Bentley shines as Spurs put Fulham to the sword

January 27, 2010

Tottenham strengthened their grip on fourth place in the Premier League after a 2-0 win over London rivals Fulham at White Hart Lane on Tuesday.

A first-half goal from England striker Peter Crouch and a second from the previously out-of favour David Bentley secured the win for Spurs, who remain on course for a Champions League spot after Liverpool’s draw at Wolves allowed the north Londoners to open up a three-point gap between the teams.

While the hosts will be glad to have ended a disappointing recent run, Roy Hodgson’s Fulham continue to struggle and have now lost four league games in a row after a strong start to the campaign.

The visitors’ preparation was disrupted by Manchester United’s announcement that they had agreed a fee for England Under-21 defender Chris Smalling, who has impressed since breaking into the team last September.

Despite the speculation, Hodgson felt that the centre-back was sufficiently focused and named him in the starting eleven.

But Tottenham’s started the game in electrifying fashion, creating two opportunities within the first two minutes.

With their first attack Jermain Defoe’s neat flick set up Tom Huddlestone on the edge of the area, but Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer dived full length to turn the former Derby man’s powerful drive wide of the post.

Fulham absorbed the early pressure and threatened themselves in the 12th minute, Heurelho Gomes in the Spurs net reacting quickly to smother the ball at Bobby Zamora’s feet after a smart through ball by Hungary’s Zoltan Gera.

Crouch broke the deadlock for the hosts in the 27th minute, but most of the credit will be laid at the feet of Luka Modric.

Two Fulham defenders were comfortably guiding the ball over the dead-ball line until the Croatia midfielder nipped in to pull the ball back and cross for Crouch, who threw out a leg and poked the ball past Schwarzer.

Spurs were guilty of throwing away the lead twice during Saturday’s FA Cup match with Leeds, so it was understandable that they curtailed their attacking instincts for a while after that.

However, Modric came within inches of doubling the lead on the stroke of half-time as he whipped a vicious shot over the bar after a jinking run down the left channel.

Fulham battled hard for an equaliser, but Spurs were always more likely to get the next goal.

Bentley, subject of much transfer speculation after falling out with boss Harry Redknapp, delivered a perfect cross into the area which Defoe headed just over the crossbar.

Former Arsenal man Bentley’s prospects of more first team football or a lucrative transfer were boosted when he made it 2-0 on the hour mark, albeit with a large slice of fortune.

Wales defender Gareth Bale won a free-kick on the left corner of the area after being hacked down.

Bentley stepped up and curled a shot towards goal which took a huge deflection of the defensive wall before looping over Schwarzer’s head.

The stroke of luck seemed to invigorate the former Blackburn man who had another long-range free-kick saved by Schwarzer before delivering a fine ball which defender Michael Dawson headed over the top.

Redknapp’s men showed they had learnt from Saturday’s draw, comfortably playing out time to give themselves breathing space in the coveted fourth spot.

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: Australia, bentley, bobby zamora, Chris Smalling, David Bentley, defoe, England, FA Cup, fulham, gap, Goalkeeper, Harry Redknapp, Hart Lane, Hungary, last september, league games, LEEDS, Liverpool, london, londoners, luka modric, manchester united, mark schwarzer, michael dawson, north Londoners, peter crouch, point gap, premier league, roy hodgson, tom huddlestone, Wales, white hart lane, zoltan gera

Hartson confident of winning cancer battle

January 26, 2010

Former Celtic, Arsenal and Wales striker John Hartson believes he is “already over the worst” in his battle against cancer which spread from a testicle to his lungs and brain.

Six months after being left in a critical condition following surgery to remove pressure on his brain, Hartson has resumed work as a football pundit and has established the John Hartson Foundation to promote awareness of the symptoms of testicular cancer and encourage other young men to seek early checks.

“It’s tough but I like to think I’m already over the worst,” Hartson said in an interview with the Guardian newspaper. In it, he revealed that he had undergone 67 sessions of chemotherapy in the space of three months, losing five stones (70 pounds, 32kg) in the process.

“I’ve had some wonderful news about the cancer,” he said. “It came at what I thought might be a horrendous meeting with my oncologist. You just don’t know what he’s going to tell you.

“But when we went in he was smiling. He told us that the cancer is all but gone and that the chemo had shrunk the tumours. When we heard that, the missus and I were crying and hugging each other in his office.”

Hartson, a father of three young children with a fourth due in early March, recently married his long-standing girlfriend, Sarah.

He is due to undergo further surgery on his lungs and brain over the next few months but he is upbeat about the future.

He said: “I was with the kids in the pool the other day and I thought, ‘This is what I want. I want to live’.”

Hartson is also hoping he can ensure that other men do not make the same mistake as he did in failing to see a doctor for four years after he first found a lump on a testicle.

“It was just me being stupid, and boyish, and not mature enough to face it,” he recalled. “I hoped it would just disappear. But the lump got larger.”

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: AFP, arsenal, cancer battle, chemo, chemotherapy, critical condition, five stones, girlfriend sarah, guardian newspaper, john hartson, london, lungs, pundit, Sarah, striker, symptoms of testicular cancer, testicle, tumours, Wales, wonderful news, young men

Ferguson lays into City over Hughes sacking

December 24, 2009

Sir Alex Ferguson has slammed neighbours Manchester City for the way in which they handled the sacking of his former player Mark Hughes this week.

City have been widely pilloried in the football community for the manner in which the highly-respected Hughes was forced to take control of his team in last Saturday’s 4-3 victory over Sunderland before being sacked and replaced by Italian Roberto Mancini immediately after the game.

Now the Manchester United manager, an influential figure at the League Managers’ Association, has added his voice to the general condemnation of City’s behaviour while praising the actions of Sunderland manager Steve Bruce, a former team-mate of Hughes’ at United in the 1990’s.

“That is one thing I do not need to discuss, it is so obvious, that kind of behaviour is unacceptable,” said Ferguson when asked for his reaction to Hughes’ treatment last Saturday.

“It doesn’t matter whether you have lost 20 games or, as in the case of Mark Hughes, two games. There is a way to treat people, surely.

“But Christmas time seems to bring the worst out of directors. Sitting there throughout the game, knowing something was going on, must have been terrible. Brucey felt that himself, the rumour mill was working overtime.

“Mark had obviously realised it was his last game, it must have been a terrible position to be in. I think everyone was shocked, obviously. I spoke to Mark the next day and I could tell he was suffering.

“I was talking to him about Steve Bruce and Brucey was fantastic. In the game of football you have disputes with managers from time to time, as they had had, but what Steve Bruce did was defend an old team- mate.

“They were part of our team in ‘94 that stood by each other and fought like the devil together and what Steve Bruce said was, ?That’s my team mate you’re talking about.’

“I was really proud of Steve Bruce and I know Mark appreciated that. He really appreciated that kind of loyalty, which he didn’t get at City, from an old team mate.”

Ferguson, who had traded veiled jibes on occasion with Hughes this season, also backed the Welshman to bounce back from his 18-month City experience.

“Of course he will,” said Ferguson. “He did a great job with Wales, which is not an easy job, a great job with Blackburn and he was the right man for Manchester City at the time.”

Meanwhile, Ferguson had a kinder view of the other major managerial appointment this week, which saw Craig Levein take over from George Burley as manager of the Scotland national team.

“If it was going to be a Scotsman, he was the obvious candidate,” said Ferguson.

“He did a good job with Dundee United and, hopefully, he does really well. Being Scottish, you want to see our team in the European Championships next time, see them qualify.”

Senegal’s Mame Biram Diouf has officially joined the club after the forward, signed from Norwegian club Molde earlier this year, received his work permit.

However, United admit his international clearance will not come through until after the third round FA Cup tie with Leeds on January 2.

“Hopefully, we will get his international clearance by the (Manchester) City (Carling Cup) semi-final,” said Ferguson.

“I don’t want him to start that game, it will be too early for him but he has been terrific in training with us.”

MANCHESTER (AFP)

Tags: Carling Cup, christmas time, condemnation, craig levein, Dundee, Ferguson, football community, former team, game of football, george burley, Hughes, last game, last saturday, league managers association, LEEDS, loyalty, Manchester, manchester city, manchester united, Mark, Mark Hughes, neighbours, roberto mancini, Rumour Mill, scotland, Senegal, sir alex ferguson, Sunderland, team mate, two games, Wales

Levein on brink of Scotland job – report

December 22, 2009

Craig Levein could be appointed manager of the Scotland national side on Tuesday, according to British media reports.

Sky Sports News reported Monday that Dundee United boss Levein had held “positive talks” with senior Scottish Football Association (SFA) officials aimed at ironing out his remaining contractual concerns.

Levein, 45, has been the favourite to succeed George Burley since Rangers manager Walter Smith ruled himself out of a return to the Scotland job, and he indicated that he is seriously considering a switch to international football.

The United boss confirmed last week he would be holding talks with the SFA, saying: “The one thing I can say is I’m 100 percent interested in being Scotland manager.

“If the SFA ask for permission to speak to you, the last thing I’m going to say is ‘No’.”

Burley was dismissed last month after a 3-0 friendly defeat by Wales which followed Scotland’s failure to reach the play-offs for a place in next year’s World Cup finals in South Africa.

Levein, a former Scotland international whose playing career was ended prematurely by injury, made his reputation as a manager with a successful 2000-04 spell in charge of Hearts.

A brief, unhappy stint as manager of English Championship side Leicester followed and Levein returned to management in Scotland with Raith Rovers before taking over at Dundee United in October 2006.

He guided the Tangerines to fifth place in the Scottish Premier League (SPL) last season.

They currently sit fourth in the table, despite being deprived, through injury, of last season’s top scorer Francisco Sandaza and captain Lee Wilkie.

The SFA has indicated that it wants to have the new manager in place before the draw for the qualifying tournament for Euro 2012 is made on February 7.

GLASGOW (AFP)

Tags: brink, captain lee, captain Lee Wilkie, contractual concerns, craig levein, Dundee, dundee united, euro 2012, Francisco Sandaza, george burley, Glasgow, international football, play offs, premier league, scotland, scotland international, scottish football association, Scottish Premier League, sfa, Sky Sports, sky sports news, South Africa, stint, tangerines, Wales, walter smith, world cup finals

Giggs wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year award

December 14, 2009

Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs crowned a memorable 2009 by being named the BBC Sports Personality of the Year on Sunday after topping a public vote.

Formula One world champion Jenson Button was runner-up in the poll and world hepathlon champion Jessica Ennis came third.

Wales international Giggs, 36, is the most decorated player in English football history and in May won a record 11th Premier League winners’ medal.

He was only the fifth footballer to win the award in its 55-year history and the first since his former Manchester United team-mate David Beckham in 2001.

“Perhaps I’ve become more appreciated as I have got older,” said Giggs, who received his award in front of an audience of 11,000 people at the Sheffield Arena in northern England.

“It’s unusual for a 36-year-old to be playing with a team like Manchester United for 20 years but I am enjoying it and long may it continue.”

The other footballers to win the award were England’s World Cup-winning captain Bobby Moore (1966), Paul Gascoigne (1990) and Giggs’s current United colleague Michael Owen (1998).

The England men’s cricket team, currently on tour in South Africa, were named Team of the Year after beating Australia to regain the Ashes.

England football manager Fabio Capello was named Coach of the Year.

World champion diver Tom Daley, still only 15, won the Young Sports Personality of the Year award.

Jamaica’s Olympic champion Usain Bolt won the Overseas Sports Personality of the Year award for the second year in a row.

Bolt lowered his own world records in the 100 and 200 metres to 9.58 and 19.19 seconds respectively at this year’s World Championships in Berlin.

Spanish golf great Severiano Ballesteros, the first European to win the US Masters title, received a lifetime achievement award.

Ballesteros, who is currently suffering with cancer, was unable to attend the awards ceremony and received his trophy at home in Pedrena, Spain from fellow Spanish golfer Jose Maria Olazabal.

The BBC Sports Personality of the Year, which is restricted to British sportsmen and women, as is the team award, has been in existence since 1954 when then 5,000m world record holder Christopher Chataway was the inaugural winner.

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: Australia, bbc sports personality, bbc sports personality of the year, berlin, captain Bobby, Christopher Chataway, cricket team, David Beckham, english football history, fabio capello, Jamaica, jenson button, jessica ennis, jose maria olazabal, lifetime achievement award, london, Manchester, manchester united team, masters title, michael owen, northern england, olympic champion, other footballers, paul gascoigne, pedrena, premier league, ryan giggs, Sheffield, sheffield arena, South Africa, Spain, tom daley, tour in south africa, U.S., usain bolt, Wales

Rush tells Liverpool fans to back Benitez

October 22, 2009

Liverpool great Ian Rush has urged supporters to row in behind under-fire boss Rafael Benitez as the Spaniard prepares his struggling side for Sunday’s home clash with bitter rivals Manchester United.

Tuesday’s 2-1 Champions League defeat by Lyon here at Anfield meant Liverpool had lost four games in a row for the first time since 1987 and left the five-times European champions struggling to qualify for the knockout phase.

The fact that Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard suffered a recurrence of his groin injury 24 minutes into the Lyon match, while injured Spain striker Fernando Torres didn’t play at all because of a groin problem, also led to fresh criticism of Benitez for allowing the club to become over-reliant on their two star players.

It is 19 years since Liverpool last won the English title and pressure is building on Benitez, in charge at Anfield since 2004.

He guided the Reds to their fifth European Cup crown in 2005 but that success is receding into the memory of fans who’ve seen their side lose four of their nine league matches so far this season, including last weekend’s 1-0 beach ball assisted defeat by Sunderland, to lie seven points behind leaders and reigning champions United.

But former Wales striker Rush, a key member of the Liverpool side that dominated English football during the 1980s, told Sky Sports here on Wednesday: “Right now is the time when you need to get behind the manager, and the players as well.

“I’m sure the supporters will do on Sunday but then it’s up to the players to respond. The manager can only pick a team. It’s up to the players to respond on the pitch.

“Okay, we lost against Lyon but we can still qualify for the second phase of the Champions League. It’s when you can’t do that, then you maybe start looking (at the manager),” Rush added.

A boost for Benitez was that England defender Glen Johnson, who missed the Lyon match, is set to return against United, who lost 2-1 at Anfield last season in a match where neither Gerrard nor Torres started.

Despite Liverpool’s recent run of results, Benitez’s position does not appear under immediate threat if only because of the boardroom spat between the club’s feuding American co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

Hicks has been a strong supporter of Benitez, who signed a new four-year contract in March, while Gillett has criticised the former Valencia manager’s spending this season.

Both men would have to agree to the sacking of Benitez and, given their frosty relationship, that seems unlikely.

Meanwhile former Liverpool manager Roy Evans said the players, rather than Benitez, “had to look at themselves”.

Evans, whose four-year spell in charge ended in 1998, admitted: “The results have put a lot of pressure on.

“But they are still in the Champions League and can still get second place (in the group), but there has to be an improvement, that’s for sure.

“Rafa has always been tactically very strong in Europe, but when you lose your best players, like Gerrard, Torres and Johnson, that is a real problem.

“Without them Liverpool struggle to compete, with them they are a good bet to recover their position in the group.

“You cannot always blame the manager, players have to improve,” added Evans.

“A good result will change everything. A win against Manchester United could be the victory that gives Liverpool their confidence back.”

LIVERPOOL, England (AFP)

Tags: 19 years, bitter rivals, captain Steven Gerrard, english football, Europe, european champions, Fernando Torres, fire boss, four games, glen johnson, groin injury, groin problem, Ian Rush, Liverpool, Lyon, manchester united, rafael benitez, recurrence, Roy Evans, second phase, seven points, Sky Sports, Spain, star players, Steven Gerrard, Sunderland, tom hicks, Valencia, Wales

City sweat on Bellamy

October 17, 2009

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes will give Craig Bellamy as much time as he needs to prove his fitness ahead of the Barclays Premier League match against Wigan on Sunday.

The Wales striker has not trained for the past two days because of the discomfort of a groin strain.

With Robinho absent with a stress fracture of the ankle, Bellamy has stepped up to the plate in recent weeks to become an influential player.

He secured a point with the equaliser in the draw against Aston Villa before heading off on international duty.

Hughes said: “Craig is a bit of a doubt but we will give everyone maximum time to help their chances of playing. There is still time before the game for these things to be resolved.

“He has been outstanding and you want two outstanding players for every position. In most positions we have the quality we need.

“If Craig is not available it means someone else will have to step up and be an influence on the game.”

Hughes could be down on numbers at the DW Stadium with Kolo Toure (heel), Joleon Lescott (calf), Pablo Zabaleta (hamstring), Martin Petrov (knee) and Nigel De Jong (knock) are all struggling with injury.

City have already taken seven points on the road this season after amassing only 11 in the whole of last campaign.

Hughes said: “We have more more players with Premier League experience, who have an understanding of what is needed to win games at this level.

“We look more solid. Sometimes you have to dig in more when you are away in the Premier League and we have been able to do that. We are pleased at how this are going in that respect. It is a marked improvement.”

Meanwhile the City boss is adamant that Robinho will stay part of the club after the Brazilian was linked with a move to Barcelona.

Hughes said: “There is always speculation and noise surrounding Robinho. That has been the case since he came to the club.

“He is a great guy. We are not in the process of taking outstanding players out of the team.

“We want to complement the outstanding players at the club. We are looking to build not dismantle.”

Robinho could make his comeback in the Carling Cup match with Scunthorpe in a fortnight.

Hughes said Robinho is anxious to return and added: “The only frustration he has at the moment is that he is not fit and well.

“Hopefully that will be resolved in the next week to 10 days and he will be back on the pitch.”

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: Barcelona, barclays, barclays premier league, Carling Cup, CITY, city boss, Craig, craig bellamy, DW Stadium, equaliser, groin strain, joleon lescott, kolo toure, last campaign, league experience, manchester city, Mark Hughes, martin petrov, maximum time, nigel de jong, Pablo Zabaleta, premier league, Robinho, seven points, stress fracture, striker, Wales, Wigan

Koumas calls time on Wales career

September 6, 2009

Wales attacking midfielder Jason Koumas on Sunday announced his retirement from international football with immediate effect.

“Jason spoke to Wales manager John Toshack to confirm that he would not have been available for Wednesday’s international with Russia due to a hamstring injury,” read a statement on the Football Association of Wales (FAW) website.

“He has decided, however, that he wishes to retire from international football with immediate effect.

“Manager John Toshack has wished Jason well and thanked him for his past services to the team. He went on to wish him well for the future at Wigan Athletic.”

Koumas, a talented 29-year-old playmaker, made his Wales debut in 2001 and went on to make 34 international appearances, scoring 10 goals.

The Wrexham-born star has had an at times fractious relationship with the Welsh set-up, frequently ruling himself unavailable for matches, and has played in less than half of the 75 Wales internationals since he made his debut.

He was reported to be considering his international future after pulling out of a 2-0 friendly defeat to Germany in April, forcing the FAW to issue a statement confirming his commitment to the Wales team.

Wales are fourth in World Cup qualifying Group Four, 10 points behind leaders Germany with three games to play and with only a mathematical chance of overhauling second-placed Russia to qualify for the play-offs.

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: debut, faw, football association of wales, Germany, international appearances, international football, jason koumas, john toshack, london, Manager John Toshack, mathematical chance, play offs, playmaker, relationship, retirement, russia, three games, Wales, welsh, world cup qualifying group, wrexham

Bellamy back in Wales squad for Russia clash

September 4, 2009

Craig Bellamy has been recalled to the Wales squad for Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier against Russia.

The Manchester City striker missed Wales’s 2-1 defeat in Montenegro last month in circumstances which caused controversy because of his club’s failure to inform the Football Association of Wales (FAW) of his non-availability.

Bellamy, who captains his country, has since reiterated his commitment to the national cause however and manager John Toshack has drawn a line under the incident.

Two other senior players, Jason Koumas and goalkeeper Boaz Myhill, are also back in the fold after missing the Montenegro defeat, while uncapped Doncaster midfielder Brian Stock is included for the first time in almost a year.

Skipper Bellamy, Koumas and Myhill were all out of the squad that lost 2-1 in Montenegro last month.

Wales have little chance of reaching next year’s World Cup finals in South Africa but could boost Finland’s chances of a play-off spot if they can beat the Russians, who currently occupy second spot in the group, behind leaders Germany.

Wales squad

Goalkeepers: Wayne Hennessey (Wolves), Boaz Myhill (Hull), Lewis Price (Brentford)

Defenders: James Collins (Aston Villa), Neal Eardley (Blackpool), Danny Gabbidon (West Ham), Chris Gunter (Nottingham Forest), Craig Morgan (Peterborough), Lewin Nyatanga (Bristol City), Sam Ricketts (Bolton), Ashley Williams (Swansea)

Midfielders: Jack Collison (West Ham), David Cotterill (Sheffield Utd), David Edwards (Wolves), Jason Koumas (Wigan), Joe Ledley (Cardiff), Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal), Brian Stock (Doncaster)

Forwards: Craig Bellamy (Manchester City), Simon Church (Reading), Ched Evans (Sheffield Utd), Robbie Earnshaw (Nottingham Forest), Sam Vokes (Wolves)

CARDIFF (AFP)

Tags: Aaron Ramsey, ashley williams, aston villa, Boaz Myhill, brian stock, bristol city, cardiff, Chris Gunter, craig bellamy, craig morgan, Danny Gabbidon, david cotterill, david edwards, Doncaster, eardley, Finland, football association of wales, Germany, jack collison, James Collins, jason koumas, Joe Ledley, john toshack, Ledley, lewin nyatanga, Lewis Price, manchester city, Montenegro, Neal Eardley, Nottingham, nottingham forest, Robbie Earnshaw, russia, Sam, Sheffield, sheffield utd, South Africa, Swansea, vokes, Wales, Wayne Hennessey, west ham, world cup finals, world cup qualifier

Dunne deal for Aston Villa

September 2, 2009

Aston Villa finally completed the signing of Republic of Ireland defender Richard Dunne from Manchester City on Wednesday.

Villa were unable to announce the Dunne deal before the transfer window closed on Tuesday as the Premier League asked for more time to ratify the paperwork which only came through at the last minute.

But Martin O’Neill’s team were always confident Dunne would become their player after passing a medical and agreeing personal terms.

The Football Association were also satisfied with the documents presented by Villa and Premier League on Wedneday allowed the deal to go through after the window shut.

“City said farewell to one of the club?s most resolute and enduring defenders in Republic of Ireland star Richard Dunne, who has signed for Aston Villa,” a statement on Manchester City’s website confirmed.

“The player’s departure, confirmed on Wednesday after the Football Association checked the paperwork, signals the end of an era and Richard goes to the Midlands with the best wishes and gratitude of everyone at Manchester City.”

Dunne, who cost Villa a reported six million pound (6.8 million euros) becomes O’Neill’s second defensive signing after Wales international James Collins signed from West Ham for five million pounds (5.8 million euros) on Tuesday.

O’Neill had been desperate to bolster his back four after skipper Martin Laursen retired and Zat Knight was sold to Bolton.

Dunne’s nine-year stay at City was in doubt after the club signed Kolo Toure from Arsenal and then Joleon Lescott from Everton.

“It would have been difficult for Dunney to stay given his standing at the club and I understand that,” City boss Mark Hughes said.

“I wasn’t going to stand in his way. I could have tried to stop him going and said I wanted him as a squad player but out of respect for what he has done for City I wasn’t going to do that.”

BIRMINGHAM, England (AFP)