Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp insists he has no intention of selling Robbie Keane despite the striker’s role in his squad’s controversial Christmas party.
Keane is reported to have gone against Redknapp’s express wishes and organized for his team-mates to have a festive party in Dublin earlier this month.
CHARITY
Redknapp ordered the players involved to make a donation to charity but did not consider taking the club captaincy away from Keane or selling him to Celtic, who are believed to be keen on a loan deal for the Republic of Ireland forward.
“Robbie is the captain and that wasn’t going to change,” Redknapp said. “Not a chance, and it never, ever entered my mind. I was never going to change it.”
ENTHUSIASM
“I don’t want to sell Robbie, there’s not too many Robbie Keanes about in the game. He has enthusiasm and knowledge, a lot of things that he brings into the game so he’s certainly not a player we’d want to lose,” Redknapp said.
“He’s still a big part, very much so. When we brought him here it coincided with a terrific run we had last year. He came and gave the place a real lift, and it’s been the same this year,” he said.
UNHAPPY
Redknapp has also been linked with a move for Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy this week following reports that the Welshman was unhappy with the appointment of new manager Roberto Mancini.
“He’s a good player,” Redknapp said. “He belongs to Manchester City, I’m sure they wouldn’t want to sell him. I tried to sign him before he went there.”
“It’s like asking me if I’m interested in Wayne Rooney, of course I love Wayne Rooney, but I won’t get him, will I?” he said.
Japan’s Shohei Ohtani is the record-breaking baseball “superhuman” following in the footsteps of the legendary Babe Ruth who has also earned comparisons to US sporting greats Michael Jordan and Tom Brady. Not since Ruth a century ago has there been a baseball player capable of both pitching and hitting at the top level. The 30-year-old’s performances with the Los Angeles Dodgers have consolidated his position as a baseball legend in the making, and a national icon in his native Japan. He continues to find new ways to amaze, this year becoming the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases
Zhang Shuai yesterday said that she nearly quit after losing 24 matches in a row — now the world No. 595 is into the quarter-finals of her home China Open. The 35-year-old is to face Spain’s Paula Badosa as the lowest-ranked player to reach this stage in the history of the tournament after Badosa reeled off 11 of the last 12 games in a 6-4, 6-0 victory over US Open finalist Jessica Pegula. Zhang went into Beijing on a barren run lasting more than 600 days and her string of singles defeats was the second-longest on the WTA Tour Open era, which
More than 180 years of horse racing came to an end in Singapore on Saturday, as the Singapore Turf Club hosted its final race day before its track is handed back to the Singaporean government to provide land for new homes. Under an overcast sky, the air-conditioned VIP boxes were full of enthusiasts, socialites and expats, while the grounds and betting halls below hosted mostly older-generation punters. The sun broke through for the last race, the last-ever Grand Singapore Gold Cup. The winner, South African jockey Muzi Yeni, echoed a feeling of loss shared by many on the day. “I’d
Francesco Bagnaia yesterday profited from a mistake by rookie Pedro Acosta to win the Japan MotoGP sprint and close the gap on overall championship leader, Jorge Martin. Spaniard Acosta crashed with four laps to go while leading the field at Motegi, allowing defending world champion Bagnaia to take first ahead of Enea Bastianini and Marc Marquez. Spain’s Martin finished fourth and saw his overall lead over Italian Bagnaia in the championship standings cut to 15 points. “I am very happy because with these conditions, it’s not very easy to win and gain points,” Bagnaia said after a sprint race that took place under
RSS