England lose injured Carroll
Andy Carroll, pictured scoring against Sweden at Euro 2012, has pulled out of the England squad Sky Bet Football Betting Retrieving latest Sky Bet odds Football Betting 10 Free Bet Liverpool striker Andy Carroll has withdrawn from the England squad to play the Republic of Ireland and Brazil due to injury, the Football Association has confirmed.
More to follow.
New Parma deal for Amauri
Amauri: Staying at the Ennio Tardini Sky Bet Football Betting Retrieving latest Sky Bet odds Football Betting 10 Free Bet Italy striker Amauri has extended his contract with Parma, committing himself to the Serie A club until 2016.
Parma announced the news via their Twitter account on Tuesday night, with the 32-year-old now planning to end his career at the Stadio Ennio Tardini.
The well-travelled forward is in his second spell with Parma, having signed from Fiorentina in 2012.
His previous deal was due to expire next summer.
Amauri scored 10 goals in 33 Serie A performances for Parma this past season.
City unveil bumper kit deal
Joe Hart: Will wear new Manchester City kit by Nike next season Sky Bet Football Betting Retrieving latest Sky Bet odds Football Betting 10 Free Bet Manchester City have officially launched their new 72million kit deal with American sportswear giant Nike.
City announced last year that they would switch brand from Umbro, previously owned by Nike, after agreeing a deal worth 12million per annum over six years.
The new partnership underlines City’s determination to boost their commercial income in the upcoming era of Financial Fair Play.
City launched their first Nike kit at a media event in New York, where the team are currently based on their post-season tour.
Tom Glick, City’s chief commercial and operating officer, said: “We are delighted to join forces with Nike.
“Having them as our new technical kit partner demonstrates City’s growing global appeal, and we look forward to working alongside Nike to build and engage our fanbase around the world.
“Nike’s extensive distribution networks will ensure the club’s presence in markets stretching from Africa, Europe, Asia and the Americas and that our fans everywhere can find and wear a City shirt.” City will wear their new kit in lucrative friendlies against Chelsea in St Louis and New York on Thursday and Saturday respectively.
The club also announced on Tuesday that they had acquired the rights to Major League Soccer’s 20th expansion franchise from 2015 in a partnership with the New York Yankees.
Frenchmen on song in Nice
Gael Monfils: Came from a set down to beat Santiago Giraldo The home players enjoyed a good day at the Open de Nice Cote d’Azur on Monday as Gael Monfils, Paul-Henri Mathieu and Guillaume Rufin all advanced to round two with victories.
Monfils certainly did not have things all his own way against Santiago Giraldo as he was forced to come from a set behind before finally defeating the Colombian 4-6 6-3 6-3.
A break either way was good enough to decide the first two sets, but Monfils raised his game in the third and broke his opponent a total of three times as he completed victory in a shade under two hours.
Mathieu and Rufin enjoyed more comfortable successes as they both progressed in straight sets, the former seeing off talented American Ryan Harrison 6-4 6-4.
Rufin was utterly dominant against Paolo Lorenzi and broke the Italian five times as he eased to a one-sided 6-3 6-1 triumph.
Sixth seed Fabio Fognini overcame a sluggish start to eventually record a convincing 1-6 6-1 6-2 win over fellow Italian Marco Cecchinato.
In the day’s remaining game Ukraine’s Sergiy Stakhovsky emerged a comfortable 6-2 6-3 winner against Rogerio Dutra Silva of Brazil.
Westwood staying out of it
Lee Westwood insisted there was nothing wrong with Sergio Garcia and Tiger Woods not being the best of friends, insisting every workplace has people who fall out.
Garcia and Woods have never got on, but tensions rose even higher after their spat at the Players Championship recently, and they both insist they will not be shaking hands any time soon.
The Spaniard went one further and said that Woods was not a liked figure in the world of golf but other players were scared to say anything – given the world No 1′s huge persona in the game.
Ahead of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, Westwood said he was not one of those who disliked Woods, saying he got on with both players.
“I get on with both of them very well, but we’re in the workplace and emotions run high,” Westwood told Sky Sports News .
“It’s not a given that people have to get on – I think people don’t get on in many a workplace or many an office so I don’t know why golf should be any different.
“As long as they stay away from each other then there’s no problem.” Westwood, who has recently moved out to Florida, is delighted to be back at Wentworth, in what is currently the only event held on home soil for him in England.
“We don’t get to play many events in England any more, and now living in the States it’s certainly one I wouldn’t want to miss.
“It’s nice to be back in England playing in front of a home crowd, and hopefully I’ll play well this week and go one better than I did two years ago when I lost in a play-off.” All 12 European Ryder Cup stars will tee it up at Wentworth, but with this being the European Tour’s flagship event, there will be no celebrating, or preparation for the upcoming US Open for Westwood.
“It’s nice to get back together again, we all play different schedule but this being the European Tour’s flagship event for the year it’s nice everyone’s supported it and come out to play.
“This is such a prestigious tournament entirely you don’t use this for any other tournament other than to win the PGA.
All the tournaments I’m playing in at the moment are big tournaments with half an eye on the US Open in three weeks.”
San Fran snags Super Bowl
Super Bowl: San Francisco will host big game in 2016 Sky Bet American Football Betting Retrieving latest Sky Bet odds American Football Betting 10 Free Bet San Francisco has been awarded the 50th anniversary Super Bowl in 2016 game, with the 49ers’ new stadium in Santa Clara selected to play host top Super Bowl L.
The Bay Area will stage the event in February 2016 after beating off competition from Miami for what will be an extra special Super Bowl as the NFL celebrate 50 years of their showpiece event.
The decision was made an NFL meeting in Boston, where it was also decided that Houston, Texas would stage the following Super Bowl LI in 2017.
San Francisco are due to play their final season in their famous old Candlestick Park this coming season, with their new Levis Stadium opening its doors in July 2014 before hosting the 49ers for that NFL season in September.
Future Super Bowl sites 2014: New York/New Jersey2015: Phoenix, Arizona2016: San Francisco2017: Houston Levis Stadium will be the most technologically advanced stadium to host a Super Bowl, and will also be a green venue with solar power being employed, making it the next generation in stadia.
That coupled with the fact that the first Super Bowl ever was played in the state of California helped the Bay Area beat out competition from Miami, who have held a joint-record ten Super Bowls but have an ageing stadium.
San Francisco will obviously host the majority of the events that surround the Super Bowl, with the new stadium in Santa Clara some 45 miles south.
“Today’s vote is the culmination of hard work from a number of dedicated individuals,” 49ers CEO Jed York said.
“Our bid committee should be commended for putting together a proposal for NFL ownership that accurately depicted how memorable a Bay Area Super Bowl will be.
“Even before breaking ground in April of 2012, the vision for Levi’s Stadium has always been to build a venue that showcases all that is special about the Bay Area.
Innovation, sustainability and fan experience are the pillars of which we designed and constructed this facility.
“We look forward to NFL fans from around the globe enjoying our region and our stadium, the likes of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world.”
Chennai back in final again
The Chennai Super Kings beat the Mumbai Indians by 48 runs to progress to their fifth Indian Premier League final in six years.
Michael Hussey and Suresh Raina starred for the Super Kings, both making unbeaten 80s as they posted a highly-competitive looking 192-1 from their 20 overs.
However, Mumbai looked well positioned to overhaul their mammoth target after a blistering start from West Indian all-rounder Dwayne Smith.
The right-hander smashed 68 off just 28 balls, but once he departed in the eighth over the Indians lost wickets at regular intervals and ultimately ended well short.
Having won the toss, Chennai captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni opted to bat and saw his decision vindicated as his side paced their innings perfectly.
Superb partnership Hussey and Murali Vijay (23) provided a solid if unhurried start before the latter became the only Super Kings wicket to fall as he was caught by Smith off the bowling of fellow West Indian, Kieron Pollard, in the seventh over.
It was then all about Hussey (86) and Raina (82) as they shared in a quite superb unbroken stand of 140, making 123 of those in the final ten overs without appearing to take many risks.
Smith certainly gave Chennai cause for concern as he blazed his brutal half-century to lead Mumbai to 86-1 after seven overs, but – after Ravindra Jadeja had him caught by Raina – Mumbai struggled to maintain the momentum he had built up.
Although Dinesh Kartik and Rohit Sharma went cheaply, Pollard did suggest he could yet turn the contest as he unleashed a couple of trademark sixes.
But when he became the fifth wicket to fall, also picked up by Jadeja who finished with three wickets, Mumbai rather folded and managed to add only another 17 runs as Dwayne Brave ripped through their tail, also helping himself to three wickets.
Fiorentina eye Jovetic stay
Stevan Jovetic: Fiorentina striker likely to move on in the summer Sky Bet Football Betting Retrieving latest Sky Bet odds Football Betting 10 Free Bet Fiorentina president Andrea Della Valle believes there is still a chance that in-demand Stevan Jovetic will remain at the club next season.
The talented 23-year-old striker is reported to be a target for Arsenal, but Serie A champions Juventus are also touted as front-runners for his signature.
However, with the Montenegro international widely expected to move on, Della Valle is still hopeful that one of his prized assets will stay with La Viola.
“I’m going to meet him when he comes back from the national team.
He has a right to decide where he plays,” Della Valle told the Italian media.
“I hope he can stay with us.” However, Della Valle is fully aware of the interest Jovetic is attracting, and is planning for life after the hitman should he decide to move on.
“If he were to leave we have to be happy with the money that we’ll have to strengthen the team,” he added.
Cole on way out of West Ham
Carlton Cole celebrates his goal against Everton in December Sky Bet Football Betting Retrieving latest Sky Bet odds Football Betting 10 Free Bet West Ham United striker Carlton Cole has confirmed he is leaving Upton Park after seven years with the club.
The former Chelsea striker, who had slipped down the pecking order this season, scored 47 goals in 227 league appearances for the club.
He tweeted: “Life is filled with ups & downs today is a down but i’ll be back! Carlton Cole/CFC as i have been called has left the building #UNDERCHUFFED “I want to thank the West Ham fans for their support especially the 1′s who made the away games feel like a home 1″
West Ham snare defender Rat
Razvan Rat: Helped Shakhtar beat Chelsea in last season’s Champions League campaign Sky Bet Football Betting Retrieving latest Sky Bet odds Football Betting 10 Free Bet West Ham have confirmed the signing of Romania captain Razvan Rat on a free transfer.
The experienced left-back will join the Hammers on an initial one-year deal after his contract with Ukrainian champtions Shakhtar Donetsk expires on 1 July.
Rat has spent the last 10 years in the Ukraine, winning 15 trophies, and has 88 international caps.
“I’m hugely happy that we’ve got a player of his experience and character,” manager Sam Allardyce told West Ham’s official website.
“He’s been playing Champions League football this year and at the highest level for many years.
“Shakhtar had offered him a very good contract but his ambition was to come and try his abilities and skills in England.
“We certainly know he’s got the ability and he’s at an age where he’s still capable of producing at 31.
He speaks perfect English, which he taught himself, and that shows the discipline and character of the man.
“Discipline, character and ability are the three big things in the Premier League and, with a little bit of adjusting, we’ll see him early on in the season giving hopefully his best performances for West Ham.
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