tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11608145129027846982024-02-19T15:23:33.852+00:00Ball TubeAll About Sport : Give a look, Leave a commentBallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.comBlogger239125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1160814512902784698.post-14749891972826287692011-05-26T04:08:00.000+01:002011-05-26T04:08:54.303+01:00Real Madrid sack director general Jorge Valdano<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="content-group" id="meta-information"> <h1>Real Madrid sack director general Jorge Valdano</h1></div><div id="story-body"> <span class="caption full-width" style="width: 464px;"> <img alt="Jose Mourinho and Jorge Valdano" height="261" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/52996000/jpg/_52996310_012072580-1.jpg" title="" width="464" /> Mourinho and Valdano together in happier times in May 2010 </span> <div class="introduction">Real Madrid director general Jorge Valdano has been sacked after a board meeting at the Bernabeu stadium.</div>"We have decided to end the contractual relationship with Jorge Valdano," said Real president Florentino Perez.<br />
Valdano's removal is part of a Real reorganisation that strengthens Jose Mourinho's position at the Madrid club.<br />
The pair fell out after Valdano queried Mourinho's request for another striker as cover for the injured Gonzalo Higuain earlier in the season.<br />
"The experience of this just completed season demonstrated a need for more autonomy, including within the coaching unit," said Perez.<br />
"Mourinho demanded an autonomy on the sporting side like that which works with English clubs. I think for the sake of the institution that this is a reorganisation that has to be done.<br />
"We signed the best coach in the world, so we want to be sure that even when he leaves one day and we sign another of the world's best, the structure is there."<br />
At a later media conference, Valdano revealed that he and Mourinho had not spoken "for a long time".<br />
"I am not the one who turned Real Madrid into a battlefield," said the Argentine. "All my efforts this season were directed toward restraint.<br />
"It has been a long time since I have spoken personally to Mourinho. We greet each other politely, but he sought to deal with people other than me.<br />
"My responsibilities with the first team were reduced. I did not feel comfortable in that situation."<br />
Real won its first Copa del Rey trophy in 18 years in Mourinho's first season in charge after an 1-0 extra-time win over rivals Barcelona.<br />
But Barca claimed a third successive La Liga title and also knocked Real out of the Champions League in the semi-finals.<br />
"I believe Jose Mourinho staying on is good for a club that's been unstable in the past," added Valdano.<br />
"It needs to settle for a reasonable period of time. He's done a good job, I believe he is a good coach and I find it normal that he stays on."<br />
Valdano, who played with Diego Maradona in Argentina's 1986 World Cup-winning team, coached Madrid to the Spanish league title in 1995 and played for several seasons at the club.<br />
The 55-year-old had two years on his current deal to run.<br />
</div></div>BallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1160814512902784698.post-10200275270393718522010-01-13T13:03:00.001+00:002010-01-13T13:03:51.098+00:00Serena Williams powers into Sydney semi-finals<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(70, 70, 70); font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><table border="0" cellspacing="0" align="right" width="226" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse: separate; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tbody style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47100000/jpg/_47100579_serena_getty_282.jpg" width="226" height="282" alt="Serena Williams" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="border-width: initial; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /><div class="cap" style="margin-top: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: normal; line-height: 13px; ">Williams is preparing to defend her title at the Australian Open</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="first" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Serena Williams made swift progress at the Sydney International with a crushing win over Russia's Vera Dushevina in the semi-finals.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The world number one swept to a 6-2 6-2 victory that sets up a clash with Aravane Rezai in the last four.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">France's world number 24 defeated Italian Flavia Pennetta 6-3 6-0.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Elena Dementieva saw off world number two Dinara Safina 6-2 6-3 and next faces sixth seed Victoria Azarenka, who beat Slovak Dominika Cibulkova 6-2 7-5.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Asked about her early-season form, Williams said: "I always try to get there usually around the semi-finals and finals of the Grand Slams.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"I'm just doing the best that I can now to get there. Hopefully I have a long way to go, which I think is always good."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">In the men's event, home favourite <b>Lleyton Hewitt</b> remains on course for a fifth Sydney title after beating Italian Andreas Seppi 6-0 6-2 to reach the last eight.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><br />"I could see in the early stages that conditions were going to be tough for all players out there today, and it always does get a little bit windy here at Homebush anyway.""It was perfect today, it was just what I needed," said Hewitt.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Fellow Australian <b>Peter Luczak</b> upset second seed Tomas Berdych 1-6 6-4 6-2, and Frenchman <b>Julien Benneteau</b> beat third seed Stanislas Wawrinka 6-3 5-7 7-6 (7-2).</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">There were straight-sets wins for <b>Richard Gasquet </b>and <b>Marcos Baghdatis</b> over Benjamin Becker and Viktor Troicki respectively.</p></span>BallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1160814512902784698.post-79101289214834402010-01-13T13:02:00.001+00:002010-01-13T13:02:58.228+00:00Ferrari out to beat Michael Schumacher and Mercedes<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47101000/jpg/_47101076_schu_getty_466x282.jpg" width="466" height="282" alt="Michael Schumacher and Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="border-width: initial; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /></div><div class="cap" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: normal; line-height: 13px; ">Domenicali (right) is using Schumacher's return as extra motivation at Ferrari</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="mvb" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/999999.gif" width="466" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="border-width: initial; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /><br /></div><p class="first" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali says Michael Schumacher's return to Formula 1 has fired up the Italian outfit and new recruit Fernando Alonso.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Schumacher, who won five world titles with Ferrari, is returning in 2010 with Mercedes, who won both titles in 2009 under their former guise, Brawn.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">But Domencali insists Ferrari have him in their sights, saying: "Michael's return is inner motivation to our team.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"Fernando is the only driver to defeat Michael and he wants to win."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Schumacher's renewed rivalry with Alonso, who beat him to the 2005 and 2006 championships when driving for Renault, is one of the most anticipated match-ups of the new season, alongside 2008 champion Lewis Hamilton's first competitive meeting with Schumacher.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Relationships between the seven-time world champion and Alonso soured during their championship battle in 2006.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">One flashpoint was when Schumacher deliberately crashed his car at slow speed to stop the Spaniard snatching pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Schumacher has never admitted to deliberately blocking the track but he was found guilty by race stewards and put to the back of the grid.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">It was Alonso's turn to be furious at the Italian Grand Prix later that year when he was demoted five places for allegedly holding up Schumacher's team-mate Felipe Massa in qualifying.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Alonso has now arrived at Ferrari as Massa's team-mate for 2010 and he donned the famous red kit for the first time this week at the team's annual winter sport's event at Italian ski resort Madonna di Campiglio.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Domenicali is relishing the battles ahead between his new Ferrari line-up and former employee Schumacher.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"Michael's return is further stimulus within our set-up," Domenicali added. "It has also triggered new interest and that is good for racing.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"We have two Latin drivers and it's a gush of fresh air which brings a sparkling, new environment. This will stimulate team work and has a positive impact on the group."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><i>More to follow.</i></p></span>BallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1160814512902784698.post-54772916220039048822010-01-13T13:01:00.001+00:002010-01-13T13:01:36.486+00:00Burnley appoint Brian Laws as new manager<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(70, 70, 70); font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><table border="0" cellspacing="0" align="right" width="226" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse: separate; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tbody style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47101000/jpg/_47101275_laws226.jpg" width="226" height="170" alt="Brian Laws" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="border-width: initial; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /><div class="cap" style="margin-top: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: normal; line-height: 13px; ">Laws is an ex-Clarets defender and takes over at Turf Moor</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="first" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Burnley have appointed Brian Laws as their new manager on a two-and-a-half-year contract.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The former Clarets player, 48, is a surprise appointment to succeed Owen Coyle, who joined Bolton last week.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Laws, sacked last month by Championship strugglers Sheffield Wednesday, had two interviews at Burnley to beat Doncaster's Sean O'Driscoll to the job.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">A press conference from Turf Moor is due to take place at 1530 GMT on Wednesday afternoon.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Burnley are lying 14th in the Premier League with 20 points from 20 games.</p></span>BallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1160814512902784698.post-81333432254647269832010-01-13T12:58:00.000+00:002010-01-13T12:59:39.562+00:00Top male tennis players to discuss World Cup proposals<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(70, 70, 70); font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><table border="0" cellspacing="0" align="right" width="226" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse: separate; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tbody style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47100000/jpg/_47100479_djokovic.jpg" width="226" height="170" alt="Novak Djokovic" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="border-width: initial; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /><div class="cap" style="margin-top: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: normal; line-height: 13px; ">Novak Djokovic was elected to the players council in June 2008</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="first" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Novak Djokovic says the world's top male players are to consider proposals for a biennial World Cup that would threaten the future of the Davis Cup.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The Serb said the idea for a 32-nation event came from the ATP Player Council, of which he is a member.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"It's all fresh and it's all ideas... we have to consider other sides as well," said the world number three.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Players are set to discuss plans for the 10-day male-only tournament at next week's Australian Open.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">According to The Times, World Cup matches would be shorter and, with a maximum of 25 seconds allowed between points, players would have to watch the clock.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Teams would consist of three players and a captain, with the 32 nations split into eight groups of four and 16 reaching the knockout stages.</p><table cellspacing="0" align="right" width="231" border="0" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse: separate; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tbody style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><td width="5" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="5" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="border-width: initial; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /></td><td class="sibStdQuote" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.3em; background-color: rgb(0, 51, 0); color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; "><div class="mva" style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 5px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; "><div id="q1" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; height: 13px; width: 20px; background-repeat: initial; float: left; background-image: url(http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sol/shared/img/v3/quotes/tennis/q1_std.gif); background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: initial initial; "></div><b>Players are the ones who are making the show and their opinions have to be greatly considered</b> <div id="q2" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; height: 13px; width: 20px; background-repeat: no-repeat; float: right; background-image: url(http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sol/shared/img/v3/quotes/tennis/q2_std.gif); "></div><br /></div></div><div class="mva" style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 5px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; "><div class="mva" style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 5px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; ">Novak Djokovic</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Each nation will be forced to make mid-match substitutions by fielding at least two players per tie.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The All England Club, the United States Tennis Association and Tennis Australia have reportedly all been informed.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Djokovic said the talks at the Australian Open, which starts on 18 January, would be "crucial for upcoming years".</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"This the bottom line," he added. "Without sponsors there wouldn't be a tournament; without tournaments, you know, players wouldn't exist.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"But still, players are the ones who are making the show and their opinions have to be greatly considered.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"This time I think that slowly things will get better. But these are things that cannot happen overnight."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"The top guys are not able to play all the matches that they would love to play for their nation," said the world number 24.Croatia's Ivan Ljubicic claimed players wanted to represent their country but believed the annual Davis Cup format had become outdated.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"It's because the format is not suited for the players at the moment. Our sport is going forward so you have to change something about it.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"Maybe it was perfect 20 or 30 years ago, but now it's really too much for us - best of five sets, three days in a row - and for sure the week after you can't play, the week before you can't play.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"And it's a shame because I'm 100% sure that every player would love to play for his nation.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"In fact, I'm not going to play Davis Cup any more for the same reason."</p></span>BallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1160814512902784698.post-41137016548017293512010-01-13T12:47:00.001+00:002010-01-13T12:56:43.524+00:00Yemen al-Qaeda link to Guantanamo Bay prison<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(70, 70, 70); font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>The failed Detroit airliner bomb attack on Christmas Day awakened the world to the threat from al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), a group that until then was hardly a household name.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "></p><table border="0" cellspacing="0" align="right" width="226" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tbody style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47096000/jpg/_47096025_al-qaeda226.jpg" width="226" height="170" alt="Said al-Shihri, left and Mohammed al-Awfi (January 2009)" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="border-width: initial; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 2px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; line-height: 13px; " /><div class="cap" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 2px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; line-height: 13px; ">Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) was formed in January 2009</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a young Nigerian who allegedly came within an ace of killing almost 300 passengers and crew with a bomb hidden in his underwear, said he had been trained and sent by its leaders.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">US President Barack Obama's embarrassment and anger at the potentially catastrophic failure of intelligence which allowed Mr Abdulmutallab to board the plane has been compounded by the revelation that two of AQAP's founders, Said al-Shihri and Mohammed al-Awfi, were both former Guantanamo detainees.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Several AQAP foot soldiers are also former Guantanamo prisoners.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">This only confirms the fears of critics vehemently opposed to Mr Obama's promise to close the prison camp by the end of this month.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Deviant ideology</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">In total, 111 Saudi detainees have been repatriated from Guantanamo.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Mr Obama's dilemma is dramatically illustrated by a BBC investigation into what happened to the 14 detainees of Batch 10, who were flown home to Saudi Arabia 18 months ago.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The government claims a 90% success rate and says that only 10 of the 111 former Guantanamo detainees absconded, crossing the border into Yemen.The Saudi government's aim was to put them, like all the other returnees, through its controversial de-radicalisation or Care programme, with a view to rehabilitating its "beneficiaries" in society.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">But Batch 10 certainly does not fit this picture.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">When the Saudi 747 jet carrying them landed in Riyadh, its passengers were greeted by the authorities not as heroes but as "victims" who had been brainwashed and misled by a deviant ideology.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">All went through the Care programme, but five later escaped to Yemen.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Increasing threat</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">There two of them, al-Shihri and al-Awfi, helped set up AQAP and then took part in the organisation's launch video.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The video was released on 22 January 2009, the day after Mr Obama announced that Guantanamo was to be closed down by 22 January 2010 - a deadline which will not be met.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">In the video al-Awfi savagely attacked the Saudi rehabilitation programme, perhaps an indication of the increasing threat it poses to al-Qaeda.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">It is no coincidence that last October an al-Qaeda suicide bomber, with explosives concealed in his rectum, tried to assassinate the eponymous founder of the centre, Prince Mohammed Bin Nayef, the Saudi deputy interior minister.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">He survived. The bomber did not.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The attack was a sign of the technical sophistication of al-Qaeda's Yemeni franchise, mirrored by the explosives hidden in Abdulmutallab's underpants on Christmas Day.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Capitulation</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Mohammed al-Awfi's is an extraordinary story. He went through the rehabilitation programme like the others from Batch 10, but then fled to Yemen where he starred in the al-Qaeda launch video.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Astonishingly al-Awfi later re-crossed the border into Saudi Arabia and gave himself up.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "></p><table border="0" cellspacing="0" align="right" width="226" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tbody style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47096000/jpg/_47096026_petertaylor_226.jpg" width="226" height="170" alt="Peter Taylor in Riyadh" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="border-width: initial; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 2px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; line-height: 13px; " /><div class="cap" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 2px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; line-height: 13px; ">Peter Taylor pictured in Riyadh, where he met Mohammed al-Awfi</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">I have never understood why he did so.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The Saudis told me it was because he had received a phone call from his wife telling him to return to look after her and the children.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The explanation caused me to raise a quizzical eyebrow. I was told it is not unknown for the Saudis to use families as bait.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Al-Awfi is now living in luxury accommodation in Riyadh's top security prison where he is being drained of every scrap of intelligence.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">He has all the comforts of home, a well furnished flat and regular visits by a grateful and relieved family.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">After long negotiations with the Ministry of the Interior, I was finally allowed to meet him for an interview.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Surprisingly for a former jihadi who had breathed such fire in the al-Qaeda video, he was gentle and unthreatening, with pristine white robes, and a red and white checked Saudi keffiyeh.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">His story and the reasons for his change of heart are well rehearsed.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Eighteen months earlier the interior ministry had video-taped the return of Batch 10.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">In it one of the first returnees to be seen boarding the plane is al-Awfi.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">He is dishevelled and appears to be in pain, the result, he told me, of being tortured by the Americans at Bagram airbase in Afghanistan six years earlier.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Al-Awfi claimed his US interrogators had done terrible things to him. He alleges they sat him on a chair, made a hole in the seat, and then "pulled out the testicles from underneath which they then hit with a metal rod".</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"They'd then tie up your penis and make you drink salty water in order to make you urinate without being able to do so, until they make you scream," he added.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Painful memories</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">I spoke to other former detainees who allege they had been subjected to electric shock treatment at Bagram and Kandahar.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">When I asked al-Awfi why the rehabilitation programme had not worked for him, he said it was because the memories of what he had suffered at the hands of Americans were far more powerful than any corrective inducements he had received in the Care programme.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">I asked him about his participation in the video.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Now securely in Saudi hands and surrounded by Saudi minders, he told me he had been forced into it.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"The al-Qaeda leadership there put pressure on me to appear," he said.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"I came and found a photocopied paper with a full text of what they wanted me to say. I even disagreed, but they said I had to recite all these things for political reasons."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">He says the recording took six hours and lasted until 0200 in the morning.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">I then asked al-Awfi why he had decided to return after making the video.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"I saw the truth," he said. "I saw that the path was a deviant path away from the sayings of the Prophet. Thanks to God Almighty's generosity, I realised that and I made a final decision to return to Saudi Arabia."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">I personally suspect there was much more to it than that though.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">But al-Awfi is alive, unlike another former detainee from Batch 10, Youssef Al-Shihri, who also joined al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Last October he crossed the border from Yemen into Saudi Arabia disguised in a burqa, with six others from Yemen to carry out a bomb attack.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The cell was intercepted by the Saudi security forces. Al-Shihri and another member of the cell were shot dead in the ensuing gun battle. Three loaded explosive belts were found in their car.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Bigger threats</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Two others returnees from Batch 10 - Murtadha Ali Saeed Magram and Turki Meshawi Zayid al-Assiri - are still at large in Yemen and on the Saudi wanted list.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">And what of Said al-Shihri who was on the same flight as al-Awfi and who later appeared with him in the al-Qaeda video?</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Al-Shihri now represents the biggest threat of all as he is believed to be second in command - the deputy leader - of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">In the video he declared "our imprisonment has only increased our persistence".</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">What happened in the skies above Detroit on Christmas Day is an indication of that.</p><br /></span>BallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1160814512902784698.post-81391205781376572012009-11-06T14:47:00.000+00:002009-11-06T14:48:12.220+00:00Chelsea transfer ban is suspended<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; color: rgb(70, 70, 70); font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><table border="0" cellspacing="0" align="right" width="226" cellpadding="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tbody style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46680000/jpg/_46680676_kakutabody226.jpg" width="226" height="170" alt="Gael Kakuta" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /><div class="cap" style="margin-top: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: normal; line-height: 13px; ">Kakuta, 18, joined Chelsea from French side Lens in 2007</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="first" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Chelsea's transfer ban has been temporarily suspended by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) pending a final decision on the matter.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Fifa had ruled the club could not sign players until 2011 after inducing Gael Kakuta to break his Lens contract.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">But Chelsea appealed to Cas, which said on Friday: "Such sanctions are now stayed until the Cas renders its final decision in this matter."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The decision means Chelsea will be able to sign players in January.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">No date has been given for a final decision from Cas but the case is not expected to be concluded until spring of next year.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Fifa had banned the Premier League leaders in September from any activity during the next two transfer windows after they were found guilty of inducing Kakuta, now aged 18, to breach his contract with French club Lens in 2007.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Under the terms of the original Fifa punishment, French teenager Kakuta was ordered to pay compensation of 780,000 euros (£710,000), for which Chelsea were "jointly and severally liable".</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Chelsea were also told to pay Lens "training compensation" of 130,000 euros (£118,000).</p></span>BallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1160814512902784698.post-11695955339465444622009-11-06T14:46:00.000+00:002009-11-06T14:47:29.717+00:00Woods and Watney share China lead<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; color: rgb(70, 70, 70); font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><table border="0" cellspacing="0" align="right" width="226" cellpadding="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tbody style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46678000/jpg/_46678622_008234844.jpg" width="226" height="170" alt="Tiger Woods" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /><div class="cap" style="margin-top: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: normal; line-height: 13px; ">Woods struggled on the front nine then produced five birdies in 10 holes</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "></p><p class="first" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Tiger Woods birdied the last to share the lead with fellow American Nick Watney after two days of the HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Woods carded a five-under 67, while Watney followed his superb opening-day 64 with a second round 70 to head the field at 10 under for the tournament.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Watney struggled until the turn on Friday, but he and Woods each produced four birdies on the back nine.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Phil Mickelson, Ryan Moore and Spain's Alvaro Quiros are a shot back.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Anthony Kim, Pat Perez and Brian Gay lie behind Mickelson and Moore near the top of a US-dominated leaderboard in China.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">German Race to Dubai contender Martin Kaymer fell away with a two-over 74 to drop six shots back, while European money list leader Lee Westwood is tied for 23rd place at three under after two solid but unspectacular rounds.</p><table cellspacing="0" align="right" width="231" border="0" cellpadding="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tbody style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><td width="5" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="5" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /></td><td class="sibStdQuote" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.3em; background-color: rgb(0, 78, 128); color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; "><div class="mva" style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 5px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; "><div id="q1" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; height: 13px; width: 20px; background-repeat: initial; float: left; background-image: url(http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sol/shared/img/v3/quotes/golf/q1_std.gif); background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: initial initial; "></div><b>I knew if I could play the back nine at three-under par, that would be a good number - and I did a couple better than that</b> <div id="q2" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; height: 13px; width: 20px; background-repeat: no-repeat; float: right; background-image: url(http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sol/shared/img/v3/quotes/golf/q2_std.gif); "></div><br /></div></div><div class="mva" style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 5px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; "><div class="mva" style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 5px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; ">Tiger Woods</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Fellow Englishman Ross Fisher bogeyed the last having found the water, dropping him to four under after two rounds, alongside compatriot Paul Casey and Kaymer.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Fisher was accompanied on his second round by Woods, who appeared angry at times on the front nine as he bogeyed the sixth.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">But, like Watney, the 33-year-old found his game as the day progressed.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Having rolled a lengthy eagle putt to within a couple of feet of the 18th hole, Woods tapped in to take a share of the lead.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"It was certainly a little bit frustrating," Woods said of his start to the day.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"I knew that if I could just basically play the back nine at three-under par, I figured that would be a good number. And I did a couple better than that.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"I was surprised at how difficult the pins were. Consequently, the guys didn't go as low, but still there were plenty of opportunities out there."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"I knew from the start that Tiger and Phil were in the field and it's no surprise to see them playing well," said the 28-year-old.Watney, asked how he would fare with Woods and Mickelson in such close attendance, insisted the focus would be on his own game.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"I need to go out and keep making birdies to have a shot at winning."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Fisher was named the European Tour's golfer of the month for October after Friday's action in Shanghai had concluded.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">In the wake of his victory in the Volvo World Match Play Championship, Fisher took the award ahead of Sweden's Michael Jonzon, who saved his Tour career by capturing the Castello Masters</p></span>BallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1160814512902784698.post-70550749414840794312009-11-06T14:45:00.000+00:002009-11-06T14:46:15.503+00:00Ferdinand injury 'not improving'<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; color: rgb(70, 70, 70); font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><table border="0" cellspacing="0" align="right" width="226" cellpadding="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tbody style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46680000/jpg/_46680249_rio466.jpg" width="226" height="170" alt="Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /><div class="cap" style="margin-top: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: normal; line-height: 13px; ">Defender Ferdinand could be out for longer than expected</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="first" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand faces a prolonged injury absence as the club try to find the cause of his problems.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The defender is out of Sunday's match at Chelsea with a calf injury, which manager Sir Alex Ferguson fears is related to a lower back problem.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"There has been no improvement," said Ferguson. "We are having to look at something different.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The injury is likely to rule Ferdinand out of England's friendly against Brazil in Qatar next week.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"Usually you are back from a calf injury within two or three weeks," added Ferguson.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"But there is no sign of recovery from this injury so we are looking at whether it is to do with his lower back."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">His last appearance was in the 2-0 defeat by Liverpool at Anfield, Ferdinand who turns 31 on Saturday, has missed Manchester United's last three games.Ferdinand, who missed the first month of the season after tearing a thigh muscle in training, has struggled with form this season, not helped by a nagging calf injury.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Fellow centre-back Nemanja Vidic has a niggling calf injury but is expected to face Chelsea in the top-of-the-table clash at Stamford Bridge.</p></span>BallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1160814512902784698.post-9352772943723417652009-11-06T14:43:00.000+00:002009-11-06T14:45:01.586+00:00Jeremy Guscott's tactical view<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; color: rgb(70, 70, 70); font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Wales will try to beat New Zealand for the first time in 56 years on Saturday, and despite the hosts' poor record against the All Blacks I think it will be a fantastic game.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">It will be one to excite all neutrals because both teams' natural way of playing is to attack.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">I think Wales will try to play in their usual high-tempo style - the only thing that might change is that they will kick a little bit more.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Where once Shane Williams, Leigh Halfpenny or James Hook might have automatically decided to run the ball back - I think coach Warren Gatland may have told them to be a bit smarter this time.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">He will have told them 'if there is a great defence coming up then you don't want to be caught too far behind your forwards'.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">At the same time he will have told them that if the chase is poor 'you three guys have got the ability to tear anybody to bits and make ground'.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The important people for Wales will be the ball carriers up front, such as captain Ryan Jones, who will have to be particularly careful because he carries in one direction - head on, with little footwork.</p><table border="0" cellspacing="0" align="right" width="226" cellpadding="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tbody style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46678000/jpg/_46678277_jones_get_226.jpg" width="226" height="282" alt="Ryan Jones on the attack for Wales against England" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /><div class="cap" style="margin-top: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: normal; line-height: 13px; ">Ryan Jones will not be able to just put his head down and charge</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">He will not get away with just putting his head down and making six or seven yards like he does for Ospreys, or sometimes in the Six Nations.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">These guys don't commit too many to the ruck and they'll just be waiting there to smash him back.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Gatland and assistant coach Rob Howley will have thought about this and said that, rather than attacking one pass out from the breakdown, we will need to use two passes to attack in a slightly wider channel.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The hard yards have to be made by people like Jones, Andy Powell, Alun-Wyn Jones and Gethin Jenkins.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">These guys have got to share the work and be smart about it, if they not they'll be hammered back - they'll be well aware of this.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">There's several ways for them to operate, with the first being that the scrum-half passes to the first of Wales' big ball carriers and he feeds it on to the man outside.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The second sees the scrum-half missing the first man and passing a bit further out, which is riskier, and a third option is that the scrum-half passes it to those guys, runs in behind and gets a return pass from one of the forwards and then the ball goes down the backline.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">They have to rotate those options.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The further out they can get, the more ground they are likely to make, and that will make the opposition think, well is it going to go short, is it going to be a little bit wider?</p><table cellspacing="0" align="right" width="231" border="0" cellpadding="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tbody style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><td width="5" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="5" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /></td><td class="sibStdQuote" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.3em; background-color: rgb(0, 49, 99); color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; "><div class="mva" style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 5px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; "><div id="q1" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; height: 13px; width: 20px; background-repeat: initial; float: left; background-image: url(http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sol/shared/img/v3/quotes/rugbyunion/q1_std.gif); background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: initial initial; "></div><b>I think Wales have a got a very good chance, I just think New Zealand have the edge </b><div id="q2" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; height: 13px; width: 20px; background-repeat: no-repeat; float: right; background-image: url(http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sol/shared/img/v3/quotes/rugbyunion/q2_std.gif); "></div><br /></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">In order for Wales to play with their usual speed it's very important that scrum-half Gareth Cooper gets to the breakdowns quickly and gets the ball out to Stephen Jones - from there we know how good this Welsh backline can be.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">One option is to take the direct route through centres Tom Shanklin and Jamie Roberts.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">They'll be up against Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith and they might be able to target Smith - he's not weak but he's certainly a little bit weaker than Nonu!</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Having said that, I would think about challenging Nonu because I think he's quite confrontational and if you can wind him up the wrong way - admittedly it's a fine line - it might be worth exploring.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">New Zealand are as good in attack as they are in defence.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">If Dan Carter is fit to play, and at the time of writing he has been named in their team, then there will be less kicking than if they are forced to turn to Stephen Donald at fly-half.</p><table border="0" cellspacing="0" align="right" width="226" cellpadding="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tbody style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46678000/jpg/_46678276_carter_get_282.jpg" width="226" height="282" alt="Dan Carter on the attack for New Zealand against England" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /><div class="cap" style="margin-top: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: normal; line-height: 13px; ">Carter is a fine distributor but is also a real threat with ball in hand himself</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Carter likes to go out a little bit wider and the All Blacks have known for a long time that the wider you get after a few phases, the more space there is.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Once it's gone from the scrum-half to Carter he'll wang it out to Smith and they'll look to use their dangerous runners outside like Mils Muliaina.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">It's just a shame winger Sitiveni Sivivatu is banned for the match because I like watching him play.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">They are particularly dangerous when their captain, Richie McCaw, turns the ball over, because teams attack flatter these days and the longer the ball takes to come out of a ruck, the flatter they get.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Then they realise it's turned over but they're flat-footed and this is when New Zealand are very clever, because Carter will bang it out to Smith and they'll go from there.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">For an illustration of how this works, see the graphic at the foot of the text.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The All Blacks attack very, very quickly and very, very wide and a lot of the time it's very difficult to defend.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">That's a difference between New Zealand and lot of other teams, because when they get that turnover ball a lot of teams will kick it and chase, whereas New Zealand tend to look first before kicking.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">If the kick's on then they will use it because they're very smart, but New Zealand try to play with a pace and tempo that teams cannot live with.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Unfortunately for Wales the All Blacks are coming off the back of quite a comfortable win against Australia in which they showed signs of playing some good rugby.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">McCaw was at his best and New Zealand turned over a lot of ball.</p><table border="0" cellspacing="0" align="right" width="226" cellpadding="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tbody style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46678000/jpg/_46678278_mccaw_get_226.jpg" width="226" height="170" alt="Richie McCaw secures possession for New Zealand" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /><div class="cap" style="margin-top: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: normal; line-height: 13px; ">McCaw is renowned for winning opposition ball in the tackle area</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Another thing to watch is the All Blacks when they defend - it is almost like they are attacking.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Watch their intensity at the breakdown at the weekend. No-one in the northern hemisphere will have seen the intensity we'll see on Saturday.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">It's not quite to the extent of lemmings going off a cliff, because they're not that silly, but they go flying in.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">A lot of the basis of rugby union is the contact area and the All Blacks have always prided themselves that they are more physical than most teams - that is the area that they go out to win.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">South Africa are the most physical side in the world at the moment and so far the All Blacks can't make a dent in the Springboks, but certainly up here they'll believe they have the edge in that department.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Wales have been in camp together for a long time but they've not had the luxury, and it is a big luxury, of playing a game together.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">It's a shame really because it doesn't bode well for them.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">I think Wales have a got a very good chance, I just think New Zealand have the edge, and for a number of reasons.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">They haven't lost to Wales for 56 years, they've played a game and Wales haven't, and they're in pretty good form.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">But I'm a big fan of Welsh rugby, and particularly the national side, and the only barrier they have is mental because they should believe that almost player for player they're as good as New Zealand, and better in some areas.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Overall it's a very good match-up but Wales have a mental hang-up over New Zealand and there's only one way they can get rid of that, and that's to beat them.</p></span>BallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1160814512902784698.post-30931811742048758102009-11-04T19:21:00.000+00:002009-11-04T19:22:51.782+00:00Wilkinson has been injury free since moving to French club Toulon Fly-half Jonny Wilkinson will win his first England cap for 18 months as one of th<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><table border="0" cellspacing="0" align="right" width="226" cellpadding="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tbody style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46669000/jpg/_46669270_renaultafp466.jpg" width="226" height="170" alt="Fernando Alonso's Renault at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /><div class="cap" style="margin-top: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: normal; line-height: 13px; ">Renault could become the fourth manufacturer to quit F1 in a year</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="first" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Renault have held an emergency board meeting in Paris to discuss pulling out of Formula 1 with immediate effect.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The French car company was considering whether to remain in the sport with its own team, switch to simply being an engine supplier or quit altogether.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The outcome of Wednesday's meeting was not immediately forthcoming.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">News of Renault's possible exit comes on the day Toyota said it was quitting F1, becoming the third car company to leave the sport in the last 11 months.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Renault's emergency board meeting was attended by F1 team bosses Bob Bell and Jean-Francois Caubet, although neither man was allowed to take part in the debate about the team's future.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The company came under scrutiny for the team's involvement in the Singapore 2008 race-fixing scandal, in which they decided not to contest charges that they had asked Nelson Piquet Jr to crash to aid team-mate Fernando Alonso's bid for victory.Renault have had their least competitive F1 season since 2001 and finished eighth out of 10 teams in the constructors' championship after Sunday's final race of the season in Abu Dhabi.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Motorsport's governing body the FIA gave Renault a ban from F1, suspended for two years, as punishment, while team bosses Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds were forbidden from attending FIA-sanctioned events.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Last month, Renault signed the highly-rated Polish driver Robert Kubica to lead their team in 2010 as a replacement for double world champion Alonso, who has moved to Ferrari.</p></span>BallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1160814512902784698.post-70732799708849987892009-11-04T19:16:00.000+00:002009-11-04T19:20:48.911+00:00England pick Wilkinson & Thompson<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; color: rgb(70, 70, 70); font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46666000/jpg/_46666759_wilkinson_credit.jpg" width="466" height="282" alt="Jonny Wilkinson pictured during training with England" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /></div><div class="cap" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: normal; line-height: 13px; ">Wilkinson has been injury free since moving to French club Toulon</div></div><br /><p class="first" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Fly-half Jonny Wilkinson will win his first England cap for 18 months as one of three World Cup winners recalled to the side to face Australia on Saturday.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Hooker Steve Thompson makes his first Test start since 2006 while flanker Lewis Moody also returns in the pack.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Number eight Jordan Crane and inside centre Shane Geraghty, both 23, get first Test starts, while prop David Wilson, 24, starts only his second.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The uncapped pair of Courtney Lawes and Ayoola Erinle are both on the bench.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">England boss Martin Johnson lost 11 of his original 32-man squad to injury in the lead-up to the match, including seven probable starters.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Thompson, 31, completes a remarkable international comeback after being forced to retire from the game in April 2007 by a serious neck injury.And the team which will run out at Twickenham will contain only four survivors - captain Steve Borthwick, Tom Croft, Ugo Monye and Care - from last season's 28-14 loss to Australia.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The former Northampton hooker sought a second opinion and then paid back a £500,000 insurance cheque before returning to action with Brive later that year.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">He was recalled to the international fold for the summer series against Argentina, earning his 48th cap when he came on as a last-minute replacement in the win at Old Trafford.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Dylan Hartley's hamstring problems over the last week opened the door and Hartley, who succeeded Thompson in the number two shirt at Northampton, has to settle for a place on the bench.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"Steve probably realised what he was missing and had the desire to come back," Johnson said of his former team-mate.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"It is good to have that experience among the younger players.""He got himself into shape, worked really hard and he has been fantastic for us these last 10 days, as he was in the summer.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Thompson and Wilkinson will feature in the same England team for the first time since the 2003 World Cup final against the Wallabies.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Wilkinson's career has been ravaged by injuries since he kicked England to victory in 2003 and the serious knee injury he suffered playing for Newcastle last September means he has not played a Test since the last game of the 2008 Six Nations against Ireland.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">However, since regaining full fitness and moving to French side Toulon in the summer, he has been injury free.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Johnson praised the leadership Wilkinson, who will win his 71st cap on Saturday, has brought to the camp.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"He has just been Jonny Wilkinson. He gets on with what he does and does it very well," said the England boss.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"His leadership of the group has been fantastic, particularly his communication with the younger players.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Monye, normally a winger but who has been playing at full-back for Harlequins this season, will fill the number 15 shirt with Bath's Matt Banahan and Sale's Mark Cueto on the wings."These guys have seen what he has done for England over the past 10 years. It's a tremendous amount."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"Ugo's a very composed, mature guy and I think he will handle that position very well," Johnson added. "He has showed real leadership this week with the back three."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Geraghty and Dan Hipkiss form the centre partnership while Danny Care edges out Paul Hodgson for the scrum-half shirt.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Crane, who has previously won two caps off the bench, makes his first Test start in an all-Leicester back row alongside Croft and Moody.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">In the front row Thompson packs down between Wilson, who wins his third cap, and Wasps loose-head Tim Payne, while Borthwick and Louis Deacon continue the second row partnership which started both summer Tests against Argentina.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Northampton lock Lawes, 20, is likely to make his Test debut at some stage from the bench.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"He can have an impact carrying the ball, he can have an impact defensively, his set-piece work is good," Johnson noted.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"He's 20 years old and he has got a huge amount of potential to get even better. He has adapted very well, picked it all up very quickly and he has a big future in the game."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "></p><hr style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; background-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); height: 1px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>England team to face Australia: </b>U Monye (Harlequins); M Cueto (Sale Sharks), D Hipkiss (Leicester), S Geraghty (Northampton), M Banahan (Bath); J Wilkinson (Toulon), D Care (Harlequins); T Payne (Wasps), S Thompson (Brive), D Wilson (Bath), L Deacon (Leicester), S Borthwick (Saracens, capt), T Croft (Leicester), L Moody (Leicester), J Crane (Leicester).</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Replacements:</b> D Hartley (Northampton), D Bell (Bath), C Lawes (Northampton), J Haskell (Stade Francais), P Hodgson (London Irish), A Goode (Brive), A Erinle (Biarritz).</p></span>BallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1160814512902784698.post-49980331291052732462009-10-23T14:11:00.003+01:002009-10-23T14:19:51.654+01:00Moyes defends Everton after rout<table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="226"><tbody><tr><td><div> <img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46595000/jpg/_46595788_everton226.jpg" alt="Everton are thumped in Portugal" border="0" vspace="0" width="226" height="170" hspace="0" /> <div class="cap">Everton remain second in Group I despite their hammering in Portugal</div> </div> </td></tr> </tbody></table> <!-- E IIMA --> <!-- S SF --><p class="first"><b>Everton manager David Moyes had nothing but praise for his young team after they were humbled 5-0 at Benfica.</b></p><p>Moyes was missing 11 players for their Uefa Europa League game in Lisbon and said: "It was the best team we had and the players did everything they could. </p><p>"Only one of the defence played in their normal position and Seamus Coleman made his debut, but that's what we had, we didn't have any options. </p><p>"There were some mistakes for goals, but I've only got praise for them." </p><!-- E SF --><p>The Toffees' injury problems are mounting ahead of Sunday's Premier League match against Bolton, with Leighton Baines suffering a calf problem before the Benfica tie and winger Diniyar Bilyaletdinov finishing the game with a strapping on his thigh.</p> <!-- S IBOX --> <!-- E IBOX --> <p>Moyes added: "We will need to assess Diniyar when we get back as well. I am not sure yet who might be fit for the weekend. </p><p>"Maybe if I could have told the fans what sort of team I'd have to put out a couple of days ago some of them wouldn't have travelled, but I couldn't do that. </p><p>"The boys came up against some serious players tonight. They are professionals and when you are out there you do your best, so I've praised them, but also they've seen the level they need to get to. </p><p>"I'm not sure it was a five-goal game, the scoreline hurts, of course it does." </p><p>Everton had won their first two Group I games in the Europa League and sit second in the table behind the Portuguese giants, who they meet again at Goodison Park on 5 November. </p><p>"I'm looking forward to playing Benfica again when we've got a couple of players back from injury," stated Moyes. </p><p>"It would have been nice to be able to put out my first team and see what might have happened. </p><p>"Benfica have a good attitude and showed their attacking qualities in the second half. They capitalised on several mistakes we made in that spell and took their opportunities very well." </p>BallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1160814512902784698.post-12019464258318729332009-10-23T14:11:00.002+01:002009-10-23T14:19:08.379+01:00Boro delay Strachan announcement<table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="226"><tbody><tr><td><div> <img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46596000/jpg/_46596474_strachan226.jpg" alt="Gordon Strachan" border="0" vspace="0" width="226" height="170" hspace="0" /> <div class="cap">Strachan has previously managed Coventry, Southampton and Celtic</div> </div> </td></tr> </tbody></table> <!-- E IIMA --> <!-- S SF --><p class="first"><b>Championship side Middlesbrough have delayed appointing former Celtic boss Gordon Strachan as their new manager.</b></p><p>Chairman Steve Gibson told BBC Tees on Wednesday that he hoped to name Gareth Southgate's replacement before Saturday's trip to Preston. </p><p>But it is now believed that there will be no announcement for at least the next 48 hours. </p><p>Boro confirmed on Thursday that first team coach Colin Cooper would take charge at Deepdale. </p><!-- E SF --><p>He will be assisted by fellow coach Steve Agnew and goalkeeping coach Stephen Pears. </p><p>Strachan, 52, left Celtic in May and has also managed Coventry and Southampton.</p> <!-- S IBOX --> <table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="231"> <tbody><tr> <td width="5"><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" width="5" height="1" hspace="0" /></td> <td class="sibStdQuote"> <div> <div class="mva"> <div id="q1"></div> <b>Promotion is the only objective for the season</b> <div id="q2"></div><br /> </div> </div> <div class="mva"> <div class="mva">Boro chairman Steve Gibson</div> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <!-- E IBOX --> <p>Former England defender Southgate was dismissed on Tuesday, just hours after his team defeated Derby 2-0. </p><p>The victory took Boro to fourth in the Championship, one point adrift of top spot, following relegation from the Premier League last season. </p><p>Gibson appointed rookie managers Bryan Robson, Steve McClaren and Southgate during his reign as chairman at the Riverside Stadium, but indicated he wanted a more experienced name in charge - with Strachan fitting the bill. </p><p>BBC 5 live's chief football reporter Ian Dennis said: "Strachan will be charged with realising Gibson's objective of winning promotion at the first attempt. </p><p>"Middlesbrough are just one point from the top - and Strachan will inherit a splendid opportunity." </p><p>Boro had suffered three defeats at home already this season, the latest of which came against Watford on Saturday.<br /></p> <!-- E IBOX --> <p>"When I sat down and considered our start to the season, I felt that the league table was actually more favourable than some of our performances," Gibson's statement on the club website read. </p><p>"Then I looked at the important games against the teams immediately around us, and took those results into account. </p><p>"In general the results and the performances have not been to the level I would have hoped for. </p><p>"Before last night, our five home games had brought in seven points. That will not get us promoted - and promotion is the only objective for the season."</p> <!-- Inline Embbeded Media --> <!-- This is the embedded player component --> <div class="videoInStoryC"> <div id="emp_8319086" class="emp" style="text-align: center;"> <img name="holdingImage" class="holding" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46586000/jpg/_46586793_middlesbrough_derby_512.jpg" alt="Middlesbrough v Derby" /> </div> <!-- caption --><p class="caption">Middlesbrough 2-0 Derby (UK only)</p><!-- END - caption --> </div> <!-- end of the embedded player component --> <!-- END of Inline Embedded Media --> <p>Strachan is a former Scotland international midfielder who played for Dundee, Aberdeen, Manchester United, Leeds and Coventry during a successful career. </p><p>He became player-manager of Coventry in 1996 and remained at the club until his dismissal at the end of the 2000-01 season. </p><p>Strachan took over at Saints in October 2001 and took the club to the 2003 FA Cup Final before resigning in February 2004. </p><p>The Scot succeeded Martin O'Neill as Celtic boss and won the SPL title in three consecutive seasons. He left the club after failing to retain the title last season. </p>BallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1160814512902784698.post-85766513203689830202009-10-23T14:11:00.001+01:002009-10-23T14:17:51.645+01:00Rooney has missed Man Utd's last two games<p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">TEAM NEWS</span></p> <!-- S IIMA --> <table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="226"> <tbody><tr><td> <div> <img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46597000/jpg/_46597032_008097720-1.jpg" alt="Wayne Rooney has missed the last two games" border="0" vspace="0" width="226" height="170" hspace="0" /> <div class="cap">Rooney has missed Man Utd's last two games</div> </div> </td></tr> </tbody></table> <!-- E IIMA --> <!-- S SF --><p class="first"><b>Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson claims Wayne Rooney faces an "uphill fight" to face Liverpool.</b></p><p>Rooney has missed the last two games with a calf injury. Darren Fletcher (groin) is a doubt, but Ryan Giggs and Patrice Evra return. </p><p>Liverpool's dire injury situation looks to be easing, with Fernando Torres (thigh) hopeful of returning. </p><p>Glen Johnson is fit after a groin strain, but Steven Gerrard is still struggling with a similar complaint. </p><!-- E SF --><p></p><hr /><p><b>Liverpool</b></p><p><b>Suspended</b>: None </p><p><b>Doubtful</b>: Gerrard (groin), Kelly (ankle), Riera (hamstring),<br />Torres (thigh) </p><p><b>Injured/unavailable:</b> Aquilani (fitness), Dossena (groin), Kyrgiakos (knee) </p><p><b>Manchester United</b></p><p><b>Suspended</b>: None <b>Doubtful</b>: Fletcher (groin), Rooney (calf) </p><p><b>Injured</b>: Park (knee)<br /></p> <div class="ch1"><b>MATCH PREVIEW</b></div> <p> Beach balls are banned, but is it nearly time for Liverpool to throw in the towel that is sold as part of the set? Defeat against Manchester United would represent Liverpool's worst run of form for 56 years and leave a ten-point chasm between these sides. </p> <!-- S IBOX --> <table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="231"> <tbody><tr> <td width="5"><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" width="5" height="1" hspace="0" /></td> <td class="sibStdQuote"> <div> <div class="mva"> <div id="q1"></div> <b>We are not thinking about losing to United...we have beaten them before - twice last season - and we must do that again</b> <div id="q2"></div><br /> </div> </div> <div class="mva"> <div class="mva">Javier Mascherano, Liverpool</div> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <!-- E IBOX --> <p>Liverpool pushed United until the penultimate game of last season's title race, but could end the day virtually out of this one barely two months into the campaign. </p><p>Liverpool's official club merchandise Beach Set sold out in the wake of the giant red ball that deflated them at Sunderland last weekend. Manchester United fans are suspected of being behind the sudden demand, but a vigorous search policy at the turnstiles is likely to deprive them of a tribute to Darren Bent's winning goal at the Stadium of Light. </p><p>Nonetheless, the visitors arrive in buoyant mood, having maintained their 100% winning record in Europe in midweek to extend their unbeaten run to 11 games in all competitions. </p><p>By contrast, Liverpool have lost their last four games to leave their league and European prospects on a knife-edge. United, though, know not to write off their rivals; Liverpool won without Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard in the starting line-up when the clubs met at Anfield last season. </p><p></p> <div class="ch1"><b>MATCH FACTS</b></div> <p><b>Head-to-head</b></p><p>• Liverpool beat Manchester United home and away in the league last season for the first time in seven years. The 4-1 scoreline at Old Trafford was United's heaviest home defeat since New Year's Day 1992. </p><p>• Manchester United have won five and drawn one of their last seven visits to Anfield in the league. </p><p>• United have the best Premier League record of any club against Liverpool, with 18 wins and 61 points.</p> <!-- S IBOX --> <!-- E IBOX --> <p><b>Liverpool</b></p><p>• Liverpool have lost four successive matches in all competitions - their worst run for more than 22 years. </p><p>• It is 56 years since they last lost five consecutive matches. In August and September 1953 they were beaten by Bolton, Newcastle, Preston, Wolves and Tottenham in the top flight. They finished bottom of the division that season and were relegated. </p><p>• Defeat would mean they have lost half of their opening 10 league games for the first time since 1993. </p><p>• Liverpool have scored 15 goals in their four league matches at Anfield this season - only Arsenal have scored more home goals in the division prior to this weekend. </p><p><b>Manchester United</b></p><p>• Manchester United are on an 11-match unbeaten streak in all competitions. They have won 10 and drawn one. </p><p>• They are winless in their last four trips to Big Four opposition, losing three times, since a 1-0 victory at Liverpool in December 2007. </p><p>• United are the only team not to concede a goal from a set-piece in the Premier League this season. </p><p>• Ryan Giggs has scored 99 Premier League goals for United, and Paul Scholes has 98. </p><p>• Michael Carrick is set to make his 100th league appearance for the club, while Patrice Evra and Dimitar Berbatov are poised for the 100th Premier League starts of their career. </p><p></p> <div class="ch1"><b>LEADING GOALSCORERS</b></div> <p></p> <!-- S IIMA --> <table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="58"> <tbody><tr><td> <div> <img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46597000/jpg/_46597905_torres5855.jpg" alt="Fernando Torres" border="0" vspace="0" width="58" height="55" hspace="0" /> </div> </td></tr> </tbody></table> <!-- E IIMA --> <p><b>Liverpool</b></p><p>Torres: 8 goals (8 league); Kuyt: 4 goals (3 league) </p><p></p> <!-- S IIMA --> <table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="58"> <tbody><tr><td> <div> <img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46597000/jpg/_46597906_rooney5855.jpg" alt="Wayne Rooney" border="0" vspace="0" width="58" height="55" hspace="0" /> </div> </td></tr> </tbody></table> <!-- E IIMA --> <p><b>Manchester United</b></p><p>Rooney: 7 goals (6 league); Berbatov: 3 goals (3 league) </p><p></p> <div class="ch1"><b>MATCH OFFICIALS</b></div> <p><b>Referee</b>: Andre Marriner </p><p><b>Assistant referees</b>: Adam Watts & Patrick Keane </p><p><b>Fourth official</b>: Peter Walton </p><p></p> <div class="ch1"><b>LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS</b></div> <p><b>Liverpool </b>(L0-1 v Sunderland, a): Reina; Johnson, Agger, Skrtel (Voronin 72), Carragher, Babel (Ngog 81), Lucas, Aurelio, Spearing (Mascherano 72), Benayoun, Kuyt. Subs not used: Cavalieri, Riera, Insua, Kelly. </p><p><b>Manchester United </b>(W2-1 v Bolton, h): Van der Sar; Neville, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra (O'Shea 83), Valencia, Carrick, Anderson (Scholes 86), Giggs, Owen (Welbeck 83), Berbatov. Subs not used: Kuszczak, Brown, Nani, Macheda. </p>BallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1160814512902784698.post-62825497634954178072009-10-23T14:11:00.000+01:002009-10-23T14:16:32.083+01:00Todt elected as Mosley successor<tr><td colspan="2"><div class="mxb"><h1></h1> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="storybody"> <!-- S BO --> <!-- S IIMA --> <div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46598000/jpg/_46598519_todtnew466.jpg" alt="Jean Todt and his partner Michello Yeoh" border="0" vspace="0" width="466" height="282" hspace="0" /></div> <div class="cap" style="text-align: center;">Todt will succeed Mosley as president of the FIA</div> </div> <br /> <!-- E IIMA --> <!-- S SF --><p class="first"><b>Jean Todt will succeed Max Mosley as the new head of motorsport's world governing body, the FIA, after winning the presidential election in Paris.</b></p><p>The former Ferrari team boss claimed 135 votes compared to 49 cast for his rival Ari Vatanen with 12 abstentions. </p><p>Todt, 63, was the favourite to win the vote after being backed by Mosley, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone and seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher. </p><p>The vote brings an end to Mosley's controversial 16-year reign. </p><!-- E SF --><p>"Jean Todt has been elected president of the FIA for a four-year term by the FIA General Assembly at its annual meeting in Paris," an FIA statement said. </p><p>Schumacher, who had accompanied Todt to the meeting, added: "It's positive, very positive." </p> <!-- S IBOX --> <table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="231"> <tbody><tr> <td width="5"><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" width="5" height="1" hspace="0" /></td> <td class="sibStdQuote"> <div> <div class="mva"> <div id="q1"></div> <b>My team's approach will be based on consensus not confrontation</b> <div id="q2"></div><br /> </div> </div> <div class="mva"> <div class="mva">Jean Todt</div> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <!-- E IBOX --> <p>Mosley had agreed he would not stand for a fifth term as president as part of a peace deal struck in July to end the threat of a breakaway championship by Formula 1 teams. </p><p>Following his decision, Mosley immediately endorsed Todt ahead of Vatanen, who had already put himself forward as a candidate. </p><p>Todt and Vatanen, who worked together on the Peugeot rally team in the 1980s, fought an increasingly bitter campaign to succeed Mosley. </p><p>Both presented themselves as the candidate for change and harmony. </p><p>Among Todt's proposals is the introduction of a new commissioner to oversee the running of F1, as well as the other FIA championships. </p><p>The Frenchman also wants to examine improvements to the stewards' decision-making process. </p><p>Todt said before voting began: "My team's approach will be based on consensus not confrontation. </p><p>"We want to further develop F1 so that it benefits all those involved, from teams to fans. </p><p>"As the regulator of a hugely competitive and technically complex sport we will also establish an independent disciplinary panel to investigate breaches of the rules and to recommend the most appropriate response." </p> <!-- S IBOX --> <!-- E IBOX --> <p>Mosley's presidency has become identified with a period of political strife in F1, with a series of damaging rows in recent years. </p><p>Ill-feeling and suspicion remain and the F1 teams are concerned that the election of Todt, who Mosley has publicly backed as his successor, would effectively be a continuation of the Mosley era. </p><p>That belief is enhanced because Mosley, as an ex-president, will retain a seat on the FIA Senate, the powers of which Todt wants to extend. </p><p>As part of Todt's team, Nick Craw, who is president of the Automobile Competition Committee for the United States, becomes president of the FIA Senate. </p><p>Mosley's public backing of Todt infuriated Vatanen and led him to instigate legal proceedings last week to ensure the transparency and fairness of the election. </p><p>The Finn has now withdrawn that lawsuit after he, Todt and Mosley agreed a procedure for the election in Paris. </p><p>The secret ballot at Paris' Intercontinental Hotel were supervised by an external Huissier de Justice, a French state-appointed public witness. </p><p>The votes were then counted in private by the FIA legal department, under the supervision of scrutineers proposed by the two presidential candidates and designated by the General Assembly. </p><p>The votes will be now be sequestered for 12 months. </p><p>Todt developed a reputation in F1 as a divisive figure during his 15 years as Ferrari team principal. </p> <!-- S IIMA --> <table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="226"> <tbody><tr><td> <div> <img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46599000/jpg/_46599184_schumachertodt.jpg" alt="Jean Todt and Michael Schumacher" border="0" vspace="0" width="226" height="282" hspace="0" /> <div class="cap">Todt was at Schumacher's side as he won five drivers' titles with Ferrari</div> </div> </td></tr> </tbody></table> <!-- E IIMA --> <p>That image is at odds with the one painted by former Ferrari team members and drivers, who are largely effusive about his skills as a team-builder and manager. </p><p>Todt says he stands for "consensus not conflict", and he points out that he has already met the F1 Teams' Association, Fota, to discuss his plans. </p><p>Fota president Luca di Montezemolo, who is also president of Ferrari, welcomed Todt's appointment. </p><p>"I have always appreciated his ability, dedication and commitment," he said. </p><p>"I am sure that, under his guidance, the federation will be rejuvenated and will restore a climate open to dialogue and constructive collaboration with the teams and Fota, thus ensuring stability of the regulations and the whole environment." </p><p>Todt began his career in motorsport as a co-driver in the world rally championship, winning the manufacturers' title with Talbot Lotus before retiring in 1981. </p><p>After a successful spell in charge of rally teams, he moved to Ferrari and in 1996 he persuaded Schumacher and technical director Ross Brawn to join him. </p><p>Ferrari went on to win 13 world titles, including six constructors' championships in a row from 1999 to 2004. </p><p>After seeing Stefano Domenicali installed as team boss in 2008, Todt severed his ties with the Italian team in March this year. </p><p>The 63-year-old now begins another new era as Mosley's successor to the FIA presidency. </p></td></tr>BallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1160814512902784698.post-67713583661179608822009-10-23T14:10:00.000+01:002009-10-23T14:14:16.084+01:00Button in frame for McLaren drive<div class="mvb"><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/999999.gif" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" width="466" height="1" hspace="0" /><br /> </div> <!-- E IBYL --> <!-- S IIMA --> <table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="226"> <tbody><tr><td> <div> <img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46597000/jpg/_46597494_button_ham226x170.jpg" alt="Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton" border="0" vspace="0" width="226" height="170" hspace="0" /> <div class="cap">Button and Hamilton would make a strong line-up at McLaren</div> </div> </td></tr> </tbody></table> <!-- E IIMA --> <!-- S SF --><p class="first"><b>New world champion Jenson Button has emerged as a contender to join Lewis Hamilton in what would be a mouth-watering line-up at McLaren in 2010.</b></p><p>The Englishman has yet to sign a new contract for Brawn and McLaren are interested having so far failed to secure first choice Kimi Raikkonen. </p><p>"We've talked to a number of drivers," said team boss Martin Whitmarsh. </p><p>"It wouldn't be appropriate to say more than that. We'll hire the two best drivers available as we always have." </p><!-- E SF --><p>Button's manager Richard Goddard refused to comment on whether he had held talks with McLaren, but told BBC Sport: "Brawn could have sorted Jenson out weeks ago and none of this would be going on. </p><p>"We've been trying to agree terms with them. He's made it clear he wants to stay and had they agreed a contract there would be no speculation.</p> <!-- S IBOX --> <table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="231"> <tbody><tr> <td width="5"><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" width="5" height="1" hspace="0" /></td> <td class="sibStdQuote"> <div> <div class="mva"> <div id="q1"></div> <b>A lot of quality seats may still be available so it's down to Brawn to make us an offer</b> <div id="q2"></div><br /> </div> </div> <div class="mva"> <div class="mva">Richard Goddard<br />Jenson Button's manager </div> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <!-- E IBOX --> <p>"The press will speculate that anyone with a free seat next year will be offering Jenson a drive - he has displayed his great talent in a good car this year. </p><p>"That speculation won't die until Brawn offer him new terms. </p><p>"A lot of quality seats may still be available so it's down to Brawn to make us an offer. But this stuff certainly did not stem from us." </p><p>Raikkonen, who is also being chased by Toyota after being forced to leave Ferrari to make way for Fernando Alonso, has not yet decided on his future and McLaren are exploring other possibilities. </p><p>Their back-up plan if Raikkonen turned them down was to retain his fellow Finn Heikki Kovalainen, despite their reservations about his performances in races. </p><p>But following Button's failure so far to agree terms on a new contract with Brawn, they are now understood to be interested in him - which would put the two most recent world champions, and two Britons, in one highly marketable line-up. </p><p></p> <!-- S IBOX --> <!-- E IBOX --> <p>The Button-McLaren link first emerged in two national newspapers on Friday but it is understood there is substance in the story. </p><p>Button said on Tuesday that he wanted to stay with Brawn but that the team had yet to start substantive negotiations on a new deal. </p><p>Sources in F1 say the two parties have so far failed to agree on Button's salary. </p><p>He took a pay cut from £10m to £3m over the winter to help secure the survival of Brawn, which emerged from the ashes of the Honda team after the Japanese company decided to quit F1 last December. </p><p>But now he is world champion he is said to be looking for a pay rise more substantial than the one Brawn are offering. </p><p>McLaren, one of the better funded teams on the grid, would be able to pay more money than Brawn. </p><p>Button may also consider that McLaren are likely to have a faster car than Brawn in 2010, having already overtaken them for pace this year despite a poor start to the season. </p><p>But Button might be wary of teaming up with Hamilton, who is widely regarded as the out-and-out fastest driver on the grid. </p><p>Cynics will claim that the Button-McLaren link could have been leaked for one of two reasons. </p><p>It could be either a means for Button to get Brawn to up their offer to him, or it could be a way of McLaren trying to persuade Raikkonen to make up his mind. </p><p>In the background, there is also the fact that McLaren's long-term engine partner Mercedes is considering buying a large stake in the Brawn team, a move that is not popular in some parts of McLaren. </p>BallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1160814512902784698.post-46821081583986206662009-10-15T17:40:00.000+01:002009-10-15T17:55:18.189+01:00Nadal & Djokovic reach last eight<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; color: rgb(70, 70, 70); font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><table border="0" cellspacing="0" align="right" width="226" cellpadding="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tbody style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46555000/jpg/_46555263_nadal_getty2_226.jpg" width="226" height="170" alt="Rafael Nadal" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /><div class="cap" style="margin-top: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: normal; line-height: 13px; ">Nadal is trying to win his fourth Masters 1000 title of the year</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="first" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic made swift progress into the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters as the event lost another two players to injury.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Top seed Nadal swept past Tommy Robredo 6-1 6-4 in the final match of the day, after world number four Djokovic had beaten Rainer Schuettler 6-4 6-2.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Nadal will next face Ivan Ljubicic, who led 11th seed Gael Monfils 6-2 3-0 when the Frenchman quit with a back injury.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Stanislas Wawrinka was 3-6 7-6 4-2 down to Radek Stepanek when he withdrew.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The Swiss was suffering with abdominal pains and joins Juan Martin del Potro, Andy Roddick and Tommy Haas as withdrawals during the week, while world number one Roger Federer (fatigue) and Britain's Andy Murray (wrist injury) had already skipped the tournament.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Soderling is among a handful of players still in with a chance of claiming one of three remaining spots up for grabs at the ATP season-ending World Tour Finals in London next month.In Thursday's other matches, ninth seed <b>Robin Soderling</b> had a surprisingly comfortable 6-3 6-3 win over fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and will next meet<b>Feliciano Lopez,</b> who defeated Jurgen Melzer 5-7 7-6 (7-3) 6-1.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"I know that if I play well, I have a chance, but this tournament won't decide who's going to play in London," said the Swede. "There's still a lot of tennis to be played."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Sixth seed <b>Nikolay Davydenko</b> beat 10th seed Fernando Gonzalez 6-3 7-5 to set up a clash with Stepanek.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Djokovic goes on to play eighth seed <b>Gilles Simon,</b> who beat Tomas Berdych 6-3 6-4.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"I've been working on physical strength and fitness a lot in last couple of months, and it's been paying off," said <b>Djokovic</b>.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"It's playing one of the key roles in the situations like this. When you are playing week after week, it's important to be physically strong, and that gives you advantage over your opponents."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Nadal </b>was rarely troubled despite falling 2-0 behind in the second set against compatriot Robredo.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"I am playing well," said the Spaniard. "But I played two terrible games at the start of the second set so I have to improve in situations like this if I want to beat the top players."</p></span>BallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1160814512902784698.post-18091091138908286442009-10-14T16:36:00.005+01:002009-10-15T17:38:35.097+01:00Mumbai lands 2011 World Cup final<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(70, 70, 70); line-height: 18px; font-family:verdana;font-size:13px;"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" align="right" width="226" cellpadding="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tbody style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46546000/jpg/_46546720_wankhedestadium_getty226.jpg" width="226" height="170" alt="The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, pictured in 2001" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /><div class="cap" style="margin-top: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: normal; line-height: 13px; ">The Wankhede Stadium, pictured in 2001, is being renovated for the Cup</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="first" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium will stage the final of the 2011 Cricket World Cup, which is being co-hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The Indian board has announced the eight venues for the 29 matches it is hosting - including Mohali, which will stage one of the semi-finals.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Eden Gardens in Kolkata, which has not hosted a one-day international since 2007, will stage four games.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The other venues are Ahmedabad, New Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Nagpur.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Sri Lanka will host 12 games, while Bangladesh will stage eight matches, as well as the opening ceremony in Dhaka on 18 February.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The full schedule for the tournament is due to be announced in Mumbai on 9 November, while the two groups of seven teams were recently announced in a revised format following criticism of the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies.Original co-hosts Pakistan were stripped of their scheduled games by the International Cricket Council earlier this year because of security problems in the country.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Teams will play everyone in their group once, with the top four teams in each group qualifying for the quarter-finals - making a total of 49 games.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "></p><div class="ch1" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 8px; padding-right: 0pt; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-left: 10px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; background-image: none; background-repeat: repeat; background-attachment: scroll; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-color: initial; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-position: 0% 50%; "><b>WORLD CUP 2011 - GROUPS & VENUES</b></div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Group A: </b>Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Canada, Kenya</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Group B: </b>India, South Africa, England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Ireland, Netherlands</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Group stage venues:</b> Ahmedabad (2 games), Bangalore (4), Chennai (4), Kolkata (4), Mohali (2), Mumbai (2), Nagpur (4), New Delhi (4), plus venues TBA in Bangladesh (6) and Sri Lanka (10)</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Quarter-finals: </b>Ahmedabad plus venue TBA in Bangladesh (2) and Sri Lanka</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Semi-finals: </b>Mohali plus venues TBA in Sri Lanka</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Final:</b> Mumbai</p></span>BallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1160814512902784698.post-34382116199567402212009-10-14T16:36:00.004+01:002009-10-14T16:40:48.556+01:00Noble unveiled as Crusaders coach<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; color: rgb(70, 70, 70); font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><table border="0" cellspacing="0" align="right" width="226" cellpadding="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tbody style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46545000/jpg/_46545831_brian_noble_get.jpg" width="226" height="170" alt="Brian Noble" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /><div class="cap" style="margin-top: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: normal; line-height: 13px; ">Noble had been strongly linked with Celtic Crusaders for some time</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="first" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Celtic Crusaders have named former Great Britain, Bradford and Wigan boss Brian Noble as their new coach.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Noble, who left the Warriors at the end of the season after his contract was not renewed, succeeds John Dixon in the hot seat of Super League's bottom club.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Noble, 48, is reunited with his former Great Britain assistant Jon Sharp, who will be the club's first-team coach.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Former dual-code international Iestyn Harris, who is also Wales coach, has also been appointed as an assistant.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"We are delighted that Brian has accepted the job of head coach at the Crusaders," said chairman Leighton Samuel.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"His track record in Super League is second to none and I'm sure that he will be a massive success here, the same as he has been at Bradford and Wigan."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Noble had been at the Wigan helm for three years and before that was in charge of Bradford.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Noble, who is replaced at Wigan by Australian Michael Maguire, and Sharp will bring a wealth of experience to the fledgling Super League club, who are moving from Bridgend to Newport from next season.He won three World Club Championships and three Grand Finals in a five-year reign at the Bulls between 2001 and 2006.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Former Huddersfield boss Sharp is immediately available after being released early from his role as football manager at Hull last month.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"I feel it's a fabulous opportunity the three of us have been given," said Noble.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"It's an awesome challenge, not only to improve performances and prospects of the Crusaders but to give opportunities to young Welshmen so that they can play in that team as well.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"It is a tough challenge but the potential is there to build something and leave something special."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Harris, who had 12 months left on his contract with Featherstone, said he had come to an agreement to part company with the Championship club and does not intend to play in Super League.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"My playing days are over," said the former Leeds and Bradford skipper, 33. "I have a very good relationship with Featherstone and there is no problem there."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Crusaders chief executive Mike Turner described Noble's appointment as "probably the most exciting period in the club's short history" and said all three coaches have signed two-year contracts.</p></span>BallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1160814512902784698.post-73510925579054585832009-10-14T16:36:00.003+01:002009-10-14T16:40:33.053+01:00O'Neill unmoved on Heskey future<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; color: rgb(70, 70, 70); font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><table border="0" cellspacing="0" align="right" width="226" cellpadding="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tbody style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46546000/jpg/_46546420_heskeybarry226.jpg" width="226" height="170" alt="Emile Heskey and Gareth Barry" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /><div class="cap" style="margin-top: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: normal; line-height: 13px; ">Former Villa team-mate Gareth Barry said he 'understood' Heskey's feelings</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="first" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill says Emile Heskey should not yet worry about his England spot at the 2010 World Cup, after claims he could leave Villa Park.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The striker admitted his lack of starts for Villa was a concern after Saturday's World Cup defeat in Ukraine</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">O'Neill has preferred to play Gabriel Agbonlahor as a lone striker but said the World Cup was "a long way away".</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"There are players at this club with England ambitions. I wouldn't be overly concerned about all that yet," he said.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Heskey, 31, has started only one Premier League match this season but has begun six out of England's nine World Cup qualifiers in the current campaign.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The former Liverpool striker said after the 1-0 defeat in Ukraine that he was happy playing for England and "obviously, not playing at club level is difficult".</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"It's something I will have to look at when I get back and try to address it," he added.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">England and Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry said that he "understood the feelings" of his former Villa Park team-mate, while the Villa manager appeared to be less perturbed.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"There are players at this football club with proper ambitions to be in the England reckoning next summer - and so they should - like Ashley Young, James Milner, Stewart Downing, Gabby Agbonlahor and Emile Heskey.Regarding Heskey's comments, O'Neill added: "I've been away from my desk for a couple of days, so I will genuinely have to sit down and have a think about it before I make any comment on that.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"But players need to remember themselves here. The World Cup is not next week, not before Christmas and not even before Easter. It's a long, long way away.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"The side picked, if the World Cup was just round the corner, might be a lot different to the one picked for next summer. There could be five changes or more with things like injuries or loss of form."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Heskey joined Villa from Wigan for £3.5m in January, linking up again with O'Neill after a previous spell together at Leicester City.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">He has also won 57 England caps since making his debut against Hungary in 1999.</p></span>BallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1160814512902784698.post-85866502646288043282009-10-13T19:58:00.001+01:002009-10-13T19:58:56.600+01:00Younus is unhappy at the allegations made against his team<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; color: rgb(70, 70, 70); font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><table border="0" cellspacing="0" align="right" width="226" cellpadding="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tbody style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46539000/jpg/_46539284_younuskhan226.jpg" width="226" height="170" alt="Younus Khan" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /><div class="cap" style="margin-top: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: normal; line-height: 13px; ">Younus is unhappy at the allegations made against his team</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="first" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Younus Khan has tendered his resignation as Pakistan captain despite being cleared of match-fixing charges by a parliamentary sports committee.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">He submitted his resignation to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) - who are yet to accept it - on Tuesday.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The 31-year-old said he was "disgusted by match-fixing allegations made against me and the team."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Younus was attending a hearing to discuss Pakistan's performance in the recent ICC Champions Trophy.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">National Assembly committee chairman Jamshed Dasti had alleged that Pakistan deliberately under-performed during the competition - although he later insisted that the committee never intended to make match-fixing allegations against the players.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"We are totally satisfied with the explanation of the team management and board," he said. "The committee is satisfied no match-fixing took place."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Younus told the Reuters news agency: "Yes, I have submitted my resignation. I have told the chairman to go through my resignation and read my point of view."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">PCB chairman Ijaz Butt added: "It's an emotional decision and I reject it.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"I hope to convince Younus to revoke his decision, but if he sticks to his stand then the matter will be decided by the PCB's governing council next week on 19 October."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Younus has scored 5,260 runs in 63 Tests - at an average over 50 - since making his debut against Sri Lanka in 2000, and succeeded Shoaib Malik as Pakistan captain in January 2009.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">He has also appeared in 194 one-day internationals and led Pakistan to victory at the ICC World Twenty20 tournament in England earlier this year - before retiring from Twenty20 internationals.</p></span>BallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1160814512902784698.post-76885232403139696932009-10-13T19:56:00.000+01:002009-10-13T19:57:59.329+01:00Fourth seed Andy Roddick limped out of the Shanghai Masters<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; color: rgb(70, 70, 70); font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><table border="0" cellspacing="0" align="right" width="226" cellpadding="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tbody style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46541000/jpg/_46541532_roddick226.jpg" width="226" height="170" alt="Andy Roddick gets attention for his injured knee" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /><div class="cap" style="margin-top: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: normal; line-height: 13px; ">Roddick receives on-court treatment for his injury before retiring</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="first" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Fourth seed Andy Roddick limped out of the Shanghai Masters after retiring in his second-round match against Stanislas Wawrinka on Tuesday.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The 27-year-old American, who only a day before had questioned the length of the ATP season, injured his knee while leading 4-3 in the first set.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"It was enough to make me stop a match - beyond that I don't know, that's not my profession," said Roddick.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Roddick has not yet qualified for the World Tour finals in London next month.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">On Monday, Roddick called for the ATP to allow top players a break in the season or risk curtailing the careers of players like Roger Federer and Andy Murray, who are absent from Shanghai because of fatigue and a wrist injury respectively.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"Trust me, as frustrated as the Chinese fans are that we're not here, I promise you we're more frustrated," added Roddick.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Australian <b>Leyton Hewitt </b>also eased past big-serving American John Isner 6-2 6-4.Sixth seed <b>Nikolay Davydenko</b>was the first man to reach the third round, seeing off Igor Kunitsyn 6-4 6-2.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Hewitt is almost a foot smaller than 6ft 9in Isner, but he restricted the right-hander to only five aces.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"It's a matter of just taking your chances when you get into it against those guys, and I did that exceptionally well today," said the 28-year-old.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Hewitt will play <b>Gael Monfils </b>after the 11th seed took the honours in one of several matches between compatriots, crushing fellow Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-2 6-2 in 54 minutes.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Chile's <b>Fernando Gonzalez,</b> currently in the eighth and final spot in the race to the World Tour Finals, will play Davydenko in the last 16 after beating Brazilian qualifier Thomaz Bellucci 6-3 6-4.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Swede <b>Robin Soderling </b>is another in the hunt for a place in London and the ninth seed helped his cause with a 6-3 6-4 first-round win over Romanian Victor Hanescu, while <b>Tommy Haas </b>beat Benjamin Becker 7-6 (5) 6-4 in an all-German match.</p></span>BallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1160814512902784698.post-34122919359227322442009-10-13T19:55:00.000+01:002009-10-13T19:56:32.412+01:00Tour teams facing investigation<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; color: rgb(70, 70, 70); font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><table border="0" cellspacing="0" align="right" width="226" cellpadding="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tbody style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><tr style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><td style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46542000/jpg/_46542402_cycling_226.jpg" width="226" height="170" alt="Tour de France" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="first" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>A preliminary investigation into several teams who took part in the 2009 Tour de France has been launched after suspicious medical material was seized.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Syringes and transfusion equipment believed to belong to teams were found in medical waste containers during the race and are currently being analysed.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"It (the material) is now being analysed by experts," said a spokeswoman for Paris prosecutors.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Astana have denied French media claims that it is one of the teams involved.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Tour winner Alberto Contador and third-placed Lance Armstrong rode with Astana in this year's race.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Spain's Contador is still under contract with the Kazakh-funded outfit, while Armstrong left to launch his own squad, Team RadioShack.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"Astana Cycling Team has nothing to hide, (its) riders use no forbidden substances, the team is confident in the result of analyses performed or to be performed by a Parisian laboratory and is prepared to cooperate."In a statement issued on Tuesday, Astana said it was "surprised to read in the French press that the team is involved in an investigation by French prosecutors into doping.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The prosecutors' office has not specified which teams are linked to the investigation.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">She added: "The material is being analysed to determine whether we can find illegal substances and DNA that could possibly link it to riders."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Under French law, a preliminary investigation is launched to determine whether there is sufficient ground to open a formal investigation.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">While there were no positive tests at this year's Tour, authorities did seize drugs that the French anti-doping agency's scientific adviser said raised questions.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">The drugs - which include treatments for diabetes, high blood pressure and convulsions suffered by manic-depressives - are not banned but are "incongruous" in top-level athletes, professor Michel Rieu told French news agency AP last week.</p></span>BallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1160814512902784698.post-57131258513009909252009-10-12T16:05:00.000+01:002009-10-12T16:06:11.209+01:00Massa completes Ferrari F1 test<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46533000/jpg/_46533728_massa_car466.jpg" width="466" height="260" alt="Felipe Massa gets behind the wheel of an F1 car for the first time since his accident" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; " /></div><div class="cap" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 3px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: normal; line-height: 13px; ">Felipe Massa behind the wheel of an F1 car for the first time since his accident</div></div><br /><p class="first" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; "><b>Felipe Massa has tested in a Formula 1 car for the first time since suffering a fractured skull, but Ferrari say he will not return to competition in 2009.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Massa is making good progress since his crash in qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix in July and the 28-year-old tested in an F2007 in Italy on Monday.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">But Ferrari say they "want to proceed gradually" and do not intend to rush the Brazilian before he is ready.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"Talk of a proper return to F1 can wait until the start of 2010," they added.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Massa underwent neurological tests in Paris on Friday.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">According to Ferrari, the outcome was "rather positive", prompting the decision to allow him to get behind the wheel of a privately-owned F2007 on Monday.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">In-season testing is banned in F1, but the sport's governing body the FIA gave Massa permission to test using GP2 tyres at Ferrari's test track at Fiorano, as part of his rehabilitation.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"It went very well," Massa said after his rain-hit session behind the wheel. "It seems that what happened in July hasn't changed anything.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"I didn't manage to do many laps because of the rain but everything we've done up to now has been normal like before. It's positive for me and for the team to see I'm the same as before."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Ferrari insist there is no chance of Massa making a comeback in 2009, with only two races of the campaign remaining.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"There will be plenty of time for that in 2010, when, alongside Fernando Alonso, he will begin development work of the new single-seater."This is in no way a proper test session and looking at the stopwatch will not be on the agenda," said the Ferrari statement.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"It is simply an opportunity for Felipe to renew his acquaintance with his natural environment, namely the race track."</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Massa was knocked unconscious by a loose car part and injured the area around his left eye, prompting fears at the time that he could have suffered loss of vision.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">At one stage, he had hoped to return for the final grand prix of the season in Abu Dhabi on 1 November.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">Massa feels fit to race now but has accepted he will have to wait until 2010 before making his competitive comeback.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">He added: "I didn't have any vision problems and today I would be ready to do, not one race, but two straight after each other.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"Naturally there is a period of time that must elapse first for precautionary reasons. But, having been in the car, I can say that I'm the same as before the accident.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; ">"(We can) start preparing for next year, which won't be an easy year because this one has been hard, and work to have a good car and fight for the championship."</p></span>BallTubehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579924829330010900noreply@blogger.com0