https://www.scmp.com/rss/15550/feed Jason Dasey is an Asia-based broadcaster of the English Premier League and major Fifa tournaments including World Cup & Euro. A former BBC, CNN & ESPN anchor, Jason runs his own media business in Singapore while serving as executive producer for Malaysian network, Astro SuperSport. A SCMP columnist since 2009, Jason began his career three decades ago at the Sydney Morning Herald in his native Australia. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com What began with the biggest media frenzy in S.League history last January ended with barely a whimper on Monday night when ex-Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant quietly flew home to the UK. After promising so much, Pennant’s nine-and-a-half month stay in Singapore ultimately failed to deliver, despite a reported salary of S$20,000 per month. His club, Tampines Rovers, were unable to win any silverware, even with a squad packed with 13 Singapore internationals, and some of the league’s best import... https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/2042665/jermaine-pennant-exits-singapore-whimper-after-failing-sparkle-sleague?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/2042665/jermaine-pennant-exits-singapore-whimper-after-failing-sparkle-sleague?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Nov 2016 07:12:19 +0000 Tony Adams turns 50 next month, and admits that, at one stage of his life, he wasn’t even sure that he’d live to see his 30th birthday. His struggles with alcohol more than two decades ago were the stuff of tabloid headlines before the former England captain straightened himself out to set up his own charity to help athletes overcome addiction. Now, as he gets settled in as sport director of Chinese Super League club Chongqing Lifan FC, the Arsenal legend says he is full of optimism and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/2012224/i-didnt-think-i-would-make-30-arsenal-legend-tony-adams-reflects-his?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/2012224/i-didnt-think-i-would-make-30-arsenal-legend-tony-adams-reflects-his?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Sep 2016 07:58:36 +0000 Legend or loser? If Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo isn't sure about the fine line between the two 'L' words of sport, former manager Avram Grant will be only too happy to remind him. Di Matteo (pictured) chases the London club's first ever Champions League crown at the Allianz Arena tonight, knowing that victory in the final against Bayern Munich will see him succeed where Grant failed four years ago. Grant was only a John Terry spot-kick away from glory in 2008 against Manchester United... https://www.scmp.com/article/1001348/stand-boss-di-matteo-faces-his-date-destiny?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/1001348/stand-boss-di-matteo-faces-his-date-destiny?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 May 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Alex Ferguson joked that Queens Park Rangers would have a better chance of getting something out of their final game of the season at Manchester City if Mark Hughes was playing for the London club instead of coaching them. That was more a commentary on the QPR squad than a criticism of the 48-year-old Hughes' managerial abilities. Hughes faces the almost impossible task of helping the worst away team in the Premier League achieve a positive result against the best home team. Adding spice to the... https://www.scmp.com/article/1000761/return-hughes-unlikely-upset-ready-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/1000761/return-hughes-unlikely-upset-ready-city?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 May 2012 16:00:00 +0000 The doomsayers will point to his recent failure at Liverpool as a reason not to put Roy Hodgson in the England hot seat. But the lasting benefits of his three seasons at Fulham are a better indication of Hodgson's qualities as a manager. Fulham will move three points above Liverpool on the English Premier League table into eighth position if they can beat Sunderland at home tomorrow. Earlier this week, the Cottagers won the battle of Hodgson's former clubs with a surprise 1-0 victory at Anfield.... https://www.scmp.com/article/1000136/hodgson-can-improve-england-he-did-fulham?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/1000136/hodgson-can-improve-england-he-did-fulham?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 May 2012 16:00:00 +0000 How much more confident would Manchester United feel about their chances at the Etihad Stadium on Monday night if two of their stalwarts from last season were in the line-up? In the corresponding match of the 2010-11 campaign, Manchester United overcame their closest rivals, Chelsea, on the back of a sterling defensive performance. The 2-1 victory effectively clinched their 19th English title. On that day at Old Trafford, Edwin van der Sar was between the posts and Nemanja Vidic patrolled at the... https://www.scmp.com/article/999458/manchester-derby-could-be-tale-two-keepers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/999458/manchester-derby-could-be-tale-two-keepers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:00:00 +0000 'I fear death, not football.' The words came from Italy striker Antonio Di Natale when asked if he were afraid to test himself at a big club after refusing a transfer from Udinese to Juventus in 2010. This week, Di Natale (picture) was reminded of his own mortality when he attended the funeral of former teammate Piermario Morosini, who died on the field of a suspected heart attack at the age of 25 last weekend. Morosini was on loan from Udinese, playing for Livorno, when he collapsed in the... https://www.scmp.com/article/998789/why-toto-shouldnt-hang-his-boots-just-yet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/998789/why-toto-shouldnt-hang-his-boots-just-yet?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Apr 2012 16:00:00 +0000 'Thursday nights, Channel Five' taunted the away fans during Tottenham's most recent home defeat, clearly unimpressed by their ambitions to play in next season's Champions League. Channel Five in the UK covers the Europa League, the secondary competition for which manager Harry Redknapp (pictured) makes no attempt to hide his distaste. This season Spurs bowed out in the group stages after lame defeats to continental also-rans Rubin Kazan and PAOK Salonika. As Tottenham and Chelsea face off in... https://www.scmp.com/article/998221/redknapp-must-be-blamed-spurs-slump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/998221/redknapp-must-be-blamed-spurs-slump?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Apr 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Talking to Ajax manager Frank de Boer, you'd swear Jan Vertonghen's move to Arsenal next season was already a done deal. What isn't so certain is if the former Netherlands captain will ever join the Belgian in the English Premier League. Defending champions Ajax sit atop a crowded top six in the Eredivisie after eight consecutive league victories. Yet De Boer is resigned to losing his club captain at the end of the campaign, with the Emirates Stadium the most likely destination. 'Yes, we've... https://www.scmp.com/article/997603/vertonghen-set-england-de-boer-will-wait?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/997603/vertonghen-set-england-de-boer-will-wait?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Apr 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Fortunately there seems to be more encouraging news from the London Chest Hospital where Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba is making a strong recovery after collapsing during last weekend's FA Cup tie at Tottenham Hotspur. The incident was a stark reminder of the mortality of all of us, including super athletes. It also forged an unlikely bond between the fans of Bolton and Tottenham, who have been united in their concern this week for the former England Under-21 star. Hailed as a hero was Dr... https://www.scmp.com/article/996385/muambas-ordeal-has-put-game-perspective?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/996385/muambas-ordeal-has-put-game-perspective?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Mar 2012 16:00:00 +0000 If Alex Ferguson is able to guide Manchester United to their 20th English league title this season, it would surely be the Scotsman's greatest domestic trophy. It is hard to believe the Red Devils have returned to the top of the table with 10 games remaining. But imagine how much further ahead they would be if Ferguson had the calibre of player at the disposal of Manchester City's Roberto Mancini. United are poised to extend their lead to four points by accounting for relegation-threatened... https://www.scmp.com/article/995693/red-devils-driving-seat-and-will-be-hard-shift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/995693/red-devils-driving-seat-and-will-be-hard-shift?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:00:00 +0000 They are a Premier League club with a realistic chance of playing in Europe next season, whose sometimes-stubborn manager has overcome the odds with shrewd signings. And, in an era of excessive spending, they're in decent financial shape. The description could be applied to Arsene Wenger's Arsenal but it also fits their Monday night opponents, Newcastle United. If the Magpies are able to record their 13th victory of the season at the Emirates Stadium, they will climb to 47 points, exceeding... https://www.scmp.com/article/995014/leaner-and-meaner-magpies-have-reason-sing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/995014/leaner-and-meaner-magpies-have-reason-sing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Mar 2012 16:00:00 +0000 If you put your trust in someone, just leave them alone to let them do their job. Whether it's in business or in the English Premier League, micromanagement rarely gets the best out of anyone. Andre Villas-Boas finally admitted he does fear the sack from Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich. How could he not, given the Blues' struggles and the recent history of managers at Stamford Bridge? With Chelsea on the brink of Champions League elimination and far from guaranteeing a top-four spot this season,... https://www.scmp.com/article/994292/meddling-managerial-matters-losers-game?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/994292/meddling-managerial-matters-losers-game?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Mar 2012 16:00:00 +0000 With their club in a Wembley final for the first time in 16 years, Liverpool fans are reminded of the 'white suits' FA Cup decider when the Merseyside club lost to an Eric Cantona-inspired Manchester United in 1996. But there may be more relevance to a less-remembered Wembley showcase the year before. On that occasion, Liverpool lifted the 1995 League Cup trophy, then known as the Coca-Cola Cup - the same trophy which they are targeting against Cardiff City tomorrow in its guise as the... https://www.scmp.com/article/993605/reds-can-rest-easy-every-underdog-has-its-day?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/993605/reds-can-rest-easy-every-underdog-has-its-day?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000 We know for sure England will have a new manager for Euro 2012. What we don't know is if he will select John Terry or opt to leave the former captain behind. What to do with the Chelsea veteran will be one of the first big decisions of the brave man taking over the hot seat. As proved this week, Terry (pictured) is a polarising figure who played no small part in the rocky nature of Fabio Capello's four years in charge. Taking Terry to Poland and Ukraine is almost to certain to destabilise the... https://www.scmp.com/article/992300/manager-damned-if-he-does-damned-if-he-doesnt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/992300/manager-damned-if-he-does-damned-if-he-doesnt?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000 In the build-up to tomorrow's Premier League match against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge, big-spending Chelsea raised eyebrows by signing their third Red Devil in six months. Yet there is no need for Alex Ferguson to fret. Because these Red Devils are not the ones who call Old Trafford home, but proud Belgians who have long carried the Red Devils' moniker on the world stage. The deadline-day capture of Racing Genk left-winger Kevin de Bruyne (pictured) for a reported fee of GBP6.6... https://www.scmp.com/article/991675/belgian-red-devils-are-making-their-mark-again?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/991675/belgian-red-devils-are-making-their-mark-again?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000 As a new lunar year begins, the English Premier League's most famous water dragon has every reason to feel optimistic about the months ahead. Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill (pictured) turns 60 on March 1, which means he was born in the previous Year of the Water Dragon, along with cricket legend Viv Richards and former world No1 tennis player Jimmy Connors. The astrological forecast for water dragons is for a flamboyant period with new beginnings and good fortune, along with some ups and... https://www.scmp.com/article/991087/martin-water-dragon-has-magic-touch-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/991087/martin-water-dragon-has-magic-touch-year?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000 John Barnes lives a life on the move. After taking care of fatherly duties with his 13-month-old son at his Merseyside home this week, the former Liverpool winger hit the road to appear as a studio expert on British television coverage of the FA Cup. In addition to considerable mileage on Britain's motorways, he spends more than six months of the year travelling to places like South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia to share his views on Europe's top leagues. Now the 48-year-old... https://www.scmp.com/article/990692/new-indian-league-fires-blasts-past?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/990692/new-indian-league-fires-blasts-past?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Things are likely to get worse before they get better as new manager Mark Hughes tries to turn around the Asian-owned Queens Park Rangers. The January appointment at the newly promoted club is a shrewd one, because it means Hughes (pictured), a former Manchester United and Chelsea striker, will be able to attract better talent in the transfer window than his unfashionable predecessor, Neil Warnock. Already he has been linked to players such as Andrew Johnson, Chris Samba and Nedum Onuoha, with... https://www.scmp.com/article/990086/no-beating-about-bush-hughes-qpr?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/990086/no-beating-about-bush-hughes-qpr?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000 'He had me at hello' was one of the wittier headlines as Arsene Wenger announced his intention to bring Thierry Henry back to the Emirates Stadium on a two-month loan deal. Paraphrasing a famous line from the 1996 sports romantic comedy Jerry Maguire wasn't so far off the mark, with Wenger admitting he'd decided to re-sign his former favourite son on November 17. That was the day when Henry began training with the Gunners after arriving from the New York Red Bulls, with Major League Soccer... https://www.scmp.com/article/989422/returning-henry-will-put-reputation-line?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/989422/returning-henry-will-put-reputation-line?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Sergio Aguero, Luis Suarez and Edin Dzeko are among the strikers who can lay claim to making a big impact in 2011 after arriving in the Premier League. An unlikely addition to the list is Grant Holt, the Norwich captain whose long journey to the English top flight includes a spell in Southeast Asia. Like Aguero, Suarez and Dzeko, Holt plays up front but that is where the similarities end. Holt is an unfashionable English forward who, until recently, was barely known outside East Anglia or the... https://www.scmp.com/article/988548/holts-story-inspiration-wannabe-top-players?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/988548/holts-story-inspiration-wannabe-top-players?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Dec 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Paul Gascoigne lasted four months, Shane Smeltz went home after just five days. So how much of Nicolas Anelka's two-year contract with Shanghai Shenhua will the former France international actually serve? The Chelsea striker will become the Chinese Super League's biggest signing when he joins the club next month, earning a reported US$300,000 a week. But, as history has shown, big-name foreign imports do not always easily adapt to life in China. In 2003, former England international Gascoigne... https://www.scmp.com/article/987963/so-has-anelka-appetite-life-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/987963/so-has-anelka-appetite-life-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Manchester United's shock exit from the Champions League could turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Not only does it allow the Red Devils to concentrate on their domestic campaign, but it will almost certainly force Alex Ferguson's hand in spending big to secure the creative midfielder the club so desperately needs after the retirement of Paul Scholes. The disastrous 2-1 defeat at Basle also raised doubts over the readiness of some of Ferguson's youngsters to consistently compete at the top... https://www.scmp.com/article/987356/red-devils-redemption-test-fergusons-resolve?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/987356/red-devils-redemption-test-fergusons-resolve?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Put up or shut up. That must be the message to anyone, including Football Federation Australia (FFA) chairman Frank Lowy, who casts aspersions on how Qatar won the right to host the 2022 Fifa World Cup. Yesterday marked the one-year anniversary of soccer's governing body awarding of the 22nd edition of the global showcase to the Gulf nation. Lowy claimed this week that the 'last word' had not been heard on the controversial vote that 'media all over the world is talking about', adding... https://www.scmp.com/article/986646/no-smoke-no-fire-just-hot-air-about-qatari-bid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/986646/no-smoke-no-fire-just-hot-air-about-qatari-bid?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:00:00 +0000 According to sources at Paris St Germain, there is a 50-50 chance that David Beckham will sign with the French club in the New Year. But given Beckham's obsession with playing at the 2012 London Olympics, a move to the British capital would make a lot more sense. Flushed with Qatari funds and with a reputation as perennial under-achievers, PSG are known as the Manchester City of France for good reason. However, as they are probably where the Citizens were 18 months ago in terms of their... https://www.scmp.com/article/985932/beckham-needs-work-out-whats-best-him?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/985932/beckham-needs-work-out-whats-best-him?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Nov 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Perception, they say, is everything. As the Liverpool faithful continue to talk up the revival under 'King Kenny', the reality is that things are only marginally better than last season. If they fall to a highly possible defeat at Stamford Bridge tomorrow, the Reds will have just three more points than they did after a dozen games under the much-criticised reign of Roy Hodgson. And now, with Luis Suarez being charged with racial abuse, Kenny Dalglish faces the possibility of being without his... https://www.scmp.com/article/985251/three-games-make-or-break-king-kennys-campaign?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/985251/three-games-make-or-break-king-kennys-campaign?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Sentiment is often known to cloud good judgment. As England tune up for next year's European Championship with a couple of Wembley friendlies, Alex Ferguson is among the respected voices calling for the unlikely return of Michael Owen to the national set-up. It seems a little far-fetched to suggest the soon-to-be 32-year-old striker will be welcomed back with open arms ahead of Euro 2012. Owen has not represented his nation since 2008 and is a bit-part player at Manchester United where he is... https://www.scmp.com/article/984578/england-dont-need-luxury-michael-owen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/984578/england-dont-need-luxury-michael-owen?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Regardless of whether he is found guilty of a racism charge, John Terry must be stripped of the England captaincy ahead of next year's European Championship. With the Football Association already probing the claims of Queens Park Rangers' Anton Ferdinand against the Chelsea centre-back, British police launched their investigation this week into what happened during the west London derby last month. Terry's defence is the racist slur against Ferdinand only came out of his mouth while he was... https://www.scmp.com/article/983923/guilty-or-not-terry-should-be-stripped-captaincy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/983923/guilty-or-not-terry-should-be-stripped-captaincy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:00:00 +0000 They are the men who fans pay to watch and that the TV cameras and journalists love to focus on. Yet how far should administrators go in protecting the beautiful players of the beautiful game? Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish is the latest manager to call for greater protection for a star striker, this week demanding that referees better look after Uruguayan import Luis Suarez, who was left battered and bruised at the end of recent matches. Dalglish can relate to the kind of treatment that his... https://www.scmp.com/article/983218/likes-luis-suarez-must-earn-their-goals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/983218/likes-luis-suarez-must-earn-their-goals?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:00:00 +0000 It is more than two months into the English Premier League season and no club has parted ways with its manager, although Sunderland's Steve Bruce and Steve Kean of Blackburn will continue to look over their shoulders until results improve. But over in India, a veteran Liverpudlian coach has lasted just 82 days in charge of Calcutta giants Mohun Bagan. Steve Darby, one of Asia's most-travelled managers, tendered his resignation less than three months into the new campaign because of what he... https://www.scmp.com/article/982576/oh-calcutta-darby-bemoans-his-indian-adventure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/982576/oh-calcutta-darby-bemoans-his-indian-adventure?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:00:00 +0000 A history of red cards and losing his temper? No problem. Occasional off-field misbehaviour, including marital infidelity? That's OK. Father interviewed by police about alleged match fixing? Can overlook that. Wayne Rooney's chequered personal history has the soccer purists ringing their hands in dismay. But when it comes to his global marketability, the sometimes-dubious exploits of the Manchester United star can actually serve to enhance his appeal. As the Liverpool-born striker prepares to... https://www.scmp.com/article/981926/rooney-trouble-and-why-we-love-him?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/981926/rooney-trouble-and-why-we-love-him?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:00:00 +0000 'It is not a question of age. It is a question of competence.' The words of Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas were describing the resurgence of his midfielder Frank Lampard but are appropriate when scrutinising all players and managers, senior and emerging. Villas-Boas and Lampard are both 33 years old but only the latter has played 88 times for his country and has been at Stamford Bridge since 2001. Yet the Portuguese newcomer has the tricky task of keeping veterans like him happy while... https://www.scmp.com/article/981229/villas-boas-blazes-trail-young-coaching-hopefuls-across-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/981229/villas-boas-blazes-trail-young-coaching-hopefuls-across-world?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:00:00 +0000 The Asian fans had waited almost 15 years for an apology from the former Premier League star. And this week, ex-West Ham and Everton striker Tony Cottee finally laid to rest the controversy that had been brewing since he became the Malaysian League's biggest signing in 1996. Cottee put many noses out of joint with his less-than-complimentary observations about the level of the sport's professionalism in Southeast Asia. He wasn't happy that he had to clean his own boots, that he saw mushrooms... https://www.scmp.com/article/980615/returning-pundit-cottee-lays-rest-15-year-old-remarks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/980615/returning-pundit-cottee-lays-rest-15-year-old-remarks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Sep 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Manchester United might be top dogs across Asia in more ways than one, but smaller Premier League clubs are working hard to get their own slice of the action. Queens Park Rangers and Blackburn Rovers matched improved results on the field this week by making more inroads on the commercial side. Malaysian-born Tony Fernandes has owned QPR, the Premier League new boys for just one month, but is already talking about shifting the west London club from their tiny Loftus Road base to a new 45,000-seat... https://www.scmp.com/article/979957/asian-firms-keen-link-clubs-and-share-spotlight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/979957/asian-firms-keen-link-clubs-and-share-spotlight?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:00:00 +0000 The setting was a fitting tribute for a legend of the club: more than 500 fans gathered under a marquee tent at the stadium to see their chief executive induct a decorated German striker into the Manchester United Hall of Fame. One small problem: Uwe Rosler never played for United. He was a former star for arch rivals, Manchester City, scoring 50 goals in 152 games in the 1990s. You could have heard a pin drop when Garry Cook made his infamous gaffe in December 2009, 18 months after taking up... https://www.scmp.com/article/979265/ceos-come-and-go-clubs-cant-live-or-without-them?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/979265/ceos-come-and-go-clubs-cant-live-or-without-them?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Sep 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Sebastian Coates and Peter Coates aren't related, have never met and were born on different sides of the globe more than half a century apart. Yet the namesakes are prominent as the last-minute madness of the transfer window leads up to a return to Premier League action. Sebastian Coates (pronounced Co-ar-tez) is a towering central defender from Montevideo's Club Nacional who, aged 20, was part of Uruguay's Copa America winning team in July. He has linked up with international teammate Luis... https://www.scmp.com/article/978591/ambitious-potters-shape-prospects-watch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/978591/ambitious-potters-shape-prospects-watch?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Sep 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Underwear, mozzarella and being an Emirati ambassador - the start of Fabio Cannavaro's post-playing career means conversation topics waver beyond the once-familiar realms of defensive strategies and silverware. Two months ago, Italy's 2006 World Cup-winning captain was forced to announce his retirement after just one season at UAE club Al-Ahli because of a knee injury. Last week, he toured Singapore and Australia, re-inventing himself as a consultant and envoy for the Dubai-based outfit. A... https://www.scmp.com/article/977939/cannavaro-tackles-life-after-playing-career?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/977939/cannavaro-tackles-life-after-playing-career?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Sep 2011 16:00:00 +0000 To the impatient Arsenal fans calling for the head of your manager: be careful what you wish for. This week's battling Champions League play-off victory at Udinese, which avoided a 'catastrophe' by ensuring the Gunners' participation this season in Europe's elite competition, did little to quieten the chorus for change in north London. Arsene Wenger is many things: overly serious, stubborn and occasionally myopic - but he is not a quitter. He still has the passion, determination and creativity... https://www.scmp.com/article/977263/sacre-bleu-sacking-wenger-would-be-insanity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/977263/sacre-bleu-sacking-wenger-would-be-insanity?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Thanks to the wonders of social networking, Spain international midfielder Cesc Fabregas 'friended' me this week around the time of his multimillion-pound move to Barcelona from Arsenal. But becoming Facebook pal #4064 of the man listed as Francesc Fabregas Soler on his profile is no guarantee of leisurely chats over Crema Catalana and Caf?Cortado in the city's Las Ramblas district. The reality is we'll never meet unless our professional paths somehow cross. The closest may have been Arsenal's... https://www.scmp.com/article/976674/thanks-facebook-fabregas-and-i-are-now-friends?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/976674/thanks-facebook-fabregas-and-i-are-now-friends?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 It was former Liverpool captain Alan Hansen who famously declared that you'll win nothing with children before Manchester United's youthful side proved him wrong 15 years ago. So few observers would dare write off the 2011-12 Old Trafford 'babes'. When veteran French defender Patrice Evra came off in the second half of Sunday's Community Shield match, the Red Devils' average age was just 22 years and seven months. And yet the champions were able to complete their comeback to put their 'noisy... https://www.scmp.com/article/975990/will-kids-stuff-really-work-ferguson?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/975990/will-kids-stuff-really-work-ferguson?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Statistics, they say, don't lie, so when the list of the world's greatest active strikers was released by a German website last month, the likes of Thierry Henry, Raul Gonzalez and Ruud Van Nistelrooy weren't at the head of the list. Instead it was veteran Singapore forward Aleksandar Duric, who's now hoping to guide his adopted nation through the third round of AFC World Cup qualifying. With 328 goals in 444 top division club appearances, Duric is top dog, according to the International... https://www.scmp.com/article/975639/singaporean-and-41-still-worlds-best-striker?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/975639/singaporean-and-41-still-worlds-best-striker?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 He won more Manchester United silverware than Eric Cantona and lifted the Premier League trophy twice as many times as Bryan Robson, yet there's a low-key, matter-of-fact quality about Edwin van der Sar. He appears to have few of the eccentricities of fellow international goalkeepers Fabien Barthez, Bruce Grobbelaar or Jens Lehmann. Hopping between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore last week as he showed off Manchester United's Premiership prize from last season, Van der Sar hardly oozed star... https://www.scmp.com/article/973067/uniteds-humble-tower-strength?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/973067/uniteds-humble-tower-strength?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000 The greatest goals compilations from the early days of the Premier League are aired in high rotation on Asian television, providing a window into the last time that Queens Park Rangers competed among England's elite. Banging them in along with the likes of Eric Cantona, Teddy Sheringham and Ian Wright is Les Ferdinand, wearing the familiar blue and white hoops of the west London club. The shorts were shorter back then, but it's easy to recognise the ex-England international almost two... https://www.scmp.com/article/971763/little-les-conversation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/971763/little-les-conversation?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Jun 2011 16:00:00 +0000 The man who was once the world's fastest bowler is holding court at the hotel bar in Kuala Lumpur, talking about World Cups, winning teams and great players. But Australian legend Jeff Thomson is not waxing lyrical about the sport that made him famous. From his days as a rebellious teenager in Sydney to his life today as a speaker on the after-dinner circuit, 60-year-old 'Thommo' has always preferred soccer over cricket. As a teenager in the late 1960s, he played on a semi-professional level... https://www.scmp.com/article/969073/field-still-ball?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/969073/field-still-ball?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 May 2011 16:00:00 +0000 As much as the Champions League final will be a battle between the world's two dominant clubs, it's also an unofficial referendum on the quality of Spanish players compared with those from the British Isles. Despite the influence of imported superstars such as Lionel Messi and Javier Hernandez, the line-ups of both Barcelona and Manchester United are likely to be dominated by homegrown talent. In the second legs of the semi-finals, Barca started with eight Spaniards, and Real Madrid had... https://www.scmp.com/article/968963/stylish-spaniards-take-british-bulldog-spirit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/968963/stylish-spaniards-take-british-bulldog-spirit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 May 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Having been 'eight minutes from safety', former Crystal Palace boss Iain Dowie knows exactly what five vulnerable Premier League managers will be experiencing tomorrow. Wigan, Blackpool, Birmingham, Wolves and Blackburn are all looking to avoid joining the already doomed West Ham. Six years ago, Dowie's Palace needed a victory in their final game to stay up. They led Charlton Athletic 2-1 before conceding an 82nd minute equaliser - a result that condemned them and let West Bromwich Albion... https://www.scmp.com/article/968337/one-sunday-safety-or-season-end-blues?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/968337/one-sunday-safety-or-season-end-blues?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 May 2011 16:00:00 +0000 In a quirk of footballing fate, the red and blue sides of Manchester are both poised to claim silverware this weekend. And while these arch rivals may rarely see eye to eye, the importance of wingers is something they do apparently agree on. Nani, and more recently, Antonio Valencia, have played crucial roles in carrying Manchester United to the brink of a record-breaking 19th English title. For Manchester City, David Silva and Adam Johnson have been key men in Roberto Mancini's march to the FA... https://www.scmp.com/article/967638/wing-and-prayer-nani-co-help-deliver-silverware?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/967638/wing-and-prayer-nani-co-help-deliver-silverware?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 May 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Keeping his cool is something that Carlo Ancelotti has done throughout his distinguished coaching career to ride out the storm. The way that he has maintained a dignified calm during a turbulent season at Chelsea harks back to his early coaching career in Serie A. In 1999 when he was appointed as manager of Juventus, he arrived at the Stadio delle Alpi in Turin to a banner which read: 'A Pig Must Not Coach Juventus'. The fans were angry that a former AC Milan and Roma player was about to take... https://www.scmp.com/article/967022/ancelotti-chelseas-mr-cool-rides-out-another-storm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/967022/ancelotti-chelseas-mr-cool-rides-out-another-storm?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 May 2011 16:00:00 +0000 The relief was palpable when Fernando Torres and Edin Dzeko scored their first Premier League goals this week. But the star strikers know they have a long way to go before convincing Chelsea and Manchester City fans they are anything more than expensive mistakes. It was appropriate that Torres ended the drought on a rain-sodden night at Stamford Bridge. With his speed and sharpness noticeably reduced since his Liverpool heyday two years ago, the wet pitch seemed his best friend, along with the... https://www.scmp.com/article/966459/few-managers-win-great-transfer-lottery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/966459/few-managers-win-great-transfer-lottery?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:00:00 +0000 If only Arsenal's fragile youngsters had the steeliness of the whizz-kids on Liverpool's books, the Gunners might have a realistic chance of stopping Manchester United swooping on a record-breaking 19th top-flight English title. Like a 'tut-tutting' schoolteacher, manager Arsene Wenger has winced and whined as his charges have repeatedly lost concentration in the classroom. Just one of their previous six games produced a victory and their last two matches saw four precious points dropped after... https://www.scmp.com/article/965814/liverpool-drink-games-refreshing-fountain-youth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/965814/liverpool-drink-games-refreshing-fountain-youth?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Apr 2011 16:00:00 +0000