By Jermain Defoe's own admission, he never wanted to leave Tottenham last January, but starting only three Premier League games in the first half of the season forced his hand. He could not play alongside fellow 'little man' Robbie Keane and manager Juande Ramos clearly favoured the Irishman as a partner for Dimitar Berbatov. A year on and...
Inter’s Obinna Loaned To Real Betis
It has been well reported in recent times that the La Liga outfit Real Betis are keen to boost their attacking ranks ahead of the second half of the season.One of their primary targets has been Victor Obinna of Inter Milan, a player that certainly would add a lot of creativity and spark to the Betis attack.According to Sportsmediaset, both Inter and...
Thai pair to star in Malaysia
Fresh from their Asian Team victory at the Royal Trophy earlier this month, Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee and his compatriot Prayad Marksaeng will join the line-up at the Maybank Malaysian Open from February 12-15.Jaidee was undefeated over the three days at the Royal Trophy, and will be confident of collecting a third Malaysian Open title, having triumphed...
Colin Montgomerie named European Ryder Cup Captain
Colin Montgomerie has accepted an invitation from the Tournament Committee of The European Tour, ratified by The Ryder Cup Policy Board, to captain The European Team in The 2010 Ryder Cup at The Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, South Wales, from October 1 to 3, 2010.Montgomerie, who was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on June 23, 1963, becomes the 22nd golfer...
Nicklaus honored with GWAA's Bartlett Award
HOUSTON -- Legend Jack Niclaus, whose commitment to charitable giving has spanned four decades and is embodied in The Memorial Tournament and the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation, has been honored with the Golf Writers Association of America's Charlie Bartlett Award.The award, named for the first secretary of the GWAA, is given to a professional...
Perez sets PGA Tour scoring mark
American Pat Perez set a PGA Tour record of 20-under-par 124 in the second round of the Bob Hope Classic in California on Thursday. The 32-year-old opened with a round of 11-under 61 on the Palmer Private course at PGA West and followed it up with a nine-under 63. American Tom Lehman held the previous Tour record of 19-under 125 after 36 holes, at...
Golf News
- Tiger already tested as US Open begins in downpour- Harrington misses cut in Memphis- McIlroy seeks to rediscover form- Vancsik holds off Daly in Italy- Lyle rallies to make Masters cut- Ballesteros busy making other plans- Woods: McIlroy can be number one- Mickelson and Watney share CA Championship lead- Els backs McIlroy for top spot- Woods happy...
Ballesteros optimistic on health
Golf legend Seve Ballesteros was optimistic after receiving the test results from his first course of chemotherapy following brain surgery. The five-time major winner had four operations to remove a cancerous tumour late last year. "Fortunately, the results were quite good," said the 51-year-old, who begins the second course on Friday. "Besides, the...
Maradona: Messi Must Be Argentina’s Leader
Lucas Brown, Goal.comDiego Maradona has told Lionel Messi that he expects him to give everything for his country and become the leader of the national team by living up to all the expectations that surround him. The Albicelestes coach believes that the Barcelona star must show the utmost dedication at international level, citing himself as an example...
Maradona: ‘I Won’t Resign’
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP)—Diego Maradona says he will not resign as the coach of Argentina’s national team if his former teammate Oscar Ruggeri is not accepted as his assistant. “It cost me a lot to get here, so it’s one-time opportunity,” said Maradona at a press conference in Venezuela’s capital on Tuesday. “I want to have Oscar Ruggeri at my side...
David Beckham considering staying with AC Milan
MILAN, Italy (AP)—David Beckham is enjoying his stay with AC Milan so much that he is considering remaining in Italy after his two-month loan expires. “Playing here is the dream of every footballer,” Beckham said in an interview with Italian daily Corriere della Sera on Wednesday. “But deciding isn’t easy. It’s a question that takes time.” Beckham’s...
Burkart confident after Suzuki switch
German Aaron Burkart believes a switch from Citroen to Suzuki will give him the best chance of winning the J-WRC title he narrowly missed out on in 2008. Last year Burkart lost out to series winner, and fellow Citroen driver, Sebastien Ogier by eight points, but is hoping a switch from the C2 to a Swift Super1600 constructed and supported by Suzuki...
Wilson eyes both WRC titles in 2009
The man in charge of Ford’s WRC programme says his team is aiming to wrestle the FIA titles for both drivers and manufacturers from Citroen this year. Speaking exclusively to wrc.com, BP Ford Abu Dhabi team principal Malcolm Wilson said the combination of his team’s scoring record last season, a shorter 12-round season in 2009 and a reduced number...
Petter Solberg confirms Citroen comeback
Petter Solberg will drive a privately owned 2006 specification Citroen Xsara WRC on Rally Norway and is planning on tackling the complete 2009 WRC season from then on. The 2003 World Champion was left without a drive this year after his previous team, Subaru, pulled out of the series at the end of last year. And with no vacancies at the Ford or Citroen...
New Stobart Ford line-up to make its debut in Ireland
The Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team will be represented by a brand new line-up when the 2009 FIA World Rally Championship season gets underway on Rally Ireland.It will be the first time that the WRC has started outside Monte Carlo since 1996, but the Cumbrian-based team says this could be beneficial, as previous successes on the Irish event give...
Citroen team bosses outline their objectives for 2009
The men in charge of the two Citroen teams contesting this year’s world rally championship for manufacturers outline their aims for the season ahead...Questions to Olivier Quesnel - Citroen Total team director: What objectives have you set your team for 2009?"After winning both titles last year, there is no way we could be targeting anything less than...
`King of Swing´ Roberts pushed by Rainey for celebrity golf debut
Rekindling the competitive fires for his debut in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am golf tournament, MotoGP Legend Kenny Roberts has been spurred on in his training by fellow former MotoGP World Champion Wayne Rainey. Preparing to compete for a $6.1 million purse at the American event, which takes place from February 9th until February 15th,...
Bridgestone looks forward to Official Tyre Supplier Status from 2009
Bridgestone is pleased to confirm that it has signed the final contract with Dorna to be the Official Tyre Supplier for the MotoGP class in the FIM MotoGP World Championship for a three-year period commencing with the 2009 season. This follows a tender process which took place in 2008. The agreement covers the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons where all...
Capirossi has confidence in more aerodynamic GSV-R
Loris Capirossi is ready and raring for another season in the MotoGP World Championship, one that will see him riding a heavily redesigned Suzuki GSV-R for his second year with the Japanese factory. The Italian continues his preparations for the upcoming year alongside an almost complete lineup of premier class rivals next week at Sepang, and is eager...
Alonso pays tribute to Dennis
By Edd Straw and Matt BeerFernando Alonso has paid tribute to his former team boss Ron Dennis, after the Briton announced his intention to step down as McLaren team principal last week. Although Alonso had a fractious relationship with Dennis during his season at McLaren in 2007, the double world champion said that didn't prevent him from respecting...
Dennis to step down as team principal
By Jonathan Noble and Pablo ElizaldeMcLaren boss Ron Dennis will step down from his role of team principal before the start of the 2009 season, the Briton announced on Friday. The 61-year-old, however, made it clear that he is not retiring, but will instead focus on other commitments...
Heidfeld wraps up BMW test
With strong winds persisting at the Valencia circuit in southern Spain, BMW Sauber F1 driver Nick Heidfeld brought the first test for the team's 2009 car to a close.Heidfeld spent the morning going through system checks and the afternoon doing mechanical set-up testing."Although the test had to be interrupted once when the wind blew some debris on...
Raikkonen completes first rally
Kimi Raikkonen enjoyed a very respectable result on his rallying debut in sub-zero conditions.Raikkonen was in action in the Arctic Lapland Rally which lasts three days in the north of Finland. It saw Raikkonen pitch up against other famous names including Mika Hakkinen.Raikkonen finished the rally thirteenth overall, ahead of Hakkinen and just six...
Williams yet to decide on KERS debut
By Edd Straw and Simon StrangWilliams technical director Sam Michael has hinted that the team may opt not to begin the 2009 Formula One season with its flywheel-based Kinetic Energy Recovery System, and instead focus on ensuring that their new FW31 is reliable. Williams are the only team not to have gone with a battery KERS device, but Michael says...
The new Ferrari F60
Scuderia Ferrari unveiled this morning its 2009 challenger: the Ferrari F60 single seater. The all new Ferrari F60 has been modified radically if compared to last season’s F2008, mainly given the new aerodynamic regulations based on which the single seaters will have to feature...
Williams unveil new FW31 at Portimao
The Williams F1 team unveiled this morning at the Portimao circuit their new car, the Fw31. Just like Ferrari’s, Toyota’s and McLaren’s new cars unveiled last week, the Williams FW31 features a narrow rear wing and a larger front one. The new FW31 will have today its track debut...
Piquet Jr expecting an 'easier' season
Nelson Piquet Jr is confident that his second season in Formula One will be "easier" after a trying debut campaign. MHatched against double World Champion Fernando Alonso in his first season in F1, Piquet Jr struggled to keep up with the Spaniard, often finding himself well behind his team-mate. This sparked rumours that Renault were ready to sack...
Heidfeld happy despite wind hampered test
Heavy winds forced BMW Sauber to adjust their program for the final day of private testing in Valencia, but despite the setback, Nick Heidfeld was satisfied with proceedings. Gusty conditions at the circuit meant that Heidfeld spent the majority of the day gathering mechanical dataand focusing on systems checks. The German was able to...
Jonathan Rea Wins Irish Motorcyclist Of The Year Award
Jonathan Rea was awarded the trophy for the Motorcyclist Of The Year for the second time at the Irish Racer Awards on Friday at the Ramada Hotel in Belfast. Rea said after the presentation, “Just like last year I have got to thank the public for their votes, I’m simply flabbergasted. To retain this trophy which depicts Joey Dunlop’s famous yellow helmet...
Jacque fastest Kawasaki at Phillip Island
The Kawasaki Racing Team were met with perfect conditions as they arrived at the Phillip Island circuit in Australia today, to start the first of three days of development testing ahead of the annual test ban, which comes into force on 1st December. This is an important test for Kawasaki, as all the data collected during these three days in the southern...
Ducati Marlboro team makes official debut at Madonna di Campiglio
The Wrooom - MotoGP Press Ski Meeting 2009 got underway in the best manner possible on Monday 12th January with a welcome cocktail party for the world’s media at the Hotel Spinale, before the focus turned to both work and play in the opening Wrooom press conference at Madonna di Campiglio this morning. Both Casey Stoner and his new team-mate Nicky...
Jacque gets positive impression from 2009 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR
Following the recent two-day test at the Australian former Grand Prix venue of Eastern Creek Kawasaki´s French test rider Olivier Jacque was optimistic about the evolution of the Japanese manufacturer´s Ninja ZX-RR race machine. The former 250cc World Champion, alongside Japanese...
Gibernau continues comeback preparations with Pyrenees training visit
motogp.com recently visited experienced Spanish rider Sete Gibernau during a week-long stay at the Northern Spanish ski resort of Baqueira-Beret, as the man returning to the MotoGP World Championship in 2009 worked on his physical condition before the long, hard season ahead. Having been away from Grand Prix competition since his 2007 retirement due...
Pedrosa: `Pressure comes completely from me´
Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa has long been regarded as a title aspirant over the course of his three-year premier class career, and has justified expectations with two overall top 3 finishes in the last two seasons. Speaking at the Bread&Butter show in Barcelona -which he attended alongside Repsol Honda team sponsor GAS with Claudio Grotto,...