Sports News

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has dismissed reports that Spain is putting pressure on the club into sending their star striker Fernando Torres for surgery to ensure that he is 100 per cent fit for the 2010 World Cup.

No force is being applied to have Torres undergo surgery to cure a niggling groin problem.

Anfield insiders say it is not going to happen anyway because Torres does not want to go under the knife, The Sun reports.

Liverpool has stressed all along that the best way to get Torres fit was to let him rest and then work with the physios on a daily basis. And manager Benitez believes their patience is about to be rewarded, with the Spanish striker ready to play a much bigger role in the second half of the season.

Benitez said: “Torres’ condition is improving all the time and he could manage a full Christmas programme. In training this week he was fine. We’ve been patient with him and it is working.

“It has not been a straightforward thing to deal with. Sometimes he can play and, after the game, you never know how he will react. We don’t know if his next game will be easy or difficult for him. There has not been any contact with Spain. None. They know we will do what is best for the player.”

“At this moment, he will carry on training and working with the physios every day. That is the correct treatment. We knew we had to manage this problem during the whole season, so sometimes he is good after the treatment and sometimes not,” Benitez said.

“The other problem is match fitness. We have some players who have to improve that like Torres, Fabio Aurelio, Alberto Aquilani and Steven Gerrard. We have to balance it for each one but we know we have to win games, so we have to bring the best from each player,” he added.

Benitez denied Aquilani’s injury problems were worse than Liverpool suspected when they paid Roma 20 million pounds for him in the summer.

Former England cricket captain Sir Ian Botham recently revisited Seenigama, near Galle in Sri Lanka, which faced the brunt of the December 26, 2004 Asian Tsunami that claimed the lives of 33,500 Sri Lankans alone.

Today, there is a 100 foot tall Tsunami Memorial at the site, and while life does not return to normal for those who experienced the horrors of that day in 2004, Botham feels sport has played a major part in healing at least some of those wounds, both mental and physical.

Sir Ian Botham visited the area in April 2005 with the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and was so moved by what he saw and heard of the disaster that he helped to initiate the Seenigama Sport for Life project, which organises sporting activities and competitions across five villages.

This month, Botham took time off from his commentating duties on England’s tour of South Africa to return to the region .

“When I came here a few weeks after the disaster, it was so different to what you see now. The roads were barely passable and all the bridges were gone. Vehicles were washed away, houses were flattened. They were still dragging bodies out of the swamp months later. The stretch of railway line near Seenigama was horrendous. We went to see where a train carriage had been hit. When the first wave struck, it was three feet high, so the locals packed the elderly, women and children like sardines on to the train, thinking they’d be safe," the Daily Express quotes Botham, as saying.

“Then the larger second wave came in at 170 mph and they were all trapped inside – 1,500 people died on that train. Can you imagine the horror of seeing that wave coming?

“Then you speak to the survivors and it’s just horrific. They’d say, ‘I had to let go of my son to save my daughter’ or, ‘I had to let go of my father to save my mother’ – story after story of heartbreak. It was very, very moving.”

Words of condolence were not enough for Botham, though.

As is clear from his leukaemia charity walks, Botham is a man of action and he has been instrumental in securing facilities and equipment for youngsters to play volleyball and cricket at the Seenigama Sports Academy and swim in the Bryan Adams Swimming Pool Complex.

“The project is working and it means so much to me. I keep coming back to see how far it’s gone and how far it can go," he says .

Australia''s star-studded domestic Twenty20 competition begins on Monday and big hitting West Indies captain Chris Gayle will lead the international charge.

Gayle has joined forces with Western Australia, while fellow international stars Shahid Afridi and Kieron Pollard (South Australia), Dwayne Bravo (Victoria), Daniel Vettori (Queensland), Sohail Tanvir (Victoria), Dwayne Smith (NSW) and Dimitri Mascarenhas (Tasmania) have also been lured for the four-weekcompetition.

According to the Daily Telegraph, the vast prize money on offer via the Champions League in India means the Twenty20 format is no longer a hit-and-giggle business, as it was when the Big Bash started five summers ago.

The two finalists from this season''s competition qualify for next year''s 13.7 million dollar Champions League.

New South Wales pocketed a cool 2.8 million dollar by winning this year''s edition.

England and Chelsea football captain John Terry admits he is driving his wife crazy by watching so much football on TV.

Terry, 29, goggles at “any game”, including foreign and non-league matches.

The only viewing he shares with Toni, 26, is The X Factor and Only Fools And Horses, reports the Daily Star.

The Chelsea defender admitted: “I’m obsessed. My wife goes mad!”

Wayne and Coleen Rooney changed their Christmas plans to keep a hospital vigil over for her desperately ill little sister Rosie.

The soccer ace and his wife Coleen have frequently visited the 11-year-old, who suffers from a rare brain disorder.

Rosie was taken into intensive care at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool, on Monday with a problem linked to Rett Syndrome - a brain condition that means she is unable to walk or talk.

She was transferred to a regular ward the following day but doctors are still monitoring her closely.

Rosie was rushed into an intensive care unit in Liverpool on Monday when her condition deteriorated badly, The Sun reports.

Yesterday Wayne joined Coleen in Christmas Day prayers for her sick little sister.

“They changed their Christmas plans to make sure they were there for Rosie as often as possible. Coleen has been going every day and Wayne has been two or three times,” a family friend said last night.

“They were extremely worried when she was in intensive care and are still deeply concerned about her condition. The whole family are praying she gets better soon.”

Wayne and Coleen had been looking forward to spending their first Christmas with baby Kai, born last month. But they have also made plenty of time for Rosie.

“They are keeping their fingers crossed that Rosie will improve soon. It’s been tough on the whole family seeing her like this over Christmas,” a friend said.

A spokesman for Wayne and Coleen said last night: “Rosie is receiving the best treatment possible from the wonderful team that have helped to look after her over the years.”

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes that his youthful squad can mature into his best ever team and told his young players that they can be his finest ever team if they stay together over the next five years.

The Arsenal boss said that his young team could also become dominant in both the Premier and Champions League if they play together.

Wenger regards the foundation he has built over the past four years in developing a new squad and moving to a new stadium as the best work in his entire time at Arsenal, The Telegraph reports.

“I hope that this squad will still be together in five years and they will dominate Europe and the league in England. At 21 or 22 you start to be a man. When you are you younger, it’s hard to stand up against a man but when you are that bit older you start to do that,” he said.

“People forget they are an average age of 22. What they do is remarkable. I’m convinced they have the potential to be my best team and what they do now confirms what I think,” Wenger said.

“When you have never won, the most difficult is to win the first trophy. Once you are convinced you can win, the rest becomes easier because you relax a little bit. To win at the top level is a good mixture between being relaxed and focussed. Experience is an obstacle.

In 2007 we were close to winning the title. I’m confident we can use the experience of 2007 to overturn that,” he added.

Arsenal’s youthful team will be tested on Sunday against Aston Villa, a club Wenger respects as genuine challengers for the Premier League title in what he regards as the most competitive season since his arrival in English football, The Telegraph reports.

Following are the best quotes of football managers in 2009 voted by a panel for The Mirror

David Anderson, Daily Mirror Rafa Benitez''''''''s "that is a fact" tirade against Sir Alex Ferguson, which exploded in his face as Liverpool drew their next three games to hand the initiative in the title race to Manchester United

John Cross, Daily Mirror "I just thought it was like Obama getting the Nobel Peace Prize after eight months as President. Beckham gets the man of the match after 30 minutes here..." - Fabio Capello on Beckham being named man of the match by Steve Bruce after coming on for Engand after 59 minutes against Belarus.

Oliver Holt, Daily Mirror Chief Sports Writer “My missus could have scored that.” - Harry Redknapp on Darren Bent

Martin Lipton, Daily Mirror''''''''s Chief Football Writer "I remember meeting Vinny Samways for the first time at a Bobby Charlton coaching school I did about 30 years ago. He was nine at the time, and I remember after that dropping him off at home a few times, because his dad was doing 25 years for armed robbery!" - it could only be Harry Redknapp talking.

David Maddock, Daily Mirror "If we had some eggs, we could have some bacon and eggs, if we had some bacon." - Robbie Savage, or any other Welshman...

Brian McNally, Sunday Mirror "There are huge problems at this club, which are clear for everyone to see. It has not just gone on this season, but last season, the season before and four seasons before that..." Unsuccessful caretaker Alan Shearer''''''''s candid summation of why Newcastle were relegated.

Simon Mullock, Sunday Mirror “Mr Scolari needs to know maybe he must use zonal marking against the staff of United because they are always going man-to-man with the referees when they go to the bench.” -Rafa Benitez advises Phil Scolari on his tactics for Old Trafford... and fires the first shots in a war of words with Sir Alex Ferguson.

James Nursey, Daily Mirror "Even my missus Sandra could have scored that one!" - Harry Redknapp after Darren Bent missed a sitter for Spurs against Portsmouth.

Mike Walters, Daily Mirror "If you want my personal opinion, they bottled it" - Manchester City executive chairman on AC Milan''''''''s refusal to sell Kaka for £90 million. Pure Alan Partridge.

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is confident he can get the best out of Brazilian star Robinho.

Robinho has been exhilarating and frustrating during his 15-month spell with the club, although many of his recent performances have leaned towards the latter.

"We want to change this situation because we believe Robinho is a good player. I think he will play well also away because he is a top player. When you are a top player you must play well home and away," The Mirror quoted Mancini, as saying.

"All the City players have good character and good spirit. We can work to improve the defensive phase but I think together we can do a good job," he added.

Mancini knows neighbours Manchester United remain the yardstick for the Barclays Premier League and has high hopes of not only emulating, but overtaking Sir Alex Ferguson''s side.

Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif has said he was unfairly treated for testing positive to steroids.

The controversial quick has vowed to "tell everything" about his drug dramas.

Banned for a year for testing positive to the steroid nandrolone during the inaugural Indian Premier League in 2008, Asif has only just returned to Test cricket.

"I had a very strong case, but they didn''t actually listen. Nobody was with me, the PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) were on the back foot. I was just alone and had to handle the whole thing. I will tell everything when the time will come. It''s not the right time . . . It was a very difficult time for me," The Courier Mail quoted Asif, as saying.

"There were lots of things in my mind in that time. Sometimes I thought I would not be back. That was a tough period but I continued my training and practising. Now I am very happy and I am playing goodcricket," he added.

There is little doubt that the lean fast bowler, who has an outstanding bowling average of 22.22 after taking 70 wickets in 14 Tests - can be a serious menace to Australia''s batsmen.

The 26-year-old says he wants to make up for lost time. After taking a series-high 19 wickets at 19.78 in three Tests against the Kiwis, he says he will bowl even better against Australia as he is only now reaching peak fitness.

Australian openers Shane Watson and Simon Katich fell agonisingly short of centuries, but their side was in a commanding position against Pakistan on the first day of the first Test of the series at the MCG here.

Australia were 3-305 at stumps on the first day after Watson and Katich posted a stand of 182 and captain Ricky Ponting proved he had overcome his elbow injury from last week, with 57 from 60 balls.

Mike Hussey finished 37 not out and nightwatchman Nathan Hauritz five not out on a Boxing Day which attracted 59,206 fans.

Watson and Katich looked set to turn their third century partnership in as many matches into a day of personal celebrations, until a terrible misunderstanding cost Watson his wicket in bizarre cicumstances for 93, Katich fell soon after, for 98, his third dismissal in the 90s this home summer, after 92 in the first Test against West Indies in Brisbane and 99 in the third in Perth.

Chasing his elusive maiden Test hundred, Watson was run out after he and Katich ended up at the striker''s end of the pitch when the stumps were broken at the non-striker''s end.

In the second over after tea Katich glided a delivery from Mohammad Asif to backward point, and took a few steps down the pitch before he turned back.

The trouble was Watson kept coming, and both were watching Salman Butt field and had no idea where each other was.

Remarkably, both grounded feet over the line at almost the same time, and the umpires had to call on television replays to determine which batsman grounded his foot first.

Replays showed Katich just made it, although he took a step out of the crease just after the bails came off at the other end.

Watson cut a devastated figure as he trudged off the field, having made 96 in the second Test in Adelaide and 89 in Perth.

Katich soon followed when he hit Asif straight to point and was caught by Butt, after a speedy stand of 51 with Ponting.

Despite their disappointments, the New South Wales pair gave Australia a strong launchpad by batting into the third session, although Katich was dropped - on eight in the gully by Umar Akmal - and Watson was given a life on 43, when Misbah-ul-Haq spilled a sitter at first slip.

Mohammad Aamer and Saeed Ajmal were the unlucky bowlers.

Pakistan''s bowling was accurate early, but the attack was badly let down by the fielders, who conceded too many easy singles by failing to hurry in, or through lazy misfields.

The Katich-Watson stand allowed Ponting to peel off a quick-fire half-century against the tiring Pakistan attack, until he was caught at second slip off Asif''s bowling late in the day against the second new ball.

Ponting was barely hampered by the elbow injury he suffered when struck by West Indies speedster Kemar Roach in Perth, and reached his half-century in 55 balls amid a partnership of 58 from 53 balls with Hussey.

Asif got some swing with the second new ball and ended the day the only successful bowler, with 2-69.

Manchester United’s Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov, who is suffering from a ligament problem, needs knee surgery which could rule him out for three months.

Berbatov does not have to go under the knife straight away. But he has been playing through the pain barrier and surgery in the near future is deemed inevitable to solve the trouble.

It is another blow to boss Alex Ferguson, who has endured a spate of injuries this season. But it could mean more games for Michael Owen and lift his World Cup bid, The Sun reports.

England off-spinner Graham Swann has said that the past 12 months have been a dream.

“In my first year of Test cricket, I''''ve taken 53 wickets and averaged 36 with the bat. And I have an Ashes winner''''s medal. I wouldn''''t swap it for the world,” he says in a column for The Sun.

“The weird thing about Test cricket is that it is the same game, it''''s the pressure that is different,” he adds.

He says that it has been an incredible year and that he hopes to recapture the spirit of the Ashes as England ties to end 2009 with a bang.

He also recalls the thrilling, nerve-wracking draw in the First Test against South Africa at the Centurion, which he describes as being similar to the draw England achieved against Australia in the opening Test in Cardiff, Wales earlier this year.

“The atmosphere in the dressing-room in the closing over last Sunday was unbearably tense. We seemed to be cruising to a draw when suddenly everything went crazy with the new ball. All of a sudden there were nicks and lbw''''s. When I was leg before, Paul Collingwood and Graham Onions had 19 balls to survive. After I was out, I was so anxious I couldn''''t sit in the dressing-room,” he says.

“I was proud to take five wickets in the first innings, score 85 and be named man of the match. You don''''t usually get that award when your team has been on the rough end of things,” he concludes.

Manchester City’s new manager Roberto Mancini has promised: that he will win five Premier League titles.

Manchester City’s new boss Mancini makes his debut against Stoke today.

“I hope when I eventually leave, I’ll leave the club with five league titles and four cups!” The Sun quoted him, as saying.

“This season the target is the top four. Next season we want to be first in the Premier League,” he added.

Earlier, the club management sacked coach Mark ‘Sparky’ Hughes and replace him with former Inter-Milan coach Mancini

Mancini had been handed a three- and-a-half year deal at three million pounds a year after a series of meetings with Cook and chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarek following the draw with Hull on November 28.

Former Pakistan Test opener Saeed Anwar would be organising a special training camp for the opening batsmen of the national squad soon after the team returns from Australia.

Anwar said he is keen to share his experience with the younger players through which he can contribute something the Pakistan cricket.

“I will hold this training camp for openers after I had discussions with PCB chairman Ijaz Butt who wanted me to help resolve this issue of the national team not having a pair of reliable openers or good back up,” the former left-handed batsman said.

Commenting on the present set of openers, Anwar spoke high of Salman Butt, but added that all the rest batsmen needed improvement.

“To be a successful opener one must have a solid technique and the patience and application to play long innings,” The Daily Times quoted Anwar, as saying.

Anwar, who had played 55 Tests and 247 one-day internationals, highlighted that Pakistan was not able to find a solid opening pair because players were not being given enough opportunities.

He also blamed the faulty domestic cricket set-up of the country for the poor technique of the players.

“I prospered as an opening batsman after my first international tour because I knew I had to improve my technique and mindset a lot to besuccessful in the long run,” he said.

Commenting on the recent failures of the Pakistan middle-order, Anwar said the middle order batsmen have failed many times because they have been exposed to the new ball very early in the innings.

“Mohammad Yousuf is a case in point. He has come to bat so many times when the ball is still new. In comparison you look at Ricky Pointing whose biggest advantage is he comes to bat most of the time after good starts by Australian openers,” he added.

Ace Manchester United forward Michael Owen’s recent Euro hat-trick has failed to boost his World Cup hopes, as England manager Fabio Capello shrugged off the striker’s superb treble against Wolfsburg, raising serious concerns over Owen’s fitness.

Capello admits a lack of regular first-team action is standing in the player’s way of making it on to the plane to South Africa.

United boss Alex Ferguson left Owen on the bench for the league clash against Aston Villa, which followed his Champions League super show in Germany, The Sun reports.

Capello said: “It is important for all players to play. Michael Owen is one of the best players in England. But if he does not play in every game, it is a problem for me and for him. It will be very important to be fit at the moment I choose the squad.”

“He scored three goals but then did not play the next game. He only played the second half. He is good but not so fit. I see Wayne Rooney always plays. But this is Alex Ferguson’s decision,” he said.

Owen is likely to be a sub again for tomorrow’s trip to Hull.

Ferguson wants a swift reverse of the form that has seen two defeats in three games by Villa and Fulham and a slide to four points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea.

“The Villa game was a big disappointment. We made enough chances to win it. It was the killer for us in December,” Ferguson added.

England skipper Andrew Strauss has warned England''s players to focus on today''s crucial Second Test against South Africa here, and not to over-indulge in the Christmas spirit.

England''s party has grown to more than 60, with players, management, wives, girlfriends and children.

The team practised yesterday at the Kingsmead ground before a turkey lunch.

The Sun quoted Strauss, as saying: "You must avoid slipping too much into the Christmas spirit. There are some hours in the afternoon when you can sit back and enjoy Christmas. But it''s not the same as in England with a few bottles of red and a mid-afternoon snooze."