sport magazine issue 271
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Sport magazine issue 271TRANSCRIPT
Issue 271 | August 31 2012
Danny Cipriani is back
Prodigal son
Sport CoverWrap_redesign 232x300[1][1].indd 1 28/08/2012 17:27
issue 271, August 31 2012
Radar
05 Madden returns And EA have made their game more ridiculously real than ever
06 Deadline day panic purchases It’s not just Sky that loses the plot just before the window shuts
08 Bloomberg Square Mile Relay City workers and Sport’s ed flog themselves for charity. No, really
o this coming weekFeatures
16 Danny Cipriani He’s back, and in reflective mood after two years spent hitting the headlines down under
23 Chris Ashton Saracens’ new man on his summer move – and the possible return of the Ash Splash
31 Joleon Lescott The centre back talks up City’s chances of retaining their title 34 Simon Jordan On how to run a football club – and he’s as diplomatic as you’d expect
40 Stef Reid The Paralympic long jump, 100m and 200m star has high hopes for lots of medals in London
extra time
52 Kit Get yourself all rugby chic ahead of the new Premiership season with our selection of tops
54 Heather Fell The European modern pentathlon silver-medallist does almost everything in fives – as you would
56 Grooming Ditch the disposables and shave your visage like you’ve got a pair
58 Gadgets A washable keyboard – for when you leave it in your back pocket
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| August 31 2012 | 03
e’re already weeks into the Proper
Football season, of course, but our
cross-Atlantic cousins are a little
slow – the NFL season doesn’t begin until
Wednesday, when Super Bowl champs the
New York Giants take on the Dallas Cowboys.
With a new season comes an updated virtual
facsimile, and Madden NFL 13 boasts an array
of improvements, including the ability to pick
out exactly where you want to place your pass
in relation to the receiver: high or low, over
his shoulder, or – if you’re feeling particularly
spiteful – square in the back of the head.
Madden NFL 13, out today
Radar
| August 31 2012 | 05
p08 – Your daily commute, on a BMX
p06 – The best and worst deadline day deals
p08 – Sport helps run a few bankers down
WSnaps, sacks and safeties
06 | August 31 2012 |
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HITWayne RooneyEverton to Manchester United, August 2004Signing an injured,
barely proven (Euro
2004 aside) teenager
for £25.6m is a potential
disaster, but 182 goals
and a haul of trophies
later shows Sir Alex
got this one right.
Panic at the deadlineur guide to the Premier League transfer deadline days’
biggest hits and misses shows that big-money deals
needn’t be a disaster. Except when they areO
HITMarouane FellainiStandard Liege to Everton, September 2008£15m seemed steep,
but a classy handful of
a player lurks beneath
that Jackson Five afro.
Fellaini bullied Man Utd
on the opening weekend,
and is now an integral
part of the Everton team.
HITRafael van der VaartReal Madrid to Tottenham, August 2010When Real offered a
‘summer madness’
£10m discount sale
on gifted Dutch
playmakers (just
£8m while stocks last),
Tottenham smartly bit
their royal hand off.
MISSJean-Alain BoumsongRangers to Newcastle, January 2005He was available on a
free only months earlier,
so naturally Graeme
Souness bid £8m for
the French defender in
the very next transfer
window. Turned out to
be a bit crap.
MISSRobinhoReal Madrid to Manchester City, September 2008The Brazilian referring
to his new club as
“Chelsea” in a press
conference set the tone.
Showed flashes of
brilliance, but was
more trouble than his
£32.5m fee was worth.
MISSAndy CarrollNewcastle to Liverpool, January 2010£3.5m for a raw but
potentially dangerous
young striker was good
business, most Liverpool
fans thought. Then they
saw there was no
decimal point in the
price – and wept.
Style firsthe problem with protective headgear
is that it tends to make you look, as
Joey Barton would put it, like a bit of
a helmet. Hövding is an invisible bicycle helmet
- you wear it around your neck, but when its
sensors detect that you’re involved in an
accident, it instantly inflates like a car airbag to
protect your melon and the precious goo within.
£355, hovding.com
L
Pass it onike male pattern baldness, there’s
something inevitable about the way
an obsession with football gets
passed down the family line. That’s the
touching subject of The Footballer Who
Could Fly by Duncan Hamilton, twice winner
of the William Hill Sports Book of the Year
award. He charts the development of the
sport from when
his dad started
watching in the
1940s to now,
all against the
backdrop of
the unique
relationship
between father,
son and football.
The Footballer
Who Could Fly,
Duncan Hamilton
(Century),
£14.99
e’re counting down the seconds
until Formula 1 restarts on Sunday.
But if our watch was as stylish as
this, we’d be sat still, staring at our wrist
as the lights go out and the cars speed off
without us (aka ‘doing a Ricardo Rosset’).
We’re totally won over by the Omega
Speedmaster Racing’s dial design, inspired
by the dashboards of classic Italian cars. It
was wildly popular with motorsport drivers
in the 1950s, because its subdials offer a
super-reliable timekeeping performance.
Racing drivers have computers to do that
for them now, of course, but you can’t carry
those around on your wrist. Frankly, even if
you could, this is a far more handsome option.
From £2,960; omegawatches.com
MX proved a sleeper hit at the
Games, as we fell in love with the
action-packed racing, incredible
skill and... okay, we’ll be honest. It was just
the crashes. They were awesome.
Unfortunately, BMX bikes rank alongside
pogo sticks in terms of viability as a daily
mode of transport. But you can inject a little
of that excitement into your commute
with the limited-edition kansi F20
folding bike. It’s styled to resemble
the popular Skyway BMX bikes of
the 1980s, and is resplendent
with 20-inch Skyway tyres.
There are only 100 available,
but snap one up quickly and
you’ll be the envy of your
packed train carriage every
morning – assuming said carriage
is full of teenagers. Radical!
£699. List of stockists
available at kansi.co.uk
08 | August 31 2012 |
Radar
A
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Race time
Mobile madness
thousand bankers on the run –
no, it’s not the start of a terrible
financial crisis joke, but the sixth
edition of the Bloomberg Square Mile Relay.
Sport is a media partner for the event,
which will see more than 100 teams of 10
hit the streets, stairways and alleys of
London for a unique 10-mile relay race
around the heart of the City.
The winners get £5,000 for their chosen
charity, and the standard of competition is
high – last year’s winning time was 48
minutes 50 seconds. We’ll be there,
hopefully somewhere near the front,
anchored by our editor, Simon ‘Mo Farah’
Caney. There’s still plenty of time to get a
team together if you fancy taking us on.
Bloomberg Square Mile Relay, Thursday
September 20; squaremilesport.com/london
City kickers
CO13686_BECKHAM_THE_ESSENCE_AUG12_ - SPORT V1 (297x235) CMYK
T H E N E W F R A G R A N C E
10 | August 31 2012 |
Radar Editor’s letter
Deputy editor
Tony Hodson
@tonyhodson1
Sport magazine
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Sport magazine
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Hearty thanks this week to:
Sam Feasey, Oli Ward, Ed Airey,
Duncan Ross
Don’t forget: Help keep public transport clean and tidy for everyone by taking your copy of Sport away with you when you leave the bus or train.
LAUNCH OFTHE YEAR
2008
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Sir Alex Ferguson has not been averse to spending big in his time at Manchester United, but few of his signings have been more about the here and
now than that of Robin van Persie.Last Saturday showed just why Fergie
was so keen to splash £24m of the Glazers’
barely earned cash on a 29-year-old
with a reputation for being injury-prone.
Five days after that tame defeat to
Everton, and a goal down to a confident
Fulham, United needed a swift response.
And they got it, the Dutchman blasting
home with the kind of exquisite left-footed
half-volley with which he made his name
in eight years at Arsenal.
It was by no means a match-winner, of
course, and van Persie needs to put away
a good few more if United are going to get
value for their money. But the encouraging
news for Fergie is that his man seems to
have arrived in much the same form – and,
crucially, fitness – that saw him bang in 44
goals for club and country last season.
And herein lies the rub. Ferguson is
well aware that the tide has turned – that
both Manchester City and Chelsea have
more money and scope to develop in the
seasons to come. But, for the first time in
his long career, the Scot is less interested
in the future than he is in the present. He
wants to win the Premier League one final
time before he bids farewell to the club he
has nurtured for so long, and he realises
as much as the rest of us that that means
doing it sooner rather than later.
But, with a fragile defence sat behind
a soft-centred midfield, that also means
he needs a greater firepower than he
has ever had at his disposal. Time will tell
whether van Persie represents that, but if
his goals do carry United to another title
then his signature will prove priceless.
I was at Wembley for the final of rugby league’s Challenge Cup on Saturday, when Warrington Wolves deservedly lifted the trophy for a third time in four years. Perhaps of more portent for the future, however, was the national Year 7 schools final that took place on the very same pitch an hour earlier. No surprise to see Castleford Academy providing one of the teams, but quite the shock to see them lose to a side from the brilliantly named Howard of Effingham School in Surrey. Rugby league is a sport that will always belong to the north, but the signs are that it definitely has a future in the south.
It’s almost two years since Europe’s
sensational Ryder Cup win at a soggy
Celtic Manor, but as of Sunday we know
the team that Jose Maria Olazabal will
take to Medinah next month. The build-up
has started, and I really can’t wait.
One small step for VanThat Robin van Persie has hit the ground running could represent a giant leap for Man Utd
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Reliant on Robin: if United are to regain the title, much will
depend on their new talisman
Reader comments of the week
Great piece in
@Sportmaguk on
@JonniePeacock.
Dilemma on who to
cheer, Jonnie or
@OscarPistorius
@shirleysauyinip
Again @simoncaney spot on
with KP view. All chat that he
should be picked as he’s our
best is tosh. SA #1 thru
working as team, not
individuals
@Jamiehockin
Just reading @SportmagUK
interview with
Paralympian Sarah Storey
– think she may be one
of the most amazing
people ever!
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Well done @sportmaguk
great #Paralympics
coverage in today’s issue
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“Olympics change the way
you feel in a positive way
but Paralympics change the
way you think.” True.
By @clarebalding in
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Cover of the Year
14 | August 31 2012 |
Beef burghersA man riding a massive cow efficiently while
dressed in traditional lederhosen? No prizes for
guessing we’re in Deutschland this week, readers,
where we find Martin Breiter roaring to victory
at the fifth Ox-racing Championships in Muensing.
The victorious ‘ jockey’ looks happy enough, having
beaten off stiff competition from several bank
managers and Heidi. Afterwards, they celebrated
with an ‘ox ball’, featuring a feast of roasted ox
– hence that big cow looking so non-plussed.Jo
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Frozen in time
| 15
Danny Cipriani
As we sit in his living room talking to rugby star Danny Cipriani, two things spring to mind. First, the 24-year-old appears very sure of how he got where he is and where
he wants to go from here. Dare we say he’s a more mature man than we expected?
The second thing that stands out, though, as
we talk about his life both on and off the field, is
that Cipriani isn’t able to say what he really thinks.
“People read stuff in the paper and take it as gospel,”
the former Wasps man tells us when talking about
his time in Australia. “But they don’t know the full
story. Things went on that people don’t know about
because the club doesn’t release everything, so
that’s frustrating. But it’s just something that you
have to deal with and not get distracted by.”
Cipriani, you feel, doesn’t give too much away to
people he doesn’t know. And who can blame him?
In just five years, the enigmatic England international
has made more front pages than back, and has
been through high-profile relationships, serious
injuries and the highs and lows of his beloved
sport — all played out across the papers for
your Sunday morning entertainment.
“Yeah, the press have been on my case since I
was 16 or 17,” Cipriani accepts. “It was a realisation
early on, but it’s something you never really get
used to. You can never really understand how much
you are in the spotlight until you see yourself in
the papers. The important thing for me is to learn
from the mistakes so the media have nothing to
report.” And therein lies the biggest question mark
over Cipriani. After two years with the Melbourne
Rebels in Australia, Sale have taken a gamble in
signing this mercurial talent. Once as likely to light
up a pitch as he was to get charged down in his
own 22, Cipriani insists he’s a changed man and
is returning to the Premiership a better player –
and one who is ready to focus on rugby, as opposed
to life off the pitch.
RISE TO FAMEIt’s been an incredible five years for the new Sale
man, who arrived on the scene just as the post-2003
World Cup euphoria was dying down. Jonny Wilkinson
was the darling of English rugby and dominated
column inches, bedroom walls and televisions across
the nation. But Cipriani offered something different
– something not so very English. The story goes that
Wasps coach Ian McGeechan told his young starlets
that he wanted them to do something new to impress
him in training, so Cipriani ran a diagonal line in front
of his centres and bounced the ball between his legs
directly into his teammates’ path. A defence was
bamboozled, and a star — and the poster boy for
a new, more exciting brand of rugby — was born.
Success came pretty quickly with Wasps, where he
signed when he was just 17, and Cipriani still holds a
real affection for the club. “I’ll always be thankful for
what Wasps did for me,“ he says. “Shaun [Edwards]
and Warren [Gatland] allowed me to ease my way into
the professional game by playing at full back and >
“People don’t know the
The most exciting player these shores have produced
or the man who ran away to Australia when the going
got tough. Whatever your opinion, there’s no denying
Danny Cipriani is a headline maker. And, after two years
down under, the fly half wants to set the record straight
Photography James Lincoln
full story”
16 | August 31 2012 |
18 | August 31 2012 |
Danny Cipriani
Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand
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learning from Alex King, watching what he did at fly
half. They bred me to take over the fly half role and,
when Alex left at the start of the 2007-08 season,
they threw me in there.” For some, stepping into
the fly half position at such a famous club — then
Heineken Cup holders — aged just 19 would be
too much too soon. Not for Cipriani.
“It’s a step up, but it’s all rugby – so why would
I be scared?“ he asks. “That’s what I’d been training
for. All the classroom sessions, all the on-field
sessions. Brian Ashton and the young academy
systems really prepared us for that big stage and
that chance to show what you’ve got, so confidence
wasn’t a problem. At that level, confidence and how
you approach the game is key. If you do think it’s
a big step and you are overawed, you’ll be a couple
of steps behind everyone else. You’ve got to go in
and believe you deserve to be there.”
Cipriani certainly believed in himself, and he took
no time in making his mark on the pitch, leading
Wasps to the Premiership final before injury cruelly
cut his season short. For the young fly half, though,
his first season will always be remembered — as so
much else in his career to date — for controversy,
specifically that surrounding his international debut
in March. Picked to play
in the white of England
for the first time,
Cipriani was all set
to light up the
international stage
when he was snapped
leaving a nightclub at
12.30am three days
before the game.
Ashton, then head coach, immediately dropped him,
and the Wasps man made his debut on the national
papers’ front pages. “I think they [the England
coaching team] just panicked a bit,” Cipriani explains
when we ask about the incident. “They apologised
after, but they just hadn’t had that situation before.
I was a unique case in rugby because there was
so much interest in me, so that’s why they handled
it the way they did, I guess.”
Suitably scolded, Cipriani had just a week to wait
until he did make his international debut in the 33-10
win over Ireland. “It was an absolute dream come
true, especially considering we played so well and
got such a big win,” he says. But the media had
already made their mind up about him, and his front
page headlines sold more papers than the back.
Embedded in the national consciousness, and
arguably taking Wilkinson’s place as the best-known
rugby player outside of the sport, Cipriani continued
to impress on the field, but injury limited his
international chances. Even worse, Wasps were
starting to struggle after the departure of the old
guard, and many of Cipriani’s teammates headed for
foreign shores. Off the field, the headlines kept on
coming, though, as Cipriani was involved in a training
ground fracas with Josh Lewsey. “That just
frustrated me because it was the sort of thing that
happens on training grounds every week,” he
explains. “But, because it was me, it was a big
story.” He continued to appear in gossip columns
and celebrity spots, mainly because of his highly
publicised relationship with model Kelly Brook. Some
questioned whether Cipriani was focused on his
game, but he just shrugs.
“It’s the world we live in, but it does get frustrating,”
he says. “I’ve come to a point where you just can’t let
it affect you. I’m not trying to prove myself one way
or the other. I just play my rugby and live my life.
Whatever people want to take out of that, they can.”
TIME FOR A CHANGEIf avoiding the headlines was Cipriani’s aim, then
2010 can be filed under ’unsuccessful’. Making the
decision to become the marquee signing for new
Super 15 franchise Melbourne Rebels (above),
Cipriani came under fire from all sides for walking
way from international rugby. “I wasn’t really getting
a look in with Martin Johnson,” he explains. “So it
seemed the right thing to do. I came to the decision
that I could further improve my game by giving
myself a new challenge, then come back at 24 and
fight my way into the reckoning for the next World
Cup. It was a big decision and I did think about it for
a long time, of course, but playing in the Super 15
was always a dream for me – so it was good to tick
that one off the bucket list, as it were.”
So did he really fall out with the then England boss?
“No, we didn’t fall out. He basically said it’s going to be
difficult for me to pick you if you’re over there, which
is fair enough, but I wasn’t getting picked when I >
been on my case since I was 16 or 17”
“The press have
my responsibilities and things that I
20 | August 31 2012 |
Danny Cipriani
Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand
was here anyway. I just felt like I had to go develop
my game somewhere else, and I thought that was
the best place to do it.”
Sadly, life in Australia wasn’t all it was cracked up
to be – and, for a media darling like Cipriani, probably
not the ideal environment. Not that he’ll admit it.
“Unfortunately, the Rebels were a new franchise
trying to find their feet, and that made it all a bit
unprofessional,“ he reflects. “I enjoyed my time at the
Rebels, and learned a lot while there, but there’s no
getting away from the fact that they just weren’t used
to handling the media – so when things happened off
the field, they weren’t great at protecting the players.”
Ah, yes, those off-the-field incidents again. Cipriani
didn’t take long to make headlines down under, as he
was accused of stealing a bottle of vodka from a
Melbourne club after his first game. The club were
quick to fine their new star man. “I never took a bottle
of vodka, the nightclub just sold the story back home
to make some money,“ he says. “It was a few of the
lads and me in a club, and we were just larking about
and moved a bottle of vodka. The nightclub decided to
sell the story to make money and the Rebels didn’t
know how to handle it, so they just fined me. It was
a bit like that early incident with England.”
It was another controversial night that left a sour
taste with Cipriani, though, as he had a night out with
teammate Richard Kingi that saw the duo dropped
from a tour to South Africa. Kingi was later reinstated,
with Cipriani left to sit in the stands. “There was no
curfew or anything on that night, and we came back
late because we were in Sydney and had some friends
over there. The problem is there were other things
going on behind the scenes at the club that meant
they took it more seriously. It is what it is, and
I accept that I shouldn’t have been out so late,
but I didn’t realise it would affect me so much.”
Cipriani insists that there are no hard feelings
with the Melbourne side. “I loved my time there and
I made friends that I’ll keep for life,” he says. But the
damage was done, and when the opportunity arose
to move back to his homeland with Sale Sharks, it
was one he jumped at.
HOMEWARD BOUNDAs Cipriani talks through his career highlights and
lowlights, it becomes clear that a lot has been blown
out of proportion, and we start to get the feeling he
might not be this unmanageable international playboy
figure we’ve heard so much about. In fact, making the
decision to move to Australia aged just 22, to further
his career, seems like a fairly smart move – and the
England man seems very measured in every decision
he takes. So, Cipriani is back and ready to start letting
his rugby do the talking.
After a turbulent five years, though, would he
change anything? “Of course,” he points out. “I’m not
arrogant enough to say everything is perfect. I’d
have handled things better with Martin Johnson for
one thing, but I can’t look back too much because I
would live my life in frustration. A lot has happened
to me, but I believe it’s made me a better player,
so I’m looking forward to just playing.”
So that’s it. Cipriani has a clear idea of what
he wants from his career and how he has got to
where he is. For any player, this maturity would
be impressive. But when it comes from a player
with the sort of reputation and baggage that Cipriani
carries, it is an even more pleasant surprise.
Before we go, though, we have to ask if he goes in
for the old cliche. Are you a changed man, Danny?
“I wouldn’t say a changed man,” he smiles. “I’m just
a bit more aware of my responsibilities and things
that I have to deal with. I know that I have to act a
certain way when I’m in the public eye, but I’m just
focused on doing a job here. Everything I’ve been
through has made me narrow-minded and focused on
my rugby, so I’m ready to make a mark back in England.”
Cipriani is ready to make more headlines — let’s
just hope they’re at the right end of the paper.
Mark Coughlan @coffers83
have to deal with”
“I‘m more aware of
Shark’s teeth: Cipriani is hungry to make his mark
wideboy
Chris Ashton
| August 31 2012 | 23
After five years learning his trade at Northampton, flying winger Chris Ashton made the move south to Saracens this summer. On the eve of the new Aviva Premiership season, we caught up with the capital’s latest star attraction >
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Chris Ashton
24 | August 31 2012 |
How are you enjoying life at Saracens so far?
“It’s really good, yeah. I’m really enjoying it.
This is a great club and they really look after
the players. The whole club’s a really close-knit
team, so I’m really enjoying every minute.”
What are the major differences you’ve noticed
between Saracens and Northampton?
“A rugby club’s a rugby club, and there aren’t that
many differences when you get to a certain level,
other than the people that are in it. Northampton’s
quite a young team and I grew up with a lot of the
lads, so we were all quite friendly. Here, there are a
few older lads and a different mix of backgrounds,
so there’s a different culture. It’s more of a family
club. They focus on looking after families, whereas
we were all a bit younger at Northampton. We’ve
done a lot of team bonding and a lot of stuff to get
to know each other pre-season. At Northampton,
we’d play together and probably end up going out
together – but it was never really organised.”
How hard was the decision to leave?
“It was a big decision because I’d been there so long.
They got me into the England squad and they taught
me everything I know about rugby, so it was a big
risk to leave. People can get comfortable at one
place, too, because you understand what they want
and you know what you need to do. When you move,
that starts again, and I felt like I just wanted to test
myself again. I’m starting again with people I don’t
know, and starting to understand how different
things work and that the club is run differently.
I’m glad I did, but it’s always a risk.”
It’s been a pretty tough 12 months for you. How
much are you looking forward to a fresh start?
“Last year was a tough year. It started with the
World Cup, so it was hard to come back into the
season, especially after all the stuff that went on in
New Zealand. After that, you’re constantly fighting
and trying to catch up for your club, and then the
season’s over before you realise. This year, I had a
good break and I’ve had a good pre-season, so I feel
better for it. I’ve played a few pre-season games
and I’ve enjoyed it – so yeah, I think we’ll go well.”
You don’t actually have a home stadium yet, though.
Is it going to affect the side, having to travel around
and play home games all over the place?
“No, we’ve talked about this in the club and we laugh
about the idea of people thinking they’ve got an
advantage over us because we’re playing at
different grounds. It’s what Saracens are known
for, really – they always moved around a lot before
they made Watford a base for so long. In a way,
it’s nice to do things differently. It gives us a
chance to get the club known around England and
not just in north London. Anyway, we’ll be playing
at Wembley and playing at Twickenham — who
doesn’t want to do that?”
Have you set yourself any targets as a club?
“Not really. The goal is to win every game, same
as it is at every club. There comes a point in the
season — probably around Christmas — where you
take stock of where you are and how many players
you have fit and so on, and you make plans and set
targets. At the start, though, you just go out to win
every game, and that’s just the way it is.“
What about personal targets? Do you ever set
yourself any?
“No, I literally just go out, try to play my best and try
to get as much as I can out of the game without just
trying to drift through the game. I’m not someone
who hides on the wing, so I go out to make an
impact and make sure I’m known for doing
something in a game. That’s my only target. I don’t
set myself a number of tries to get or whatever.“
The club have a lot of strength in depth. Do you
think the increased competition will help keep
you motivated?
“It’s pretty hard to say. We’ve got quite a big squad
and everyone’s an international or a good club
player. That’s key to winning these games, because
it’s such a long season. You’ve got to rotate so that,
when it comes to the big games at the end of the
season, you’re ready to fight for every point. That’s
what Sarries did when they ended up winning the
league, so I expect the same this year.“
So you’re happy being part of a rotation policy?
“I’d love to play every week, obviously, but
sometimes you’re away with England or playing
week in week out, and it does take its toll on you –
even though you might not think it does. In my head,
I’ll be pushing to keep playing, but sometimes it’s
better to have that break – and they do that quite
well here. So I’m happy to let the coaches make
the choices.“
Finally, have we really seen the last of the famous
Ash Splash?
“Nah, I don’t know yet. It wasn’t worth the stick,
let me tell you that!“
Even if you’ve got a 60m run in against France
in the Six Nations?
[Laughs] “We’ll see...“
Mark Coughlan @coffers83
Chris Ashton plays for Saracens Rugby Club, who are
sponsored by Allianz, one of the world’s leading
financial services providers. Visit www.allianz.co.uk
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Aviva Premiership
26 | August 31 2012 |
HERE WE GO ACoach Gary Gold
Captain Stuart Hooper
Opening game Worcester (a)
What’s changed Retirement and
injury have signalled the departures
of Lewis Moody, Duncan Bell, Andy
Beattie and the fleet-footed David
Flatman, while Horacio Agulla won’t
arrive until post Rugby Championship.
Paul James and Rob Webber add
experience to the front row.
They’re likely to... struggle to hit the
ground running. The West Country
side have suffered with small squad
syndrome in recent years, and
haven’t bulked up enough yet again.
Tom Heathcote’s injury puts a lot
of pressure on Stephen Donald
(pictured), especially with the coaches
hinting at a structured kicking game
this season. The pack has the power
to back it up, but does Donald have
the consistency to provide it?
Coaches Gary Gold, Mike Ford,
Toby Booth et al were Bath’s most
important signings of the summer,
but it’ll take time to make their mark.
Safety will do this time round.
Our prediction 9th
Coach Rob Baxter
Captain Tommy Hayes
Opening game Sale (h)
What’s changed Heineken Cup rugby
is coming to Sandy Park, and Rob
Baxter has moved to bolster his
squad with eight new arrivals in
preparation. Experience in the form
of Kai Horstmann and Dean Mumm,
plus the power of Fijian Watisoni Votu
in the backs, ensures the Chiefs have
a few more options.
They’re likely to... be stretched on
various fronts. The Heineken Cup —
plus increased international
recognition — is sure to take its toll;
and while Baxter is the king of getting
the most out of his players, the new
faces (Mumm aside) aren’t of the
same quality as the current crop.
Ignacio Mieres (pictured) and Gareth
Steenson are key to controlling the
side, but the Chiefs are now a scalp
and their honeymoon period is over.
A battle for Heineken Cup qualification
awaits, and we can see them just
about running out of steam. Still,
they love being underestimated.
Our prediction 8th
Coach Nigel Davies
Captain Jim Hamilton
Opening game Northampton (h)
What’s changed A new director of
rugby and a new coach, for one thing.
Rory Lawson, Luke Narraway and
Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu are the big
departures, but they’ve been
replaced by Jimmy Cowan, Ben
Morgan and Billy Twelvetrees in
Nigel Davies’ new-look side.
They’re likely to... return to
challenging at the top. The arrivals of
Cowan and Morgan in particular will
have Shedheads excited about the
season to come, because controlling
the game at the breakdown has so
often been their problem, while
Twelvetrees could help get the most
out of Jonny May (pictured) and the
rest of a talent-filled back line.
They’ve been poor on the road in
recent years, but Davies led the
Scarlets to wins in both Cardiff and
Northampton last season. More of
the same for his new West Country
boys, and Heineken Cup rugby will
be back at the Shed.
Our prediction 4th
Coach Conor O’Shea
Captain Chris Robshaw
Opening game Wasps (a)
What’s changed Not a lot, as you’d
expect when you’ve just won the
Premiership. Ben Botica has arrived
to challenge Nick Evans at 10, while
Dave Ward comes in to provide cover
at hooker. Danny Care’s new contract
is the key signing, while Tomas
Vallejos is the only notable departure.
They’re likely to... challenge at the
top, as opposed to leading from
the front. Quins have built their own
little haven down in west London,
and nobody likes to visit the
Stoop. Home form will be key for
O’Shea’s men, though, because
winning the title means they’ll be
a major target for every side.
Progress in the Heineken Cup is
the next step for Chris Robshaw
(pictured) and his men, while an
opening three league games against
London Wasps, London Welsh and
Sale will be seen as must-win
encounters for the side to continue
last season’s momentum.
Our prediction 3rd
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28 | August 31 2012 |
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Coach Jim Mallinder
Captain Dylan Hartley
Opening game Gloucester (a)
What’s changed The losses of Chris
Ashton, Roger Wilson, Jon Clarke and
James Downey are all big for the
Saints, but Dom Waldouck can help
ease the pain. Up front, Gerrit-Jan van
Velze comes with a great name and a
reputation as a battering ram – but
the Saints look weaker this season
They’re likely to... be up against it to
emulate recent success, because
their back line looks a shadow of what
it was last season. Mallinder rightfully
receives a lot of plaudits for what he
did with Northampton, but they’ve
struggled since that Heineken Cup
capitulation to Leinster and only just
made the top four last season. Their
pack will dominate sides, and getting
Courtney Lawes (pictured) fully fit will
be a priority, but Clarke and Downey
offered power in the centres whereas
George Pisi and Waldouck will try to
play cleverly. It’s a new direction for
Northampton – but we can see it
falling short of the top four this time.
Our prediction 6th
Coach Bryan Redpath
Captain David Seymour
Opening game Exeter (a)
What’s changed Yet another side with
a new man at the helm, the Sharks
have gone for youth in their summer
signings, with Danny Cipriani and
Richie Gray their two – very different
– marquee names. Cameron Shepherd
brings Super XV experience to the
back three, meanwhile.
They’re likely to... blow a bit hot and
cold. Gray’s arrival adds yet more
mobility to a powerful pack alongside
Andy Powell and skipper David
Seymour, while Cipriani could be the
missing spark to ignite an exciting
back line, with Rob Miller (pictured) in
particular set for a big season. The
Sharks also boast the advantage of
those Friday night games, because
Manchester on a Friday night isn’t
always the nicest place to go (on the
pitch, that is). The problem comes in
their lack of depth. A few key injuries,
or international call-ups, and they
could struggle – which could see
them missing out on the top four mix.
Our prediction 5th
Coach Mark McCall
Captain Steve Borthwick
Opening game London Irish (h)
What’s changed Chris Ashton is the
big-name arrival at Saracens this
summer, while Hugh Vyvyan is their
only notable departure ahead of the
new campaign. Their new home in
Barnet won’t be ready until February,
so the big change this year is Sarries’
nomadic existence.
They’re likely to... start with a
bang at home to London Irish, and
pretty much lead from the front all
season. Sarries have gone from
strength to strength, and the arrival
of Ashton could signal the start of
the more expansive style of rugby
that Mark McCall has promised.
Jacques Burger’s injury is a blow, but
new signing Nick Fenton-Wells can
step up to this level quickly. Another
plus is Charlie Hodgson’s (pictured)
international retirement, meaning
they have a steady head to lead the
backs during the Six Nations. With
quality cover in every position, it’ll
take a lot to stop them.
Our prediction 1st
Coach Richard Hill
Captain Dean Schofield
Opening game Bath (h)
What’s changed Half their side,
basically. Out go Marcel Garvey,
Miles Benjamin, Tom Arscott, Kai
Horstmann and Dale Rasmussen
to name just a few, and in come
David Lemi, Nikki Walker, Jon Clarke,
Paul Hodgson, Dean Schofield
and John Andress.
They’re likely to... struggle to make
a major impact, but the Warriors will
take a relatively safe season this
time out. Richard Hill has been
known to get the most out of his
players, and the arrival of both Phil
Vickery and Mathieu Rourre behind
the scenes is a big boost. David Lemi
and Nikki Walker are better finishers
than the men they’re replacing,
while Andy Goode (pictured) at 10
and Paul Hodgson at nine represents
a stronger axis than a lot of sides
can boast this season. The lack of
cover in some key positions is a
worry, definitely, but the Warriors
should still be fine.
Our prediction 10th
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Joleon Lescott
City’s shield
From Wolverhampton
Wanderer to Premier
League winner, it’s been
quite a ride for Joleon
Lescott. We caught up with
the Man City centre half...
| August 31 2012 | 31
even now, after a staCked sporting
summer and with the new Premier League
season well under way, the manner in
which Manchester City won their first
Premier League title still takes the breath away.
The overriding emotion for City fans and players,
mixed with joy and amazement of course, would have
been one of relief — they’d thrown it away, clawed it
back, and then almost chucked it away again.
No one will have been more relieved when Sergio
Aguero’s last-minute strike rippled the Etihad net
than Joleon Lescott. It was his mistake, a mistimed
header, earlier in the game that had allowed Djibril
Cisse to equalise for QPR; it was threatening to be
a disappointing end to what had been an excellent
season for the former Everton centre back.
In the end, the mistake didn’t matter – and the
29-year-old Lescott departed for his first major
international tournament as a Premier League
medal-winner. We spoke to him about his England
experience, the season to come and, of course,
that extraordinary league win.
With four games to go you were five points behind
United — had you given up hope at that point?
“We were hoping at that stage, because it was out of
our hands. But as soon as the opportunity came back
to win, after United dropped points at Wigan, then the
belief came back. In a short period we went from hope
to belief, and then the weekend they dropped points
against Everton it was back in our hands. As soon as
we got that opportunity again we knew how much it
meant, and we weren’t going to let it slip again.”
You’d clawed it back, and just needed to beat QPR.
What was going through your head in that last
game, when you were 2-1 down with minutes to go?
“It was intense – a strange, strange feeling when
we were losing. I remember speaking to another >
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Joleon Lescott
32 | August 31 2012 |
player who was thinking about his kid, and how he
wouldn’t be able to take his kid to school because
the kid was gonna get teased for us not winning.
Thankfully we didn’t have to worry about any
of that.”
Have you learned anything from that experience
that will help you this time?
“Probably not to leave it so late! It’s gonna be
equally, if not more, intense this year, and to retain
the title is gonna be tough. I remember at the start
of the calendar year, people were saying we hadn’t
got the experience to win the league, but now those
excuses are out the window. If we’re in the same
position coming into March, we should be favourites.”
Do you think the team needs improvement?
“Obviously there’s always gonna be mistakes — mine
was the last game of the season — but you’re always
looking to improve. Collectively we’ve got more
confidence and we can gain from last year’s
experience . Hopefully that can drive us.”
So what’s the aim for this year?
“The goal has got to be to win it again and progress
in the Champions League. We were disappointed with
the way things went, not getting through the group
stages, but we felt – and it was proven – that our
group was probably the toughest. There’s not many
teams that get 10 points and don’t qualify.”
Is a different approach needed for the Champions
League, or were you just unlucky?
“A bit of both. Obviously it was our first time so
maybe we were a bit naive – but our league form
was good when we were going into the Champions
League games, so it probably wasn’t in our mind
frame at the time to change.”
Is it going to be another two-horse race in the
league this season?
“No, definitely not. I don’t think there are any teams
that haven’t strengthened, so we know everyone’s
going to be a stronger outfit this season. You’d be
silly to rule out any of the teams.”
You’ve developed a strong defensive partnership
with Vincent Kompany, one of the best in the
league. What’s he like to play alongside?
“Yeah, it’s good. Over the last two or three seasons
Vinnie’s been getting the accolades he deserves.
He’s really consistent and probably the best in
the league, so it’s nice to see him getting his
just rewards off the field. We’re quite close, and
I think that helps our partnership.”
What was it like scoring your first goal for England,
against France at Euro 2012?
“That was special. I was a bit more composed than
I thought I was gonna be after I scored. You always
dream about scoring for England, and for it to
come in that game was great, but I thought I’d be
a bit more uncontrollable then I was...”
How was the tournament experience as a whole?
“Ah, unreal. It was the first tournament I’ve been
involved in; it was great to be a part of it, and if you
look at it we were unbeaten. Even if we didn’t
progress as far as we would have liked, we gave a
good account of ourselves. Our fans are passionate
and want to see that reflected in our performances.”
Are pride and passion enough?
“I don’t think it’s enough, but it’s a start. After
the World Cup, everyone was disappointed – the
key was to restore the faith in us, and give the
crowd and the fans the belief again. I think we did
that. It can only bode well for us.”
Do you think England need to play more like Spain
or Italy if they’re going to win a tournament?
“We’re not Spain. It’s hard to go and think: ‘Oh well
Spain play like that, why can’t we?’ I don’t think it
works like that. Spain are the best for a reason, but
we’re England; we can’t change how we are and
when we played Spain we won, so we can’t be that
bad. We need to rein in our expectations a bit.”
Amit Katwala @amitkatwala
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Where’s your favourite
place to play?
“Err... I don’t want to
say, just in case it
doesn’t go so well
this season.”
You could just say
Wembley...
“Wembley, yeah —
you’re doing something
right if you’re playing
at Wembley.”
Favourite music?
“Hip-hop.”
Favourite goal you’ve
scored?
“Obviously the one for
England against
France.”
Would you rather score
a goal or make a
last-ditch goalline
clearance?
“Oooh... am I winning
the game on both
occasions?”
Let’s say it’s 1-1.
“I wanna win, so if it’s
1-1 and I score it’s
gonna be 2-1 – so I’ll
take the goal.”
Who’s the best
attacker you’ve ever
played against?
“Louis Saha. He gave
me the runaround
when I was a young
player at Wolves, and
he was at Fulham.”
Who was your sporting
hero growing up?
“Ian Wright (below)
was one because I
always fancied myself
as a bit of a striker.
Being an Aston Villa
fan, Dalian Atkinson
was another.”
When did you decide to
drop into defence?
“When I realised I
wasn’t going to make it
as a striker. I dropped
into midfield, and then
when I started playing
for Wolves the centre
half was ill one week
and they asked me
if I could play there.
And that was it.”
Would you rather win
the Premier League or
the Champions League
this season?
“I would say the league,
because people have
always said how hard it
is to retain a title – but
going forward I think
you’d say next season
the Champions League
would be nice.”
Other than football,
what sports are
you into?
“I like Formula 1.”
Have you been to a
Grand Prix?
“No, I was gonna go to
Silverstone this year,
but I was in Vegas. The
weather was better in
Vegas, so I didn’t go.”
Who’s the biggest
joker in the Man City
dressing room?
“Nigel de Jong is
an absolute clown.
He’s just non-stop,
relentless. You can’t
come in moody
because he’ll just ruin
you for anything.”
You’ve just launched
your own clothing
brand, Lescott
Stewart. Why?
“It’s just something
I’m looking to do when
I hang up the boots.
I’ve been building
something up with
friends and my
brother. It’s going well,
but we know there’s a
long way to go. It’s
influenced by music
and our individual
styles – but the main
thing is that we want to
make sure the clothes
are affordable.”
Quick Questions
“It’s going to be
equally, if not
more, intense
this year.
To retain the
title is gonna be
tough, but we’ve
got more
confidence”
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Simon Jordan
| August 31 2012 | 35
Ph
oto
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STEP ONE PICKING THE RIGHT CLUB“People buy football clubs for a variety of
reasons — ego, credibility, life insurance — but
I bought Crystal Palace because it was the
club I supported and I felt I had the energy,
drive and the money to turn a club with great
potential into one that realised that potential.
There’s no blueprint to go about buying a
football club, but the one rule you need to
know is the smallest cheque you ever write
is the one you write to buy it.
“There’s a possibility you can make money
in football, but there are easier businesses
to make money in because it’s geared and
weighted against you. You’re in an archaic
industry that only allows you to sell your
products twice a year; you’re lumped in with
stupidity on my part because it really was ‘fly
by the seat of my pants’ and I didn’t know
what I was doing. Steve Bruce I got right
because he was the right age, right dynamic
and had the right leadership qualities. Trevor
Francis I got wrong, because Trevor didn’t
have the right wherewithals for that stage in
his life. Iain Dowie I got right, despite the fact
I don’t have a great regard for the man. Peter
Taylor I got completely wrong and I know I got
it wrong, and Neil Warnock I got right... so
I think I got it right 50 per cent of the time.
“I always found it was best to put a
manager ill at ease when interviewing them,
or else they just tell you what you want to hear
and then come into the job and do what they
f**king please. It’s hard to know what to look
for, but the managers who were successful
for me — Iain Dowie, Neil Warnock and Steve
Bruce — share similar characteristics as
leaders of men. If you own a club, get yourself
into the changing room asap and listen to a
teamtalk, because there’s f**k-all going on in
most dressing rooms, I can tell you. I saw so
many teamtalks from so many managers that
would not inspire snotty 16-year-old sales
people, let alone multimillionaire players.
“Bruce and Warnock, especially Warnock,
were people who, if I were a footballer, >
HOw TO RUN a fOOTBaLL CLUB
72 other clubs in a football league where the
rules that would fit the bottom team in League
Two aren’t going to fit the top Championship
side; and, worst of all, you’re governed by
an antiquated, out-of-touch, self-interested
organisation — the FA.
“You get access to everything you ask to
get access for before you buy a club, so you
can ensure the books are balanced, the
stadium’s in good nick and everything is
ready to build on. The situation with me was
very different because I had come in at a very
late stage in Palace’s administration. I backed
myself and figured I had the ability to
overcome any of the obstacles that were
going to arise, so I didn’t do the due diligence,
which cost me a few million quid. One week
after I took over, the league came to me and
said the roof on one of the stands needed
replacing. For £350k. And if you don’t replace
it, we’ll shut the stand down for the season.
Welcome to the world of football!”
STEP TwOPICKING THE RIGHT MaNaGER“Look at the managers I had and you’ll see
there’s no art form to picking one. Steve
Coppell I inherited and there was no
relationship between us. Alan Smith was just
Found a few million down the back of the
sofa and fancy dipping your toe into the
world of football ownership? Having lost
all his money in a 10-year stint in charge
of Crystal Palace, Simon Jordan has
some handy tips to help you on your way
(THE SIMON JORdaN way)
36 | August 31 2012 |
Simon Jordan
Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand
I would have wanted to play for. They inspired
players, so that’s what you need from a
manager. It’s funny, though, because different
chairmen like different things. I always
remember Daniel Levy bragging about having
Jacques Santini because he’d managed to
get him in at Spurs. Unbeknownst to him,
he’d applied for a job at Palace and I’d
refused to see him. One man’s meat is
another man’s poison.”
STEP THREEKNOWING WHEN TO GET RID OF THE MANAGER (JUST IN CASE)“I was known as a manager killer, but that’s
not fair because if someone comes in to do
a job and the project isn’t any better a year
on, they’d be out in any other industry. In the
football industry, they give excuses that they
need more time or more money, but that’s just
nonsense. I just sit them down, and it’s a case
of we’re going this way and you’re going that
way, so bye. In sport, you’re supposed to feel
this different sense of injustice about
someone losing their job. The only injustice is
the fact that someone who’s failed gets paid,
and gets a long-term payment on a contract
which he’s failed on. I didn’t have any
compunction about it. Football people walk
around half the time expecting to get the sack
anyway. All they do is look for what they’re
going to get paid out of it, yet people say it’s
an occupational hazard and they’re under so
much pressure. Pressure is not having any
money and having to feed your kids. That’s
pressure. Working in a highly paid job and
getting a long-term contract that’s fixed and
then getting fired for failing is not pressure.
“To be honest, no one I fired was surprised
anyway. More of them were actually relieved.
When things are going to shit, and you don’t
want to walk away, it’s nice to have that
decision taken away from you. That’s the
feeling I got with Trevor Francis and Peter
Taylor anyway. It was always the manager’s
background team who were more surprised.
I remember firing Alan Smith and Ray Houghton
immediately assumed he was going to be
stepping up, so I fired him as well — he was
part of the reason they were going wrong,
so you need to clear out all the dead wood. ”
STEP FOURDEALING WITH YOUR PLAYERS“I didn’t interact much with the players on a
day-to-day basis because they’re footballers
and they’re paid by me to do a job. What I
needed to see was on Saturday afternoon,
and if that wasn’t good enough then I knew
what was happening at training wasn’t good
enough. I wasn’t one of those that wanted to
have the company of footballers, like [former
vice chairman] Paul Kemsley at Spurs
hanging around with Robbie Keane and Jamie
Redknapp because it made him feel good. I’d
no more go out with a 19-year-old footballer
for dinner than I would drive down to one of
my phone stores and go out with a 19-year-
old sales rep. Having said that, players would
often come and knock on my door.
“If a player went to a manager and said
he wanted to leave, the manager would come
to me and I’d say no, then the player would
eventually end up on my doorstep. I had an
attitude that was very simple — I have signed
a deal with you and I’m doing my bit. You have
signed a deal with me, so you’ve got to do your
bit. Then there are the players who come in
with reports they’ve cut out where The Sun
had given them eight out of 10 in the last
three games, so they want a pay rise. It’s
perplexing. There are a few players I still hold
in contempt — people like Neil Ruddock, who
I have no interest in talking to
whatsoever — but in general I like
footballers and I think 90 per cent
of players I was in charge of
respect me. I don’t judge
footballers as thick or selfish
because they are footballers, I
judge them as human beings — if
they’re thick and selfish, then it’s
because they’re thick and selfish,
not because they’re footballers.”
STEP FIVEBUYING AND SELLING PLAYERS“The whole structure of doing a deal is
bizarre, because players are used to getting
what they want and they’ll use their agents as
battering rams to get it. Every transfer deal
had its nuances. I remember signing Shefki
Kuqi from a nightclub in Marbella at one
minute to 12. It was actually one minute to
one, and we set the fax time differently so it
looked like it had been sent at 11.59pm
instead of 12.59am. Everyone said I hated
agents too, but they’re a necessary evil
because all the players have them. Why?
Because they’re lemmings. Why do so many
players have tattoos now? Why did they all
wear snoods a few years ago? Because it’s
a fad and they all live in this football bubble.
So a young player gets an agent, so his mate
gets one, so his mate gets one and so on.
They don’t even need them half the time.
“Agents are one thing, but parents are often
worse. I always remember Carl Asaba wanted
to sign for Palace. He came down with his dad
and they were both pretty happy with most
things, then his dad asked about his image
rights. You’ve got to be f**king kidding! What
image has he got? The only image he’s got is
the one I’m about to give of him wearing a
Palace shirt as opposed to a f**king Gillingham
one. So of course we didn’t sign him.
“In the early days, I was involved in all the
negotiations with agents and players, and I
found it very frustrating. The most irritating
players are the ones who turn up and ask >
“I ALWAYS FOUND IT BEST TO PUT A MANAGER ILL AT EASE WHEN INTERVIEWING THEM, OR THEY’LL JUST TELL YOU WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR”
38 | August 31 2012 |
Simon Jordan
Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand
you to sell the club to them. If you don’t want
to play for Palace, go f**k off because I don’t
want you so I’m not going to convince you.
I realise there are much bigger clubs than
Palace, so that doesn’t always fly, but that was
my attitude. So in the end, I left it to my CEO
to do the negotiating with preset parameters
that he could go to. It gives him more leverage
if the chairman isn’t in the room, so he can just
keep saying: ‘I’ll have to check with Simon.’”
STEP SIXSURVIVING THE BOARDROOMS“I didn’t have any interest in the boardroom
backslapping life, but as I got longer in my
tenure I was more respectful, even if I didn’t
like the people in there. I go to football with my
team to win, I don’t go there to grip and grin.
For me, it was business, because the game on
the pitch is what I’m putting my money into, so
Saturday was the day I was at my most tense
— I don't want to drink Chardonnay and swap
spitballs with the opposition.
“There is a falseness about what goes
on in the boardroom. My agenda is pure,
although I probably could have been less
belligerent and a bit more superficial, but it
isn’t my way. There’s a football mafia in the
inner sanctum who get what they want; you
just have to try find your way around it.
“My boardroom at Palace was a very open
one. I found the antiquated stuff like having to
wear a tie and wear club colours all a bit out
of date. Football is a celebration of sports,
it’s an enjoyment, so why have such
antiquated protocol? I went to Sheffield
Wednesday and they’d only let the chairman
and one director in. But I’ve got four
directors? Tough. But you’ve got 15 empty
seats, what the f**k’s that about?
“It's worse when you’re in the Premier
League because you have more dealings
with the FA. There’s a debate about what
FA stands for, and I’m in the camp that says
it stands for F**k All because they remain
as unaccountable, as uninspiring, as
un-leaderlike as they’ve ever been. They run
alongside the game, they don’t run the game.”
STEP SEVENGETTING OUT“When’s the best time to get out? Clearly I
don’t know. In football, it’s very easy to get in
— as long as you have the means financially —
but it’s a damn sight more difficult to get out.
I could have saved myself a lot of heartache
and a lot of money if I’d made a decision that I
should have made, but pride comes before a
fall and backing myself cost me.
“You always know when it’s time to get
out of a business — when you’re a different
man you were when you got into the industry,
when you’re jaded, when you’re doing it
because you’re being forced to do it.
Those are the times to get out, but wanting
to get out and being able to get out are
two very different things.
“In fairness, Palace were never on the
verge of disappearing. That’s a myth. The only
person that got hurt out of Palace going into
administration in January 2010 was me.
Crystal Palace were in administration for four
months, and they came out with the same
players, the same academy and no debt. The
only person they owed money to was me. The
press reported that they were £30m in debt.
Yeah, £23.8m of it was to me. Of the rest,
over £4m was a loan that wasn’t due to be
paid back for another four years and was
encouraged to be called in by ’people’, and
transfer fees that weren’t due yet.
“We were in a good financial state. Simon
Jordan wasn’t in a good financial state, but
the club was. I did everything I possibly could
to avoid that situation. I don’t point fingers,
but I know what went on and who were the
beneficiaries of it. It certainly wasn’t me.
“What’s hard for me is to accept the
fact that I allowed the situation to happen
that happened. I should have been strong
enough, big enough, clued-in enough to
be able to deal with this and still have the
football club. So that’s the difficulty, but it’s
not a problem anymore.
“You show me someone that hasn’t made
a mistake and I’ll show you someone who’s
never tried. I owned Crystal Palace for 10
years. How many people get themselves into
a position where they can do that? How many
people get themselves to a situation that,
despite not being a big-time club, they’re still a
big club and a newsworthy club? Yeah, I came
up short, but a lot of people would have come
up a lot shorter a lot sooner than I did.”
Simon Jordan was speaking to Mark Coughlan.
Be Careful What You Wish For by Simon Jordan
is out now, from Yellow Jersey Press
“THE MOST IRRITATING PlAyERS ARE THE ONES wHO wANT yOU TO SEll THE clUB TO THEM. If yOU DON’T wANT TO PlAy fOR PAlAcE, GO f**k Off”
flIGHT & fAll Of cPfcIn Simon Jordan’s first season as chairman, crystal Palace exited administration and finished 21st in the championship. In his final season as chairman, Palace entered administration and finished 21st in the championship. Sport plots the rise and fall of Jordan’s Eagles...
2000-01 first Division - 21st2001-02 first Division - 10th2002-03first Division - 14th2003-04 first Division - 6th (P)2004-05Premiership - 18th (R)2005-06 championship - 6th2006-07 championship - 12th2007-08 championship - 5th2008-09 championship - 15th2009-10 championship - 21st
40 | August 31 2012 |
London 2012 ParalympicsM
ich
ae
l Ste
ele
/Ge
tty
Ima
ge
s
YYou won bronze in the 200m at the Beijing
Paralympics, but for Canada rather than
GB. Why the switch of nationality in 2010?
“My dad’s a Scotsman and my mum’s an
Englishwoman, so they were always joking
about it – then when London was awarded
the Games, it was in the back of my mind. It
wasn’t a decision I took lightly, though.
I needed to make sure I could walk into that
stadium in the GB kit and feel proud, feel
sincere. It wasn’t a convenient decision,
though. My husband is in Dallas and I’m in
Loughborough, which is difficult. I was also
committing to training full time and giving up
a career in bio chemistry. But I didn’t want
to [not to do it, then] look back and think: ’If
I’d done it, I could have had a better result.’
And I knew that being based in the UK would
give me the chance to be the best I can.”
For a girl growing up in Canada, rugby
would seem an odd sport to have as
your first love...
“Rugby is just the perfect sport for me, it
showcases all my athletic ability. I was agile
and I had a lot of speed endurance – I could
sprint up and down that field all day long, and
I just loved the aggression in it. Girls don’t
usually get the chance to be that aggressive
so I was like a caged animal, I loved it. I do
miss it. But I never did track and field before
my accident, so it was almost nice to go to
a sport where I didn’t have a mark to judge
myself against. On the rugby field it was
frustrating because I know what I used to be
able to do, and it's not what I am able to do
now – so it was nice to have a fresh start.”
How difficult is it learning to run using
a prosthetic limb?
“I always have high expectations that it’s
going to be perfect, so I was incredibly
disappointed the first time I ran. I’m running
basically on bones that aren’t meant to bear
that kind of weight — the first time I ran
it was so painful and uncomfortable that I
could only really do it once every two weeks.
Initially I wrote it off and thought: ’If I don’t
enjoy it, I just won’t do it again.’ Probably
four or five years after that first try was
when I started getting back into running
again and realised I could tolerate a bit more
pressure. And now I love every second of
it. I’m not in pain any more and it feels like
it used to feel when I was running down
the rugby field. People look at me running
and think it looks easy, but they don’t see
everything that’s gone on before.”
Were you aware of the Paralympics
back then?
“A bit, but I kind of thought it would all be
about taking part and having fun. There’s
definitely a role for that, but it just wasn’t
my thing — I didn’t think it was going to be
that competitive. But I remember going to
my first meet and getting my butt kicked by
a 35-year-old woman and thinking: ‘Oh, I’m
going to have to work really hard at this.’”
You made your Paralympic debut in Beijing,
finishing fifth in the long jump in addition
to winning bronze in the 200m. How did
the experience measure up to what you
were expecting?
“I always say that Beijing was probably 10
times harder and 100 times more fun than
I was expecting. It was so new to me. I had
no clue going into it and was on a very sharp
learning curve. I got it wrong in the long
jump and went from complete devastation to
four hours later competing in the 200m final,
and ending up with a medal in an event I
wasn’t even on the radar for. I wasn’t ready
for the emotional highs and lows, then in
the 100m I didn’t even make it past the semi
final – that was hugely embarrassing, but I
was emotionally spent. I learned a lot though,
and I’m so much more prepared this year.”
So you’re hoping for more medals from the
three events this time around?
“You have to keep things realistic, and I think
it’s realistic to win the long jump. If I could
also medal in both the 100m and 200m, that
would be a huge accomplishment. So I’m
hoping for gold in the long jump and I’d take
any colour in the other two.”
You’re studying for an MA in nutrition too –
that must help with your training?
“I never want to leave sport, but at the same
time I worked really hard in university so
this is a great way to combine the two. I
take my diet really seriously and I’ve played
around quite a bit, making some changes
to my body fat percentage and that kind of
thing. At the end of the day, what’s going to
win is hard work on the track, but it’s just
that little extra thing. There aren’t many
things you can control, but I can control
what I put in my mouth and there’s no
excuse for doing that wrong.”
Will you still compete for Great Britain
after the Games?
“Definitely. I made a coaching change a few
months ago and am loving every second of
it. There’s still huge improvements I can
make and I’d love to stay on to 2016.”
Sarah Shephard @sarahsportmag
Aviva has been backing the GB & NI
Team since 1999. Now it’s your turn.
#BackTheTeam on Twitter or search for
Aviva Athletics on Facebook
| 41Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand
The powerof threeAfter losing her foot in a near fatal speedboat accident at the age of 16, Stef Reid was forced to give up playing her beloved rugby. In athletics, though, she found a new way to win – and heads for London 2012 a medal hope in three events
WA
da
m D
av
y/E
mp
ics
When did you find out your event would be
included in the Games for the first time?
“I had a bit of a tip-off in 2007, actually.
I think I would have retired, because I’ve got
two children — my last one was born in 2006
and I would have given up after that, but I
got the tip-off. I’d been in the sport since
1996 and I didn’t think I could quit now
when the Games were coming.”
What was your initial reaction to the news?
“I thought it was a joke, actually. I finally
found out for sure in April 2011, so I went
into work the next day and resigned. I really
wanted to give it everything I had. My hours
haven’t actually increased but I’m getting
a bit of downtime, and as a mum as well I’ve
got a lot on my plate. My children are seven
and six now, so it’s been challenging.”
How does your condition affect your
performances and training for the 100m
and 200m events?
“Cerebral palsy, ultimately, is brain damage,
though it means that it happened in the first
six weeks of your life. It’s so varied, so in
track events it ranges from T32 to T38, so
you can see already there’s seven grades of
cerebral palsy. I’m a T35, the first one out
of a wheelchair on the track. My disability
specifically affects both my legs and one
of my arms, but you’ll see other cerebral
palsy athletes who’ve got it down one side
or maybe just their upper body. If you took
my limbs and stuck them on you they’d be
normal — it’s just a communication problem.”
Is the condition something that can
improve through training?
“A doctor would probably say no, but I would
say yeah — I’m kind of a case study. I’m a
different person to how I was when I was
12 years old, for example. You can’t train it
out of your body because the brain injury
remains, but you certainly find ways of
doing stuff that you couldn’t before.”
How have your times changed since you
first started in the sport?
“The first time [for the 100m] was 28
seconds. I think I turned up and ran 24.6s
in competition, and I was
pleased with that. I’m
now down to 16.4s and
I’m not really any fitter;
I’m just more able. I’ve
never been able to hop
before, skip before or
stand on one leg – and now
I can do them all.”
What’s your target?
“I hate that question.
Gold is possible but not
probable — I just want
to get on the podium.”
Running the show
It’s been a long time coming for Sophia Warner, but the T35 sprinter and mother of two is finally getting the chance to compete in her first Paralympics at London 2012
After the Games you’re starting as the
commercial director for UK Athletics — will
your role be made easier by the coverage
that the Paralympics are getting?
“The coverage has been phenomenal,
especially if you think about how few people
have disabilities. The best thing about the
Paralympics is that it seems to attract an
awful lot of people who don’t even like sport,
because they’re just intrigued by the story.
I’m a Paralympian and I’ve got a story, and
every Paralympian you meet will have a
story. We’ve all triumphed.”
Amit Katwala @amitkatwala
Sophia Warner trains on Technogym, Official
Fitness Equipment Supplier for London
2012. Visit technogym.com
London 2012 Paralympics
42 | August 31 2012 |
THE LIMITS OF POSSIBILITY HAVE BEEN REDEFINED | LIMITED EDITION OAKLEY RADAR®
OFFICIAL PRODUCT OF TEAM GB
UK.OAKLEY.COM©2012 Oakley, Inc. | 01727 795791
oakley-sport-SP.indd 1 14/08/2012 17:05
Els
a/G
ett
y Im
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7 DaysAUG 31-SEP 6
HIGHLIGHTS
» Football: Premier League Round-Up » p46
»Formula 1: Belgian Grand Prix » p48
» Super League: Bradford v Hull » p50
» Equestrian: Burghley Horse Trials » p50
» Football: Chelsea v Atletico Madrid » p51OUR PICK OF THE ACTION FROM THE SPORTING WEEK AHEAD
44 | August 31 2012 |
WEDNESDAY NFL | NEW YORK GIANTS v DALLAS COWBOYS | METLIFE STADIUM, NEW YORK | CHECK LISTINGS
QuarterbacksAs per most seasons in the NFL, all eyes are
on the quarterbacks, who are the master
generals of their offence. The Giants have
the swashbuckling Eli Manning, who proudly
boasts two Super Bowl rings; probably much
to the chagrin of his older and more talented
brother Peyton, who has just one Super Bowl
ring and has just moved from the Indianapolis
Colts, where he is a demi-God, to the Denver
Broncos. Everyone will want to know how
Peyton copes — moving to a new team is
never easy for a quarterback, and he’s
coming back after a season out with
a neck injury. Peyton takes over from
another demi-god at Denver, the young
and feisty Tim Tebow. This chap dramatically
took his team to the playoffs last season,
with his unorthodox play.
Quarterbacks are trained to throw, but
Tebow prefers to run, and last season he
made a habit of engineering miracle-like
4th-quarter comebacks. He likes to praise
his pal Jesus, but after being traded this
year he will most likely need him. Tebow
now plays for the ’drama magnet’ that is
the New York Jets, where he currently sits
behind starting quarterback Mark Sanchez.
Teams to look out forThe St Louis Rams are a team to keep an eye
out for – not because they are likely to win the
Super Bowl, but because they are sacrificing
a home game by playing at Wembley this year.
In October they come to London to play the
New England Patriots, who will be bringing
superstar quarterback Tom Brady, so get
ready for a high-scoring affair.
The Baltimore Ravens missed a crucial
field goal against the Patriots to lose the AFC
Championship game last year. If the wind had
blown the other way that night, they would
have been in the Super Bowl instead of the
Patriots. They are an improving team though,
and should be in the hunt again this season.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons
and Green Bay Packers should all make the
playoffs as well – though, with the NFL, it’s
always best to be prepared for anything.
Adam Goldstein’s book Tailgate To Heaven is
published by Potomac Books and is available in
the UK in print and e-copy
Football’s backWith Super Bowl winners the New York Giants hosting the Dallas Cowboys in the first game of the 2012 NFL season on Wednesday, NFL expert Adam Goldstein sizes up the next six months of carries, tackles and, um, sacks...
9-7The Giants’ regular
season record before
winning the Super Bowl in
February – the worst set
by a Super Bowl-winning
team since 1967
Competition
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To coincide with the launch of the new
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that will see the side’s autumn Test matches
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They’re offering 10 lucky Sport readers the
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46 | August 31 2012 |
7 Days
You wouldn’t ordinarily suggest Anfield as the ideal venue at which a team seeking its first
league goal of the season should look to get
off the mark. But, having witnessed the
generous defending that has characterised
Liverpool’s displays in the first two weeks of
the campaign, Arsene Wenger may fancy his
team’s chances of doing just that on Sunday.
The Frenchman didn’t seem hugely troubled
by his team’s goalless opening to the season
after picking up a point at Stoke last Sunday,
but for all the quality of Santi Cazorla in
midfield, other new arrivals Lukas Podolski
and Olivier Giroud are yet to overly impress.
It’s early days, of course, but that Wenger
spoke of still being ‘active’ in the transfer
market suggests he’s well aware that further
additions need to be made if Arsenal are
going to properly cope with the departures
of Robin van Persie and Alex Song.
There is no shortage of new faces at
Anfield, of course, with midfielder Nuri Sahin
the latest to join on a season-long loan from
Real Madrid. It’s thought that Jose Mourinho
and Xabi Alonso were both key in convincing
the talented Turk to choose Liverpool over the
Gunners; a victory that Brendan Rodgers will
hope is replicated on the Anfield pitch on
Sunday, when he will also expect his back line
(boosted by the return from suspension of
Daniel Agger) to avoid the elementary errors
that gifted Man City two goals a week ago.
But, with Steven Gerrard looking fit, young
Raheem Sterling showing some excellent
signs and Joe Allen (above) fast establishing
himself as a Kop favourite, Liverpool will look
to control this game in midfield and become
the first side to breach the Arsenal defence
this season. Do that, and all three points
could well be staying on Merseyside.
Sunday liverpool v arsenal | anfield | sky sports 1 1.30pm
Feeling blue
Saturday manchester city v qpr | etihad stadium
espn 5.30pm
It seems like only yesterday that Martin Tyler was screaming ‘Agueroooo!’, Niall Quinn was providing the most unimpartial piece of co-commentary
in history and Manchester City were claiming an historic league title in
the most dramatic of fashions with that late home win against QPR.
But three and a half months on, and only three games into the new
season, here we all are again. Unless Roberto Mancini (above) has made
a raft of signings in between us going to press and kick-off in the late
Saturday game, it will be a very similar City (minus the aforementioned
Agueroooo, out injured) that lines up against old boss Mark Hughes.
The QPR team, on the other hand, will look mighty different; expect at
least five or six of the manager’s new and summer signings to feature.
Sunday southampton v manchester united
st mary’s | sky sports 1 4pm
A fortnight after pushing one half of Manchester very close on their long-awaited Premier League return, Southampton have the privilege
of facing the other half in Sunday afternoon’s live Sky fixture.
Sadly for Saints fans, the game in between turned into a case of
after the lord mayor’s show last weekend, Nigel Adkins’ side not
taking their chances as Wigan stole off with three points and an early
position in mid-table. The manager should again look to the brute force
of Rickie Lambert and youthful verve of Adam Lallana (above) to carry
the home team’s threat against a United side for whom Robin van Persie
got off the mark in stunning fashion last Saturday. With Wayne Rooney
out, Sir Alex Ferguson would welcome more of the same on Sunday.
Premier League With Chelsea in action elsewhere this week, both Swansea and Everton have a chance to take themselves top of the table
The last season in which Arsenal failed to score in
their opening three league fixtures. They went on to
finish 12th, 14 points behind champions Wolves but 15
clear of bottom club Liverpool, who were relegated
1953-54
saturday tottenham v norwich
white hart lane | 3pm
All
pic
ture
s G
ett
y Im
ag
es
saturday wigan v stoke
Dw staDium | 3pm
sunday newcastle v aston villa
sports Direct arena | 4pm
saturday west ham v Fulham
upton park | ss2 12.45pm
One home win and one away defeat apiece for these two sides ahead of the
season’s first London derby tomorrow.
That should suggest a victory for Sam
Allardyce (above) and the hosts, but
Fulham were more impressive in defeat
at Old Trafford last weekend than West
Ham were in a poor display at Swansea,
James Collins’ absolute ricket to gift
Michu his third Swans goal the pick of
their defensive lapses.
Two sides under new managers and still looking for a first league win of the
season meet at White Hart Lane, where
Andre Villas-Boas watched his Spurs
side ship a late equaliser against West
Brom last week. Returns to the Lane
for both Norwich boss Chris Hughton
— 13 years a Tottenham player, 10
years a coach — and Sebastian Bassong
(above), who gave away a soft penalty
on his Norwich debut last weekend.
As we regret not having a few quid on Wigan to win at Southampton last
Saturday, Roberto Martinez can look
forward to seeing new strike pairing
Franco di Santo and Arouna Kone
(above) have a crack at the notoriously
combative Stoke defence tomorrow.
Both Di Santo and Kone belted in goals
at St Mary’s, but getting past Robert
Huth and Ryan Shawcross may prove
a touch trickier. Don’t expect a hatful.
Only two wins from 18 Premier League visits to whatever you want to call
Newcastle’s ground for Aston Villa,
who will still be reeling from the tonking
they took at home to Everton last week.
Paul Lambert and his men may not find
Newcastle in generous mood after they
fell prey to a rare Fernando Torres
masterclass at Chelsea on Saturday.
Don’t be surprised if Alan Pardew
(above) and his men bounce back here.
| 47
saturday swansea v sunDerlanD
liberty staDium | 3pm
Fresh from having last weekend’s home game against Reading fall victim to that
old August hazard of a waterlogged
pitch, Martin O’Neill takes Sunderland
back on the road to face a Swansea side
that will return to the top of the table
with a win. The Black Cats could give
league debuts to Steven Fletcher and
Adam Johnson (above), who will have
to go some to convince us (and many
others) they’re worth a combined £26m.
saturday west brom v everton | the hawthorns | 3pm
Two managers with contrasting Premier League backgrounds go into this Saturday encounter with smiles on their faces — well,
as much as is possible for two Scots. Steve Clarke is embarking
upon his first season managing in the top flight, but has
deservedly taken four points from two difficult early fixtures
against former employers Liverpool and Tottenham. But his
energetic West Brom side will find Everton a tough proposition
at the Hawthorns; old dog David Moyes has brought his side to
the Premier League party with some new tricks this season,
and in Marouane Fellaini and Nikica Jelavic (above) he boasts
a front pairing that can cause chaos. Could be a good one.
Years since Everton
started a league
season with three wins
— they followed that
with three straight
defeats, naturally
19
Chelsea 3 3 0 0 8 2 9
Swansea 2 2 0 0 8 0 6
Everton 2 2 0 0 4 1 6
West Brom 2 1 1 0 4 1 4
Man City 2 1 1 0 5 4 4
Fulham 2 1 0 1 7 3 3
Man Utd 2 1 0 1 3 3 3
Wigan 2 1 0 1 2 2 3
Newcastle 2 1 0 1 2 3 3
West Ham 2 1 0 1 1 3 3
Stoke 2 0 2 0 1 1 2
Arsenal 2 0 2 0 0 0 2
Sunderland 1 0 1 0 0 0 1
Tottenham 2 0 1 1 2 3 1
Reading 2 0 1 1 3 5 1
Liverpool 2 0 1 1 2 5 1
Norwich 2 0 1 1 1 6 1
QPR 2 0 1 1 1 6 1
Southampton 2 0 0 2 2 5 0
Aston Villa 2 0 0 2 1 4 0
P W D L F A Pts
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Premier League table
Swansea’s goal
difference after two
games. Only Chelsea
(+12 in 2010-11)
have started better in
Premier League history +8
Vla
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48 | August 31 2012 |
7 Days
SUNDAY FORMULA 1 | BeLgiAn gRAnd PRix | SPA-FRAncORchAMPS | BBc One & Sky SPORtS F1 1PM
In the high-octane world of Formula 1, where
fractions of a second can make all the
difference, five weeks has seemed like an
age. The interminable wait is finally over
though, and the second, decisive section of
the season begins with a real classic in Spa.
Loved by fans and drivers, it’s been the scene
of some extraordinary races over the years,
although it will have to go even further to
match up to one of the most extraordinary F1
seasons in history. Things have settled down a
little, though — Fernando Alonso is the current
frontrunner, expertly breaking in his unruly
Ferrari to sit atop the drivers’ standings. His
prancing stallion is the lead rider in what looks
a five-horse race for the title, although second-
placed Mark Webber is 40 points behind and
Kimi Raikonnen in fifth seems like the only
driver who hasn’t won a race this season.
A strong return to action is imperative
for the chasers. Lewis Hamilton will want to
pick up where he left off with a fine win in
Hungary, while Lotus will have taken heart
from their double podium finish in that race.
Alonso’s in the driving seat, but with nine
races to go it’s far from over.
Restart your engines
Belgian Grand PrixSky Sports F1 presenter Anthony
Davidson talks us through the
much-loved Spa circuit
“Spa is a brilliant circuit for any driver
in any car — it’s always a challenge.
It’s one of the only circuits that only
actually makes sense in a Formula 1
car. A lot of the time at Spa you feel a
little bit lost in the other formulas, and
even in Le Mans cars you feel like the
cars are just a little bit underpowered
and slow for that track.
“But a Formula 1 car is absolutely
perfect — it lends itself so well to a
modern Formula 1 car and it’s just
got all those high-speed corners.
Everyone talks about Eau Rouge.
It looks spectacular from inside the
car and out, but in a modern F1 car
it’s fully full throttle — you don’t even
think about lifting. Until you approach
there side by side with Fernando
Alonso — like Mark Webber did and go
in for an overtaking manoeuvre — then
it becomes quite challenging. Best
overtake of last year by far.
“You’ve got the change of weather,
the fans are great and the layout of
the track itself always create action.
DRS works well there, but you don’t
really need it. It is easy to overtake,
but unfortunately it is a place
where the car does make quite a big
difference, especially in that middle
sector. If you’ve got a car that’s
working well, you really feel it at Spa.”
Sky Sports F1 has full live coverage of
every race on Sky Channel 408
Laps 44CIrCuIt Length 7.004kmraCe dIstanCe 308.052kmLap reCord 1:45.108 – k RAIkkONEN (2004)
drIver standIngs1 fERNANdO AlONsO (fERRARI) 1642 mARk wEbbER (REd bull) 1243 sEbAstIAN vEttEl (REd bull) 1224 lEwIs HAmIltON (mclAREN) 1175 kImI RAIkkONEN (lOtus) 116
2011 resuLt1 sEbAstIAN vEttEl2 mARk wEbbER3 JENsON buttON
StArt
sCheduLe (gMt)saturday septeMBer 1 QuAlIfyINg 1pm sunday septeMBer 2 RAcE 1pm
Congratulations to the winners of the 6 Hours of Silverstone!
Because every second mattered, the winning team had to rely on the longevity of its tyres to reduce the time spent in the
pits. The drivers who had MICHELIN tyres were assured of long lasting performance, lap after lap, bend after bend.
You could also benefi t from the expertise Michelin has derived from motorsport with the MICHELIN Pilot Super Sport - a
tyre born from endurance racing giving you the most exhilarating drive!
Experience this performance at www.michelin.co.uk/experience-the-performance
6 HOURS OF SILVERSTONE.
THE LESS YOU CHANGE YOUR TYRES,
THE MORE YOU CAN WIN THE RACE.
201229_Sport_300x232.indd 1 28/08/2012 09:08
Ga
reth
Co
ple
y/G
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, Mik
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Ge
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50 | August 31 2012 |
7 Days
SATURDAY RUGBY LEAGUE | sUpER LEAGUE: BRAdfoRd v HULL | odsAL stAdiUm | skY spoRts 1 7pm
With just two rounds of the Stobart Super League left, the scramble for playoff places
is under way. The top eight qualify, and the
final slots are still up for grabs.
Remarkably, Bradford Bulls (captained
by the brilliantly named Heath L’Estrange,
above) occupy the last playoff spot, despite
being deducted six points for going into
administration and with their future still in
doubt. They’ve also won their last three
games and are at home to sixth-placed Hull
FC on Saturday in front of the Sky cameras.
Hull can’t afford any slip-ups if they are to
make any impression in the playoffs after
another frustrating season.
Beaten Challenge Cup finalists Leeds
Rhinos, currently in fifth, will be looking to
shake off that disappointment and kickstart
their title defence against Salford City Reds
at Headingley on Friday. The Rhinos did
become the first club to win it from fifth last
year, but to do it again would be a tall order.
St Helens, under pressure from Catalan
Dragons for third place, face a rejuvenated
London Broncos at Langtree Park. Under
Tony Rea, now confirmed as head coach, the
Broncos have won their last three matches,
with stand-off Luke Dorn scoring eight tries
Fine marginsin the last two alone. Despite moving off the
bottom of the table, they still can’t make the
playoffs – but Rea is looking for a good finish
to set them up for next season.
Wigan Warriors will secure the League
Leaders’ Shield if they win at Hull Kingston
Rovers on Sunday, but Rovers won’t be
pushovers as they still have a chance of
finishing in the top eight. Castleford’s hopes
of making the playoffs disappeared with a run
of five successive defeats, and this weekend
they entertain a Catalans side whose form
has been very patchy of late. They once
harboured ambitions of finishing in the top
two, but could still finish third if they win their
last two matches and St Helens slip up.
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats will fancy
stretching their winning run to six games
against bottom club Widnes Vikings on
Sunday (Sky Sports 2, 6.45pm). The
revitalised Yorkshire side secured their
last two victories thanks to late drop
goals from Paul Sykes, and are now just
one place outside the playoffs.
Finally, Warrington, with an eye on a league
and cup double, are at home to a Huddersfield
Giants side intent on finishing the season on
a high note after their mid-season slide.
FRIDAY > EQUEstRiAN | BURGHLEY HoRsE
tRiALs | BURGHLEY pARk, stAmfoRd |
BBC tWo 3.15pm (sUNdAY)
Olympians back in the saddle With Britain still basking in the glory of
finishing top of the equestrian medal
table at London 2012, the Burghley
Horse Trials are doing everything
possible to ensure the Olympic feeling
continues this weekend.
For starters, Burghley organisers
have pinched three of the cross country
fences that featured in Greenwich Park
during the Games. “The Olympic Games
Horses”, “The Planet” and “The Sundials”
will be combined in Burghley, to feature
as a complex in the Main Arena for the
cross country. That takes place on
Saturday, should you be interested,
although the BBC coverage on Sunday
will include highlights of that as well as
live action from the show jumping.
Britain’s Olympic silver-medallists
Kristina Cook, Mary King and William
Fox-Pitt head the list of entries for
the three-day event. Fox-Pitt (below)
is going for a record seventh win at
Burghley, as well as a win in the finale of
the HSBC FEI Classics series — which
would net him a handy £95,000.
Probably the most important game of the season, in Michel Platini’s head at least, this year’s
European Community Shield (as we’ve taken to
calling it) pits Champions League winners Chelsea
against Europa League champions Atletico Madrid.
Both teams finished fifth in their domestic
competitions last season, but Chelsea have
strengthened considerably in the summer and
started the season strongly, with three wins from
three and Eden Hazard looking fittingly dangerous.
In between flirting with Hazard, the Blues spent a
lot of their time off chasing Atletico’s star striker
Radamel Falcao, who scored 39 goals in 52 games
last year. The Colombian has started this season
in similarly destructive form, banging in a hat-trick
in a 4-0 win over Athletic Bilbao at the weekend,
which in itself was a reprisal of last year’s Europa
League final.
Falcao was touted as a £50m replacement for
Didier Drogba, and that tells you what you need to
know about the challenge facing Chelsea’s defence,
which will be missing John Terry, still suspended
for his red card in the Champions League semi finals.
Expect an entertaining game – and, if Chelsea win,
an awful selection of Photoshopped images featuring
Terry joining in the celebrations. Yeah, cheers.
| 51
Champions clash
Helly Hansen
catwalk
Helly Hansen beauty
and tHe beast
a 26.2 mulit-lap trail maratHon
cHallenge for induviduals and teams
22nd september 2012, stonor park,
Henley-on-tHames. sign up and join us
on tHe Helly Hansen catwalk at www.
HellyHansenbeautyandtHebeast.co.uk
FRIDAY CRICKET
England v South
Africa: 3rd ODI,
The Oval, Sky Sports 1 12.30pm
TENNIS
US Open: Day 5, Flushing Meadows,
New York, Sky Sports 3 4pm
GOLF
Deutsche Bank Championship: Day 1,
TPC Boston, Massachusetts, Sky
Sports 4 8pm
SATURDAY
CRICKET CB40 Semi Final:
Lancashire v Warwickshire, Old
Trafford, Sky Sports 1 12.45pm
RUGBY UNION
Aviva Premiership: Wasps v
Harlequins, Adams Park, ESPN 1.15pm
FOOTBALL
Championship: Leicester v Blackpool,
King Power Stadium, Sky Sports 2 5pm
FOOTBALL La Liga: Deportivo v Getafe,
Riazor Stadium, Sky Sports 4 6.55pm
FOOTBALL Serie A: Bologna v AC Milan,
Renato Dall’Ara, ESPN 7.45pm
SUNDAY
MOTORSPORT
IRC Rally: Day 2, Zlin, Czech Republic,
British Eurosport 9am
CRICKET England v South Africa: 4th
ODI, Lord’s, Sky Sports 2 10am
RUGBY UNION
Aviva Premiership: London Welsh v
Leicester, Kassam Stadium,
Sky Sports 3 2pm
FOOTBALL La Liga: Barcelona v
Valencia, Nou Camp, Sky Sports 1 7pm
FOOTBALL Serie A: Inter Milan v Roma,
San Siro, ESPN 7.15pm
FOOTBALL La Liga: Real Madrid v
Granada, Bernabeu, Sky Sports 1 9pm
MONDAY
CYCLING Vuelta a Espana: Stage 16,
Gijón -Valgrande-Pajares,
British Eurosport 2 2pm
TUESDAY
FOOTBALL Johnstone’s Paint Trophy:
Portsmouth v Bournemouth, Fratton
Park, Sky Sports 1 7.45pm
WEDNESDAY
CRICKET
England v South Africa: 5th ODI,
Trent Bridge, Sky Sports 2 1.30pm
THURSDAY
TENNIS
US Open: Day 11, Flushing Meadows,
New York, Sky Sports 2 4pm
SNOOKER
Premier League Snooker: Round 2,
Stoke-on-Trent, Sky Sports 4 7.30pm
FOOTBALL U21 Euro Qualifier:
Scotland U21 v Luxembourg U21,
St Mirren Park, Sky Sports 1 7.45pm
BEST OF THE REST
Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand
FRIDAY FOOTBALL | UEFA SUPER CUP: CHELSEA v ATLETICO MADRID | STADE LOUIS II, MONACO ITV1 & SKY SPORTS 2 7.45PM
Extra time Kit
52 | August 31 2012 |
Making the most of your time and money
Ruckin’ nice tops
Tally pip, old boy – rugger’s back, so do
cheer those ruddy good chaps on. Too
much? How about one of these instead?
Making the most of your time and money
Kooga Rugby PoloSimple, comfortable and stylish:
this elegant polo ticks all the
boxes. If nothing else, it’s the
ideal top to wear to the next
Calcutta Cup clash if you
want to avoid any arguments.
All together now: “Oh Flower
of Scotland… coming forth
to carry me home...”
£25 | prodirectrugby.com
Canterbury See You In Rio TeeShow your support for sevens rugby’s
Olympic debut in Rio. In fact, train hard
enough and you might still make the team.
Though probably not if you’re after an XXL.
£11 | canterbury.com
Front Up Ellis Rugby ShirtAnother offering from those gents
at Front Up rugby, this fits the usual bill
of looks and quality. Perfect for going to
the game while hiding your true support.
£24 | frontup.co.uk
Ralph Lauren Rugby ShirtAt the top end of the price scale, but you
can’t go far wrong with Ralph Lauren stash
– plus this classic black and white number
will soak up those loose Guinness splashes.
£149 | houseoffraser.co.uk
Front Up Kingston Hooded Rugby ShirtThe hood will help you fit in with the ‘yoofs’
on the corner, while the rugby look will help
you blend in at Twickers. The ideal mix.
£29 | frontup.co.uk
P58
Print photo-quality snaps
straight from your iPhone –
and avoid sniggering chemists
Competition
| 5 3
Here is the competition of a lifetime for any golfer. Courtesy of the good
people at Golfbreaks.com, we’re offering a brilliant trip to Turkey to watch
the Turkish Airlines World Golf Finals at close quarters — featuring, among
others, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood.
Our prize includes:• Seven nights, all inclusive for two sharing a twin or double room at the five-star Sirene Golf Hotel (situated next door to Antalya GC, host of the tournament)• Season ticket for practice day and four tournament days (October 8-12)• Two rounds of golf • Return flights from Heathrow with Turkish Airlines (fly Oct 7, return Oct 14)• All transfers
The eight-man Turkish Airlines World Golf Finals is the newest event on the
golfing calendar, and its star quality will undoubtedly help the country in its bid
to host the 2020 Olympics. There’s a big prize fund on offer too — the winner will
pocket $1.5m, while even eighth place is worth $300,000. But crowds are not
expected to be huge, so our winners should be able to get a great view of some
of the world’s top players in action.
As a golfing destination, Turkey is becoming one of the most popular in
Europe, with a glorious climate and some stunning courses.
For a chance to win this incredible prize, visit www.sport-magazine.co.uk/
competitions. The closing date for entries is Friday September 14.
WIN! A LUXURY GOLF HOLIDAY TO WATCH THE WORLD’S BEST PLAYERS IN TURKEY
Sirene Golf Hotel: relax by the pool or just chill out in your room
Antalya Golf Club: there are worse places to play golf
Heather Fell hasn’t had the sporting summer she
might have expected, her missing out on
Olympic selection for the modern pentathlon
meaning the earliest end to a season since
she was 10 years old. But that’s not to say Team GB’s
Olympic silver-medallist from Beijing hasn’t retained
her five-star quality.
Having returned from the Modern Pentathlon
European Championships in Bulgaria with a “bit of a
tan and two medals” – team silver and relay bronze,
since you ask – Fell won silver for Devon in the 5,000m
at the South West Inter-Counties Championships.
She also equalled her personal best over 1,500m in
the Cheltenham Midsummer Open, finishing fifth.
Credentials well and truly reaffirmed, Fell spent
the Olympic fortnight reporting for BBC Radio 5 live on
Team GB’s successes, including Samantha Murray
bagging our 65th and final medal with modern
pentathlon silver at Greenwich Park.
Summer break earned, Fell decided to take five
and jetted off to Biarritz. And how many nights was
she away for? That’s right. Seven.
54 | August 31 2012 |
Five-star Fell
Extra time Heather Fell
| 55
eShave O Stand Shaving Set Ted
eShave’s O Stand is, apparently,
designed in the Bauhaus architectural
style — Bauhaus being a school in the
German city of Weimar that, in the
1920s, combined crafts and the fine arts
and whose founder was architect Walter
Gropius. Aside from that unassailably cool
design influence, the brass and nickel-
plated stand does a fine job of presenting
you with the eShave five-blade razor in the
same manner as you might expect from
your own personal shaving butler. The
razor handle, like the badger-hair brush,
is made from Lucite — a lighter, shatter-
resistant alternative to glass that sits
comfortably in your hand and is graceful
in use, and takes Gillette Fusion refill
blades. It also comes in alternative colours
including green, blue or white — which
would no doubt have old Gropius himself
slicing through his whiskers with pride.
nivenandjoshua.com
Acqua di Parma Deluxe Razor, Brush and Stand
The even distribution of
weight at the base of the
handle of this stylish
Acqua di Parma Collezione
Barbiere Shaving Razor
provides a steady grip,
while the swivel head
adjusts to the contours of
your face and ensures a
perfect smooth shave.
The brush is, as you’d
expect, made from the
best quality badger
bristle. It’s a product of
Italian craftsmanship
so fine it had us jauntily
raising an eyebrow and
mouthing ‘si’ to ourselves
as part of our pre-shave
routine. At £349, it’s
a pricey beast — but
a luxurious one too.
Harrods, only in store
Molton Brown Sartorial Collection Shaving Kit
Molton Brown’s first shaving
collection for men is, it insists,
“all about the details”, with
each element selected for its
performance, resilience and
dapper good looks. The black,
chrome-plated razor features
a disposable Gillette Fusion
blade and is a pleasure to
hold; the weighted brush
is made in the same
style, and bristles with
the finest badger hair
from Germany while
creaming up a rich lather;
and both sit in a double stand
that lets them air-dry on your
bathroom shelf. All of which
leaves you free to give yourself
a knowing wink in the mirror of a
morning, and feel every inch the
smug gent you bloody are.
moltonbrown.co.uk
56 | August 31 2012 |
Go againstthe grain
Proper shaving’s a lost art, and a shaving
brush is not just a paintbrush for your face
in the bauhaus style
the MOistuRiseRthe italian anGleupRiGht and pROpeR
Extra time Grooming
£349
£208
£195
58 | August 31 2012 |
Thrills and spills
Readers — please detach the washable
keyboard featured here from your
computer before attempting to rinse it
1. Logitech K310 Washable Keyboard You can immerse this keyboard
in as much water as you want,
as long as you don’t get the
cable wet. It’s got 12 hotkeys
that let you access your most
frequently used programs,
although we dread to think
which programs they might
be for the kind of person who
needs a washable keyboard.
£35 | logitech.com
2. Canon PowerShot SX500 IS Restrictions on lens size at the
Olympic Park, coupled with our
seats being in a different
postcode to the sporting action,
made for a disappointing set
of photos. This 16-megapixel
camera crams a 30x optical
zoom into a petite frame, and
Canon’s ZoomPlus technology
can extend that as far as 60x.
£279 | canon.co.uk
3. ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity This is the latest trend, it
seems — tablets that come
with a detachable or foldaway
keyboard. We’re fans; you get
all the touchscreen tactility
without the frustration of
trying to type on a tablet. Plus
you can freak people out by
pretending to snap it in half.
Hours of fun, out today.
£600 | amazon.co.uk
4. Photo Cube Smartphone PrinterLooks like an iPod dock, but
instead of pumping out tinny
music, it churns out photo-
quality 6x4 prints of the snaps
you’ve got on your smartphone.
At £20 for a cartridge with
enough ink for 36 photos, the
convenience isn’t that cheap,
but it definitely beats standing
in the queue at Boots.
£120 | firebox.com
5. Huawei Ascend P1 What do you mean, you’ve
never heard of them? Chinese
manufacturer Huawei are the
biggest telecommunications
company in the world. This
particular model is super-slim
at under 8mm, runs Ice Cream
Sandwich on a dual core
processor and has front and
rear cameras. So there you go.
Free on £26pm contract |
vodafone.co.uk
Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand
4
5
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Untitled-2 1 28/08/2012 19:40
Dishonored
Playing as a wronged master assassin who uses
supernatural powers to take out his targets, you
can possess people, teleport and see through walls.
That said, the game is designed so you don’t actually
have to kill anyone to complete
your missions. Should you choose
to, however, pure stealth will allow
you to creep in, kill your prey,
then slip away unnoticed. Tidy.
Release date October 12
Borderlands 2First-person shooters are fun on
your own, but better with pals.
Thus, Borderlands 2 has you
working together to take out
enemies and collect loot. Millions
of randomly generated guns mean
you could find a rifle that shoots
acid or a flamethrower that heals
your buddies. And each playable
character has its own unique skill
– the Gunzerker, for example, can
wield two weapons at a time,
whereas the Siren can freeze
enemies. The game’s huge open
world will keep you blasting away
for hours. You can enjoy it on your
own – just maybe not as much.
Release date September 21
Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition
This rock-hard RPG
returns on PC with a new
area to explore and new
weapons to master. This
isn’t an RPG for the faint
of heart – death comes
thick and fast, and it’s
even possible for other
human players to invade
your world and loot your
hard-earned wares.
Release date Out now
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
Don’t worry, Michael Bay
hasn’t been anywhere
near this. It’s a slick
third-person shooter in
the mould of Gears of
War, pitching Autobots
against Decepticons in
an all-out blamfest on
the Transformers’
homeworld of Cybertron.
About six million times
better than the films.
Release date Out nowTekken Tag Tournament 2
Fans of 1999’s Tekken Tag Tournament know that
adding an extra fighter to each side brings depth
and complexity. Those who don’t feel they have
the time or inclination to study a roster of more
than 50 fighters, however,
can still enjoy suplexing
a kangaroo while fighting
as a boxing velociraptor.
What’s not to like?
Release date September 14
Resident Evil 6
This is Capcom’s biggest and most ambitious game
ever, with more cash and manpower invested in the
technology and gorgeous visuals – and it shows,
with this edition able to render some seriously
high-octane set-pieces. Crucially,
there’s greater variation – with
three separate stories and co-op
and competitive multiplayer
options. It’s a globe-trotting,
dramatic horror experience
that proves surprisingly fun.
Release date October 2
60 | August 31 2012 |
360, PS3
Death hathsome dominionAssassins, dark souls and a boxing
velociraptor inhabit our pick of the best
new and upcoming games releases
360, PS3, PC
360, PS3
360, PS3 PC360, PS3, Wii, PC
Extra time Games In association with
