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By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 9:24 AM on 22nd February 2011

Jose Mourinho has offered his strongest hint yet that he would relish a return to the Stamford Bridge hotseat.

Pressure is mounting on under-fire Italian boss Carlo Ancelotti following Chelsea's alarming lack of form that has seen last season's double winners lose a grip on their Premier League title and dumped out of the FA Cup.

There has been a growing clamour among Blues supporters to see The Special One return after the Portuguese coach was axed by Russian owner Roman Abramovich in September 2007.

Special treatment: Jose Mourinho, who watched Chelsea draw with Fulham last week, is open to a return with the Blues

Mourinho, who guided Chelsea to two championships, two league cups and the FA Cup during his three-year tenure, revealed he still loves the west London club and is unsure whether he will see out his four-year contract in charge of Real Madrid.

He said: 'I don’t know. I love Chelsea. I was the happiest man when I was there. I was thinking I would be there all my life. So you never know.

'When I sign a contract, I sign with the intention to respect the contract and be happy.'

Just champion: Mourinho guided Chelsea to consecutive Barclays Premier League titles

Mourinho put in a surprise visit to Craven Cottage last week to see Fulham hold the Blues to a 0-0 draw.

Doubts persist over whether the 48-year-old will stay at the Bernabeu beyond the the current campaign. Real are five points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona and Mourinho has encountered a frosty relationship with the club's sporting director Jorge Valdano of late.

All smiles: Fernando Torres and John Terry are preparing to take on Copenhagen in the last 16 of the Champions League

Chelsea take on Copenhagen in the last 16 of the Champions League this evening, knowing that the European competition is their last hope of salvaging their disappointing season with silverware.

Mourinho's Real side are also in action tonight, against French outfit Lyon, and the Madrid boss wants to reach the May final at Wembley to defend the European Cup he won last year with Inter Milan.

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Labels: Chelsea, daily, hints, Madrid, Mourinho, return

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By Martin Samuel
Last updated at 11:48 PM on 21st February 2011

It has to be his decision. Fernando Torres starts for Chelsea in Copenhagen tonight and, whether right or wrong, we must hope Carlo Ancelotti has chosen the striker he wants, not the man he thinks the owner would pick.

This is the only way forward for Ancelotti now. If this is to be his final season at the club, as seems likely, he must go out picking his team, not trying to second guess Roman Abramovich. That way, if he wins, he makes a succinct point; if he fails, he does so his way and at least he was his own man, not an executive puppet.

That is the hit that Ancelotti’s reputation has taken since the departure of Ray Wilkins. That he could have been stronger; that he allowed Abramovich to meddle in his work and failed to protect the team and backroom staff from interference.

My way: Team selection must be the preserve of Carlo Ancelotti

This is possibly unfair. Ancelotti is said to have spoken strongly in favour of retaining Wilkins, and the former coach bears no grudge with the Italian over his departure.

Standing up to Abramovich is like fighting city hall. Sometimes the little man simply cannot win and there is no littler man than a Chelsea manager when Abramovich gets an idea in his head.

Yet, the players will not necessarily understand that. They will have expected a stronger stance on Wilkins from Ancelotti. Certainly, Chelsea’s results since Wilkins’ departure suggest a deeper malaise. Either Wilkins was a coaching genius and Chelsea’s success was largely down to him or the manner of his departure alienated the team and undermined Ancelotti in a way that has harmed morale, by making him seem a rube, a ‘yes’ man.

Chelsea managers that do not win the League are never given a second chance under Abramovich, so Ancelotti will be gone this summer unless he delivers the Champions League.

Tough act to follow: Chelsea's form has nosedived since Wilkins' (above second left) departure, while Roman Abramovich (right) is not an easy man to please

With such extreme demands, he really has nothing to lose any more. Whatever team he sends out against FC Copenhagen this evening, and from here on, should be picked without consideration of outside pressure.

If this means leaving a ?50million signing on the bench, so be it. If he must confront an angry owner after a game that is the way it must be. Tommy Docherty, Chelsea manager from 1961 to 1967, might be ancient history at Stamford Bridge, but he had the right approach to dealing with boardroom demands.

Docherty’s attitude, in the days when managers had autonomy over transfer expenditure, was that there was no point being a good boy and saving money.

‘If the team doesn’t win you are going to get the sack anyway,’ he would advise. ‘At least if you do what you want you can say you had a go and gave it every chance to succeed.’

It is the owners who trade players these days — certainly at Chelsea — but the basic principle remains the same. If their fortunes rest on Torres in this tie, he has to be selected because Ancelotti believes he is the right man for the job, not because there is ?50m of Russian energy loot tied up in the transfer and the owner looks a fool if his star turn does not play.

It helps the selection process that none of Chelsea’s strikers — none of their main forward players, in fact — is firing at the moment.

Didier Drogba has been left debilitated by malaria and may have lost the yard of pace that separates the greatest goalscorers, perhaps forever.

Jimmy Greaves said he did not recover from contracting hepatitis in 1965 at the age of 25 and Drogba, 33 next month, has considerably less time left for rehabilitation.

Faded force: The battering ram previously known as Didier Drogba has lost his mojo since a bout of malaria

The form of Florent Malouda has collapsed after an excellent start, while Nicolas Anelka has scored one goal in his past five games and did not score at all between November 3 and January 9. His penalty against Everton at the weekend was woeful.

Torres has hardly been more impressive since arriving from Liverpool, but at least his run of ordinary form for Chelsea is in its infancy.

Ancelotti has put up with months of inconsistency from Drogba — he has scored six goals and received four bookings since August — and it is understandable if his patience is wearing thin.

Even without consideration of outside influence it is likely a manager of Chelsea would reach the conclusion that fresh impetus is needed in the forward line.

False start: Fernando Torres is yet to shine in a Chelsea shirt

Yet, Ancelotti cannot continue with a failing Torres indefinitely. It could be that the answer is not two, or three, strikers but an entirely different approach with Anelka alone and wide attackers, such as Salomon Kalou and Malouda, in the shape that Jose Mourinho used to play.

It could even be that the best option was to dump the lot of them and play Daniel Sturridge, but he is now on loan to Bolton Wanderers, and in fine form.

Whatever the resolution for Ancelotti, he must be the author of the plan. He has been amenable, some might even say malleable, and where has it got him?

If he is to leave Stamford Bridge without regret, his team, not a rich man’s trifle, must take the field in Copenhagen tonight

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Labels: Carlo, daily, entertain, roman, Should

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By Simon Cass Motor Racing Reporter
Last updated at 11:25 PM on 21st February 2011

The Bahrain Grand Prix has been called off after the Arab state's rulers admitted it was too dangerous to stage the opening race of the Formula One season on March 13 due to the continued political unrest.

The first race will now be held in Melbourne, Australia, two weeks later. No decision has been taken over whether Bahrain will get the chance to host a race later this year.

No go: this season's curtain-raiser has been abandoned over safety fears

The Bahrain race had been in doubt for more than a week due to anti-government protests but crown prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa has now conceded defeat.

He said: 'We must focus on immediate issues of national interest and leave the hosting to a later date.

Big decision: Ecclestone refused to confirm whether the race would be rescheduled

'Our nation's priority is on overcoming tragedy, healing divisions and rediscovering the fabric that draws us together to remind the world of the best that Bahrain is capable of as a nation.'

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Labels: Bahrain, cancel, country, daily, Dangerous, Formula, opener, rulers

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Last updated at 1:17 AM on 21st February 2011

That’s the problem with freedom. First one group of little brown people want it, then a whole damn region of little brown people want it, and the next thing you know there is one less place for rich white guys to race cars.

With bodies piling up in Libya and protesters assaulted by tear gas and rubber bullets in Bahrain, the struggle for freedom in the east is no frivolous matter. As for how it affects Bernie Ecclestone and the first grand prix of the Formula One season, however, this should not prevent us laughing like drains.

The tin-pot dictators of these sporting fiefdoms take their events to countries run by regimes that mirror their own authoritarianism and may now be derailed by the local desire for self-determination. Just beautiful, isn’t it? Maybe God is setting his alarm clock after all.

Oh, please, Qatar next. Wouldn’t that be wonderful? Wouldn’t it be the happiest day if freedom rang the length and breadth of North Africa, the Middle East and the Gulf states and we found out how the people really felt about living under systems of rule that border on medievalism?

Dodgy business: Ecclestone's deal with Bahrain is looking a major mistake

No need to rush, of course. There are 10 years for the penny to drop in Qatar’s capital, Doha. In fact, give it a while and land that freedom clusterbomb right on FIFA’s toes, if only to see Sepp Blatter’s face when it happens.

Maybe save it until he is perched on the throne-like seat he occupied at the opening ceremony of the Asian Cup. We want something we can treasure on YouTube, like when he fell down a big hole onstage while glad-handing some executive suits.

As for Ecclestone, watching him wrestle with the concept of the freedom movement in Bahrain has been a delight. First he declared it all quiet, then he hoped it would blow over, as if the encampment on the Pearl Roundabout was no more than a few concerned villagers campaigning about the by-pass near Chideock.

This was the bloke who intimated that Jenson Button was targeted by carjackers in Brazil because he was a bit dim.

‘We have never been involved in religion and politics,’ said Ecclestone, hoping to tip-toe away from this pile-up by perpetrating one of the great lies in modern sport.

Ecclestone is dissembling. Politics and religion are very much part of every deal these days, particularly if there is money and an emerging market involved. Ecclestone says he will leave the final call in Bahrain up to a bloke called the Crown Prince: there’s the clue.

Send the Olympics to China and you are involved in politics, because China is a totalitarian regime that will build venues and put on a show using its power to subjugate local dissent.

There were official protest zones at the Beijing Games but the 77 requests to use them were denied, and those who objected were sent for re-education through labour.

South Africa altered its constitution to accommodate FIFA’s demands during the 2010 World Cup. As for religion, that is increasingly in play as sport embraces wealthy regimes that have singular attitudes to alcohol, homosexuals and Jews.

Snapshot: A Bahraini anti-government protester looks at a banner at the Pearl roundabout

Ecclestone knew what he was getting when he took F1 to Bahrain. He was in bed with a repressive regime that would pay ?24.6million to host the first grand prix of the 2010 season and raise the offer by 50 per cent to retain the right this year. That is in addition to the ?92m it cost to construct the circuit. Bahrain has capital and, until recently, did not have an opposition with a voice asking awkward questions about democracy.

Ecclestone finds democracy inconvenient and, when he spouts his rubbish, many smile and judge him indulgently as a maverick. Yet the new frontiers F1 has opened up suggest his aversion is genuine.

Sport conspires with rulers from a different age, despots, theologians and hereditary Crown Princes. Administrators want to make modern millions, while exploiting systems of government from the Dark Ages, because that is also how they rule.

Yet it would follow that if Egypt can get rid of Mubarak, Libya can topple Gaddafi and Bahrain can overthrow the house of Khalifa, we can also do something about sport’s self-appointed little emperors.

See you in the square, or on the roundabout.

Among those in the Parliamentary Select Committee currently sitting in judgment on football is Tom Watson, Labour MP for West Bromwich East.

Watson is a career politician who moved through student activism to safe union and party jobs, with the briefest spell in marketing and advertising.

This may be where he learned the delightful tactics that helped produce a leaflet entitled ‘Labour is on your side, the Lib Dems are on the side of failed asylum seekers’ when he was campaign organiser at the Birmingham Hodge Hill by-election in 2004.

Another leaflet argued that if the Lib Dems won, 16-year-olds would be allowed to appear in hardcore porn, guns would be easier to buy and cocaine would be sold over the counter in local shops.

All Labour literature was branded by a cross of St George, this being a constituency with a significant Asian population and a disaffected white working class community.

Just so you know the calibre of the men calling the shots here. Brian Mawhinney, Lord of Governance, is up this week.

Maybe Watson could ask him about those silent rules that were in place during his time as chairman of the Football League.

Although, according to his voting patterns, as a strong opponent of transparency in Parliament, Watson probably agrees with them.

Birmingham City and Stoke City were through to the quarter-final on Saturday, but a day later Manchester City and Notts County were still to resolve a tie from the round of 32. Everything that is wrong with the FA Cup was encapsulated in the chaos of the weekend fixture programme.

Was it a fourth round replay or a fifth round match? Who knew? There were so many ‘ors’ in the sixth round draw it should have come live from a Viking longboat.

By the time television and replays were taken into account, just two fifth round fixtures started at three o’clock on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the dullards at the FA debate further vandalism such as seeding or regionalising the draw.

Round robin: Manchester City's Patrick Vieira scores the opening goal against Notts County

What is slowly killing the Cup — apart from the dead hand of Julian Eccles, group director of marketing and communications, and his unwieldy consultation process — is the erosion of tradition.

The final should always be the showpiece end to the season, yet this year it will be played on the penultimate weekend of Premier League games, to accommodate the Champions League final.

Getting to Wembley, the age-old ambition of any footballer or supporter, can now mean reaching the semi-final as the FA wrings every last penny from the national stadium.

The saving grace is that the competition is woven into our DNA. The luck of the draw is an idiom that was initially applied to the choosing of straws or the dealing of cards, yet in its modern usage conjures thoughts of the random pairing of FA Cup teams.

Yet one of the reforms under consideration is the abandonment of the free draw: as vital to FA Cup survival as the trophy at the end of it.

The FA’s sponsorship deal with E.ON is up in May and no new backer has been agreed. Is it any wonder? Who knows what the next benefactors will be getting? Replays? Evening kick-off times? Midweek matches only? Seeding? Regionalisation?

Eccles and his cohorts have elected to undergo a process that leaves the whole format of the competition up in the air with an annual income of ?9million at stake.

Of course, it could be worse. Maybe the FA are so bereft of clear thought and so desperate for cash, with ?342m still to be paid off the Wembley site according to the last published accounts, that the new sponsors will end up calling the shots instead.

The FA Cup, no longer brought to you by E.ON, but devised for you by Big Bill’s Used Tyre Warehouse, because he came up with the dough.

Some ask why this column is contemptuous of UEFA president Michel Platini, and now you have the answer: he makes it so easy.

This is a man who pontificates on financial fair play and his wish to make the Champions League final accessible for children, before setting ticket prices at ?176 to ?326 with a grasping detachment that would shame the humanity of a Bond villain.

UEFA were in court last week trying to place tournaments such as the World Cup and European Championship behind a satellite pay wall. Anyone who hasn’t seen through Platini by now really isn’t paying attention.

Sunderland have posted annual losses of ?26m, with a wage bill of ?53.9m — 82 per cent of turnover — and gate receipts down ?1.3m on 2009.

The club are deemed a going concern only because of the support of the parent company, owned by Ellis Short.

Perhaps Darren Bent’s ?24m transfer to Aston Villa was not such a bad thing after all.

Harry Redknapp, the Tottenham Hotspur manager, was hardly the most popular man in the San Siro when he announced the Premier League superior to Serie A. ‘I can see you don’t like it,’ he told the local reporter who
requested the comparison, ‘and I’m not saying Tottenham are a better side than AC Milan.’

Why not? They are.

Tottenham would win the Italian league, playing better football, too. Italian domestic football is dull, and slow. That was AC Milan’s problem last week, for all the gifted players in the team, they had no collective turn of pace, no way of upping the tempo.

Two easy: Redknapp dictates matters at the San Siro

Witness how Tottenham played the second half away to Inter Milan, or the whole of the return at White Hart Lane; how they started the AC Milan tie or the energy of the counter-attack that won the game when fatigue should have been setting in.

Peter Crouch looked dead on his feet but found that last reserve of strength to keep up with Aaron Lennon and score.

That is what is missing from Italian football. Their managers put such great emphasis on fitness, but the pace of the football is so plodding, it barely matters. This is why Premier League teams win.

In the days when Real Madrid were the force in Spanish football, the king and prime minister often supported them from the royal box.

Policy revision: Brailsford

Unsurprisingly, many thought it was difficult for the away team to get a decision at the Bernabeu.

The same might be said of another Spanish obsession — cycling. When the Real Federacion Espanola de Ciclismo first mooted a one-year ban for three-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador, who tested positive for clenbuterol, there was an angry public reaction, culminating in a statement from prime minister Jose Luis Zapatero that the cyclist had no case to answer.

Last week, surprise, surprise, the RFEC agreed, by clearing him.

Meanwhile, Dave Brailsford, the general manager of Team Sky, says he will be revising a zero tolerance policy on drug cheats because it made it too hard to find backroom staff.

‘When you’re trying to lift performance, you have to go back a long way to find people who haven’t been tainted by many of cycling’s past problems,’ Brailsford said.

Although you can’t say the RFEC, not to mention the Spanish government, aren’t doing their bit to change that.

And now the squealing starts.

‘The result is so unfair,’ said Xavi after Barcelona’s defeat at Arsenal, while cheerleaders in parts of the Spanish press blamed poor refereeing and an absence of luck.

Last year, the anti-football of Inter Milan was responsible, yet there is little mention of the extraordinary good fortune that took Barcelona past Chelsea, and to their only Champions League final of the Pep Guardiola era, in 2009.

They are a great side, though, have no doubt of that and it is their misfortune to play in a time when the demands of the tournament are such that no team have retained the trophy in its current format.

Tough luck: Barcelona skipper Xavi (right) reflects on defeat at the Emirates

Were this the European Cup of the Sixties and Seventies in which the champions were crowned after nine games — if that, some of Real Madrid’s early triumphs necessitated as few as seven appearances — then Barcelona might have dominated, particularly as the early rounds were often a glorified bye.

Real Madrid, Benfica, Inter Milan, Ajax, Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Nottingham Forest all kept the trophy.

Barcelona will not have been as good as every one of those sides, but they would be better than a few. That they have a greater hill to climb is unfortunate, but it is not unfair, because the competition is better for it.

Millwall supporters came close to forcing the abandonment of Saturday’s match against Middlesbrough, after bombarding the pitch with missiles.

Chris Sarginson, the referee, asked the managers if they wanted the game to continue. They did, and Middlesbrough won 3-2.

‘From our fans’ point of view, there was some fantastic passion and perhaps they felt aggrieved at one or two decisions which didn’t go their way,’ said Millwall manager Kenny Jackett.

‘I do like passion and enthusiasm and some of the decisions we have had recently have been tough. But I’m not condoning it.’

Oh yes he is. Fantastic passion and enthusiasm is not throwing objects on the pitch, and whingeing about the referee is never justification for hooligan behaviour. More than condoning it, in future games, Jackett has as good as guaranteed it.

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Labels: against, Bernieaposs, daily, Emperor, freedom

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By Sportsmail Reporter Last updated at 7:27 PM on 20th February 2011

Mark Webber insists the Bahrain Grand Prix should be called off if the political unrest which is gripping the Arab state is not resolved.

The Red Bull driver said: 'When you hear of people losing their lives, this is a tragedy.

'It's probably not the best time to go there for a sporting event. They have bigger things, bigger priorities.

Putting things into perspective: Red Bull driver Mark Webber

'In the end the right decisions will be made. Maybe it is still the first race, maybe Melbourne is the first race, we don't know.

'It's not a big deal to be honest because there are more things than Formula 1 in Bahrain.

'They have bigger things, bigger priorities and that is what they want to work on over there, generations of issues.

Unrest: anti-government protests continue to grip Bahrain

'That's the most important thing for them to sort out and not to worry about Formula 1.'

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has stated he will leave the decision about whether to call off the season opener to Bahrain's crown prince, Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifah. 

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Labels: Bahrain, Bullaposs, called, daily, Grand, should, suggests, Webber

{ Feb 20 2011 John Docherty, Sunday Mail

BARRY SMITH'S 10-man Dundee stretched their unbeaten run in the league to 15 games - and gave the gaffer the perfect birthday gift.

Sean higgins' first-half header was enough to wrap up the points in a feisty clash.

And it dashed Binos boss Jocky scott's bid to put one over the club who sacked him last year when they were clear at the top of Division One.

Dundee had gary irvine red carded for a challenge on stirling captain ross forsyth but have now defied their 25-point deduction to reach seventh spot.

However, manager smith - who turned 37 yesterday - insists they are not out of danger. And he called on his troops to continue their fine run of form.

Smith said: "There are still a lot of points to play for and stirling have games in hand.

"We have to keep playing the way we are. But at this stage it's just another three points.

"All we are looking to do is get in a position where we are safe.

We dominated the first half but stirling came out and put us under a lot of pressure even before we went down to 10 men so credit to them."

Irvine saw red and seven others were booked.

On his man's dismissal, smith said: "i didn't see if it was twofooted.

The ref made his decision - that's what he's there for."

Stirling suffered a setback in just 10 minutes when Greg McDonald - playing his first game of the year after injury - was stretchered off with an Achilles problem.

But they had the best chance to take the lead.

Michael Doyle swung over a corner that was met by the head of on-loan hearts striker gordon smith.

it looked a goal all the way until Nicky riley stepped in to clear off the line.

And Binos were made to pay in 35 minutes as higgins netted a superb header from Matt Lockwood's cross from the left. it almost got worse for stirling but stephen O'Neill's rocket was stopped by scott Christie.

At the other end rab Douglas saved Dundee with a brilliant one-handed save from a Chris Aitken free-kick that looked destined for the back of the net.

Six minutes after the break Stephen O'Donnell sent over a corner from the left but Craig Forsyth's glancing header went wide to the relief of the home support.

But stirling weren't dead yet and began applying pressure.

Michael Mullen could have equalised when his shot from a smith reverse pass flew over.

In 64 minutes irvine was red-carded for his meaty challenge on forsyth.

And there was another flashpoint in 73 minutes when Douglas and Doyle were booked after a clash that also involved Dundee's rhys Weston.

Albion huffed and puffed but lacked a cutting edge and the Dens men held on.

Scott said: "Big rab had his normal three our four excellent saves. had he not we might have got something out of the game.

"The effort, commitment and attitude were different class.

"I can't fault them and i see a big improvement from day one. As long we keep improving it will give us a better chance to put points on the board.

"The biggest problem we have right now is scoring goals."

MoM: Higgins (Dundee)

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Labels: daily, Division, Dundee, Record, Scottish, Stirling

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By Derek Hunter at the NIA, Birmingham Last updated at 8:00 PM on 19th February 2011

Mo Farah bade farewell to Britain in glorious style yesterday when he smashed not only a 29-year-old British 5,000 metres record, but the European one too.

The European 5,000 and 10,000 metres champion announced on the eve of the Aviva Grand Prix in Birmingham that he is basing himself and his family in Oregon for the 18 months before the 2012 Olympic Games. 

Sign of the times: Mo Farah after breaking the 5000m records

He will be coached there by American running legend Alberto Salazar. The records were his leaving presents.

Ironically, it was his future training partner in American Galen Rupp who pushed him all the way. But he paid greater tribute to the sell-out crowd in the NIA, telling spectators: 'Thank you, guys. You were massively important.'

He has one last commitment to Britain before he moves, a bid to defend his 3,000 metres title at the European indoor championships in Paris next month. Nobody now will be betting against him. Nick Rose's British record of 13:21.27 has stood since before Farah was born in Somalia in 1983. But since Farah smashed Dave Moorcroft's 28-year-old outdoor British record last year, it was on borrowed time. Farah beat it by more than 10 seconds in 13:10.60 and the year-old European record by 0.53sec.

The two-year programme Phillips Idowu conceived to take him to the top of the Olympic podium in his own backyard in Stratford next year had lift-off in his first competition of the schedule.   Idowu, who dreams of becoming the first man ever to win all six major indoor and outdoor titles, hopped, stepped and jumped to 17.57 metres to comfortably beat 2004 Olympic champion Christian Olsson.

The only man this year to jump further, and only by seven centimetres, is world indoor champion Teddy Tamgho, the Frenchman in training for the European indoor championships in Paris.

Eye on the clock: Mo Farah crosses the finishing line

Idowu is missing that championships but will give Olsson a return match in Stockholm on Tuesday. 'My best-ever indoor season opener, world class,' said Idowu.

What a difference a week made to Kelly Sotherton. Last Sunday she was crying tears of joy after winning her first national track title in her first outing as a 400 metres runner, yesterday she finished sixth and last - exposing her tactical naivety over the tight two laps.

Former Commonwealth heptathlon champion Sotherton won the national title by forcing the pace, leading from gun to finish, but this time she seemed anchored to her starting blocks. She was last every step of the way in a time of 53.70sec, slower than her week-old debut and almost two seconds behind Jamaican winner Novlene Williams-Mills.

'I got my tactics really wrong but I'm not upset. You can't be upset every time you have a bad race,' said Sotherton, 34, who switched to the 400 when doctors told her to quit the heptathlon because of a prolapsed disc in her spine.

'I felt stronger and better than last week. It's all a learning experience and everybody ran well apart from me. But it's not like the heptathlon. When I get it wrong I can put it right the next week, not six months later.'

She will have that chance in Paris but only in the relay because last week's time did not qualify her for the individual event. 'The relay was always the plan,' she said.

Two more Britons will go to Paris as No 1 in Europe this year - Trinidad- born, Bedford resident Nigel Levine, 21, who won the 400 metres in 46.17sec and Helen Clitheroe, 37, who finished fourth in a 3,000 metres won in the year's fastest time by Ethiopian Sentayehu Ejigu.

Clitheroe's time of 8:39.81 is two seconds faster than any other European has run.

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Labels: breaks, daily, Farah, quits, records

{ ABOVE: Paul Collingwood is running into form hitting 65 and taking three wickets in win over Pakistan GRAEME SWANN has his sights set on World Cup glory but admits: I wouldn?t swap it for the Ashes.

England?s world-class spinner has recovered from a back complaint and travels to India today after missing the warm-up games. The Nottinghamshire ace, who became a dad for the first time on Thursday, was a key figure in England?s 3-1 Ashes triumph and last year?s World Twenty20 win. And while he would love to add the 50-over World Cup to his bulging trophy cabinet, Swann knows where the tournament fits in his pecking order. ?The World Cup is important because it?s a global event,? he said. ?It?s the ultimate one-day competition, the biggest 50-over event we play. ?But from my perspective as an England player it?s nowhere near as big as the Ashes.? Swann is one of several England stars whose bodies struggled to cope with the demands of the 100 day long tour Down Under. Bowlers Tim Bresnan (calf), Ajmal Shahzad (hamstring) and Stuart Broad (side) have all faced a race to be fit for the World Cup after picking up niggles in Oz. Star batsman Eoin Morgan was last week ruled out with a damaged thumb, although the injury is not as bad as first feared, and Swann reckons his will be the hardest boots to fill. ?If Eoin Morgan hadn?t been ruled out of the World Cup, he would have been recognised as the best one-day player on the planet,? Swann said. With Morgan gone, England?s batting hopes lie even more heavily on Kevin Pietersen?s broad shoulders. Big hitter KP (right) has been shifted up the order to open alongside skipper Andrew Strauss, following the failed experiment with Matt Prior. While to some the move smacks of desperation, former England bowler Matthew Hoggard believes it could pay off. ?KP has always said that he can?t just go out and slog, he actually needs to build an innings,? Hoggard said. ?You could say it?s a lack of foresight, but it could be a little bit of genius. ?Nobody?s going to think of KP opening the batting. ?Teams are going to have to think on their feet. ?I?m sure the plan hasn?t just come out of nowhere. ?If it comes off they?re going to look absolutely fantastic. ?But if it doesn?t, questions will be asked.? While England?s 6-1 one-day series defeat in Oz hit their confidence hard, the return of players of Swann and Broad?s calibre can only boost their chances. Broad has made an immediate impact on his return, with 10 wickets in two warm-up games against Canada and Pakistan. He produced another electric burst yesterday to finish with 5-25 as England beat Pakistan by 67 runs. Pietersen struck 66 and Paul Collingwood 65 as England clocked up 273 and bowled out Pakistan for 206. Hosts India face Bangladesh in Dhaka today in the opening clash of the tournament before England kick-off against Holland on Tuesday. Despite the chaotic nature of their build-up, Broad insists England can still deliver. ?It?s very special to be involved in such big matches and tournaments,? he said. ?With a team like we have and the belief we have in our team we stand a decent chance.?

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Labels: Above, Collingwood, daily, right, Running

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By Dominic King Last updated at 11:58 PM on 18th February 2011

Kenny Dalglish is convinced Andy Carroll will make a success of his Liverpool career after giving him an unexpected midweek trip to Europe.

The striker, who signed for ?35million from Newcastle in January, was a surprise inclusion in the squad Dalglish took to the Czech Republic for the first leg of Liverpool's Europa League tie against Sparta Prague.

Though the 22-year-old was unable to play in the 0-0 draw or take part in any training sessions due to a thigh problem, Liverpool manager Dalglish believes it was a worthwhile exercise as a means of integrating Carroll into the squad.

Stuck in the stands: Carroll has been injured since his big-money move

'We just wanted to get Andy in amongst the boys so he will recognise a couple of faces,' Dalglish said.

Blending in: Carroll joined his team-mates in Prague for Liverpool's midweek Europa League tie

There have been questions raised about Carroll having the right disposition to cope with the pressures that will go hand-in-hand with his enormous transfer fee.

But Dalglish, who is hoping Carroll will be able to make his Liverpool debut in the Barclays Premier League fixture against Manchester United on March 6, has been impressed with the level-headed way in which the striker has adapted to life at Anfield.

'He is a really good lad and really down to earth,' said Dalglish. 'That is a value that I think is very important nowadays. You say this is an age where the punters can't relate to the people on the street. Well I don't think he is going to have a problem with that.'

Dalglish added: 'The fans will really relate to him once he gets fit and starts to play for us. Going to Prague was just so he could continue his rehabilitation.'

Agences de presses

Labels: Carroll, daily, Dalglish, insists, Liverpool, Perfect

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By Chris Wheeler Last updated at 8:21 PM on 18th February 2011

Nobody will be giving non-League Crawley Town a chance when they visit Old Trafford to face the might of Manchester United in the FA Cup. The Blue Square Bet Conference side are in the fifth round for the first time after knocking out Derby and Torquay, while their opponents have won the famous trophy a record 11 times. But United have been victims of several upsets over the years and here CHRIS WHEELER meets the players who have managed to leave the famous Red Devils with red faces.

Manchester Utd 1 Walthamstow Ave 1 (FA Cup 4th rnd, Jan 31, 1953)

Nobody gave the Isthmian League underdogs a chance when they arrived at Old Trafford to take on Matt Busby's English champions, even less so after United took a first half lead. But thermos flask salesman and England amateur international JIM LEWIS equalised (below) to earn a draw. Lewis, now 83, signed for Chelsea after scoring twice when United won the replay 5-2.

He said: 'We saw it as a day out because we didn't think we stood much of a chance. We'd never experienced playing in front of that kind of crowd before. There were 35,000 at Old Trafford and 46,000 at Arsenal (for the replay). Our average was about 5,000.

'Eddie Lewis gave United the lead but I remember at half-time we didn't think we were going to get thumped. We went out to give it our all. I equalised 10 minutes from the end. I was some way out and hit it straight into the top corner. It could have been the greatest upset ever because United keeper Ray Wood tipped my shot over, and Trevor Bailey, the England cricketer who sadly died recently, almost scored in the final minutes.

'I think of it when I see the likes of Crawley doing well. They'll think they've got a chance and you never know. It's one of those things that does the FA Cup so much good.'

Burton Albion 0 Manchester Utd 0
(FA Cup 3rd rnd, Jan 8, 2006)

Amazingly, United were held to a goal less draw by Conference opponents for the second year in a row before winning the replay 5-0.

Sir Alex Ferguson gambled with a changed line-up and his players laboured on a heavy pitch.

JON SHAW (pictured on Shaun Harrad's shoulders) went closest for Nigel Clough's side with a header that was cleared off the line.

The 27-year-old, who was on loan at Crawley in 2009, now plays for Gateshead.

Shaw said: 'It gave us a bit of hope when we saw the teamsheet but United still brought a strong side. Then, with half an hour to go, we thought our luck had run out when they sent on Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, but we held on. Phil Bardsley cleared my header off the line and we had a penalty appeal turned down.

'We had a good bunch of lads but we trained together only a couple of times a week. When I went on loan to Crawley they were a full-time outfit and they will surprise United with how direct, fit and professional they are. They've got a chance.'

Carlisle Utd 1 Manchester Utd 1
(FA Cup 3rd rnd, Jan 7, 1978)

United were the holders when they were drawn away to Third Division Carlisle. Lou Macari gave Dave Sexton's team an early lead but Ian McDonald headed an equaliser and United were forced to hang on for a replay after Brian Greenhoff was sent off.

Carlisle striker BILLY RAFFERTY (above) played in both games, scoring in a 4-2 defeat at Old Trafford. The 60-year-old lives in Cumbria and runs a corporate six-a-side league.

Rafferty said: 'There was a fantastic atmosphere because it was the only time Carlisle have played Man Utd. The town was buzzing. There were 25,000 inside Brunton Park and I remember running out and thinking it was going to burst at the seams. Macari's goal quietened them down but we battered United after the equaliser.

'They were all over the place when Brian Greenhoff was sent off. We had a feeling they were there for the taking but we couldn't finish them off. There were mixed feelings in the dressing room. We were elated that we'd played so well but disappointed we hadn't beaten them.'

Bournemouth 2 Manchester Utd 0 (FA Cup 3rd rnd, Jan 7 1984)

Ron Atkinson's side began the defence of their trophy with what looked like a routine tie against the Third Division strugglers and Harry Redknapp, who was three months into his first managerial job.

But Milton Graham stunned a United side including the likes of Frank Stapleton, Bryan Robson, Arnold Muhren and Norman Whiteside with the first goal (below) before Ian Thompson added a second.

Graham, 48, is a section manager for a boat and tractor engine company in Peterborough.

He said: 'Deep down I didn't think we had a chance but if there's one thing history has taught me about Harry Redknapp it's that he knows players. He just instilled the confidence in us to go out and play.

'I like to think that Gary Bailey didn't fumble the corner, but he did and I volleyed it in. Funnily enough, it wasn't until I saw it in the papers on Monday that I realised I'd scored or that it was so momentous.

'Ron Atkinson kept his players in the dressing room for an hour after the game. Ours was just crazy. Champagne everywhere. We poured a bottle over Harry's head. The chairman gave me ?200 for the team, which was hard to spend that night because everyone was buying us drinks.

'Later on, I played for Crawley manager Steve Evans at Stamford. Crawley should enjoy themselves because these games don't come around too often. To this day when I'm introduced to people at work, the first words are, "This is Milton, who scored against Manchester United in the FA Cup".'

Manchester Utd 0 Exeter City 0 (FA Cup 3rd rnd, Jan 8, 2005)

Sir Alex Ferguson put out a weakened team and then had to apologise to fans for what he described as 'the worst FA Cup performance in my 18 years at the club' as non- League Exeter earned a draw with the holders.

Former Old Trafford apprentice ANDY TAYLOR (right) twice went close to scoring against his old club but United won the replay 2-0.

Taylor, 28, runs his own business as a strength and conditioning coach, and plays for Truro City.

'That game saved Exeter and I remember the jubilation when we drew United because we could easily have gone out of business,' said Taylor.

'From a personal point of view it was nice to go back. I was in the year above Darren Fletcher at United but they discovered a degenerative knee problem and I was advised to retire at 19. I'd never played at Old Trafford before.

'There's no point going there thinking you'll get turned over, you just have to set your stall out to get a result. The noise our fans made at the end is a memory that will stay with me. Scholes and Phil Neville came over and asked how I was and the manager gave me a pat on the back. United gave us all a shirt or something after the game.'

Agences de presses

Labels: Crawley, daily, Donapost, little, Manchester, scare, United, write

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By Laura Williamson and Ivan Speck Last updated at 9:00 PM on 18th February 2011

After Xavi, Iniesta and Messi come Scott McGleish and Alex Revell.

It's another cup match but, in the shadow of the Olympic Stadium, Arsenal will have very different challenges.

Leyton Orient versus Arsenal restores Arsene Wenger's team to the status of favourites. Their hosts will be the ones chasing the ball this time.

Side by side: strikers Scott McGleish and Alex Revell are looking to cause an upset

But Wenger is proud of his record of never having lost to a side outside the Premier League in 25 FA Cup outings against lower league opposition.

Before training on Friday morning, the Frenchman watched 30 minutes of Orient's 3-2 win at Milton Keynes on Tuesday night and finished off the rest of the match in the  afternoon.

The Gunners boss said: 'We always try to prepare properly. We watched them against MK Dons so we always research them.

'They have a good left back (Charlie) Daniels and a striker who looks dangerous, Revell. They have (Ben) Chorley, a former Arsenal player, and also Jason Crowe, who played here when I arrived.

'To be successful in the end, you need to go through these kind of games. It is a mental test of how much we want to win.'

But before the Carling Cup final against Birmingham City at Wembley on February 27 and their Champions League trip to the Nou Camp on March 8, Arsenal must navigate an FA Cup fifth-round test at 9,271-capacity Brisbane Road.

Oh what a night: but Wenger's men must refocus after a famous win over Barca

Russell Slade's side, 10th in League One, are unbeaten since New Year's Day and have not lost at home since September 11. Arsenal are in giant-killing territory in East London.

Revell, 27, and veteran strike partner McGleish, 37, are the players most likely to create a headline. The pair have scored 27 goals this season, 15 years after meeting at Cambridge.

McGleish was on loan from Peterborough and became an idol for the young Revell when he gave him a pair of yellow boots. Despite meeting as opponents, it was only when Revell signed for Orient last summer he dared mention the boots.

Revell said: 'We were doing a 4km run in pre-season, and I said to Scotty: "Do you remember those boots you gave me?" He said: "What, those yellow Apta ones?" "Yeah." We started giggling away like two school kids. Scotty was an idol to me for doing that. I always looked out afterwards to see how he was getting on.'

Giant-killing territory: Leyton Orient's Stephen Dawson, manager Russell Slade, Ben Chorley and Scott McGleish pose with the big prize ahead of the fourth-round tie at Brisbane Road

McGleish is a traditionalist when it comes to boots and, while he scored seven goals in that 10-match spell at Cambridge, he never actually wore the yellow boots in a match.

He said: 'I wore them only in the warm-up. I just looked at them and thought: "No, I can't wear these." Even now I only ever wear black boots. It was only when Alex mentioned it I twigged it was him that I gave them to.'

But McGleish has picked up his share of souvenirs along the way. He said: 'At Barnet we played Wolves in the Carling Cup and I got Keith Curle's shirt.

'I was having my first house built and they were just giving everyone a small three-by-three slab patio. The site manager was a massive Wolves fan. He asked if he could have the shirt and I said: "Yeah, for a bigger patio." I had a huge one done that was eight slabs by eight.

'The only other one I've got was Jamie Redknapp's Southampton shirt from a Cup tie when I was at Northampton. But my missus won't let me get rid of that one.'

Kane he kick it? Yes he can...

And if they can't do it, here's a kid from Spurs who might...

Harry Kane has added motivation to knock out Arsenal. The 17-year-old striker belongs to Tottenham and is on loan at Orient until the end of the season.

The highly rated forward scored 18 goals in 22 games for Spurs Under 18s last season, and has three since arriving at Brisbane Road in January.

He has done pretty well at international level too, firing in two goals in three games for the England Under 17s before it was decided he was too good for that age group. Since moving to the Under 19s, he has hit two goals in two appearances.

Arsenal's defence might want to keep a special eye out for his David Beckham-esque set pieces.

Agences de presses

Labels: daily, Heaposs, Itaposs, McGleish, Messi, Revell, Wenger

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By Lawrence Booth
Last updated at 9:21 AM on 18th February 2011

England take on Pakistan today in a warm-up game that feels more like a grudge  match following the acrimonious events of 2010.

The sides have been staying in the same Dhaka hotel during the build-up to the  World Cup, which starts here tomorrow with Bangladesh against India following  last night's colourful opening ceremony, but Stuart Broad admitted the two  teams – who have not met since the summer – have given each other a wide berth.

Come here and say that: Wahab Riaz clashed with Jonathan Trott last year

'We’ve seen them but not spoken to them,’ said the England fast bowler. ‘And it’s not like we've been going out for dinner with them.’

The banned trio of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer are absent  following their part in the no-ball scandal that wrecked the Lord’s Test.

But  Wahab Riaz – the seamer who clashed with Jonathan Trott before the one-day  international at the same ground – is in Pakistan’s squad.

Broad, whose career-best 169 at Lord’s was all but forgotten amid the controversy, admitted: ‘Obviously it was a tough time for us last year: all  England players will say the same.

'We enjoyed the cricket, but the  off-the-field incidents did damage our wonderful summer of cricket. But you've  got to move on and the World Cup campaign is our sole focus.’

England made an unconvincing start to their tour on Wednesday when they  squeezed out minnows Canada by 16 runs in their opening warm-up match Fatullah,  but Broad’s haul of five for 39 in his first game since tearing stomach muscles  in Adelaide in December was a rare ray of light.

‘It was great to get back on the pitch,’ he said. ‘I was a bit nervous before  the start, but I feel very fresh having not played for a long time and very fit  after all the gym work.’

Agences de presses

Labels: daily, England, final, friendly, hardly, Itaposs, Match, Pakistan, warmup

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Last updated at 12:10 AM on 18th February 2011

UEFA made the astonishing decision to have a shamed powerbroker from the 2018 World Cup vote as their head of delegation yesterday at the Champions League final ticket launch in London.

Cypriot Mario Lefkaritis was one of the six FIFA executive committee members accused of telling 'blatant lies' to Prime Minister David Cameron and Prince William after reneging on their promises to vote for England 2018.

Friend or foe? Marios Lefkaritis at the UEFA Champions League Final 2011 ticket launch in London

Yet UEFA, in their wisdom, sent vice-president Lefkaritis as their senior representative when they announced excessive ticket prices for the Wembley final on May 28, which will produce record-breaking match revenue of ?14m.

Along with tickets costing from ?150 to ?300, revealed by Sports Agenda yesterday, is an extraordinary administrative charge of ?26 for delivering them to households. This compares with the ?6 London 2012 will charge for their signed delivery of Olympic tickets.

Lefkaritis so enraged England 2018 with his double dealing - he blamed the English media for losing the vote - that bid chief executive Andy Anson confronted him in the FIFA hotel. Yet senior FA board member Barry Bright introduced him to the media yesterday as a 'good friend of English football'.

Lefkaritis said: 'I was asked to come here by UEFA and I agreed. I can't see any problem with that. The FIFA 2018 vote is nothing to do with the Champions League final.'

The first action of Mark Gonnella, Arsenal's new director of communications, has been to reduce press access to Arsene Wenger. And Gonnella didn't impress either by parading his wife and son through the Emirates press room before the Barcelona game - for which the club had to turn down 60 requests for media passes. Arsenal say it was Wenger's decision to alter his press arrangements and Gonnella's family did not take up press box space.

Hollywood A-lister Mickey Rourke created a stir by attending the Millennium Stadium last weekend for the start of rugby league's Super League season while researching his film role of Crusaders player Gareth Thomas. That prompted England rugby union manager Martin Johnson to be asked this week whom he would like to play him on screen. Johnson's choice was professional bodybuilder and The Incredible Hulk actor Lou Ferrigno (right). 'He's got the looks,' Johnno told compere Ben Kay at a Matt Hampson Trust charity function.

London 2012 and the specialist Met Police unit Operation Podium face a huge task keeping track of the near one million tickets allocated to national Olympic Committees - always the main source for touts. London have warned NOCs to abide by the rules and say they will ensure each country is given an allocation that reflects past applications, competitors and their particular events. So having approved Ipswich Town owner Marcus Evans - described as the world's biggest ticket tout - as the official ticket reseller for Ireland, Greece and Malta, they should at least keep an eye on how many opening ceremony and 100m final tickets those countries want.

The biggest challenge for London 2012 will be attracting full houses for Olympic football - especially the women's final at Wembley, for which the cheapest tickets are ?30. Seats at the women's Champions League final at Craven Cottage will cost ?5.

Agences de presses

Labels: Charles, daily, dealer, double, England, haunts

If you notice a combination of the following symptoms you may not be reaping the many benefits of magnesium. A deficiency can be the cause of uncomfortable leg cramps that wake you from your sleep. These spasms are quite painful and they can really disrupt your ability to move as well as your sleeping patterns.

The benefits of magnesium that are often ignored may keep you from feeling fatigue and even depression. These symptoms are not commonly associated with a mineral deficiency at all and they may not help an individual realize that his diet needs supplementation. We don’t usually point our fingers at the lack of magnesium as a possible cause for depression and fatigue but they can be caused by this deficiency.

A person who has a severe deficiency will notice a loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting. These symptoms only make the condition worse because the body loses the nutrients that it so desperately needs. It is impossible to reap the benefits of magnesium if you are unable to ingest foods that contain the mineral into your system.

High blood pressure and migraines are two other symptoms that are not commonly associated with magnesium. However, some of the benefits of magnesium include properties that help people maintain a healthy blood pressure reading and they can ward off painful migraines.

What are the actual benefits of magnesium other than keeping the symptoms of a deficiency at bay? This mineral is useful in keeping the body’s heart in good condition. The mineral supplies this muscle with nutrients that it needs to run smoothly. This helps the body maintain a healthy blood pressure level as well.

The supplement is also useful in helping the body absorb other mineral as well. Minerals like calcium and potassium cling to the magnesium and are pulled into the body. Calcium is helpful in building strong bones and potassium helps the body regulate muscles. When there is a lack of potassium there is a reoccurrence of leg cramps.

The benefits of magnesium may not be quite so easy to describe. However, the importance of this mineral is evident when a body does not get enough of it.

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