Sports Category
Sports news, commentary and scores with wit and added value. We compare and contrast the best and worst sports reporting in the mainstream press, blogs, TV and online. We love the English Premier League (Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs, Manchester United and Manchester City) and all things football but we cover cricket, rugby, the Olympics, tennis, golf, F1 and highlights of the sporting year.
Banning homophobic chanting is the latest attempt to make watching football an indecent joyless experience
THE Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) have issued guidelines warning fans that they would pursue a “robust prosecution policy” against homophobic chanting.
Already “racialist or indecent chanting” at football is a criminal offence under section 3 of the Football Offences Act 1991.
In Scotland, the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Act 2012 has made sectarian chants at football a criminal offence punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment.
Read the rest of this entry »
Gareth Bale copyrights the two fingers he gave Spurs – photo
GARETH Bale is now a Real Madrid player.
How much did he leave Spurs for? No-one can say for certain. But it’s unlikely that at the end of his playing career he’ll be running a pub in the New Forest (but a stint on Strictly Come Dancing remains in negotiable).
Anyhow, he always wanted to be a Madrid player did Bale.
As he made a few hundred journalists reach for the bucket by saying “I don’t think I need to help Cristiano [Ronaldo] to be the best player in the world because he already is”, a message flashed up on the screen at the Bernabeu:
Andrew Kilduff @TuftyMUFC5h asks:” did he copyright them 2 fingers?”
Spotter: @RorySmithTimes:
PS – anyone got a picture of him in a Barcelona top?
Transfer Balls: Mesut Ozil wants to join Manchester United but Arsenal get him
TRANSFER Balls: What are Arsenal up to? Well, news is that they are and are not buying Real Madrid’s stella German Mesut Ozil. Today’s reports:
The Guardian: “Mesut Ozil close to joining Arsenal in £46m deal from Real Madrid”
Evening Standard: “Arsenal on the brink of sealing £43m Mesut Ozil deal as playmaker undergoes medical”
Daily Star: “The Gunners are set to spend £42.5m on Mesut Ozil”
Daily Mail: “Arsenal are on the verge of a spectacular £40million transfer breakthrough after it emerged Mesut Ozil is having a medical in Munich ahead of completing a move to the Emirates.”
Sports Mole.com: “The German international is believed to be in advanced talks with Arsenal, following reports that Madrid have agreed a fee in the region of £36m with the North London outfit.”
What’s that in euros?
Managing Madrid.com: “Mesut Özil Passing Medical With Arsenal, 50M€ Deal Agreed”
IBTimes: “Arsenal have agreed a staggering (by Arsene Wenger’s standards) €47m fee for Real Madrid midfielder Mesut Ozil.”
While those organs debate the exchange rate of euros to pounds, this paper says Ozil is staying put:
Irish Independent: “Man United not in for Mesut Ozil as Madrid star rejects Arsenal’s advances”
Maybe Ozil is heading to Manchester United?
Irish Indy: “Manchester United’s deadline-day recruitment drive will not include a pursuit of Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid.”
Pete O’Rourke @SkySportsPeteO: “Sky Sources: Manchester United have made contact with Mesut Ozil’s representatives.”
The BusyBabe: “Manchester United contact Mesut Ozil, player wants to join”
Daily Express: “The Gunners tabled a £42.5m bid for the Germany international last night, who has courted interest from Manchester United and PSG.”However, reports emerged this morning that United were not in the hunt for Ozil”
More balls to follow…
Transfer Balls: Gareth Bale leaves Spurs for world-record fee less than Real Madrid paid Manchester United for Ronaldo
THE Daily Bale: What are the facts behind Gareth Bale’s move from Spurs to Real Madrid? All reports says it’s a world record fee for a footballer, topping the £80m Real paid to get Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United.
So. How much is it?
Daily Mirror: “Madrid sign Spurs ace for £86m, and he’ll get £90m”
The Times: “The £85m man – Real agree £85.2m fee in world record”
BBC: “The Wales star has agreed a £300,000 per week, six-year deal after sealing an £85.3m…”
WalesOnline: “Gareth Bale to be unveiled by Real Madrid after world record £85m deal”
The Guardian: “Farewell to the €100m man”
The Indy: While Tottenham said they had been paid €100m for Bale – £86m – sources in Spain described the fee as €90m, or £78m.
GiveMeSport.com: “Gareth Bale agrees £97m Real Madrid deal”
Daily Mail: “Tottenham were offered a world record £101m for Bale,
The Mail the explains the confusion:
Bale not No 1: Real claim they’ve got £78m star ‘on the cheap’ to keep Ronaldo as top dog
What will the record books make of it?
How much will Bale earn at Real?
GiveMeSport.com: “Gareth Bale is set to earn £310,000-a-week before tax at Real Madrid
The Times: “…put pen to paper on a six-year contract, worth £300,000-a-week before tax”
Daily Mail: “£250,000-a-week net”
The Guardian: “Forward sing’s six-year contract for £170,000-a-week”
Transfer Balls: Arsenal buy £60m Julian Draxler for £15m, so they say
TRANSFER Balls: How much are Arsenal going to have to pay to secure the services of Julian Draxler? What say the experts in the media?
FTBPRO: “There is an interesting story doing the rounds today linking Arsenal with a move for the very impressive Julian Draxler for a fee of around £15 million.”
Fanatix: “Arsenal submit £26m plus Lukas Podolski bid for German prodigy Julian Draxler”
(Arsenal bought Poldi for a £10.9 million.)
SportDirectNews: “The 19-year-old signed a two-year extension to his contract with the Bundesliga outfit in May of this year but it is understood the midfielder has a £34 million buyout clause.”
Sunday Times: “Arsène Wenger… is now trying to reach agreement with Schalke for their midfield starlet Julian Draxler. Schalke, however, want £38.4m for the 19-year-old.”
IBT: “Arsenal are preparing a £40m bid for Schalke 04 midfielder Julian Draxler, according to the Mirror”
Telegraph: “Draxler, a 19-year-old Germany international midfielder, would be the priority but Schalke are reluctant sellers and would only consider an offer in excess of £40m”
Express: “Schalke slap £60m price tag on Chelsea target Julian Draxler”
Such are the facts…
Transfer Balls: Wesley Sneijder becomes Arsenal’s 35th summer signing
TRANSFER Balls: Watching the media trying to guess who Arsenal will buy before the transfer window closes. Today the Star conjures up name 35:
Arsenal have revived their interest in axed Holland star Wesley Sneijder in a bid to beat off any fresh move for him from long-time admirers Manchester United.
Read more on Arsenal’s massive squad here.
Transfer Balls: Jefferson Montero becomes Arsenal’s 34th summer signing
TRANSFER Balls: Watching the media trying to guess who Arsenal will buy before the transfer window closes. Today the Mirror conjures up name 34:
Arsenal plot to hijack Jefferson Montero’s transfer to Cardiff if all else fails
Read more on Arsenal’s massive squad here.
Transfer Balls: Arsenal buy Julian Draxler for £26m plus Podolski, £38.4m and £60m
TRANSFER Ball: Arsenal have been linked to just 33 players this transfer season. The latest name the media experts have pulled from Wenger’s magic hat is that of Julian Draxler:
Fanatix: “Arsenal submit £26m plus Lukas Podolski bid for German prodigy Julian Draxler”
(Arsenal bought Poldi for a £10.9 million.)
Sunday Times: “Arsène Wenger… is now trying to reach agreement with Schalke for their midfield starlet Julian Draxler. Schalke, however, want £38.4m for the 19-year-old.”
IBT: “Arsenal are preparing a £40m bid for Schalke 04 midfielder Julian Draxler, according to the Mirror”
Telegraph: “Draxler, a 19-year-old Germany international midfielder, would be the priority but Schalke are reluctant sellers and would only consider an offer in excess of £40m”
Express: “Schalke slap £60m price tag on Chelsea target Julian Draxler”
More facts just as soon as Arsenal let the trusty media know what they are…
Transfer Balls: Manchester United pay £2m over the odds for Everton’s Marouane Fellaini
TRANSFER Balls: Is Marouane Fellaini heading to Manchester United from Everton?
The Sunday Times says United will get their man for £25m.
The Mirror has other news:
July 13: “The Belgian’s £23.5million buy-out clause expires on August 14 with the Toffees set to demand more than £30million for him after”
August 19: “Everton reject “derisory and insulting” £28million bid from Man United for Marouane Fellaini AND Leighton Baines”
August 25: “Manchester United to focus on Marouane Fellaini if double bid with Baines fails – United boss David Moyes will offer £35m for Toffees pair but focus on Belgian midfielder if he’s knocked back”
August 29: “Manchester United raise transfer offer for Everton’s Fellaini and Baines to £38m – New bid adds £8m to joint valuation of the midfielder and left-back as rival interest in Wigan’s McCarthy puts pressure on Martinez”
They offered £28m. Then added on £8m to make, erm, £38m.
Such is the maths…
Transfer balls: Javier Mascherano named as the 33rd player Arsenal are definitely buying
TRANSFER Balls: Watching the media trying to guess who Arsenal will buy before the transfer window closes:
Arsenal are targeting Barcelona’s 29-year-old Argentinian defensive midfielder Javier Mascherano, and are set to make a bid before the transfer window slams shut on Monday evening, reports talkSPORT.
Read more on Arsenal’s massive squad here.
When sport gets dirty: the sports stars who urinated on the pitch
WHEN sport gets dirty
‘Wicketleaks’ – the story (leaked by two Australian journalists) that England cricketers urinated on the hallowed Oval square after an evening of victory celebration – has apparently been resolved by an apology from the players involved.
However, high-minded criticism heaped upon them by the likes of Shane Warne has focused on the idea that they have in some way ‘disrespected’ the sport in general and Oval’s tradition in particular. (This, remember is the ground that was until recently named the Foster’s Oval, after a commercially manufactured brand of Australian piss.)
But at least they, like Monty Panesar earlier in the month, did not perform their al fresco urination during the game itself. The same, sadly, cannot be said for exponents of less classy games.
David Fleming wrote the seminal article on sporting incontinence.
In it, he cites a survey by the Oklahoma Foundation for Digestive Research, which found that 72 per cent of conditioned athletes have suffered from lower-intestine distress.
And that’s without even considering the weak bladders.
Read the rest of this entry »
Transfer balls: the 38 players Arsenal were going to buy this summer (and didn’t)
TRANSFER Balls: Time to look at what players the Press have told us Arsenal are going to buy this summer. With the transfer windows closing, this is the list in full. Arsenal have bought no-one:
Luis Suarez: did bid but no success.
Gonzalo Higuain: did bid then backed off when price rose. The Sun, however says that “GUNZALO” is an Arsenal players. Napoli, for whom he signed, should take issue with that report.
Yohan Cabeye: Arsenal bid then went cold on the deal. The Newcastle; United man went on strike, and, erm, didn’t.
Real Madrid players: Benzema, Kaka, Ozil, Casillas and Di Maria (whom TalkSport say they bought)
Wayne Rooney
Lars Bender – bid rejected
Juan Mata (see him in the Arsenal kit)
Solomon Kalou
Luiz Gustavo
Demba Ba
Javier Pastore
PS: Arsenal only spend big when the season tickets are up for renewal
Jose Mourinho names himself 11 times in Chelsea’s first team that beat Bayern Munich (morally)
THE journalist asks Chelsea manager Joe Mourinho before his team took on Bayern Munich in the Super Cup:
“You have played Guardiola’s teams 15 times and only won three times. Why is it so difficult to beat his teams?”
Mourinho’s answer was great:
“Your statistics are wrong. Very wrong. Very wrong, because – but I don’t want to discuss that because it’s not important. I’ll just say it’s wrong. Go there and see what happened with Inter in the Champions League semi-final. The league records in Spain. The Copa del Rey in Spain. The Super Cup in Spain. You are very, very wrong. But it’s not important.”
Ok. Whoaaah, Jose. We get it . It is unimportant. No need to go on…
“This is not me against him, it’s club against club. That’s not important. I just know that I won the Champions League semi-final with Inter Milan. I won the Spanish Cup final in Valencia. I won the Super Cup in Spain. I was champion in Spain. I won the match of the title in Barcelona with Real Madrid. Maybe you are right and I am wrong, but I don’t care. It’s not important for me.”
About those stats:
Guardiola v Mourinho: 15 matches; Guardiola wins: 7; draws: five; Mourinho wins: three. Journalist:1; Mourinho: nil.
So. How did the game go? Well, Guardiola’s Bayern won. Eight wins for him now, then.
Says Jose about it being about the club not him, with reference to a red card awarded to Chelsea’s Ramires:
“I have a fantastic experience of playing with 10 men in Uefa matches. I have a great experience. So I could react. I could coach my players in a way where, even with 10 men, even very, very tired, they could compete and find an opportunity to score a goal. In the end of the game, with everybody absolutely tired, they gave absolutely everything. I think my experience of playing with 10 men gave us a hand.”
“I played two or three times with 10 men against Barça. I went to Inter and played a Champions League semi-final, one hour, with 10 men against Barcelona. I go to Real Madrid, I played again a Champions League semi-final with 10 men.
“Now I come back to Chelsea and played a Super Cup final with 10 men again, and go to analyse the actions and make your conclusions. I’m unlucky. Just that.”
How many “Is” in Mourinho’s Chelsea team? A first XI of them…
Transfer Balls: Willian loves Liverpool, loves Chelsea and only used Spurs for the free medical
TRANSFER Balls: Willian has signed for Chelsea. It was ever his dream move to play for the Blues.
August 16: Willian loves Liverpool:
“There are conversations, and I am hoping in the next few days for an offer from a club like Liverpool. If it is Liverpool, then they are a great club.”
August 22: Willian has a medical at Tottenham. He passes.
Former Anzhi Makhachkala coach Rene Meulensteen days of his former player:
“He’s very versatile, he can play in different positions, he’s a very creative player and an excellent professional with a very good personality.”
August 28: Willian becomes a Chelsea player:
“It’s been my dream to come to play here. Finally it’s become a reality, and when the offer came I never gave a thought to anybody else, I said to myself that I would run here, and I’m happy to be here now. Chelsea were always my first choice.”
Get a loaf of that personality.
Transfer Balls: Newcastle United’s Yohan Cabaye strikes a blow for Arsenal
TRANSFERS Balls: Is Yohan Cabeye on his way from Newcastle United to Arsenal? What says the Daily Mirror?
August 30, Daily Mirror:
Alan Pardew has confirmed that he expects Yohan Cabaye to play for Newcastle against Fulham this weekend, that’s good news for the Toon Army. Pards has left Cabaye on the sidelines while Arsenal were sniffing around, and the fact he’s bringing him back might mean that the danger from Arsenal is now over.
August 24,Daily Mirror:
Yohan Cabaye has gone on strike at Newcastle after refusing to play in Toon’s opening matches of the season, writes The Sunday People. Sunday People Sport can reveal that Cabaye was named in the team to face City on Monday but refused to play and returned home to Tyneside instead.
When is a strike not a strike?
Transfer Balls: Arsenal’s next manager says Spurs Bale isn’t up to much
IT’S been a busy summer for former Arsenal captain Tony Adams. He’s been talking about Arsenal:
August 20:
”One hundred per cent I’d like to be Arsenal manager,” Adams told Zapsportz.com. “Of course my heart says ‘yes, yes, yes’, but my head says ‘can I win with this current team?’ My answer is no, I can’t and I am not sure anyone can. I would want assurances if I walk through the door, those assurances meaning I’m given the go ahead to build a new team. I would get my teeth into building a new team but to achieve that, you would need to spend.
August 29:
But after a penalty shoot-out with fellow north London legends Ian Wright, Ledley King and Les Ferdinand in Trafalgar Square to launch Vodafone’s 4G network, the former England captain took Le Professeur to task…
Adams said: “It’s not Arsene’s style to pay top dollar and gamble huge sums of money on a single player, but my main criticism of him is that I would do things differently…They need someone to lock it up when it breaks down, and I would be scouring Europe for the next Gilberto. I must have been the only person in the country doing somersaults watching Manchester United and Chelsea keeping clean sheets the other night – two fantastic, organised, solid sides giving nothing away. That wasn’t a boring game for me, because I was wishing Arsenal could do that more often.”
The Mirror says Adams is working not only as the boot of a mobile phone company but as a “consultant to Azerbaijan club FC Gabala”.
Tony Adams was the club’s manager. He opined:
“Wherever you take yourself in this world, you’ve got to take yourself with you.”
Digital Spy:
Arsenal icon Tony Adams has said that the club must stop selling its top players if it is to challenge for trophies, but added that it is impossible to “buy success”.
So says Tony who earlier advised “you would need to spend”. But having told us that you cannot buy success, Adams goes on to say:
“It’s always a risk, however much you pay. You can’t just buy success. I love the policy that Arsenal’s got. We try to give younger players opportunities. It’s a simple philosophy for me. You’ve got a squad of players and if you’ve got players in your youth team or reserves that can come into your first team squad, then great.If you haven’t then you try to recruit from outside. It’s really simple – however much they cost, whether it be £3 million or £30 million, it’s kind of irrelevant.”
August 30:
The Sun: “TONY ADAMS has revealed how he told Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger NOT to sign Gareth Bale because he wasn’t up to much as a defender.”
So. There you have it Arsenal fans. It could be worse. Tony Adams could be the club’s manager…
Posted: 30th, August 2013 | In: Sports | Comment (1)
Transfer Balls: Arsenal lose Di Maria, find Guilavogui and wonder what Chelsea’s Mata wants
TRANSFER Balls: A look at the latest media experts news on which players Arsenal are buying today. Can the experts produce an entire new XI?
Arsenal Insider: “Wenger signs Flamini and plots to capture Guilavogui”
Who he?
He’s a 22-year-old £8million-rated midfielder at St Etienne.
Read the rest of this entry »
Transfer (Real) balls: Arsenal sign Angel Di Maria, Manchester United pay £10m too much for Ozil and Benzama’s parting shot
TRANSFER Balls: Are Real Madrid stars Karim Benzama, Angel Di María and Mesut Ozil leaving Real Madrid for Arsenal? Let’s see what the experts in the media have been saying today:
Mesut Ozil
Daily Mirror: “Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil transfer hopes boosted as the Real Madrid star throws a strop – Midfielder tipped to be sold to help pay for Bale storms down tunnel, showers and goes straight to the bus after being subbed” – 27 Aug 2013
Says Ozil on August 28:
“I want to be successful. A lot has been written in the media about other teams, but I have a contract with Real Madrid and I am staying here. I have the coach’s confidence and I feel very good. Also, I have a contract until 2016. I have a very good understanding with all my team-mates and it is a pleasure and an honour to play for Real Madrid. When you play for a team as important as Real Madrid, you have to win titles and we will do everything possible.
“We will work hard. We are a club that has special players and I am convinced that we will win titles this year. We have our aims and each of us has a role and we will try to win all of the titles on offer. That’s one of the big reasons for me being here.”
Read the rest of this entry »
Transfer Balls: Spurs’ Gareth Bale dresses as a pink dick to say goodbye in Madrid
THE Daily Bale, a look at the Spurs star in the news:
The Sun, August 28:
“GARETH BALE has told pals his Tottenham career is over – and that is why he failed to turn up at training yesterday.”
That’s an “exclusive”.
The Sun, August 3, 2013:
“SPURS players asked Gareth Bale to autograph their shirts in an emotional farewell.”
So. Bale’s already said goodbye to his teammates a few weeks ago. Was that not a clue that he wouldn’t be training with them again?
Bale missed the friendlies against Monaco and Espanyol. He has also missed Premier league games against Crystal Palace and Swansea,and a Europa League tie against Dinamo Tbilisi. Why? Because he has a bad foot, so they say.
In other news, Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas says he could fine Bale for his no-show:
“He is involved in a big transfer move to Real Madrid and in the end if it happens, we wish him all the best, but the fact that he hasn’t turned up is not the correct behaviour. That is the position [Bale] chose to take and it’s up to the club to decide if it’s a fineable offence. I gave the player the weekend off, Monday was a day off for the squad.”
That from the man who said the Spurs chairman has given him the “guarantee” that Bale would not be sold.
Photo: Bale dresses as a big phallus in Madrid.
Posted: 28th, August 2013 | In: Sports | Comment (1)
Transfer Balls: Spurs sell Bale to Madrid and AVB stuffs his guarantee
TRANSFER Balls: Is Gareth Bale leaving Spurs for Real Madrid? Yes.
The Telegraph says Bale is on his way to Real for £85m.
Barcelona’s manager, Gerardo Martino, says the fee is “a lack of respect to the world in general”.
Read the rest of this entry »
Transfer Balls: Liverpool will talk about Luis Suarez for 11 more days
TRANSFER Balls: Liverpool manager Brendan Rogers does love to talk. And the more he talks the more he seems to tie himself in knots. Mostly, Rogers has been talking about Luis Suarez, the player who is now definitely not heading to Arsenal.
That would be the same Suarez of whom the BBC reported on August 7:
Suarez, 26, plans to submit a transfer request this week if a move to Arsenal is blocked.
Read the rest of this entry »
Transfer Balls: Moyes says ‘disgusting’ Manchester United are trying to ‘destabilise’ Everton over Baines and Fellaini
TRANSFER Balls: How’s David Moyes getting on at Manchester United? Well, he’s after Everton’s best players. The BBC reports:
Everton have described Manchester United’s £28m joint bid for Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines as “derisory and insulting”.
United have already seen a £12m bid of Baines rejected earlier in the summer. And Fellaini was reported to be worth in excess of £24m, once his buy-out clause expired (which it has, apparently).
“Those bids were rejected out of hand as derisory and insulting,” said director of communications Alan Myers.
Not too far back (August 2009), when Moyes was manager of Everton, Manchester City were after the club’s Joleon Lescott:
David Moyes’s irritation with Mark Hughes erupted again yesterday when he accused Manchester City of seeking to destabilise Everton with their “disgusting” pursuit of Joleon Lescott. He also insisted City’s handling of the transfer saga had destroyed any chance they had of signing the England international this summer…
Lescott signed for City, of course.
Moyes has complete control over transfer strategy at Everton and was therefore incensed…
“The dialogue has not taken place with Manchester City and Everton in the way that it is said to be. If it was, the dialogue would come to me,” he said. “There has been no contact with me. I’m the person here who makes the decisions. I’m in control of Everton Football Club. There has not been one call. It’s disappointing. We have got a player who we really value and we want to keep. We think the world of him and he can play two positions. We don’t want to lose him. Yet he is being continually put in a position like he is at this moment in time.
“The way it has been handled is disgusting and all it has done is disrupted our club.”
…
The Everton manager admits Lescott’s “head has been twisted” by the prospect of doubling his £40,000-a-week wage at City… Moyes is unhappy with the size of the bids from City and their timing..
Moyes believes City have refused to respect his stance on Lescott in the hope of destabilising Everton…
Such are the facts…
Posted: 23rd, August 2013 | In: Sports | Comment (1)
Transfer Balls: Arsenal want Defoe from Spurs, Benzema from Real, Manchester City’s Richards and three goalkeepers
TRANSFER Balls: Having told its readers that Arsenal had bought striker Gonzalo Higuain, the Sun was soon proved wrong as the Argentine signed for Napoli. That scoop remains live on the paper’s website. It’s not easy, of course, to identity an Arsenal signing before it happens. This is because Arsenal play their cards close to their chest and seem to have a short list of targets that runs into the low hundreds. A look at this week’s press delivers some scoops.
Before the names, here’s Arsene Wenger:
“Yes, I’m confident that we’ll make the signings we need because of the desire of the players to join us.”
Read the rest of this entry »
The Top 12 tunes from the Golden Age of Pop that continue to be sung at British football grounds to this day
A NEW season, and a new chant.
Yes, Manchester United supporters have hailed the arrival of the Moyesiah with a new song: “So Come on David Moyes, Play Like Fergie’s Boys. We’ll go wild, wild, wild!”
And where did they get the tune? From Seventies chart giants Slade, and their straight-in-at-number-one-for-the-first-time-since-the-Beatles classic Cum On Feel The Noize…
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: 22nd, August 2013 | In: Flashback, Key Posts, Sports | Comment
Transfer balls: Arsenal leave Suarez, Rooney and Higuain out of squad
TRANSFER Balls: Reader comment of the day:
Bold move by Wenger to leave Suarez, Gustavo, Fellaini, Bernard, Cesar, Higuain, Fabregas, and Rooney out of the squad today.
Ha-ha. More media experts views on future Arsenal players every day…
Read the rest of this entry »
