Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand is Harry Redknapp’s secret agent at Spurs

HARRY Redknapp, the Spurs manager who tells the court “I’ve always paid his taxes” has been getting transfer advice from chief Scout Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand. Who knew?

When Harry Redknapp secured Manchester City’s Emmanuel Adebayor on loan, he opined (August 24, 2011):

“I spoke to Rio Ferdinand the other day and he said himself and Vidic thought Adebayor was the most difficult opponent they had played against…I said I might be taking Adebayor and he said he was always their toughest opponent, caused them more problems than anyone else” 

Anorak

Posted: 2nd, February 2012 | In: Sports | Comment

Egyptian Football Riot: army locked visiting Ahly fans in the stadium and let Masry supporters attack

WHAT happened at the Egyptian football match that ended in 75 dead and scores badly hurt?

Blogger @Heemalization writes:

From day one we’re trying to calm people down, and we knew a problem would happen. We kept repeating that we made a statement and this time is too critical for any of that; and many of the older members of the UA07 (Ahly Ultras) were telling the younger ones to maintain self control.

Out train was thrown by rocks in Ismailia and that we were used to. It is the norm for the train or bus to be attacked when it is on its way from one province to another. The train broke down so we went down in a train station in “Al Cap” before Port Said in order to ride buses that will take us to Port Said because we knew that they prepared an ambush for us at the train station.

Anorak

Posted: 2nd, February 2012 | In: Sports | Comment (1)

John Terry becomes victim of a Tory led twitter hunt

JOHN Terry, the Chelsea and England captain is “TOXIC”. So says the Daily Mirror. John Terry has been charged with racially abusing QPR’s Anton Ferdinand in a Premier League game in October. Terry denies any wrongdoing. The matter will come before the courts on July 9, after the end of the European Championship.

But Damian Collins, a Tory MP who sits on the culture, media and sport select committee, saw fit to tweet:

“John Terry should stand aside as captain until the case is resolved, and any doubt either way removed.”

John Terry should lose his job because of an allegation?

This is Collins who claimed £4,440.90 over three months in rent for a house in London, despite declaring that he already owned a home in the capital. A pall of doubt hung over the young Tory . Did he step down while matter were cleared up? No. He just said the home was “too small to provide accommodation for my young family, and even if that was not the case, as a new member of parliament I wouldn’t be able to claim any accommodation allowance against the mortgage on the property”.

Anorak

Posted: 2nd, February 2012 | In: Key Posts, Sports | Comments (14)

David Beckham for H&M – in photos

DAVID Beckham has launched his H&M Bodywear range of cardigans and knickers. As David Beckham once said: “I never wanted to be famous.”

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David Beckham arrives at the H&M store on Regent Street, London to launch his new Bodywear collection.

Anorak

Posted: 2nd, February 2012 | In: Sports | Comments (3)

Yael Rothschild swears she’s keeping that stolen Novak Djokovic shirt

THE woman filmed swooping for Novak Djokovic’s shirt at the Australian Open is Yael Rothschild. The intended recipient of the short was, reportedly, Melissa Cook, a 14-year-old with the ability to score fornt-row seats a Grand Slam final.

Do you pity her?

Says Cook to the Herald Sun:

“I started crying because I couldn’t believe that something I truly believe he meant for me was taken by someone else.”

Anorak

Posted: 1st, February 2012 | In: Sports | Comment (1)

In photos – many dead in riot between riot between fans of Egyptian football clubs Masry and al-Ahly

A RIOT at a football match in Egypt between Masry and al-Ahly has left many dead. Early reports put the number at 73. The BBC says 25. Right now, it;s guesswork.

Port Said side Masry won 3-1. And then violence came. Fans streamed on to the pitch, attacking secutoty , players and other fans.

Anorak

Posted: 1st, February 2012 | In: Key Posts, Sports | Comment

Isles of Scilly League is world’s smallest – Garisson Gunners v Woolpack Wanderers (every week!)

THIS is the league table for the Isles of Scilly League – the smallest registered football league (it’s affiliated with the FA) in world football.

Garisson Gunners and/or Woolpack Wanderers for the title? And which of them will win the TWO cups competitions?

Anorak

Posted: 1st, February 2012 | In: Sports | Comment

Everton fan handcuffs himself to Manchester City goal – in photos

WHO is the man who handcufded himself to the post at the Barclays Premier League match ebtween Everton and Manchester City at Goodison Park? With the scores tied at 0-0 (Everton would go on to win the game 1-0), the Everton fan emerged from the crowd and shackled himself to the frame of City keeper Joe Hart’s goal. Why? (That you, Boy George?)

Anorak

Posted: 31st, January 2012 | In: Sports | Comment

Gary Speed’s death for a non football fan

ALAS, I had no idea of Gary Speed’s existence until he ceased to be. How tragic to have reached the end of his life and not be known by me. Can there be sadder fates?

My first assumption on learning of the death of someone whose life was a matter of oblivion to me was: Ah, a satsuma moment. You know, man throttles himself for testicular release with the aid of fruit segment. Anoxia I think it’s called. It’s one of the tabloid faves and usually features a promising politician, RIP.

But no fruit segment was found by Gary’s side. Nor signs of testicular release. People said he was the happiest man that ever lived – he discussed footie morning, noon and night. Why would anyone want to kill themselves in such circs? I couldn’t help thinking: What a blessed release for the poor man.

Madame Arcati

Posted: 31st, January 2012 | In: Key Posts, Sports | Comments (35)

Joey Barton continues legacy of Alexander Graham Bell and Oliver Cromwell

JOEY Barton, the QPR player more famous for what he does off the pitch than on it, is writing for the Times. Barton has bult up big following on twitter by way of his barbed tweets and insights into his mind and reading matter.

This is Joey Barton who said:

“I’m not just Joey Barton, the kid from Huyton who plays football for Manchester City and can do what he wants when he steps off the pitch. I have to take responsibility because I’m a role model for kids. And kids will look at that and think, ‘ If he can do that kind of thing, so can I.’”

Barton once stubbed a lit cigar into the eye of Jamie Tandy, a reserve at Manchester City. Barton beat up Ousmane Dabo on the City training ground, punching his victim as lay bloody and barely conscious. No violent trend in following the role model’s antics ensued. It turned out that people were not so easily influenced by Joey Barton, after all.

He was jailed for six months on May 20 for assault and affray. Did anyone beat up a man in the street because Joey Barton had? Barton attacked a 16-year-old, breaking the youngsters teeth. Did anyone do a Joey?

Anorak

Posted: 31st, January 2012 | In: Sports | Comment

Alternative Olympic Sports: Tuna Tossing

ALTERNATIVE Olympic Sports features the turna toss at the 51st Tunarama Festival in Port Lincoln, Australia.

Jacqui Hockaday won the ladies event with a toss of 9.10 metres.

Matt Staunton from Perth took gold in the men’s event with a toss of 25-metres. He offers a handy coaching guide to would-0be tuna tossers:

“I found out earlier in the year that I didn’t have to do all the the running and jumping I normally do, so I’ve been able to dedicate myself to throwing so that means getting bigger and stronger. I’ve put on 10 kilos since last year and most of its muscle.”

Anorak

Posted: 31st, January 2012 | In: Sports | Comment

Gary Speed: inquest leaves questions unanswered

GARY Speed is dead. And the tabloids pile in on Louise Speed, the widow and mother to his two young sons.

The inquest into the death of the man who played football for Leeds, Newcastle, Everton, Bolton and Sheffield United found that he died by hanging. Why did he place a noose about his neck? We don’t know. The therapy industries spoke long and loud about how Speed was a depressive, making him the leader of a Suicide FC. The PFA issued a glamorous pamphlet reminding young footballers of famous faces who had suffered from mental illness. This was death by football. The private man would be defined by his job held in the public eye even after his death.

It’s unlikely we ever will know why Gary Speed died. We don’t even know if he killed himself – the coroner ruled an open narrative verdict, meaning Gary Speed could have died in an accident. Coronoer Rheinberg says it may have been a “dramatic gesture” gone wrong. The coroner stuck to the facts.

Anorak

Posted: 31st, January 2012 | In: Key Posts, Sports | Comments (3)

Luis Suarez is another Hillsborough – Liverpool fans might wonder

OVER in the Mirror, Simon Mullock produces a spot of prose that should have Liverpool fans scratching their heads or weeping:

Fighting for justice has become a way of life for Liverpool supporters. The quest to unearth the truth about the Hilborough tragedy has become part of Anfield’s rich tapestry over the past 23 years, of course. But in the three months since Manchester United last made the trip to Merseyside, another significant battle has been waged. The campaign to prove that Luis Suarez is not a racist.

Anorak

Posted: 30th, January 2012 | In: Sports | Comment

Gary Speed is dead – time to ruin Louise Speed’s life

GARY Speed’s widow Louise Speed has given evidence at the inquest into the death of the Wales manager.

Key points are:

* The coroner says he may have killed himself by accident
* The word depression is not mentioned once by the coroner
* Louise Speed says they had argued the night before she found his body – she had spent the night in the car
* Louise Speed says her husband texted her an idea that he might kill himself – but he swiftly discounted it and vowed to do best with the couple’s two sons

Anorak

Posted: 30th, January 2012 | In: Key Posts, Sports | Comment

Is it too late to call Paris over the LondonOlympics bill?

WHAT joy eh, yet another rise in the bill for the Olympics:

The true cost of the London 2012 Games for the UK taxpayer comes in at over £12 billion, £2.7 bn more than the 9.3bn budget, a Sky investigation has revealed.

And yes, that is 6 times the number the lying scum told us it would be before they bid for the damn foolery. Jeebus, do we really need to pay £12 billion to give athletes a drugs and sex jamboree?

But note that this isn’t the full number either. In fact, this number doesn’t even include the costs of staging the actual games at all.

Tim Worstall

Posted: 30th, January 2012 | In: Sports | Comment

Gary Speed’s accidental death – coroner sticks to the facts

SO. Why did Gary speed kill himself? Was it wilful? Was it an accident that he died? We don’t know.

The Leveson Inquiry into media standards and phone hacking debates caused the story of Gary Speed to be glossed over by the tabloids. The talk was of depression – although we heard no record of Speed being a sufferer. The therapy industries milked the death of the Wales manager, the PFA produced a glamorous booklet, and current and former players orchestrated their grief on twitter and in newspaper columns. The Daily Star wondered how many more footballers would die – turning the game into a death cult.

Anorak

Posted: 30th, January 2012 | In: Sports | Comments (2)

Gary Glitter to star at Superbowl

GARY Glitter is to make a mint fro the Super Bowl. The social pariah and twitter twatter also known as Paul Gadd Paul Gadd, a convicted child abuser, is to hear a cover of his hit 1972 track Rock And Roll Part II played at this year’s Superbowl.

Anorak

Posted: 30th, January 2012 | In: Sports | Comment

Woman ‘steals’ Novak Djokovic’s shirt at Australian Open

WHO is the woman in the crowd at the Melbourne Open nabbing Novak Djokovic’s shirt from the grip of its intended recipient?

Would you have done the same.

Anorak

Posted: 29th, January 2012 | In: Sports | Comments (10)

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic beats Rafael Nadal to win thrilling Australian open – photos

TENNIS. Who knew is was so utterly enthralling, uplifting and mesmeric? It’s not about clubby HRT-addled men and women in blazers screaming “Come on Tim!” or Scottish patriots clenching for Andy Murray. It’s about sport.

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic beat Rafael Nadal 5-7 6-4 6-2 6-7 7-5 to win the 2012 Australian Open in a game blessed with skills, vim, desire and oodles of charisma. Did you see the entire 5hr 53mins? If you did, you missed nothing outside or on the other channels. The weather was cold, as it typically is in a British winter. EastEnders was shouty and depressing on BBC1. Dickinson’s Real Deal was neither real nor a big deal on ITV. Hollyoaks on Channel 5 is aplty named after two kinds of tree, given the quality of the wooden acting and scripts.

Anorak

Posted: 29th, January 2012 | In: Sports | Comment

Liverpool fan arrested for calling Manchester United’s Patrice Evra a monkey? Call the race police

AND so it came to pass that one man in the stands saw fit to grunt and make monkey noise towards Patrice Evra, the Manchester United captain. Yesterday, we asked why Liverpool fans booed Evra. Their reasons are many. Liverpool versus United in the FA Cup was the first meeting between the clubs since Liverpool’s Luis Suarez was found him guilty of racially abusing Evra.

Today we wonder why one fan made like a monkey. This seems to be racist abuse. Polcie are talking the matter over with the 59-year-old from North Wales.

Chief Superintendent Jon Ward said:

“We can confirm that specialist officers are reviewing match footage, as a result of a picture posted on Twitter. This matter is now under investigation by specialist hate crime detectives.”

Anorak

Posted: 29th, January 2012 | In: Key Posts, Sports | Comments (23)

Kickboxing best friends settle the fight – video

WHEN two friends ended up facing each other in a knock-out kickboxing contest, their reaction was more Corinthian than Mourinho in spirit:

[reddit.]

Anorak

Posted: 29th, January 2012 | In: Sports | Comment

Anti-racist QPR lose to cheating Chelsea – photos

WAS it sensible for the FA to call off the pre-match shaking of hands when Anton Ferdinand’s QPR played John Terry’s Chelsea in the FA Cup? After the alleged racism – Terry is accused of racially abusing Ferdinand – and the nastiness, we’d say yes. The players shaking hands is a nicity the game can do without. It’s yet another modern contrivance with the aim of sanitising football and turning grounds into soulless places for TV extras. Good that the FA banned it this time. Now ban it completely.

Football is about the match.

Anorak

Posted: 28th, January 2012 | In: Sports | Comment

Why did Liverpool fans boo Manchester United’s Patrice Evra? -Photos

DID the Liverpool fans boo Manchester United’s Patrice Evra because he was the victim of racism or because he waved the imaginary yellow card, going to the referee after the match to complain that Luis Suarez had repeatedly called him “negro“?

Anorak

Posted: 28th, January 2012 | In: Sports | Comments (12)

Sun reader sends Anton Ferdinand bullet to shoot Chelsea’s John Terry with?

ANTON Ferdinand, the QPR player allegedly called a “f**king black c**t, f**king knobhead” in a racially abusive manner by Chelsea captain John Terry, has received a bullet in the post.

QPR are playing Chelsea in the FA Cup tomorrow. Much chatter has been about whether Ferdinand should shake Terry’s hand. The gift of a bullet seems to invite Anton to try his luck at something more daring and less legal. It is not known if Anton Ferdinand has a gun, but Chelsea’s Ashley Cole does. For once a football match could live up to its billing as a war.

The Sun reports:

Cops are investigating after the QPR defender received the chilling parcel the day before facing his club’s London rivals.

Anorak

Posted: 27th, January 2012 | In: Sports | Comments (2)

London Olympics Opening Ceremony: The Tempest, The NHS and Fearful Noises

WILL the London Olympics opening ceremony compete with the magnificence on show in China (and lose) or do what the country does best: innovation, wit, design, protest, self-awareness and style? Well, the ceremony will begin with a big ding-dong from a 27-tonne bell (inspired by Shakespeare’s play The Tempest). On the bell is the legend: “Be not afear the Isle is full of noises.”

Danny Boyle says of his £28m The Isle of Wonders show:

“It’s poisoned land — an industrial legacy we all have a responsibility for as urban dwellers…. [It will] capture something unique about Britain and our sense of humour. The idea will make sense. I thought we shouldn’t make any details available to keep it all as a surprise, but you can’t do that these days.”

Anorak

Posted: 27th, January 2012 | In: Sports | Comment