Jack Collison faces fellow Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey today in an intriguing subplot to West Ham’s FA Cup showdown against Arsenal.
Both youngsters boast huge potential, but their club paths have headed in dramatically different directions this season with West Ham battling relegation while Arsenal are pushing for the Premier League title.
And Collison admits he is one of Ramsey’s biggest fans.
PHOTO: EPA
“Aaron is a real class act. I got a chance to play with him for the Wales Under-21s when we had a real good run in the European Championship qualifiers, so I am not surprised at all how well he has done. He is so good on the ball and works so hard,” Collison said.
“I am sure that, at a club like Arsenal and under a manager like Arsene Wenger, he is going to really keep improving and over the next few years you will see great things from him. It is hard to get your opportunity, but you have to keep working hard and take the chance when it comes,” he said. “I have done my best to do that and am enjoying my football, just trying to improve for West Ham as best as I can.”
FA CUP SACRIFICE
Meanwhile, Wenger admitted he is ready to sacrifice Arsenal’s FA Cup hopes to keep their Premier League title challenge on track.
Wenger has won the Cup four times during his 13 years in north London and the club’s last major silverware came in the competition back in 2005.
Yet the French coach has no intention of letting fond memories of the tournament distract him from keeping his players fresh for Wednesday’s crucial home league game against Bolton.
Arsenal are firmly back in the title race after their 4-1 win at Portsmouth in midweek and a victory over the managerless Trotters would close the gap on leaders Chelsea to just one point.
With that in mind, Wenger is prioritizing the league and plans to send out an under-strength side at Upton Park — even if this means his team being eliminated at the first hurdle.
Cesc Fabregas, Robin van Persie, Theo Walcott and Denilson are all sidelined through injury, but Wenger will also rest several other players as the likes of Mikael Silvestre and Lukasz Fabianski get rare outings.
RARE OUTINGS
“I will have to rest some players, that is for sure,” Wenger said. “We want to win, but we want to protect our home games against Bolton and Everton as well, to keep the momentum going.”
“The Premier League is always more important than the FA Cup. The Premier League is so hard that you want to take care of your position,” he said. “At the moment we have to keep our spirit and our attitude, then we have a chance. A season is judged on the overall achievement and people look to who has won the trophies but I also look at how we have done and how consistently we have played.”
Although Wenger will shuffle his starting line-up, he insists he has enough respect for the Cup not to send out the kind of youthful team that he regularly employs in the League Cup.
“For us, the League Cup is exclusively for young players and the FA Cup is one to win,” he said. “But we have worked for that policy and it is not a coincidence. There is four or five years of hard work and patience behind that. We have so many players that we have a hard time finding them a chance to play.”
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola is more concerned by his side’s league position than aiming for success in the Cup and, with a long battle against relegation looming, the Italian could also rest key players.
Only goal difference is keeping the Hammers out of the relegation zone after Monday’s defeat at Tottenham and Zola knows his team need to show more of the battling qualities that helped them fight back from two goals down to draw with Arsenal earlier this season.
Zola could hand young striker Frank Nouble a first start in place of suspended Mexican striker Guillermo Franco, while he is unlikely to risk Scott Parker if the midfielder is still struggling with the hamstring problem that forced him off against Tottenham.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely