Lewis Hamilton says fond farwell to McLaren on last official outing

Posted on December 11, 2012 by adminsports

Tears shed as Hamilton says fond farewell to McLaren on last official outing… and he does not rule out emotional return

UPDATED:

13:22 GMT, 11 December 2012

Lewis Hamilton left the door open to a possible return to McLaren after saying an emotional farewell to the F1 team.

Tears were shed as the British driver hugged his colleagues and thanked them for their support during his last official official outing.

End of the road: Lewis Hamilton on his last official outing with McLaren

Sad ending: Tears were shed as Hamilton made emotional farewell

Hamilton, who will join Mercedes in January, took part in a demonstration event in Malta at the weekend, his last drive in a McLaren car.

And the 2008 World Champion did not rule out a return to the Woking-based outfit in the future.

'My time at McLaren has been fantastic,' he told staff at the
McLaren Technology Centre.

'When I arrived in Formula One in 2007, I now
realise I never really grasped what I was taking on. Ron [Dennis] had
told me: “Don't be surprised if you're 0.5sec slower than Fernando
[Alonso]“, and I just smiled because I knew it wouldn't be the case.
But, even so, that year was very hard, for many reasons.

Driving seat: Hamilton took part in a demonstration event in Malta

Can't stop partying: Instead of having a night in after a hectic weekend, X Factor judge Nicole Scherzinger shows up to the premiere with Lewis Hamilton in tow

Night out: Hamilton and girlfriend, X Factor judge Nicole Scherzinger, at the Jack Reacher premiere in Leicester Square on Monday

'You were brilliant – you still are. I have so much affection and love
for this team. And that's why McLaren has always felt like home,' he
added.

McLaren's sporting director Sam Michael admitted Hamilton's departure would be 'a loss to McLaren' but the team will 'move on quickly'.

Hamilton leaves to join Mercedes following six seasons with the team in Formula One and a further seven as part of the team's driver development programme.

'Of course it's a loss to McLaren but just like if anybody leaves, whether it's a driver – there have been some very big, famous names leave McLaren before in terms of drivers – and you don't dwell on it,' Michael told James Allen on F1. 'You move on quickly because Formula One's all about change management.”

Michael also said that Hamilton leaves on good terms.

'I think the whole team gets on very well with Lewis, and we still do. He's a great guy, he's a fantastic racing driver; he's possibly the quickest driver on the grid at the moment in terms of pure natural talent.'

Hamilton is backing Sebastian Vettel to maintain his stranglehold on the Formula One drivers’ championship for a fourth successive season.

Hamilton, who has left McLaren to race for Mercedes in the coming campaign, admitted he expects the combination of Vettel’s pace and the genius of Red Bull’ s chief designer Adrian Newey to be unbeatable once more.

‘It's going to be hard to beat Sebastian next year,’ Hamilton said. ‘I think Sebastian's going to have another amazing car. The car he had this year was fantastic. It's going to be an evolution of that next year. Adrian only seems to get better with age; I think he's going to do something pretty special next year as well.’

Laid back: Lewis looked rather coy as he relaxed in the back of his car and headed home

Back seat driver: Lewis looked relaxed as he headed home

Hamilton faces an uphill battle to
turn Mercedes into frontrunners next year but is eagerly anticipating
racing for his new team – even if he is forced to battle in the
midfield.

Hamilton added: ‘I like that people
know that I'm a racer and I'm a winner. But it doesn't matter where you
are on the grid, you can still race. But I want to win – of course.
That's my goal. I can't wait to get my hands on the team and the car and
just try to work as quickly as possible.

‘It doesn't matter how many days, how
many hours it takes. I'm willing to put all the effort in. I feel like
I've got a new breath of life in me, so I'm ready for it.’

Meanwhile Hamilton’s former teammate, Jenson Button, is looking forward
to being the main focus at McLaren now that he is sharing the garage
with Mexican youngster Sergio Perez.

Button said of his team leader status: ‘It's not the first time I've
done that. When I got to BAR and Jacques [Villeneuve] left it was
exactly the same situation.

‘I was there to lead the team and it's something I really look forward
to and it's something where the best comes out of me in that situation.’

Determined to drive the design process of next year’s car in a direction
which can give him a machine capable of consistently challenge the
likes of Vettel and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, Button added: ‘I can
really build that team around me and direct the team in a direction I
like with the car.

‘We all drive differently and have different styles. For me, I need a
car I can develop beneath me and feel comfortable in. If the car feels
neutral and unbalanced it doesn't work for me.

‘I need to develop a car and engineer a car in a position that feels
comfortable for me, and I don't think anyone can do a better job than I
can in that position. The problem for me is if I can't get the car there
I do struggle more than some.'

Roman Abramovich does not talk to other chairman and turned down a Wigan pie, says Dave Whelan

Posted on December 2, 2012 by adminsports

As Abramovich comes under fire from Chelsea fans, Wigan chairman Whelan reveals he doesn't talk, refused a pie, brings his own drinking water and turned up in bulletproof car

UPDATED:

11:52 GMT, 2 December 2012

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich may be well known for hiring and firing managers – but little else is known about him inside the football world.

The billionaire Russian took over the Stamford Bridge club in 2003, but does little time mingling with his fellow Premier League owners.

Wigan chairman Dave Whelan revealed he has shared just six words with the wealthy Russian back in 2005 and gave a rare glimpse into the cloak-and-dagger world.

Keeping himself to himself: Chelsea's Russian owner Roman Abramovich does not mingle with other chairman

Whelan and Abramovich’s only meeting came seven years ago when Chelsea travelled to play the Latics.

Abramovich landed by helicopter and drove the few hundred yards to the stadium in a bulletproof limo driven up from London – and then refused a famous Wigan pie on his arrival.

Whelan told the Daily Star Sunday: 'Abramovich had just bought Chelsea and he used to travel then. He came to Wigan in a helicopter and sent three men up on the Wednesday and two more on the Friday.

'I let him land about 300 yards from the ground. I said I would put a car on to pick him up but he had his own sent up from London. Bulletproof.

Sign of affection: Chelsea fans have an Abramovich banner at Stamford Bridge

'It picked him up and brought him to the stadium. He stood in the boardroom and wouldn’t move out of the corner. He wouldn’t have anything at all to eat or drink.

'I offered him a Wigan pie. He wouldn’t have it – he probably thought it had been poisoned.

'He had nothing, not even a glass of water. He brought his own water with him. So he just stood there in the corner.

'He went out to watch the match with six bodyguards around him. Afterwards he came back into the boardroom and said, ‘How long before I can go’

Put out: Wigan Chairman Dave Whelan says he has only shared six words with Abramovich in their years together in the Premier League

'I told him he would have to give it ten or 15 minutes to let the crowd go. Then he was back into the bulletproof car and off.

'Now, whenever I go to Chelsea I never see him. He never comes to say hello. Never.

'I do wonder sometimes, ‘We said hello to you at Wigan and offered you a pie. You should come and talk to us. Wish us luck now and again when we go to Chelsea’. It’s strange when you go to a club and don’t see the chairman.’

And Whelan, who himself is a self-made millionaire, says he is not a fan of Abramovich’s ruthless treatment of his managers, with Roberto Di Matteo’s head the latest to roll.

Winning away: Chelsea's Hernan Crespo scored the only goal of the game as Chelsea beat Wigan 1-0 in 2005

Making the trip: Abramovich watches his team at Wigan in 2005 alongside chairman Bruce Buck

He added: 'I do envy the amount of money that the lad has put into Chelsea. But the lad they have sacked for strange reasons, no I’m not envious of that. He had to give Di Matteo a chance. He had no chance at all. Nine managers in nine years Is that what he’s had

'The crowd are frightened to death of having a go at him because they think he might walk away. And then Chelsea would go back to the way they were before.

'He’s put money into Chelsea, no question. And I think he’s put his heart and soul into it, too. But he’s got to realise you can’t win everything in football.

'If that was the case there would be no game. It wouldn’t be a sport.'

India v England: Alastair Cook"s best hope is to bat first and dig in for victory

Posted on November 14, 2012 by adminsports

England's best hope is to bat first and dig in for victory but Indian spin onslaught looms

UPDATED:

22:00 GMT, 13 November 2012

It is not just history but also all cricketing logic that tells you England’s attempt to earn their first series win in India for almost 30 years will end badly.

Not only are England attempting to go where very few have gone successfully before but they are doing so at the end of a year in which all their hard-earned progress has threatened to collapse around their ears.

This is arguably the toughest assignment in world cricket, tougher than home and away Ashes successes and tougher still than running into a South African brick wall last summer that saw England’s world No 1 status crumble.

The eyes have it: England captain Alastair Cook is ready to lead his team in the first Test in Ahmedabad

Who could have foreseen, when England were thrashing India 4-0 less than 18 months ago, the chain of events that sees them as firm underdogs with plenty to prove under a new captain in this much-anticipated return series

The talk after that glorious Indian summer was of world domination but it has been followed by the return of old failings against Pakistani and Sri Lankan spin, that defeat by South Africa and the departure of captain Andrew Strauss at the start of a bitter dispute that saw Kevin Pietersen cast into the wilderness.

Pietersen is back now and his ‘reintegration’ has appeared to have gone well in the early weeks of this tour, but the real test of whether the team spirit Andy Flower holds so dear has survived will come here in the first Test.

That is when we will see whether Pietersen really does hold England in greater affection than the Delhi Daredevils these days and whether his fellow batsmen really have learned their lessons in playing high-quality slow bowling in conditions that remain alien to them.

Bristling with intent: Tim Bresnan (left) lays on the suncream in the nets to mock Jonny Bairstow's moustache for Movember

It is the batting that has let England down since their giddy rise to the top of world cricket and it is how the batsmen cope now against the spin threat of Ravi Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha and possibly Harbhajan Singh that will go a long way towards deciding this series.

On the surface all looks well after the extensive practice provided by a Dubai training camp and three first-class warm-up matches. Five of England’s batsmen have scored centuries on tour already while Nick Compton, with three half-centuries full of nuggety application, has earned his chance to step into Strauss’s opening shoes alongside new leader Alastair Cook.

Yet all those runs have come against attacks lacking quality spin of any kind — even so, part-timer Yuvraj Singh was able to take five wickets against England in Mumbai — with India coach Duncan Fletcher’s fingertips all over a deliberate and canny policy to starve the visiting batsmen of the practice they need most.

It's catching: England wicketkeeper Matt Prior (left) dives during a fielding drill on Tuesday

There is little mystery about Ashwin
and Ojha — on paper they look weaker than the Pakistan pair of Saeed
Ajmal and Abdur Rehman, who caused so much consternation — but they have
proved far too potent for West Indies and New Zealand in India and
England’s spin demons are etched deep into their psyche.

It is a surprise to see that what little success England have had in India in modern times has invariably come when they have bowled first because surely their best chance in this four-Test series is to win the toss, bat and dig in for totals as near to 500 as possible.

Dangerman: India's new superstar Virat Kohli

A top three of Cook, Compton and
Jonathan Trott will earn few marks for artistic impression but they
could prove a mighty effective combination here where concentration and
discipline will be key. Only if these hardy competitors provide a
decent platform can Pietersen and Ian Bell, who just could take any
match away from India, be expected to dominate.

Samit Patel has been known more for his battle against the bulge than what he has done in the middle in his international career so far but this might be the series where he shows that there is more to him than meets the eye.

Patel is an accomplished player of spin and an under-rated spinner himself and he will take the No 6 position now confident that his time as a Test player has come. I just have a hunch that he will have a productive all-round series.

The bowling has stood up well in the face of England’s annus horribilis but their hopes now have not been helped by question marks over three members of the first-choice attack.

Stuart Broad looked fully fit in the nets on Tuesday but Steven Finn was not able to bowl and seems certain to miss out on the first Test with Tim Bresnan set to step in for him. Graeme Swann, meanwhile, will be short of overs even though he has now returned here after spending some time at home with his unwell baby daughter.

Getting loose: India batsman Yuvraj Singh receives a massage at The Sardar Patel Stadium

India were a shambles in England last year but are a totally different proposition at home and will be desperate to make up for the embarrassment inflicted upon them when they lost the status of top Test dogs themselves.

Yet they have their own issues to contemplate. Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman have gone while Sachin Tendulkar cannot go on for ever and both Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan have been showing signs of their age.

If Ashwin and Ojha hold the bowling key, then much could depend with the bat on India’s new superstar Virat Kohli, who has enjoyed the bulk of his success so far in limited-overs cricket and has only played in 10 Tests.

Cook has been surpassing expectations ever since he was plucked from an A tour in the Caribbean to score a hundred on debut in Nagpur six years ago and at least he knows that few will expect England to still be in the series when he returns to the scene of that initial triumph for the final Test next month.

If they are, then much of the misery of the last year, including the turmoil of the Pietersen saga, will have been forgotten and England will be back on track. But it will be a mighty difficult task. I expect India to win by two clear Tests.

Kauto Star retires tribute

Posted on October 31, 2012 by adminsports

Farewell super Star: Sportsmail's tribute as Kauto Star retires

UPDATED:

12:38 GMT, 31 October 2012

Kauto Star, one of the best
steeplechasers, of all time has been retired.

A massive question mark had hung
over the future of the dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, who won the King George
VI Chase a remarkable five times, since he was pulled up when going for his
third Gold Cup at Cheltenham in March.

Trainer Paul Nicholls In his Betfair
column: ‘We have had nine superb years
with the horse but, after seeing him in his work these past few weeks, myself,
(Head Lad) Clifford Baker and (assistant trainer) Dan Skelton were of the
opinion that the time had arrived to retire him.

Kauto Star, ridden by Ruby Walsh wins the Stan James King George VI Chase in 2008

‘Of course, as owner, the final
decision rested with Clive, but he agreed that the horse had done enough.

‘Don't get me wrong, Kauto looks
and feels as vibrant as ever, as those who saw him at our owners' Open Day last
month would testify to. He was mad fresh that day and continues to be as alert
as ever and very, very well in himself.

‘But I suspect Kauto will be like
that when he is 20-years-old.

‘Kauto is signing off in full
health and after a season in which he proved so many people wrong by winning a
fifth King George and a fourth Betfair Chase, to add to his two Cheltenham Gold
Cups and Tingle Creeks.

‘Who wouldn't want to train a
horse of this quality any more He is a once-in-a-lifetime horse, after all.

‘Ever since he won on his debut
for me at Newbury on December 29, 2004, the horse has consistently proved
himself a class apart.

'But sometimes, you have to listen
to your head and your heart, and both told me that retirement was the only
option.’

TRIBUTE BY MARCUS TOWNEND, RACING CORRESPONDENT

THE scale of the affection that the public held for Kauto Star was portrayed in the emotional seconds after he was pulled up in his fifth Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

The remainder of his rivals were still scrapping over the most prestigious prize in steeplechasing, millions of pounds were riding on the outcome, but the Festival crowd rose as one to applaud a steeplechaser who had earned the right to be named in the same list as the greats of the sport.
Some would argue at the top of that list.

Ruby Walsh riding Kauto Star after winning The William Hill King George VI Steeple Chase at Kempton racecourse in 2006

The cheers that echoed around jump racing’s most famous amphitheatre were in part fuelled by a feeling one of the icons of the game was leaving the stage.

Confirmation came from owner Clive Smith and trainer Paul Nicholls yesterday.

It is the right call. The risk to reward ratio was too unbalanced. With a shot at another Gold Cup ruled out, winning another Betfair Chase was hardly an incentive to carry on.

A sixth King George Tempting, maybe, but best, and safer, to remember the chaser that dominated Kempton on Boxing Day with that resurgent defeat of Long Run last year.

Quite simply, Kauto Star has gone out at the top, even if his last run did not have a fairytale end.
With him go a welter of memories – highs and lows, thrills and some spills and, never to be forgotten moments.

The grey beards might tell you Irish legends Arkle and has no peers in the staying chaser division.

Their sons will marvel at the achievements of Desert Orchid and the emotional connections triple Grand National winner Red Rum made with the wider public.

But, in 87 years time, when racing historians start compiling their pecking order of 21st century steeplechasing greats, Kauto Star’s name will be prominent in that debate.

There may be just over a 10th of the century gone but few will be willing to bet the remarkable record of Kauto Star will be matched, let alone superseded.

Twenty three wins from 41 races. Earnings of 2,375,883, the most ever for a jumper. A unique five King George VI Chases, two Gold Cups and two Tingle Creek Chase. Wins from two miles to three and a quarter.

Another glorious ride at Kempton for the great Star of the show

Like Desert Orchid, whose four-time King George record he beat, Kauto Star was both versatile and durable. Few horses can claim to compete at seven successive Cheltenham Festivals, let alone in the biggest races of the demanding meeting.

But Kauto Star always looked something special, being nicknamed ‘The Extraterrestrial’ by his original trainer in France, Serge Foucher, where he had his first 10 races.

It took an eyewatering bid of 400,000 euros from owner Clive Smith to prize him across The Channel and, even then, Foucher, was a reluctant seller.

He disappeared when bloodstock agent Anthony Bromley arrived with a vet to carry out an inspection, vital with such a high-risk purchase.

So fractious was Kauto Star that it was impossible to carry out a scope test to make sure he had no breathing issues. Smith took the gamble to press on with his purchase and it was a decision he would never regret.

The Nicholls team knew they had a special talent on their hands when Kauto Star made an exhilarating British debut, brushing aside Foreman, a horse good enough to finish fourth in the Champion Hurdle, by an easy nine lengths in a Newbury novice chase on December 29, 2004.

It was performance that made him a leading Arkle Chase but he would never make it to that season’s Festival, picking up an injury when being beaten a short-head by Mistral De la Cour at Exeter in a controversial run when re-mounted by Walsh after falling two out when clear.

Kauto Star pulls away from the first fence at Kempton in 2006

When he miraculously escaped serious injury when being trampled on in the following season’s Queen Mother Champion Chase, a pattern seemed to be emerging of a brilliant horse, liable to catastrophic lapses in concentration.

That reputation only seemed to be emphasised when he successfully stepped up in distance, captured his first King George in 2006 but committed a series of last-fence errors.

The questions over his jumping irritated Nicholls and were brushed aside by Walsh but only served to augment his story.

He was no seat-of-the-pants performer but he kept his fans on the edge of their seats, knowing that his spectacular leaps carried with them a degree of difficulty that left little room for error.

But both questions over his jumping and his stamina, were brushed aside when he beat Exotic Dancer two and a half lengths to land his first Gold Cup three months later.

But, just when it looked like nothing could stop topple him, a challenge emerged from the next-door box in Nicholls’ Somerset stable – Denman.

...and another win at Kempton in 2007

…and another win at Kempton in 2007

Racing suddenly had a rivalry to match other sports, the public lapped it up and the reputation of both horses benefited.

The bundle of muscle that was Denman came out on top in 12 months later in the 2008 Gold Cup with Kauto Star below par only for the placings to be reversed in 2009 as Denman, his season disrupted by a heart problem, could not live with his stablemate.

The 2010 Gold Cup became the War of the Wolds but Kauto Star took a hideous fall and Denman couldn’t live with Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Imperial Commander.

A year on we had a battle to live up to that billing. The feeling was both of Nicholls’ chasers were up against – especially Kauto who had lost his King George crown to Nicky Henderson’s Long Run.

It was the latter who crossed the line in front at Cheltenham, seven lengths in front of Denman and 11 ahead of Kauto Star but only after one of the great Gold Cup battles.

Kauto may not have won but he had picked himself up of the deck and proved his racing heart beat as loud as ever.

It was that quality that characterised his last season and further endeared him to his fans.

Pulled up after a listless performance at Punchestown in May 2011, the pressure was on as Nicholls and Smith resisted call to retire Kauto Star and brought him back to win his fourth Betfair Chase in November.

The subsequent outpouring of emotion has seldom been seen on a British racecourse but it was repeated when he land his sixth King George at Kempton on Boxing Day, avenging his 2010 defeat by Long Run.

Kauto Star in his stable at Manor Farm, Ditcheat, Somerset.

It set up a potential Gold Cup showdown, only for a training ground fall to disrupt his preparation and, ultimately, lead to his failure to finish.

Kauto Star will now enjoy his retirement but still be in demand for public appearances. Regal gallop-pasts will no doubt be demanded at both Cheltenham and Kempton, where he boasts a record of five wins and a third from six starts.

A horse who helped take the supporters’ scarf from the football ground to the racetrack, and whose name and his performances crossed the normal boundaries of the sport can hardly be expected to slip away quietly.

He’ll be a hard act to follow.

Anderson: I fear for Manchester United future when Sir Alex Ferguson retires

Posted on October 10, 2012 by adminsports

Anderson reveals fears for Man United's future after Fergie retires

UPDATED:

11:25 GMT, 10 October 2012

Anderson believes Manchester United will struggle to maintain their high standards when Sir Alex Ferguson finally calls time on his tenure at Old Trafford.

Fergie has been at the helm for 26 years, but speculation is rising the 70-year-old is close to taking retirement.

United front: Anderson hold fears for his club when Fergie finally retires

The Scot has won it all in his time at United, including 12 Premier League titles, two Champions Leagues and five FA Cups.

But Anderson holds fears for the future, once Sir Alex finally decides to draw a line under his time in the hotseat.

The midfielder said: 'Manchester United is Alex Ferguson. When he leaves, the club will lose 30 to 40 per cent. So much depends on him.

'He's a father to all the players, a very respected person and when he retires, the football world will really feel his loss.

'He always helped me, and I have a great affection for him. He lives for training and always wants to know how his players and their families are.'

Feet up Sir Alex has given no indication of exactly when he will retire

Lee Cattermole exclusive: Matured? I think so

Posted on September 15, 2012 by adminsports

Mature Sure… but O'Neill knows he'll never totally calm Captain Cattermole

UPDATED:

11:40 GMT, 15 September 2012

Has Lee Cattermole matured

'Oh definitely,' says the Sunderland captain. 'On and off the field, although there's work to be done on it.'

Black Cats manager Martin O'Neill had a slightly different take when told of his skipper's response.

'Matured Cattermole will not have grown up when he is 40,' he said. 'I have kept him as my skipper, and I need my head examined.'

O'Neill is only joking, of course. Sort of.

Joy of six: Sunderland captain Lee Cattermole believes he is more mature man on and off the field

Helping the 24-year-old grow as player, captain and man is one of O'Neill's many little projects at Sunderland. And he has his own way of doing it.

Cattermole revealed: 'He will say something sarcastic or make a joke among the lads about a booking or challenge and I know he's aiming it at me.

'We have never had a serious one-to-one conversation about it. That is how it has been. So far.'

Curbing the bookings would keep O'Neill at bay. Cattermole has played 76 times for Sunderland and picked up 34 yellow cards and five reds.

Strikers set goal targets in August. So has Cattermole set one for bookings He smiles. 'I might have. I have my aims, hopefully I'll get there.'

O'Neill knows his skipper is a work in process and he wants him to extend the contract which expires this season.

'My acerbic wit has not stopped him from being suspended,' O'Neill said. 'Will he change a great deal Unfortunately not. But I like Cattermole, I do like him.

'And deep down, he is a decent lad, doesn't always show it, but he is. He's done really well for me. I want him to stay and hopefully he feels the same way.'

That affection took time to build after a very different response to O'Neill's first day at the Stadium of Light.

Seeing red: Cattermole has developed an unhealthy reputation as a dirty player in his time at Sunderland

After his lengthy introductions to the media, the new boss went to Bob Paisley's birthplace, Hetton-le-Hole to take in a windswept game where he watched James McClean for the first and last time as a reserve.

Cattermole went out drinking with Nicklas Bendtner, then bounced off a few cars in the shadow of Newcastle's stadium. Months later, he was cautioned and ordered to pay 4,000 for the damage. Not a good start.

'It wasn't a great way to make an impression,' he confessed, after bringing the subject up first. 'It was a mistake. There was a lot going on at the time, a lot of pressure and I handled it in the wrong way.

'I had a little hiccup in Newcastle and from then, I thought, I need to improve here.'

It was not the first time his critics and supporters questioned his right to wear the armband. Two red cards in as many weeks under Steve Bruce, and repeated yellow cards, did not help, but the fans sing his name now.

With typical honesty, Cattermole laughs off the 'being stripped of the captaincy' clich. It has never concerned him, he says, but he can't hide the desire to grow into the role.

'I have never, ever worried about
that. It is something you press guys have said since I was made captain
and with everything I have ever done wrong.

'I
don't want to name names but a lot of other lads get booked or sent off
and no one says anything. But if it is Lee Cattermole it is a big issue
and they say, “he is losing the captaincy”.

Pedigree: Cattermole was highly-regarded during his time as an England youth international

'When I was made captain I thought I didn't need to change because I was captain for what I am but it is a bigger role than I thought at the time. There is so much more to it goes on behind the scenes.

'When I was a kid at Middlesbrough, we had the best captain ever in Gareth Southgate who was absolutely brilliant. When he came into the gym before training and did his routines, I just looked up to him, wanted to be like him.

'I realise now that is what the kids here are like with me but you don't see that initially. It is great and something I am trying really hard at.

'Gareth is a different character to me completely and he came as captain, in his 30s, played for England, bags of experience. I came here at 21 and it was given to me and I am still learning but I do think I'm getting better.'

Cattermole is at the heart of a
Sunderland side, lifted by the summer arrivals of Steven Fletcher, Louis
Saha, Carlos Cuellar and his old Boro pal Adam Johnson.

The
England winger's defection from champions Manchester City may have
raised eyebrows but Cattermole always felt Johnson would not be able to
resist a return to his home-town club.

He
said: 'I thought we had a chance because Johnno is type of lad who
won't accept sitting on the bench and he is too good for that.

Respect: Former skipper Gareth Southgate

'He's not happy to be just in the City squad. I have known him since he was 11 and he hasn't changed. He wants to be a footballer, he loves it and just wants to play every week. He will absolutely love his time here, which I told him before he came. It is not a backward step but it was still a big ask.

'We have gone for quality rather than quality and it is brilliant the manager, owner and people behind the scenes got them in.'

One of Cattermole's tasks as captain this week is to welcome battered fellow Twitterer James McClean back to the fold.

No doubt tired now of the admonishments, the winger needs to feel loved again ahead of Liverpool's visit to the Stadium of Light on Saturday evening.

'He'll be all right,' said the skipper. 'Three years ago Twitter might have been the worst thing ever for me and I still write something and go “oops, better not send that”. He's got good friends here.

'It's important to remember he didn't have an Academy education and that makes a big difference. You learn so much about respect and wider issues you might be confronted with.'

While McClean was sending expletives, Cattermole was keeping his followers up to date with his golfing prowess.

It is his love of golf which has given him a perspective on the role he can play in the wider football community, particularly as a captain.

Cattermole, who has a four handicap, said: 'I played the Old Course at St Andrews, which was unbelievable. Just to be stood there in front of R&A and coming up 18, where there's loads of tourists taking photos.

'That is what I love about golf, you can go play somewhere where all the greats have played. You can't walk and play on Wembley as a football fan and re-enact 1966 but you can stand on the Road Hole tee and say, “right, I'm going to be Sergio today”. That's unbelievable.

'The main reason I went on Twitter was to look at golfers like Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Rory McIlroy and see what they are up to. They'd put course planners up and describe how they wanted to play the holes. I love all that.

'When we were in South Korea in the summer the lads were all on it and, with nothing else to do, I opened an account and the reaction of the fans, and the buzz they got from what I was telling them was the same as I'd get looking at Lee Westwood.

'Sometimes you forget that you are people's hero as well. People do look up to you and I'd forgotten that because, to me, I am just a normal lad.'

Cristiano Ronaldo latest: Real Madrid team-mate Alvaro Arbeloa offers support

Posted on September 4, 2012 by adminsports

All he needs is love! Arbeloa vows to stand by 'sad' Real Madrid team-mate Ronaldo

UPDATED:

14:20 GMT, 4 September 2012

Fantasy football 2012

Alvaro Arbeloa has claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo needs more affection from his Real Madrid team-mates after the Portuguese striker declared he was unhappy at the club.

Super-rich Premier League clubs Chelsea and Manchester City were put on alert when the former Manchester United superstar made the revelation on Sunday.

Ronaldo refused to celebrate his two goals in a 3-0 victory over Granada on Sunday, and later admitted that he was feeling 'sad' for 'professional' reasons.

In need of affection: 95million-rated Cristiano Ronaldo said he is 'sad' at Real Madrid

But Merengues defender Arbeloa revealed on Tuesday that the squad knew nothing about the 27-year-old's malaise prior to his announcement and has vowed to stick by his 'friend' Ronaldo.

Quoted in Marca, Arbeloa told reporters at the Spanish national team's base in Las Rozas: 'He just needs more affection from everybody, I don't know, that's all we can give him.

'Everybody has the right to be sad, he's a person just like anyone else.

'He doesn't share the problems of most Spanish people but it's perfectly reasonable that he can be sad.

'When Cristiano says (that he's sad) then perhaps it makes more of an impression.

'We're all going to help him because he is our friend.

'I
hope the fans haven't taken his words the wrong way. The media have
great power and people are influenced by what they hear and read.

Standing by my man: Alvaro Arbeloa has said Real Madrid team are like a family

Loyal: Arbeloa (right) described 'sad' Ronaldo as a friend and has vowed to support him

Out of sorts: The Portugal captain refused to celebrate his two goals in Real Madrid's 3-0 win over Granada

'He knows that he's with the best team and hopefully he'll stay here until he retires.

'And if the fans keep believing in him, he'll be remembered as a club icon. We will help him.'

Ronaldo was quick to deny that the cause of his depression was missing out on being named UEFA's best player in Europe, with the award going to Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta.

'Cristiano always wants to win every trophy,' Arbeloa added.

'His ambition has turned him into one of the world's greatest, but the most important thing for him is Real Madrid.

Oh dear: Ronaldo was substituted on Sunday after taking a heavy hit from Borja Gomez of Granada

'Do not think that winning the Ballon d'Or is his primary concern.

'We are a family, we have to help him. Don't go thinking that money is the issue.'

It has been reported that Ronaldo is unhappy with his current deal at the Spanish champions and is shocked he has not been offered a new one, despite having three years remaining.

Media outlets in Spain have reported that the prolific goalscorer had a meeting with his agent and Real president Florentino Perez on Saturday, although it is unclear exactly what its purpose was.

Andy Carroll won"t join West Ham – Sam Allardyce

Posted on August 5, 2012 by adminsports

Carroll would have kept us up… but loan deal is OFF, reveals West Ham boss Allardyce

UPDATED:

10:26 GMT, 5 August 2012

Sam Allardyce has ruled out the possibility of signing Andy Carroll on loan.

The West Ham boss is a huge admirer of the England international and believes his signature would have helped secure West Ham's Premier League future.

But despite appearing close to a 2million loan deal for Carroll, who has been deemed surplus to requirements at Liverpool, Allardyce now believes there is no prospect of him joining.

Hair we don't go: Carroll won't be joining West Ham, according to Allardyce

Fantasy football 2012

'I would probably have stuck my neck out and said we would almost certainly stay up with him on board,' Allardyce told The People.

'We wouldn't have thought we would have had any chance of signing a player of Andy Carroll's capabilities but it became clear a couple of weeks ago there was a possibility of a loan. Unfortunately at this moment, it's not the case.'

Allardyce also revealed he shed no tears when he saw his former club Blackburn relegated last season.

Heads up: Carroll is keen on a return to his former club Newcastle

The West Ham manager was surprisingly sacked by Rovers owners Venky's in December 2010 and while he was leading his new club back into the Barclays Premier League last season, the Lancashire side were heading in the opposite direction under Steve Kean.

While the relegation of Bolton, another of his former clubs for whom he still has great affection, saddened Allardyce he was unconcerned by the demise of their north-west rivals.

Not bothered: Big Sam was sacked by Blackburn

'I have to say there wasn't much feeling when Blackburn were relegated because of the way they treated me,' he added.

'Bolton is a different story because I left them and I only did that because of their lack of ambition. Everyone knows how much the club means to me and always will, so I was saddened by their relegation.'

West Ham remain at the centre of discussions over the future of London's Olympic Stadium once the Games are over.

The Stratford venue was the scene of British triumph last night, with gold medals for heptathlete Jessica Ennis, long jumper Greg Rutherford and Mo Farah in the 10,000 metres in less than an hour.

And Allardyce dreams of one day leading his team out in a similar atmosphere.

'It would be a dream to think I could lead West Ham out into that stadium at Stratford,' he said.

'I understand the fans have a history with Upton Park but Stratford would be a really significant step forward.

'I have no idea what stage the process is at for the club to acquire the stadium but if we did get the go-ahead it would be a fantastic bonus for West Ham.'

PSG set to beat Manchester City and Chelsea to Ezequiel Lavezzi signing

Posted on June 25, 2012 by adminsports

PSG set to beat City and Chelsea to signing of Napoli striker Lavezzi

UPDATED:

08:42 GMT, 25 June 2012

Manchester City and Chelsea look set to miss out on Napoli's Ezequiel Lavezzi with the striker set to join Paris Saint-Germain.

The 27-year-old signed from San Lorenzo in 2007 and played a key role in helping Napoli re-establish themselves as a major force in Italy.

But now he is set to leave Italy with Paris Saint-Germain favorites to snap him up for 21million.

On the move: Ezequiel Lavezzi looks set to join PSG

The Argentina star does not know when the deal will be completed but thanked the Napoli fans for their support.

He told Il Mattino: 'I don’t know much about the negotiations. My agent is managing them. But from Napoli I will carry the extraordinary affection of the people in my heart.

'At times, they did not permit me that affection, but that makes the city special. At the beginning of my Neapolitan period, there were some who turned up their noses at me, said I was too chubby, but then I earned some credit and sympathy among the people.

No Bridge move: Lavezzi looks set to chose PSG over Chelsea

'Napoli has propelled me forward and given me a great standing on the international stage.'

And Lavezzi said he was unsure if another City target, Edinson Cavani, could also join PSG, he added: 'I would not know but I know that Edi is very happy at Napoli.'

Euro 2012: Give Mario Balotelli a break, says Inter Milan president Massimo Morati

Posted on June 21, 2012 by adminsports

Give Balotelli a break, says Inter chief Moratti as City striker is told to 'grow up'

UPDATED:

14:28 GMT, 21 June 2012

Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti believes Italy international Mario Balotelli should be accepted the way he is.

The Manchester City forward is playing in his first major international competition at the European Championship.

The temperamental 21-year-old has been making headlines in Poland and Ukraine and not just for his talent, something that also happened when he was an Inter player.

Italian job: Balotelli has been urged to grow up and fulfill his potential

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'I am always ready to forgive everything,' Moratti said to Italian newspaper Il Giorno.

'I have an idea of what he (Balotelli) is like because I know Mario since he was a boy.

'He has a wonderful family, who adore him and protect him and he repays that affection.

'But there is something in him that makes him distrustful of everyone, even those that appreciate him, as is the case of (Italy coach Cesare) Prandelli, who called him up to the national team.'

On target: Balotelli scored in the win over Ireland

Balotelli had an angry outburst after scoring in Monday's 2-0 triumph over the Republic of Ireland. Prandelli did not start Balotelli in that game but he came off the bench and scored his first goal in the tournament.

However, rather than celebrate, he looked into the direction of the Italian bench and shouted a few words before team-mate Leonardo Bonucci put his hand over the striker's mouth.

'You only have to look at the goal against Ireland,' Moratti said.

'You need a lot of interior strength to repress that joy that you naturally get when you do such an important act (to score for your country).

Sign him up: Balotelli has been at Manchester City for two seasons

'Balotelli is like that. 'You have to take him as he is without pretending to want to change him.'

Moratti does not regret selling Balotelli in the summer of 2010 to City.

'His transfer It was the thing to do at the time, even for his own interest,' Moratti said.

Balotelli came under heavy criticism from Inter fans after he publicly wore an AC Milan jersey on an Italian television show, leading to an apology on the club's website.

The Italian forward has nevertheless been linked in recent months with a return to Inter.

However, Moratti, whose club made a 21 million euros profit on Balotelli's transfer to City, believes that even if Inter wanted him back, they could not afford him.

'To bring him (Balotelli) back We are constructing a young squad,' Moratti said.

'With the (financial) problems we have in Italy, there are certain investments that you simply cannot make.'

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