ENGLAND
Carroll out of England squad
Striker Andy Carroll has pulled out of England’s friendly internationals through injury, the Football Association said on its Web site on Tuesday. The 24-year-old has been struggling with a heel injury after he was named in Roy Hodgson’s squad to face the Republic of Ireland at Wembley on Wednesday next week and for the prestigious game in Brazil on June 2 at the newly-refurbished Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. The Liverpool striker spent last season on loan at Premier League rivals West Ham United and British media reports on Tuesday said the clubs had agreed a deal for him to join the London club permanently for £15 million (US$22.7 million). Carroll joins Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard and Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere in missing the two matches, which are warmups for September’s World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Ukraine. The FA said nobody would be called up as a replacement.
ENGLAND
Stoke, Pulis part company
Manager Tony Pulis has left Stoke City after seven years in charge, the Premier League club announced on Tuesday. His departure, by mutual consent, was widely anticipated following his talks earlier in the day with Potters chairman Peter Coates. “Stoke City and Tony Pulis confirm that they have mutually agreed that Tony will leave the club with immediate effect,” the club confirmed in a statement. The 55-year-old was appointed Stoke boss for a second spell in 2006 and under his watch the club gained promotion to the Premier League in 2008 after a 23-year absence. He leaves 48 hours after the end of the season, with Stoke finishing in 13th place.
ENGLAND
Beckham’s son trains at QPR
David Beckham’s eldest son, Brooklyn, has trained at the junior academy of London club Queens Park Rangers and bookmakers are already offering short odds that the 14-year-old will emulate his father by playing for England. QPR said on Twitter that he was training with them, but had not officially joined their academy. Beckham senior, who began his career by joining Manchester United’s academy also at the age of 14, retired from the game last week after helping Paris Saint-Germain to the Ligue 1 title, but now has a home in London. Bookmakers are offering odds of 12-1 that Brooklyn will play for England, but only 9-2 to play in the Premier League. QPR were relegated from the Premier league this season. In other celebrity English soccer news on Tuesday, Manchester United announced that their unsettled striker Wayne Rooney had become a father for the second time, with boy Klay joining his brother Kai.
ENGLAND
Irons sign Rat on a free
West Ham United have signed Romania captain Razvan Rat on a free transfer, the Premier League club said on Tuesday. The fullback joins on an extendable one-year deal after his contract at Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk came to an end. The 31-year-old has 88 caps for Romania. “I’m hugely happy that we’ve got a player of his experience and his character,” West Ham manager Sam Allardyce said on the club’s Web site. “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. When you hear somebody speak so positively about that, then you know they’ve got the mental character that’s needed to do well in this division.”
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
Rafael Nadal on Tuesday lost in straight sets to 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round at the Madrid Open, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the semi-finals in the women’s doubles. Nadal said that he was feeling good about his progress following his latest injury layoff. Nadal called it a “positive week” in every way and said his body held up well. “I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches,” Nadal said. “So very positive, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis. I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just