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Roo says he is a better player today than in 2004

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 05:38:00 -0400

England footballer Wayne Rooney believes that he is a better footballer today than he was in 2004 when he lit up Euro 2004 with two goals against Switzerland and another two against Croatia.

Then the broken metatarsal Rooney suffered against Portugal in the quarter-final was blamed for the Three Lions'' failure and the weight of expectation on the Manchester United star has seemed a burden ever since.

Rooney now argues that his all-round contribution to the team is what counts, rather than his goal ratio.

"I thought I played well in 2004 but I''ve improved as a player since then. Because I scored a few goals, everyone remembers that. But I think I''ve played better than that many times where I haven''t scored. My favourite position is playing behind the forward because you are getting the ball more.

"I don''t like to be out of the game too long," said Rooney.

According to The Sun, no one could argue Rooney does not do his bit all over the pitch — sometimes too much — which is why he does not score so many. But his performance against the Croats in England''s stunning 4-1 World Cup success in Zagreb last month backs up his case. He got a goal for himself, while the fact he was instrumental in Theo Walcott''s hat-trick gave him just as much pleasure, if not more.

"When you look at the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, they are players who deserve to be up for World Footballer of the Year for the way they have played and — hopefully — I can get there one day. If I keep working and progressing I''d like to think I could. But as I''ve always said throughout my career, it''s not about me, it''s about the team. I''d rather win a trophy with the team than any personal trophy," Rooney said. (ANI)

Ex-American footballer O J Simpson feels he will be killed in jail by whites

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 05:38:00 -0400

Ex-American football star O J Simpson aka "The Juice", who is facing a life sentence for robbery and kidnap, fears that he could be killed in jail a white supremacist gang.

Simpson went on trial in 1995 for killing his ex-wife, Nicole, and her friend, Ronald Goldman, both white people.

Now, according to The Sun, he is said to be a "target" for the brutal Aryan Warriors at Ely State Prison, Nevada.

An insider said: "They''re a deadly prison gang whose members want to finally deliver OJ fatal justice. It''ll be like tossing meat to wolves. He''ll be dead within weeks."

OJ, 61, is likely to end up at Ely when he is sentenced on December 5.

He was found guilty of a hotel heist last week — 13 years to the day of his acquittal over the murders of Nicole and Ronald.

Guards have put him in an isolation cell at his current Las Vegas jail after he told pals: "I''m a dead man."

He is also on suicide watch. (ANI)

England is now fearless, claims coach Capello

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 05:37:00 -0400

England football coach Fabio Capello has said that his team is now in a position to play without fear, and promised to build on last month''s 4-1 thrashing of Croatia in Zagreb with a gung-ho approach against Kazakhstan on Saturday.

"I hope with the Croatia result we have finally knocked the monkey off our back. They need to play with confidence. The confidence I see them playing with for their clubs. But also they need to play every game as if it is their last. Victory in Croatia was important because we had lost the English spirit, our aggressiveness, the boldness and our confidence," The Sun quoted Capello, as saying.

"After failing to qualify for Euro 2008 we were full of fear, notably when we played at Wembley.
"I knew we would play better abroad — and we did," he added.

He also said that he believed in his instincts, especially when it came to deciding whether to field a youngster like Theo Walcott or in choosing a more experienced player for the matches.

"This is a new adventure for me, a new challenge, and what is important now is to be focused and determined. It''s a new way of working — it''s harder to get your ideas, desire and tactics across because we don''t spend a lot of time together. You have to be able to condense what you want to teach your team," Capello said. (ANI)

Stephanie Rice wows Hall of Fame red carpet Down Under

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:24:00 -0400

Australian swimming champion Stephanie Rice honoured both past and present sports legends at the annual Hall of Fame dinner in Melbourne.

The Beijing triple gold medallist, who dazzled in green sequined courtier apparel, arrived in Melbourne after taking few weeks break in America.

"I wanted to get something to fit in with my personality. I am only in my early 20s so I wanted something to bring that out,” the Daily Telegraph quoted her, as saying.

But there was no holiday romance for the pool queen, who split from boyfriend and fellow swim star Eamon Sullivan earlier this year.

"I''m really just enjoying my life right now," she said. (ANI)

Michael Phelps’ ‘girlfriend’ wants to keep their relationship under wraps

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:23:00 -0400

Michael Phelps'' ‘girlfriend’ Nicole Johnson, who was a Miss California runner-up, wants to keep their relationship away from the public eye.

Nicole, who was reportedly spotted with the 23-year old champ athlete at Bowlmor Lanes'' 70th-anniversary party, is said to have flared up when her beau’s female following started taking pictures of the two.

“Who is taking pictures?” the New York Daily quoted an angry Nicole as saying.

While the two allegedly bowled into the night, the ace-swimmer, who won eight gold medals at the Beijing Summer Olympics this year, confessed that he did not have the same skills for bowling.

He said: “I''m not that good.

“But I''m doing it more often, now that I have a little time to myself.

“I have next week off, so I''m going to relax and do nothing." (ANI)

Ronaldo was a love cheat, claims his ex

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:22:00 -0400

Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo’s ex-girlfriend Nereida Gallardo has revealed that the Manchester United player had cheated on her during their relationship.

Gallardo said that she came to know about his cheating ways through a steamy text message she saw on his phone.

“In the time we were together, I looked at his mobile,” the Sun quoted her as having said while speaking on Spanish TV.

“And I got a surprise – in Spanish. The other woman was Spanish. Either that or she was from Miami!

“It always seemed that he was playing around with girls by text message so I said to him: ‘If you want to play these games then tell me and I can turn on my old phone and I can go back to having my pick!’” she stated.

The host of the show asked her how she felt about the tattoo of Ronaldo’s initials on her wrist, despite knowing that he had cheated on her.

“I had it done before I saw the message,” she had replied.

“I’m going to take it off, my mother works for a dermatologist who removes tattoos and he is going to remove it for me,” she added. (ANI)

Pak cricket chief selector resigns to give ‘room’ to new PCB chief

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:22:00 -0400

Hours after the formal announcement of the appointment of new PCB chief Ijaz Butt, Pakistan’s chief selector Salahuddin Ahmad resigned here last evening, saying that he wanted to give “room” to the new chief to appoint a chief selector of his own choice.

He, however, welcomed Butt’s appointment.

“I welcome the appointment of Mr Ijaz Butt as the new PCB chief and wish him all the best,” the Daily Times quoted him as saying.

It is widely anticipated that the new PCB chief would carry out some sweeping changes in the national cricket set-up in the coming weeks.

Salahuddin, who was named as the chief selector last April, just weeks after Pakistan’s embarrassing first round exit from the 2007 World Cup, said he gave his best during his stint as the head of the national selection committee.

“I must give credit to former PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf for his relentless hard work and dedicated efforts. Nasim gave the selectors a free hand and we were never pressurised to select any player in the team,” said Salahuddin.

Meanwhile, Saleem Jaffer and Shafqat Rana – the two members of the national selection committee – have decided against following suit. (ANI)

Chelsea deny 730 mn pound debt could be a problem

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:21:00 -0400

Chelsea has strongly defended their financial structure and rejected any suggestion that the club’s estimated debt figure of 730 million pound could ultimately jeopardise their participation in European competitions.

Owner Roman Abramovich believe that the club’s unique ownership model should be taken into account before the introduction of penalties for clubs carrying excessive debts, The Telegraph reported.

UEFA president Michel Platini specifically pinpointed Manchester United and Chelsea earlier this year when he highlighted the issue, while Uefa general-secretary David Taylor threatened to bring in new rules to regulate clubs’ relationship with debt.

However, Chelsea believes that the club’s unique ownership model should be taken into account.

“Our debt is not external, we don’t owe it to a bank or an insurance company, we owe it to the owner of the club who is a committed investor in the club,” said Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck.

“And the fact that it is characterised as debt or equity is irrelevant. I think it’s even softer than soft debt. Its equivalent to equity for all practical purposes. Our objective – as it has been for several years and will continue to be – is to break, or as close to, break-even as we possibly can in order that we don''t have to look to Abramovich to fund us continually,” he said.

“Was Platini misinformed? As best I can remember the quotes and the context, then I would say yes, he probably didn''t understand the actual financial condition of Chelsea,” he added. (ANI)