Tag Archives: baggage

Manchester United"s Antonio Valencia camera stolen

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Fools! Valencia in x-rated rant at Ecuadorian baggage handlers over camera theft

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UPDATED:

10:39 GMT, 14 September 2012

Angry: Antonio Valencia claims to have had his camera stolen by baggage handlers in his homeland

Angry: Antonio Valencia claims to have had his camera stolen by baggage handlers in his homeland

Furious Antonio Valencia has accused baggage handlers in his homeland of stealing a camera from his suitcase.

The Manchester United winger has endured a difficult international break on and off the field, compounded by arriving in Manchester to discover some of belongings were missing.

The Ecuadorian was sent off in his country's World Cup qualifier against Uruguay and afterwards labelled the referee Carlos Amarilla 'a clown'.

And after jetting back to England he was left reeling, taking to Twitter to accuse airport staff in South America of theft.

He wrote: 'Yes, they rob you in your own country! They won't rob you anywhere else, these a******* that check your baggage in the airport robbed my camera.'

He continued: 'I hope they use it well, these f****ng fools. What a disgrace. What indignation.

Tricky time: Valencia was sent off during the international break fro Ecuador

Tricky time: Valencia was sent off during the international break fro Ecuador

'These fools checked my suitcase. They had already robbed me, they didn't want to check the other. They wanted me out of there quickly. How awful.'

United host Valencia's former club Wigan on Saturday.

Wales whippersnapper Harry Robinson getting used to holding the wooden spoon

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Wales whippersnapper Robinson getting used to holding the wooden spoon

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UPDATED:

21:37 GMT, 11 June 2012

As a man who can run the 100 metres in the blink of an eye, Harry Robinson is not used to the wooden spoon. But being the youngest member of a Welsh touring party comes with its traditions and hauling around a two-foot piece of wood is one of them.

The 19-year-old winger, who made a scoring debut against the Barbarians in Cardiff 10 days ago, had not even escaped baggage claim in Australia before his first knock-on.

‘I dropped it on the first day I had it,’ he said of the love spoon. ‘I had it on the top of my bag when I was wheeling it through the airport and it just slid off. One of the rings broke off so I think I’ll be getting a few fines for that. It was a terrible start but it hasn’t left my sight since. It’s locked away in my room, in the safe.

On the scoresheet: Harry Robinson goes over against the Barbarians

On the scoresheet: Harry Robinson goes over against the Barbarians

‘George (North) said it was stolen from him last year at the World Cup and he was missing it for three days. He said to keep your eyes glued on it. I didn’t want to ask how much he was fined, just in case!

‘I’ve been told the heritage about the spoon. They said I’ll probably have to give a speech or something at some point on this tour so I’m dreading that. But it’s got to be done!’

Robinson’s more pressing priority is to inflict damage of an intentional kind against the ACT Brumbies in Canberra this morning. After Wales’ defeat in the first Test against the Wallabies, this midweek audition suddenly bears a far greater significance for the starting XV who will be looking to impress ahead of selection decisions for the second Test in Melbourne.

When Wales faced the Brumbies on tour in 1996, the hosts inflicted what was at the time the second heaviest defeat in Wales’ history — a 69-30 thrashing. Rob Howley remembers it only too well. He scored two tries that night against a star-studded team but in reply Joe Roff scored four of the home side’s 10.

THE LOVE SPOON

Love spoons are said to represent the ‘heart and soul’ of Wales. They
were carved by men and given to women as early as the 17th Century. The
idea to bring one on tour was introduced by head coach Steve Hansen in
2003 and the three World Cup spoon bearers have been Huw Bennett (2003),
Alun-Wyn Jones (2007) and George North (2011). It depicts a dagger and
includes national symbols of Wales in a harp, dragon, daffodil and the
Prince of Wales’ feathers.

This year, the Brumbies have picked an inexperienced side who tend to sacrifice possession for territory by hoofing the ball and Robinson is hoping to pounce. But although he scored against Shane Williams at the Millennium Stadium on his debut, he realises rugby Down Under is a whole new experience.

‘We saw on Saturday the intensity the southern hemisphere teams play at,’ he said. ‘It’s a different level, they step up the game from the northern hemisphere. But we know what’s coming. We’ve done the analysis.

‘Anything in their half they don’t really like to play with, so as a back three we sat down for 15 minutes and talked about how we’re going to attack back and keep our wits about us.

‘Liam (Williams) is a great runner with the ball and Brewy’s (Aled Brew) is a powerful guy as well so we’ll look to use them kicking the ball to us as an advantage.’

Before Howley called up Robinson for the senior tour, the graduate from Pentrych RFC was packing his bags for another crack at the Junior World Cup in South Africa. On the day the senior side were ambushed by the Wallabies in Brisbane, his old team-mates beat the Baby Blacks, New Zealand’s Under 20 side who had never lost a match in the four-year history of the tournament.

‘I watched that game and I was a little bit gutted I wasn’t there because I wanted to celebrate with the boys,’ he said. ‘I welled up seeing them all celebrating together. I’ve been with most of them for four or five years now and that New Zealand team haven’t lost a game in four years. Just the determination, the heart and the pride they showed, it was amazing.’

Top form: Alex Cuthbert

Top form: Alex Cuthbert

Robinson is all too aware of the challenge ahead of him if he is to break into the Test team, with Alex Cuthbert and George North both in rampaging form.

HOW THEY LINE UP

ACT Brumbies: Coleman; Crawford, Kuridrani, Smith, Sitauti, Holmes,
Prior; Murphy, Hegarty, Sio, Power, Hand, Kimlin, Vaea, Fainga’a.
Substitutes: Siliva, Pradaud, Sigg, Auelua, Mokoputo, Cox, Mogg.

Wales:
Liam Williams; Robinson, Bishop, Beck, Brew; Hook, Webb; James,
Hibbard, Jones, AW Jones (capt), Charteris, Turnbull, Tipuric, Shingler.
Substitutes: Owens, Gill, Evans, Delve, Lloyd Williams, Priestland, Cuthbert.

KO: 10.30am, Canberra Stadium.

Referee: Ian Smith (Aus).

‘I’ve got my work cut out trying to get that jersey,’ he said. ‘It’s a really competitive position. Cuthbert’s only come through this season and he’s an astonishing player.

He’s 6ft 4in, 105 kilos and still that fast — a real force to be reckoned with. George is the same, a massive beast.

‘Even though he was only on for half an hour on Saturday, the impact that he made spinning out of and breaking tackles, if he was on the whole game who knows what could have happened.

‘Even guys not in the squad yet, Eli Walker coming through for the 20s, he’s a quality player. George is 20, Cuthbert’s 22, I’m 19, Eli’s 20. It’s a really competitive position.’

Manny Pacquiao to fight tax charges

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Pacquiao slams 'harassment' from Philippines authorities over contempt charges linked to tax payments

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UPDATED:

09:42 GMT, 26 March 2012

Manny Pacquiao has said he will fight charges filed against him by the Philippines' main revenue agency and complained that the case had affected his training for his next fight.

Pacquiao is facing contempt charges for what the Bureau of Internal Revenue calls his refusal to provide documents relating to his sources of income and tax payments.

The world champion in eight different weight divisions said: 'I shall fight this case to the finish, until the last and final round,' Pacquiao told a news conference in Manila. 'I cannot train hard with this excess baggage.'

Speaking up: Pacquiao has vowed to fight the charges leveled against him

Speaking up: Pacquiao has vowed to fight the charges leveled against him

Pacquiao is scheduled to fight Timothy Bradley in Las Vegas on June 9.

Elected congressman in 2010, the 33-year-old described the case against him as 'plain and simple harassment' and said he was being singled out by the revenue agency.

'Over the years as a boxer, product endorser and businessman, I have not short-changed the government of what is due,' he said.

He added that the tax agency had sent summons to the wrong person and the wrong address while he was fighting Juan Manuel Marquez last November.

Distraction: Pacquiao has blasted the timing of the charges as he prepares his first fight since the victory over Marquez

Distraction: Pacquiao has blasted the timing of the charges as he prepares his first fight since the victory over Marquez

Distraction: Pacquiao has blasted the timing of the charges as he prepares his first fight since the victory over Marquez

Lawmaker Ralph Recto defended Pacquiao,
saying he deserved to be treated better. 'How much goodwill and pride
has he given to the country' he asked.

On Friday, Kim Henares, head of the revenue bureau, told foreign correspondents the case against Pacquiao was to compel him to submit 62 documents, including contracts for endorsement of products and services, and earnings from his fights and pay-per-view deals.

'Basically, they were given a lot of chances to present it and they still were not able to,' Henares said, adding that Pacquiao's representative had been to the tax office but had not presented the documents.

Say a prayer: Officials have questioned the big drop in tax payments

Say a prayer: Officials have questioned the big drop in tax payments

She said the government would withdraw its contempt case against him once the documents had been submitted.

Henares added that the bureau began an inquiry into Pacquiao's tax records after it noted a huge drop in his tax payments in 2009.

In 2008, he paid more than 734,000 but only 103,000 the following year, she said.

Andre Villas Boas: Result just in – Player 1 AVB 0

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Matt Lawton: Result just in – Chelsea Players 1 Villas-Boas 0

By
Matt Lawton

Last updated at 10:30 PM on 4th March 2012

In the end it came down to this: either Roman Abramovich fired the 25 players who make up the senior Chelsea squad or he took the significantly cheaper option and sacked the manager instead.

The dressing room and the young manager had become incompatible, so it was a simple business calculation and the realisation that action had to be taken amid serious concerns that Chelsea might fail to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

One of them had to go and on Sunday, after a board meeting at the club’s Cobham training ground, Andre Villas-Boas was informed of the decision. He was said to be distraught, knowing full well he had been defeated by the players he didn’t rate.

Leading from the front: Andre Villas-Boas was ultimately undone because he'd lost the dressing room, and therefore lost matches

Leading from the front: Andre Villas-Boas was ultimately undone because he'd lost the dressing room, and therefore lost matches

As well as losing to West Bromwich on Saturday, as well as nine other defeats, he has been beaten by the players. His ‘three-year project’ is now the responsibility of the manager who succeeds him; the ninth in the nine years since Abramovich bought the club.

Abramovich would have taken no pleasure in giving the order, because he had continued to defend Villas-Boas when the club’s directors and his advisors had long been telling him to pull the trigger.

Villas-Boas was Abramovich’s man. He liked him when the 34-year-old Portuguese had worked under Jose Mourinho and saw someone who could recreate the success the club enjoyed during that time without the extra baggage. Villas-Boas would not be declaring himself ‘the Special One’, instead adopting a less confrontational approach.

Picking fights: Frank Lampard was used sparingly by AVB

Picking fights: Frank Lampard was used sparingly by AVB

Convinced he was hiring the brightest young manager in Europe given the haul of trophies he won at Porto last season, Abramovich paid more than 13million to release him from his contract and then sat back believing Villas-Boas would quickly demonstrate why he was right to dismiss Carlo Ancelotti.

But it proved more problematic than all those who had gone before, Villas-Boas losing the players on as well as off the pitch.

It was always going to be difficult for a manager no older than some of the senior stars — particularly in a dressing room as strong as Chelsea’s.

But Villas-Boas did himself no favours with tactics that far from suited key personnel, his desire to play with a high defensive line one that contributed significantly to the poor results they started to endure.

As one Chelsea insider said on Sunday, ‘It might be the way some people think modern football should be played but theories are for universities. It was not a style that suited players like John Terry’.

While he tried to ally himself to Terry by supporting him so publicly against allegations that he racially abused Anton Ferdinand, Villas-Boas struggled to form any bond with the players.

For an intelligent, multi-lingual individual, Villas-Boas lacks basic communication skills and it was a failure to manage players when he wanted to leave them out — in particular Frank Lampard — that proved his undoing.

By Sunday, he had become increasingly isolated. Some younger players remained with him, as did the coaches he brought with him to the club. It was also suggested on Sunday that he retained a decent relationship with the board.

His man, his call: Roman Abramovich has wielded the axe for the ninth time

His man, his call: Roman Abramovich has wielded the axe for the ninth time

But he was difficult to deal with, often appearing arrogant and aloof but also immature. He lacked the experience to deal with that dressing room just as he lacked the experience to work under a man like Abramovich.

Through intermediaries, he requested that Abramovich show him support but none was forthcoming, Abramovich feeling that the fact he remained in a job was support enough.

Rather than accept that, Villas-Boas made the mistake of asking his employer to publicly back him on the eve of that chastening Champions League defeat in Napoli.

Not that Abramovich blames Villas-Boas exclusively for this mess. But even he will have to concede that he got it as wrong as the young manager he recruited; that he was wrong to dismiss Mourinho just as he was wrong to sack Ancelotti.

Incoming: Roberto Mancini will now take over until the end of the season

Incoming: Roberto Mancini will now take over until the end of the season

For now he has asked Roberto Di Matteo to take charge, starting with Tuesday's FA Cup replay at Birmingham. The club statement says this is until the end of the season but they must know they could soon be in much the same situation as they were with Villas-Boas. By all accounts the players aren’t terribly keen on Di Matteo, either.

It would seem the arrival of Rafa Benitez until the end of the season remains a possibility. It was a solution that worked well when Guus Hiddink took temporary charge and the only stumbling block, it appears, is the amount of money the Spaniard wants.

After that, Abramovich has a very clear idea of what he wants. Ideally Pep Guardiola; failing that Jose Mourinho. Someone, this time, big enough, old enough — and lucky enough, when dealing with the Russian, the players and the expectations that come with managing Chelsea.