Roger And Out
‘NEWS now to warm the heart of Tim Henman and the joints of the women of a certain age who cheer him on at Wimbledon each year: Roger Federer can be beaten.
| Federer wasn’t sure about his new kit manufacturer |
As the Telegraph reports, the Swiss tennis players 26-match unbeaten run ended last night when he lost to the mercurial Marat Safin in five thrilling sets.
The world No. 1, who had not dropped a set in the Australian Open going into his semi-final clash with the Russian, is down and out.
A lesser player than Federer may even, the paper says, have limped off the court, tempering his opponents success with moans about his blistered foot and a nerve-end problem causing a pain in his back.
It would be like the rest of football having a good grumble about Chelsea, who, the Times says, can complete the full set of four trophies.
Just to get its readers used to looking at so much silverware in the hands of one team, the Sun mocks up a page on which Blues manager Jose Mourinho poses beside each trophy.
Hes a happy man is Jose, and a sight more so than Harry Redknapp, the man who dared to leave Portsmouth for their fierce rivals Southampton.
In the build-up to Saturdays match between the two in the FA Cup, the Sun hears Redknapps assistant say how shocked and hurt his boss is at the hate campaign waged against him by fans of his old club.
Somebody put his phone number on a website, which is the worst thing you can do, says Smith. But the number has changed now and he is OK.
While we celebrate the fact that Harry has a new mobile, another of footballs characters is making his way into the boardroom at Leeds United.
The Indy was there to see the unlovable Ken Bates hold court at his first press conference since buying half the club, and watched as the bearded one showed how he has lost none of charm.
Get out, I dont want you flashing in my face, said Bates as cameras snapped away.
He then used all his comedic skills to flip open his jacket in the manner of a dirty old man (Bates is 73) and said that he was the only person who could flash around here.
If you carry on, Ill walk out, he went on in response to a journalist who had asked him why he had chosen to invest in Leeds.
Its simple really, said Bates, his charmless offensive in full swing. I just wont deal with you.
Which might just prompt many scribes to pursue that very line of questioning…’
Posted: 28th, January 2005 | In: Back pages Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
