Football - Chilean miners watch
Manchester United win
Some of the Chilean miners rescued in October took part in a training session with Manchester United on Monday, hours before going on to watch the team’s Premier League win over Arsenal. The miners arrived in Manchester on Sunday and were taken to a reception at Old Trafford hosted by United great Bobby Charlton, who is the son of a miner. “I can’t believe these are the same people the whole world dropped everything for. You took it in your stride and everyone around the world is very proud of you,” Charlton said. The 23 miners waved to the crowd from their seats at Old Trafford after they were introduced at halftime of United’s 1-0 win over Arsenal on Monday, which sent the hosts top of the Premier League. The miners were also due to meet United manager Alex Ferguson. Ferguson told the United website: “It’s fantastic that they’re coming ... These are people who showed real substance and perseverance to make sure they survived. There are examples in life which you should always take note of.”
Football - Blackburn’s owners
looking to hire British manager
Blackburn’s new Indian owners say they would prefer to hire a British manager to replace Sam Allardyce. But Anuradha Desai, chairman of Venky’s Group, which purchased the Premier League club last month, has not ruled out bringing in a foreign manager if there is an “outstanding candidate” available. Desai says the dismissal of Allardyce on Monday was in the “best interests of the club,” and added yesterday that “our thinking now is that it will be a British manager.” Desai tells local newspaper the Lancashire Telegraph that she wanted Blackburn to aim for “fourth or fifth in the league or even better.” Allardyce was fired only 16 days after Venky’s gave him its backing. The team is in 13th place in the standings.
Tennis - Nadal, Wozniacki win
ITF World Champion awards
Rafael Nadal and Caroline Wozniacki have been named ITF World Champions for 2010. Nadal, who won the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open, won the award given by the International Tennis Federation for the second time. Wozniacki, a Dane who won six tour titles this year to take the No. 1 ranking but failed to reach a Grand Slam final, won for the first time. Nadal, who completed a career Grand Slam by winning in New York, says “after a difficult year in 2009, it was an amazing feeling to regain the No. 1 ranking and finally win the US Open.” In doubles, Bob and Mike Bryan won the men’s award while Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta won the women’s.
Football - Atletico say Simao
to join Besiktas in January
Atletico Madrid President Enrique Cerezo said his club doesn’t want to keep Simao Sabrosa and that the Portugal winger has agreed to a deal to join Besiktas during the January transfer window. Simao looks set to join two other Portuguese players as Besiktas’ midseason signings: Manuel Fernandes from Valencia and Hugo Almeida from Werder Bremen. Cerezo said that Simao “understood that we were not interested; he did the right thing and is leaving.” Simao has scored four goals in 15 games this season. The 31-year-old Simao played for Sporting Lisboa, Barcelona and Benfica before spending the last three seasons with Atletico.
Olympics - Report: Farmers call for
end to Munich’s games bid
A Munich newspaper is reporting that a group of farmers is refusing to turn over land needed for staging Alpine skiing races and is calling on Munich to give up its bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics. The Sueddeutsche newspaper says 59 farmers and land owners have written to the Bavarian government saying they will not lease or sell their properties for the Olympics. The state chancellery says most of the land is not included in the Olympic plans. But a lawyer for the group says that without the farmers’ permission the course for the showcase downhill event would need to be altered.
Football - Man City sign Israel
midfielder on free transfer
Manchester City has signed teenage Israel midfielder Gai Assulin on a free transfer. The 19-year-old playmaker, who was released by Spanish champion Barcelona in July, has agreed to a 2½-year deal with the big-spending Premier League club. Assulin became the youngest player to be capped by Israel when he made his international debut two weeks before his 17th birthday against Chile in 2008. Assulin said Yaya Toure, who also played for Barcelona before joining City in the off season, played a part in his decision to move to the northwest club.
Football - Mondragon to leave
German club Cologne
Goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon has terminated his contract with Cologne and will leave the Bundesliga club at the end of the year. Cologne says Mondragon’s contract will end on 31 December by mutual consent. The 39-year-old Colombian will be available for the final Bundesliga game before the winter break, against Schalke on Saturday, and for the German Cup game against Duisburg next week.
Football-Bus carrying PAOK club VIPs set alight in Zagreb
Four VIP guests of Greek club PAOK were injured yesterday after their bus was attacked by Croatian football hooligans who threw stones and flares, smashing windows and setting the vehicle alight.
Zagreb police said the attack was carried out at a crossroad in Zagreb by a group of about 40 people, 11 of whom were detained and found to already be on a hooligan register. Local media said they were probably fans of Dinamo Zagreb, which plays a crucial Europa League match against PAOK today.