaround. We start another Test now and know we can instantly put it right,” he added.

While he wouldn’t turn down a call-up, the right-hander believes his spell away from the game has helped recharge his batteries.

And since quitting the captaincy last summer, Vaughan has brushed off claims he is no longer hungry enough.

He said: “It’s been a good break. I’m ready enough to get back hitting balls and play for Yorkshire and get back in that England team. But first and foremost I want the side to pick up. Especially after the collapse last week – we have to get back to winning ways. I’m a supporter really – I want England to win Test matches whether I’m in the side or not.”

“My job is simple now and that’s score enough runs to get back into the team. The fire is burning, definitely. One thing that gets to me is when people say I have appetite. I wouldn’t be running up hill in winter training, alongside 18-year-old Yorkshire players, if that was the case,” he said. (ANI)

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A C Milan’s Ancelotti may replace axed Scolari

February 11, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Feb.10 (ANI): The Chelsea Football Club has said that it is interested in hiring A C Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti to replace axed Brazilian coach Phil Scolari.
SunSport understands Ancelotti had already been lined up to take over from Scolari this summer.

The Brazilian’s abrupt departure yesterday saw owner Roman Abramovich trying to accelerate a deal, but Milan are unlikely to release Ancelotti in mid-season.

The Italian coach turned down the job at Stamford Bridge last summer before it was eventually offered to Scolari.

But an agreement with Milan he would leave at the end of this season had already been brokered and now Chelsea has reopened negotiations.
Milan has lined up their former player and ex-Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard to take over at the San Siro for 2009-10.
Only Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi can allow Ancelotti to leave before the end of the season.

If that permission is refused, Chelsea may be forced to hire a caretaker until the summer.

Avram Grant, who left the club last May, has been mentioned as a possibility but would be an unpopular choice with the players. (ANI)

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