Kenny Dalglish sacked by Liverpool: Brendan Rodgers, Alan Pardew, Roberto Martinez and Andre Villas-Boas on list

Posted on May 17, 2012 by adminsports

Pardew, Rodgers, Martinez and Villas-Boas on Liverpool shortlist after King Kenny is dethroned

UPDATED:

06:47 GMT, 17 May 2012

Checking out: Kenny Dalglish flew to Boston for crunch talks

Kenny Dalglish was dramatically sacked after Liverpool’s owners held him responsible for the club’s dismal Barclays Premier League campaign.

Just 34 days after Liverpool chairman Tom Werner had said the Scot retained the ‘full support’ of Fenway Sports Group, Dalglish became the highest-profile victim of their ruthless cull.

Former Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas has been linked but Wigan manager Roberto Martinez, who is expected to hold talks with Aston Villa over their vacant managerial post, is currently the bookmakers’ favourite to replace Dalglish.

Other contenders could include Swansea’s Brendan Rodgers, Newcastle boss Alan Pardew, Marseille’s Didier Deschamps and Borussia Dortmund’s Jurgen Klopp.

Werner said: ‘Kenny came into the club as manager at our request at a time when Liverpool really needed him. He didn't ask to be manager; he was asked to assume the role. He did so because he knew the club needed him.

'He did more than anyone else to stabilise Liverpool over the past year-and-a-half. We owe him a great debt of gratitude. However, results in the Premier League have been disappointing and we believe to build on the progress that has already been made, we need to make a change.

'We are committed to delivering success for our supporters and our ambition remains resolute to return this great club to the elite of England and Europe, where it belongs.'

End of the road: Dalglish has been sacked after holding crunch talks with the club's owners regarding his future

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Anfield icon Dalglish was informed on Wednesday lunchtime of the decision by principal owner John W Henry that his contract, which had two years left to run, was being terminated. It was a tacit acceptance that he lacked the ability to deliver Champions League football.

Dalglish’s future had been the subject of intense scrutiny ever since he returned from a whistle-stop trip to Boston on Monday without any word from FSG about how their meeting had gone.

Under pressure: Dalglish's side finished below rivals Everton in the table after a disappointing campaign

Kop that: Former Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas is listed as one of the favourites to succeed the Scot in charge of Liverpool

Who's in the frame

Roberto Martinez (6/4)
Rafa Benitez (13/8)
Alan Pardew (10/1)
Jose Mourinho (10/1)
Andre Villas-Boas (12/1)
Frank Rijkaard (12/1)
Brendan Rodgers (14/1)
Paul Lambert (14/1)

Though Liverpool won the Carling Cup and reached the FA Cup final, they finished eighth in the Premier League, one place behind neighbours Everton, with 52 points.

Dalglish, who left the country on Wednesday afternoon for a family holiday, follows director of football Damien Comolli, director of communications Ian Cotton and head of sports science Peter Brukner in being axed by FSG in the last five weeks. His assistant Steve Clarke also left with him.

Whoever comes in will need to bring success without spending swathes of cash, and part of the reason Dalglish has gone is because FSG were not convinced he would utilise their funds wisely this summer.

Dalglish celebrates Liverpool's penalty shootout Carling Cup win over Cardiff in February with Steve Clarke and Kevin Keen

Up for the Cup: Dalglish celebrates Liverpool's penalty shootout Carling Cup win over Cardiff in February

Dalglish's roll of honour

CELTIC PLAYER
Scottish First Division: Four titles (1972, 1973, 1974, 1977)
Scottish Cup: Four titles (1972, 1974, 1975, 1977)
Scottish League Cup: One title (1975).

LIVERPOOL PLAYER
First division: Five titles (1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984)
European Cup: Three titles (1978, 1981, 1984)
European Super Cup: One title (1978)
League Cup: Four titles (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984)
PFA Player of the Year: One award (1983)
FWA Footballer of the Year: Two awards (1979, 1983)

LIVERPOOL PLAYER-MANAGER
First division: Three titles (1986, 1988, 1990)
FA Cup: Two titles (1986, 1989)
Manager of the Year: Three awards (1986, 1988, 1990)

LACKBURN MANAGER
Premier League: One title (1995)
Manager of the Year: One award (1995)

CELTIC MANAGER
Scottish League Cup: One title (2000)

LIVERPOOL MANAGER
League Cup: One title (2012)

SCOTLAND INTERNATIONAL
Caps: 102 Goals: 30

Henry said: 'Kenny will always be more than a championship-winning manager, more than a championship-winning star player.

'He is in many ways the heart and soul of the club.

'He personifies everything that is good about Liverpool Football Club.

'He has always put the club and its supporters first. Kenny will always be a part of the family at Anfield.

'Our job now is to identify and recruit the right person to take this club forward and build on the strong foundations put in place during the last 18 months.’

Emotions were running high on Merseyside, with many supporters feeling that Dalglish had been treated poorly by FSG.

As well as retaining the backing of fans, there was no sign that any members of his squad had lost faith in his project.

Dalglish led Liverpool to their first trophy for six years at Wembley in February and insisted that Carling Cup success over Cardiff City meant the world to him.

He said in a statement: 'It has been an honour and a privilege to have had the chance to come back to Liverpool Football Club as manager.

'I greatly appreciate the work that Steve, Kevin, the players and all of the staff put in during my time and feel proud that we delivered the club's first trophy in six years winning the Carling Cup and came close to a second trophy in the FA Cup final.

Dalglish welcomed club record signing Andy Carroll and Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez to Anfield in February 2011

Fanfare: Dalglish welcomed club record signing Andy Carroll and Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez to Anfield in February 2011

Dalglish spent millions of pounds on the signings of Charlie Adam, Jordan Henderson, Stewart Downing and Alexander Doni last summer

Cash: Dalglish spent millions of pounds on the signings of Charlie Adam, Jordan Henderson, Stewart Downing and Alexander Doni last summer

'Of course I am disappointed with results in the league, but I would not have swapped the Carling Cup win for anything as I know how much it meant to our fans and the club to be back winning trophies.

'Whilst I am obviously disappointed to be leaving the football club, I can say that the matter has been handled by the owners and all concerned in an honourable, respectful and dignified way and reflects on the quality of the people involved and their continued desire to move the football club forward in the same way as when they arrived here.

Crestfallen Dalglish leads his players down the steps of Wembley after losing the FA Cup final to Chelsea

Defeat: Crestfallen Dalglish leads his players down the steps of Wembley after losing the FA Cup final to Chelsea

'Our job now is to identify and recruit the right person to take this club forward and build on the strong foundations put in place during the last 18 months.'

A 14th defeat of the season at Swansea on the final day of the season condemned the club to an eighth-place finish, their worst for 18 years and their lowest points tally (52) since 1953/54.

Dalglish

Final straw: Liverpool were beaten 1-0 by Swansea in the final game of the Premier League season on Sunday

'I would like to thank all of the staff at the club for their effort and loyalty. I said when first approached about coming back as manager that I would always be of help if I can at any time and that offer remains the same.

'Finally, I want to put on record my heartfelt gratitude to Liverpool's fans, who have always given me and the club their unwavering support. Without them neither the club nor I would have achieved anything.'

Controversy: Dalglish was criticised by some quarters over his support for Suarez during the Patrice Evra racism row

Return: Dalglish was ushered back in for a second stint as Liverpool boss in January 2011 following the sacking of Roy Hodgson

All smiles: Dalglish was all smiles following his comeback at Anfield

Former managing director Christian Purslow told BBC Radio 5 Live: ‘I’m extremely surprised and disappointed. They invested a lot of money in his team and I’m not sure they’ve given him anywhere near enough time to make the investment work. It seems bizarre to me.’

Club legend John Barnes said: ‘Liverpool have been a good cup side over the last few years but doing well in the league is what it’s all about.’

Ferrari wins Giro d"Italia stage 11 but Cavendish fumes at late pile-up

Posted on May 17, 2012 by adminsports

Ferrari wins Giro d'Italia stage 11 but Cavendish fumes at late pile-up

UPDATED:

18:12 GMT, 16 May 2012

Roberto Ferrari won the longest stage of this year's Giro d'Italia from Assisi to Montecatini as Great Britain's Mark Cavendish finished fourth.

Androni Giocattoli rider Ferrari was granted a clear run to the line after a pile-up on the final bend hampered many of the chasing pack, with Cavendish having to ease his pace to avoid the crash.

The Team Sky rider, who was angered by Ferrari after being injured in a crash caused by the Italian on stage three, trailed in behind Francesco Chicchi of Omega Pharma QuickStep and Tomas Vaitkus of Orica GreenEdge.

Victorious: Ferrari (right) wins stage 11 of the Giro, with Cavendish (left) in 4th

Spain's Joaquim Rodriguez retained the leader's pink jersey, which he took with a late attack on stage 10.

Team Saxo Bank's Manuele Boaro was at the head of the field for almost 230 kilometres of the 258km stage, having been part of an early six-man break and then pulled clear on his own around 30km from home, but was swallowed up again by the peloton.

Fellow Italians Mirko Selvaggi and Giovanni Visconti briefly led before Team Sky and Saxo Bank made parallel charges to the head of the field.

But the latter were badly affected by the late crash and Sky could not get Cavendish to the front either as Ferrari took the honours.

Roger Federer tells young rivals to calm down

Posted on May 17, 2012 by adminsports

Federer tells young guns they must calm down if they are to stop him

UPDATED:

20:09 GMT, 16 May 2012

Roger Federer has suggested his younger and more excitable rivals need to calm down to fight off his surge back towards the top of the rankings.

He believes his ability to rise above the controversies involving the blue clay surface in Madrid last week – unlike Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic – was key to him winning the title and regaining the No 2 spot.

‘There’s no reason to freak out about it,’ said Federer after moving into the third round of the Italian Open with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Argentine Carlos Berlocq.

Chill out: Roger Federer says his young rivals have got to calm down

He feels his 14-year career has left him more equipped to cope with the vagaries of differing conditions than younger players.

‘When I came on tour there were many more different surfaces and you just had to get used to it. Today it’s much more similar and anyone can play anywhere.’

Andy Murray plays his third-round match today against France’s Richard Gasquet.

London 2012 Olympics: Nicola Adams and Natasha Jonas are first British female boxers ever to qualify for Games

Posted on May 17, 2012 by adminsports

Adams and Jonas become first ever British female boxers to qualify for Olympics

UPDATED:

18:19 GMT, 16 May 2012

Nicola Adams and Natasha Jonas have made history by becoming the first British women boxers to qualify for the Olympic Games after victories in the World Championships in Qinhuangdao, China.

Adams pulled off a magnificent 13-11 win over India's five-time world champion Mary Kom to reach the flyweight semi-finals, guaranteeing at least a bronze medal and more importantly a place at London 2012.

And Liverpool lightweight Jonas was in superb form as she beat Norway's Ingrid Egner 23-9. Other results conspired to leave Jonas – who also guarantees a world bronze – a place at the Games.

Pow: Natasha Jonas (blue) fights Sandra Brugger (Red) of Switzerland

And there could yet be more joy for the British women's team with Hartlepool middleweight Savannah Marshall standing just one more win from qualification after beating China's Jinzi Li 20-8.

Unluckily for Marshall, all four of the middleweight semi-finalists are Europeans, and with only three European qualifying places available, she must now beat Russia's Nadezda Torlopova to make sure.

Victory for Adams crowned a remarkable comeback from a career-threatening back injury in 2009, and made up for her long years of fighting with little acclaim and almost no funding.

Adams said: 'You can't imagine how happy I am not only to finally reach the Olympic Games but to beat a five-time world champion in order to get there.

Qualified: Nicola Adams will be at the London Olympics

'I'm boxing the best people in the world at the moment and I'm still coming out on top. My confidence is going through the roof and I want to go further and win the world title and then the Olympics.'

Adams, who has twice previously won world silver medals, admitted she thought her Olympic dream was over after spending much of 2009 laid out with a back injury, just as the women's sport was promoted to Olympic status.

Adams added: 'I was laid up without moving for three months and when I first got back to training I couldn't do one single sit-up. But today all the hard work, the tears and the ups and downs have paid off.

'Not only that but it is brilliant for the team because Natasha has qualified too and Savannah is getting close. We are all focusing on trying to win the world titles and then it will be all about the Olympics.'

Ian Evatt happy Blackpool is no longer the Charlie Adam Show as West Ham showdown looms

Posted on May 17, 2012 by adminsports

Evatt happy Blackpool is no longer the Charlie Adam Show as West Ham showdown looms

UPDATED:

21:30 GMT, 16 May 2012

Blackpool defender Ian Evatt has expressed his frustration at what he describes as the ‘Charlie Adam Show’ during Blackpool’s brief stay in the Premier League.

As Ian Holloway’s side bid to reclaim a place in the top-flight by beating West Ham in Saturday’s Championship play-off Final at Wembley, Evatt admitted that the constant transfer speculation about Adam before he finally joined Liverpool in the summer overshadowed Blackpool’s time in the spotlight.

‘I think it did,’ he said. ‘It was frustrating for the rest of the lads because sometimes it was the Charlie Adam Show.

Wembley wonder: Ian Evatt and Blackpool face West Ham on Saturday

‘That’s not taking away from what a fantastic player Charlie was for this club. But there were 10 other players in the team who helped Charlie along the way and I don’t think they got the credit they deserved.

‘All everyone seemed to talk about is Charlie Adam this, David Vaughan that. We weren’t a one or two-man team and we’ve proved that now. They left in the summer and we’ve ended up with a higher points total than we did that (promotion) season.’

This will be Evatt’s third playoff final with Blackpool in six years. In fact he has not lost any of his eight playoff games with the club, winning seven and drawing one.

Team effort: Evatt has said last season was the Charlie Adam Show at times

He revealed that this season’s success has forced Gary Taylor-Fletcher, Keith Southern and Brett Ormerod to miss a holiday to Spain that they had booked with their partners.

He added: ‘I said to them at the time, “never do that with us because we’re capable of anything” and it just shows. Needless to say the wives and girlfriends went on their own.’

London 2012 Olympics: Mark Foster hails Fran Halsall

Posted on May 17, 2012 by adminsports

Former Olympian swimmer Foster hails Halsall ahead of London Games

UPDATED:

20:21 GMT, 16 May 2012

Former British swimmer Mark Foster believes Fran Halsall is the woman to watch in the Olympic pool this summer.

Halsall will compete in the 100 metre butterfly, 100m freestyle and 50m freestyle at London 2012, and according to the six-time short course 50m world champion, has a great chance of winning gold for Team GB.

Foster, who specialised in the 50m butterfly and 50m freestyle in his highly decorated career of 22 years, believes everyone will be talking about Halsall after the Games.

Good chance: Mark Foster has backed Fran Halsall

'Francesca Halsall is going to be a big name coming out of these Olympics,' Foster said.

'She's got three events and if she does what we all hope, Francesca has got a very good chance.

'It's easier said than done and you can't say she's nailed on, but the Olympic Games is a funny place.'

Foster also believes Rebecca Adlington and Kerri-ann Payne will add to the medals they won in Beijing four years ago.

Adlington swam to gold in the 400m and 800m freestyle while Payne claimed silver in the 10 kilometre marathon.

'It's the strongest team I think we've had going into an Olympic Games on paper,' Foster said.

'You can always compare with games gone past but we've got the most chances of standing on the podium that we've ever had. The women's team is probably the second or third best team in the world at the moment.'

Roy Hodgson"s reasons for leaving Rio Ferdinand out of England squad are unconvincing

Posted on May 17, 2012 by adminsports

Roy lays out battle plan… but his reasons for dropping Ferdinand don't make sense

UPDATED:

21:30 GMT, 16 May 2012

Roy Hodgson is an articulate man, a decent man too, but the argument he presented in trying to explain Rio Ferdinand’s omission from his first England squad was not a terribly convincing one.

He began by pointing out that Ferdinand had represented England just once in the last year; that he had reached his decision after consulting Sir Alex Ferguson ‘about 10 days ago’. The same Sir Alex Ferguson who had said his 33-year-old centre half would struggle to cope with the physical demands of a tournament schedule.

But then he said Ferdinand’s injury problems, which have not stopped him playing 21 games since the turn of the year and three games in eight days as recently as April, were not the ‘major reason’ why he had been left out. ‘I’d be lying if I said it was,’ said Hodgson. ‘It was for other football reasons.’

Out and in: Rio Ferdinand (left) was not selected but John Terry will travel to Euro 2012

Those other football reasons, he also insisted, had nothing to do with concerns over how Ferdinand might interact with John Terry when Terry is awaiting trial for allegedly racially abusing Ferdinand’s brother, Anton. Having said a fortnight earlier that he intended to discuss the issue with them, Hodgson said he never raised it with either when he spoke to them on Tuesday; Terry in person and Ferdinand on the phone.

Clearly, he felt he didn’t need to when he had already decided Ferdinand was not going to Poland and Ukraine. But, if it was for ‘other football reasons’, what could they possibly be

He pointed out the need to ‘load other areas’ because Wayne Rooney will have to serve a two-match ban before he is available for England’s third group game, against Ukraine. In the end, he said, he opted for seven defenders to give himself an extra forward, Phil Jones enabling him to do that because he can cover ‘right back and centre half’.

But does that mean Ferdinand, who clearly is fit, is inferior to the same young defender Ferguson would not select ahead of him Does that mean Ferdinand is now inferior to Joleon Lescott, Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka, who is named among five players on standby

Calling the shots: Roy Hodgson has made his decision

We have to be fair to Hodgson. This was an extremely difficult decision on an extremely sensitive issue. But for other football reasons Really Only when it came to making a straight football choice between Terry and Ferdinand. He did admit it came down to a choice between the two.

‘I had to decide who do I want with the younger centre halves,’ he said. ‘The experienced Terry or the experienced Ferdinand.’

He just never admitted it was for any other reason than a football one. ‘Everyone knows a situation has arisen but I’ve tried to put it as far from my mind as possible,’ he said. ‘But I don’t want to say something I regret about a player.’

At the same time he said he had no moral issue selecting Terry, rightly pointing out that the 31-year-old remains ‘an innocent man’. He added that Terry had already been punished twice on moral grounds, having been stripped of the England captaincy before the last World Cup and before this summer’s European Championship.

‘The moral judgment has been made on him twice in the past,’ said Hodgson. ‘He lost his captaincy with Fabio Capello on a moral decision, if you like, and his captaincy with England on a moral decision. Basically, I wanted to take a group of players who I think give us a chance of doing well in the tournament. I decided John Terry should be one of the centre halves. I hope he can put the other matters to one side.

Football reasons: Terry was chosen and Ferdinand rejected for pure footballing reasons, insists Hodgson

‘The football reasons are quite simple. I wanted seven back players: three centre backs, with Jones in the squad, especially when Kyle Walker was no longer a possibility, because Phil Jones can play right back or centre half and I’ve been impressed with him. So I decided on my three centre backs and Rio wasn’t one of them. I admire Rio Ferdinand, I respect Rio Ferdinand, but, as a football coach, you have to make decisions sometimes. I’ll stand by that and hope that route, the players that I’ve chosen, will not let me and the country down.’

Terry convinced Hodgson he would not let him down, that the impending trial would not prove a distraction, in that meeting on Tuesday. Hodgson said that, having listened to his pleas for inclusion, he told Terry at the meeting that he was in, which might explain why the Chelsea skipper is thought to have emerged wiping away tears.

/05/16/article-2145416-131EB15C000005DC-604_634x388.jpg” width=”634″ height=”388″ alt=”Captain: Steven Gerrard will lead England, despite only representing his country for 33 minutes in the last 19 months” class=”blkBorder” />

Captain: Steven Gerrard will lead England, despite only representing his country for 33 minutes in the last 19 months

The selection of Gerrard as captain is a sound one, even if Ferdinand might wish to point to the fact that the Liverpool midfielder has played only 33 minutes of international football in 19 months.

Beyond Terry, beyond Gerrard, there are some interesting selections. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain amounts to a bold decision but a welcome one too.

The squad does, however, highlight that these were not rich pickings for Hodgson when six or seven of the players selected would not be first picks at their clubs.

Of the players he would probably start with against France, only Jack Wilshere and Kyle Walker are missing because of injury. But it is hard to argue against the choices he has made. It just smacks of a lack of quality in certain areas.

‘It is a squad I believe in and I squad I have faith in,’ he said. It’s a good squad in the circumstances, with one exception.

England

Roy Hodgson made the right decision on John Terry – Martin Samuel

Posted on May 17, 2012 by adminsports

A football man who arrived at the right decision on Terry

UPDATED:

21:30 GMT, 16 May 2012

The problem with football men is they tend to make football decisions. And the problem with football decisions is they prioritise the obvious, and little more.

So unreconstructed football men do not get lost in the moral maze, or bend to the will of public forums; they do not complicate the debate with peripheral issues or water it down with shades of grey.

And, as was discovered yesterday, for all his high-falutin’ reading and consideration of matters philosophical, deep down Roy Hodgson is all about the 4-4-2. So when required to choose one senior presence in the heart of his defence at the European Championship, he simply asked: who do I want in my back four against France, who is the best centre half in the country And the answer came back: John Terry.

Good call: Roy Hodgson has made the right decision to take John Terry

Just as it did to Fabio Capello and, before him, Steve McClaren. Just as it did to Sven Goran Eriksson. Just as it has to every Chelsea manager since Claudio Ranieri handed him the captain’s armband in 2003. Andre Villas-Boas had some strange ideas about the way forward at Chelsea but ditching Terry was never one of them.

Sunderland want Steven Pienaar for 5m

Posted on May 17, 2012 by adminsports

Sunderland considering swoop for 5m Spurs midfielder Pienaar

UPDATED:

21:30 GMT, 16 May 2012

Sunderland are lining up a bid for Tottenham midfielder Steven Pienaar.

The South African has impressed on loan back at former club Everton, who are expected to try to sign him on a permanent deal over the summer.

Wanted man: Steven Pienaar is hot property

But Tottenham want 5million for the 29-year-old and Everton may struggle to raise the funds immediately, with Sunderland believing they can step in.

Aston Villa may also be interested if Roberto Martinez, who tried to sign Pienaar on loan in January, takes over at Villa Park.

World Match Play Championship 2012: Ryder Cup bonus for Paul Lawrie, Graeme McDowell and Ian Poulter

Posted on May 17, 2012 by adminsports

Match Play offering Ryder Cup bonus for Lawrie, McDowell, Garcia and Poulter

UPDATED:

21:45 GMT, 16 May 2012

No Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald or Lee Westwood at the Volvo World Match Play Championship adds up to a world of opportunity for the likes of Paul Lawrie, Graeme McDowell, Sergio Garcia and defending champion Ian Poulter.

Never has there been a more perfect example of one man’s poison proving another man’s meat.

Indeed, almost half the 24 man field must be looking at a line-up boasting just one member of the world’s top ten – the out of form Martin Kaymer – and thinking to themselves: what a chance to steal a march in the race to make the automatic qualifiers for Europe’s Ryder Cup team.

Ryder your life: Poulter and McDowell have a big chance to make gains in Spain

Lawrie is on record as declaring it his main aim for the season and in this, his 500th European Tour event, could practically tie up a spot with a win. The Scot begins today against another harbouring a similar ambition, consistent Swede Peter Hanson.

McDowell and Garcia stand 8th and 9th in the points table – the top ten are guaranteed to make the trip to Chicago in late September – so are not short of incentive either.

Then there’s Poulter, currently 12th, whose record at this form of the game over the past two years stands comparison with anyone’s.

‘I find it a refreshing change from strokeplay and, this being a Ryder Cup year, there’s an obvious chance to impress the captain,’ he said.

This event, once a staple of the autumn calendar at Wentworth, is being staged at Finca Cortesin on the Costa del Sol.

Pro-Am: McDowell tees-off on the fourth

For the first two days the players are drawn in eight groups of three and will play each other, with two progressing from each pod to the final 16 on Saturday morning followed by the last eight, with the semi-finals and final taking place on Sunday.

The pick of the groups sees Justin Rose and Robert Rock battling it out against Open Champion Darren Clarke, with the two Englishman playing each other today.

Another eye-catching opening bout is Garcia’s against fellow Spaniard Alvaro The pick of the groups sees Justin Rose and Robert Rock battling it out against Open Champion Darren Clarke, with the two Englishman playing each other.

Another eye-catching opening bout is Garcia’s against fellow Spaniard Alvaro Quiros.

Home boys: Rafael Cabrera-Bello, Sergio Garcia and Alvaro Quiros

Sports Bound Guide

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Author Archives: adminsports

Kenny Dalglish sacked by Liverpool: Brendan Rodgers, Alan Pardew, Roberto Martinez and Andre Villas-Boas on list

Ferrari wins Giro d"Italia stage 11 but Cavendish fumes at late pile-up

Roger Federer tells young rivals to calm down

London 2012 Olympics: Nicola Adams and Natasha Jonas are first British female boxers ever to qualify for Games

Ian Evatt happy Blackpool is no longer the Charlie Adam Show as West Ham showdown looms

London 2012 Olympics: Mark Foster hails Fran Halsall

Roy Hodgson made the right decision on John Terry – Martin Samuel

Sunderland want Steven Pienaar for 5m

World Match Play Championship 2012: Ryder Cup bonus for Paul Lawrie, Graeme McDowell and Ian Poulter