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Showing posts with label Europe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Europe. Show all posts
Monday, 18 June 2018
Monday, 9 May 2016
PSV Pip Ajax for Eredivisie Title
PSV Eindhoven retained the Dutch league title after rivals Ajax Amsterdam blew their chance when they failed to beat second-bottom De Graafschap in a dramatic final round of matches on Sunday.
PSV won 3-1 at PEC Zwolle to move to 84 points from 34 games, two more than Ajax who were held to a 1-1 draw when victory would have made them champions on goal difference.
Luuk de Jong netted twice for PSV to take his season tally to 26 goals, one behind AZ Alkmaar’s Vincent Janssen at the top of the scorers list, after Jurgen Locadia had given them an early lead.
It was a comfortable victory for manager Phillip Cocu to ensure back-to-back league titles at the expense of Ajax who will remember this day for many years as one of missed opportunity.
They led the league for most of the season, only to falter against a team they have beaten in their last 13 meetings dating back to 2000.
Amin Younes gave Ajax a 16th-minute lead to set them on their way but Bryan Smeets equalised for De Graafschap 10 minutes after halftime when he drilled the ball into the corner of the net from the edge of the area.
Ajax had almost 60 percent possession and 21 shots on goal, but a precious second eluded them.
De Graafschap now enter the relegation playoffs along with Willem II, who could not escape the bottom three despite a victory at Roda JC.
Excelsior Rotterdam claimed a 2-0 win at relegated Cambuur to secure their survival while third-placed Feyenoord sealed a 1-0 home victory over NEC.
They will play in the Europa League next season along with AZ Alkmaar who finished fourth.
Utrecht, Heracles Almelo, Groningen and PEC Zwolle will contest the Europa League playoff competition.
Friday, 4 March 2016
Stillitano Seeks Relevant Champions League
Closing off European football competitions to include only elite clubs could make them far richer, according to the American sports executive who has held talks with the leading English Premier League teams about a shake-up to long-established league structures.
The Relevent Sports chairman, Charlie Stillitano, held talks with Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United on Tuesday in London about this year’s International Champions Cup (ICC), an annual pre-season friendly tournament organised by his company. Stillitano confirmed they also discussed “restructuring the Champions League” – an issue high on the European Club Association agenda amid a power vacuum at Uefa.
Stillitano revealed that the European governing body has been keen on working with the ICC, which already attracts some of the world’s wealthiest teams to compete in games across the globe for a lucrative but meaningless prize. “We have even talked to Uefa in the past because they had an interest in our summer tournament,” Stillitano told the US satellite radio station SiriusXM. “That is something they would like to integrate into their portfolio.”
Joining forces with Relevent’s ICC would currently be incompatible with Uefa’s existing sponsorships. There are no plans with Uefa presently on the table but discussions have not been closed off.
Arsenal are the only team from the talks to go on the record in denying they advocate a breakaway Super League for Europe’s leading clubs.
Discussions within the ECA about the merits of advocating guaranteed Champions League places for prestigious teams come at a time when Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United are all in danger of missing out on qualifying for Europe’s top competition next season.
“What would Manchester United argue: did we create soccer or did Leicester create [it]?” said Stillitano, who met United’s executive vice-chairman, Ed Woodward, on Tuesday. “Let’s call it the money pot created by soccer and the fandom around the world. Who has had more of an integral role, Manchester United or Leicester? It’s a wonderful, wonderful story – but you could see it from Manchester United’s point of view, too.”
If the Premier League season ended now, Leicester and Tottenham would qualify for the Champions League alongside Arsenal and Manchester City.
“Maybe that is absolutely spectacular unless you are a Manchester United fan, Liverpool fan … or a Chelsea fan,” Stillitano said. “I guess they don’t have a birthright to be in it every year but it’s the age-old argument: US sports franchises versus what they have in Europe. There are wonderful, wonderful, wonderful elements to relegation and promotion and there are good arguments for a closed system.”
Stillitano believes Europe’s biggest clubs deserve to make more cash from the Champions League, given their contribution to making it such a financial success. He said fans are more likely to watch the Juventus v Bayern Munich and Arsenal v Barcelona games in the current round of 16 rather than matches involving PSV Eindhoven and Ghent.
"This is going to sound arrogant and it’s the furthest thing from it … but suddenly when you see the teams we have this summer in the ICC you are going to shake your head and say, ‘Isn’t that the Champions League?’” Stillitano said. “No, the Champions League is PSV and Ghent.”
Voicing the complaints he hears from clubs, Stillitano said: “I could make a lot more money, I can be a lot more visible, I can help my sponsors out but right now I am locked into doing certain things that are really historic.”
Saturday, 16 January 2016
Captain Clarke Leads on Day 2
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| Getty Images |
Europe are in the driving seat heading into the final day of the EURASIA CUP presented by DRB-HICOM after history repeated itself on Saturday.
Just as he had done on Friday, Ian Poulter helped Europe put their first point on the board in the foursome matches as Europe earned 4½ points for the second day running to extend their advantage to 9-3.
But it was not all plain sailing for Darren Clarke's team, who were trailing in four of the day's six matches when Poulter and playing partner Danny Willett reached the turn.
Poulter, who along with Bernd Wiesberger delivered the visitors' first point in the fourball matches on Friday, was on song again as he and Willett beat Byeong-hun An and Thongchai Jaidee 3 and 2 in the day's first match.
Shane Lowry and Andy Sullivan combined to deliver a point for the second day in succession, beating Shingo Katayama and Prayad Marksaeng 3 and 2.
Wiesberger and Ross Fisher recovered from losing the first hole to beat K.T Kim and Jeung Hun Wang by two holes, while Lee Westwood and Matt Fitzpatrick cruised to a 5 and 4 win over Anirban Lahiri and Wu Ashun.
Victor Dubuisson and Søren Kjeldsen finished all square in their match with Danny Chia and Nicholas Fung, while Kristoffer Broberg and Chris Wood lost by two holes to Kiradech Aphibarnrat and SSP Chawrasia in match three.
Willett and Poulter found themselves two up after as many holes without making a single birdie, with the Asian pair twice missing the chance to halve the hole.
The Englishmen extended their lead at the fifth after Willett sent his tee shot to within a foot of the cup, and the Sheffield native sank his ten foot putt at the sixth to give the European duo a four-hole lead.
An and Jaidee took a hole back at the next, but Willett and Poulter won the ninth to regain their four-hole advantage.
The Asian pair reduced the deficit to two holes by taking the 12th and 13th before Europe won the 14th and safely parred the next two holes to close out victory.
Poulter was pleased with their day's work. He said: "It was good golf. We had all intentions to play smart today, keep them under pressure.
"It's probably their strongest pairing. They played nicely yesterday.
Willett added: "I think me and Poults between us only missed a couple of shots. Like you say, when we were out there, when one of us hit a bad one, the other one backed him up and hit it close on a chip.
"We didn't really make any mistakes and made a good few birdies for foursomes."
Sullivan and Lowry lost the first hole of the match and remained behind until the ninth, when opponents Katayama and Marksaeng failed to make par.
The European duo went two up after carding birdies at the tenth and 11th, but were pegged back as the Asian pair took the 12th.
Lowry and Sullivan opened up a three-hole lead after taking the 13th and 14th, and although they lost the 15th, they claimed the 16th to seal the point.
Lowry said: "We went down pretty early and I said to Andy, we just need to be patient, we're playing good enough, and that should do us at the end of the day.
"I holed a good putt from eight, ten feet on the eighth hole to stay one down and we won the ninth with a par.
"From there on, we played really good. Early doors, there was a lot of red on the board, so it was nice to see the lads dig in and get a bit of blue on the board, as well."
Westwood and Fitzpatrick found themselves one down after they were unable to make par at the first but they soon bounced back, taking the second and third to go one up.
The Englishmen then won the ninth, tenth, 13th and 14th holes to seal their win.
Westwood was happy with their performance. He said: "We played well, made a bogey on the first and gave them one, but after that we were six under and finished on 14, we didn't hit too many bad shots.
"A lot of fairways, a lot of greens and made putts when we needed to and just always felt in control once we came back from the first hole."
Wiesberger and Fisher were all square with Kim and Wang at the turn after twice bouncing back from going one down.
The European pair went ahead for the first time thanks to Fisher's superb eagle putt at the 11th and they extended their lead further at the 13th.
Their lead was cut in half as their opponents fired a birdie at the next, but they took the 15th to restore their two-hole lead.
Another birdie from the hosts at the 16th reduced the deficit but Wiesberger and Fisher held their nerve, birdieing the last to make sure of the point.
Dubuisson and Kjeldsen were behind for much of their match with home favourites Chia and Fung and were trailing by two holes going into the back nine.
But a sensational eagle putt from the Frenchman cut the Malaysian duo's lead to one before the Europeans took the 15th to square the match.
Chia and Fung regained their one-hole lead at the next but after Dubuisson holed his tricky par putt at the 17th, Fung missed from three feet, so the match was all square going into the final hole, where neither team could do better than par.
After finding themselves two down after as many holes, Broberg and Wood struggled to get a foothold in the match and went three down when they lost the seventh hole.
A birdie at the 12th and a par at the 17th saw them take their opponents to an 18th hole but it was the Asian pair who came out on top, taking the 18th to win by two holes.
Tuesday, 17 November 2015
Germany Netherlands Game Cancelled
Germany's friendly against Netherlands has been cancelled after "concrete plans for an explosion inside the stadium" were discovered by police.
The HDI Arena in Hannover, which had been under increased security by armed police on Tuesday, was evacuated before kick-off after a suspicious package was found inside the ground.
All supporters and staff left the stadium without incident, but Police told Sky Germany that there were "concrete plans for an explosion in the stadium this evening".
An increased number of armed German federal police have also guarded the main train station and airport of Hannover in order to increase safety in the wake of Friday's terrorist attacks in Paris.
The German chancellor Angela Merkel and members of the German cabinet were expected to be among the guests at the match.
There were no signs of panic nor distress among supporters as they were urged by stadium announcers, staff and and police to leave the ground and its immediate vicinity in a calm manner.
No reason was immediately given for the cancellation, but German news agency Deutsche Presse Agentur (DPA) reported that there had been a threat of an impending attack that had to be taken seriously.
DPA also reported a bomb threat about an hour earlier outside the stadium and that streets leading to it had been sealed off before the all-clear was given.
Germany were playing France in the Stade de France in Paris on Friday when two suicide bombers blew themselves up outside the stadium.
The HDI Arena in Hannover is home to Bundesliga club Hannover 96 and is also known as Niedersachsenstadion.
Wednesday, 4 November 2015
Franz Beckenbauer Not Target
Franz Beckenbauer is not a target in the tax evasion investigation connected to the 2006 World Cup, the Frankfurt prosecutors’ office has said.
Beckenbauer was the president of the organising committee but the prosecutors say he had nothing to do with the tax declaration and was therefore not under investigation. Beckenbauer lives in neighbouring Austria, but prosecutors said that was not a factor.
The authorities on Tuesday searched the headquarters of the German football federation, the DFB, and the homes of its president, Wolfgang Niersbach, predecessor Theo Zwanziger and former treasurer Horst R Schmidt, who are under investigation.
Documents and hard drives were seized from the DFB’s headquarters in Frankfurt, according to the German news agency DPA, which said 50 officers were involved.
“Prosecutors in Frankfurt have opened investigations on suspicion of serious tax evasion linked to the awarding of the football championship in 2006 and the transfer of €6.7m of the organising committee for the German Football Association to the Fifa football association,” said prosecutors at the time. They said they suspected the association of failing to register the payment in tax returns.
The DFB released a statement saying it would cooperate with the investigation and that the organisation was not itself under suspicion.
Niersbach has insisted previously that the committee behind the 2006 bid had acted both “fairly” and “legally”. “We secured the World Cup through fair means,” he said.
Niersbach, 64, said the 10.3m Swiss francs paid to Fifa had been made to secure “organisational support in grants to the tune of 250m Swiss francs”, an explanation that was endorsed by Schmidt in a statement to Süddeutsche Zeitung.
Der Spiegel had alleged that Germany’s World Cup bidding committee had established a slush fund with the money to buy World Cup votes. Niersbach denied that but Zwanziger has said that such a fund existed.
Beckenbauer last week admitted the DFB had made a “mistake” in paying the €6.7m but denied that the money was used to buy votes.
Friday, 14 November 2014
Javier Ballesteros Turns Professional
Javier Ballesteros, the son of five-time major champion Seve, has turned professional.
Spaniard Seve died of brain cancer in 2011 at the age of 54, and Javier said: "Today my dad comes to my mind.
"He taught me everything or almost everything I know about golf, and I would have loved him to see me turning pro. I am sure he would be very proud."
Javier, 23, intends to begin his career by enrolling at the Alps Tour qualifying school.
He competed at the British Amateur Championship this year but failed to qualify for the matchplay stage after a poor opening round.
Javier added: "This is something I have always wanted. Whether I will succeed or not, time will tell."
Seve is remembered as one of golf's most flamboyant and charismatic players.
He won 87 titles in his career, including the Open in 1979, 1984 and 1988 and the Masters in 1980 and 1983, and played in eight Ryder Cups.
Monday, 29 September 2014
Winning is Elementary for Watson
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| Getty Images |
“Sometimes thinking too much can destroy your momentum."
Tom Watson
Sir Alex Ferguson was a moderately talented footballer at best. But as manager went on to prove at Manchester United a legendary status in the game that will rarely be equalled. Akin to what Bill Shankly did for Liverpool and in the modern era Jose Mourinho has achieved at Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid. Somehow all able to connect and see their sport from the less lofty heights that more gifted footballers have succeeded in doing. No better example than the recently departed Alfredo di Stefano, who despite a stellar playing career, never matching those achievements as a manager. Indeed only a few have done so with Franz Beckenbauer unique in that regard.
In fairness, the list is longer of those who have been unable to transfer their ability to management than those how have succeeded. With many doing so and proving more modest readers of men than when excelling on the playing pitch alongside them. Sir Bobby Charlton a case in point, as is former England manager Glen Hoddle. Or indeed Dutch legends, Marco van Basten and Ruud Gullit. With a number of renowned managers the bearers of limited playing CV's. Juergen Klopp at Borussia Dortmund one of the outstanding managers in Europe, who boast a playing CV at FC Mainz. Or Rafa Benitez of Inter Milan who played for Real Madrid second side, Castilla.
For some it is the inability to understand players less skilled than they were, and unable to pass or control the ball as they could during their playing days. A frustration and impatience that can only lead to problems.
It is that sense that arises from US Ryder Cup Captain this week, where Tom Watson seemed incapable of fully comprehending his player’s inability to win every point, in every session. Somehow all falling short of his expectations and standards. Which in the day-to-day world are too high for mere mortals. Particularly on the Saturday afternoon foursomes. It was a frustration that was not imagined and very visible for all to see and at times hear. Affecting his way of communication also outside the group to the media, surprising some, in a country where he is held in the highest possible sporting esteem
However it may have proved instrumental in the US downfall at the 40th Ryder Cup and has already been articulated by Phil Mickelson in his post-match press conference. In what can only described as having a very ungentlemanly sense of timing given the team have yet to fly back home and the closing ceremony was barely complete.
But in the age of multimillionaire golfers Mickelson will probably fly back in his own private jet with his family, as Captain Watson returns commercial with some of the US team. Leaving the secrets and memories of the US team room to be cleaned up by the PGA. Who must now reflect on three successive defeats as they select their captain for 2016.
In doing so they should also evaluate what the Ryder Cup really means to the US players – if anything - given that Tiger Woods did the event no favours when he was vocal about how little it meant to him some years ago. His priority always being the chase for Majors and equalling Nicklaus record haul of 18 majors. And even when he did play for his country performances were at best non-descript and wouldn’t have met Samuel Ryder’s approval for sure.
The truth may be that for Woods the team game is not an ethos he understands, appreciates or even likes. Having been raised to win in the most singular fashion by his Father. Although it is in stark contrast with biennial Presidents Cup in which he appears without a problem for the USA and seemingly enjoys it. Perhaps because the US remain unbeaten since the meeting at Royal Melbourne in 1998. A stark contrast to their current Ryder Cup record.
And as the formats are the same and played on home soil every two years there is no real explanation why the results should be so different or explain why USA teams fare so badly in the Ryder Cup.
Could it be summed up by the fact that the US team have used Fred Couples as Presidents Cup captain for the last three events, and so enjoy more continuity. Something the US Ryder Cup teams have not as the last few captains have lasted only one stint. Probably because it enjoys little glory or carry any lucrative earning potential. However unlike Europe, the US players need continuity if they are to see ensure the sum of all the parts is better as a team for 2016. A formula that the European Tour have long since understood. Particularly in the past when very few of their players held PGA Tour cards, or were in the top ten World Golf Rankings.
Before Watson it was Davis Love III who was on the wrong side of the Medinah miracle, and he had taken took over from Corey “War on the Shore” Pavin. Who despite a stunning plaiting record, was also defeated at Celtic Manor, with Paul Azinger the last successful USA captain. Indeed it was his team that vanquished Europe at Valhallla. Some of which may have been ably assisted by the European captain Nick Faldo it seems, given this week’s media commentary about the 2008 Ryder Cup. Clearly showing that some scar tissue has carried over from that unsuccessful week in Kentucky six years ago.
Another example perhaps of brilliant player with a glittering playing CV, the highest number of Ryder Cup points and six majors also unable to connect with his team. Seemingly unable to deliver leadership, focus, motivation or generate team spirit.
All the exact opposite to this week’s captain Paul McGinley. Who with a more modest playing career seemed very in touch with his team, able to drive them to victory with apparent ease and little visible fuss. But with a history in team sports prior to golf that enabled him to understand behaviour outside the individualism of golf. Winning too despite bearing the added burden of favourites, a tag that any team dislikes in advance of a major tournament.
But in mentioning Paul it should be noted the amount of times he played in the Ryder Cup; the wide variety of captains he played under; along with the number of times he was a vice captain, allowing an apprenticeship to learn the ropes of what the two year captaincy job now entails. Not to mention the added time served in the alternate trophies, one named after the European talisman, Seve Ballesteros – The Seve trophy – and the Royal Trophy. Both lower profile competitions that allow for learning without suffering any public humiliation should they suffer defeat. McGinley the captained Great Britain and Ireland in the Seve Trophy in 2009 and 2011.
The Presidents Cup should be used in the same way
The added advantage being that players get to know their possible future captain in a less daunting environment forming a valuable base should they all meet up years later in a Ryder Cup cauldron. What business people would call succession planning.
Curiously Jack Nicklaus has captained the USA both in the Presidents Cup and Ryder cup. However Tom Watson only ever captained the Ryder Cup team and that was in 1983. Much has changed in the game since then and without being ageist, the demand now are very different of a captain. Especially as golfers too are very different breed to the way they were ten years ago. Never mind twenty years ago. It would be just as if Sir Bobby Charlton went back to Manchester United this week as manager.
As a result Watson will have learned some harsh lessons this week at Gleneagles and seen a totally different event since that last one at The Belfry in 1993. Whereas the changes playing the Open Championship annually may have been less obvious given as an individual the travelling, the practice routine, the pairings and the venues are all known to him. And even if the partners get younger each year, it does not affect his own game. Which he proved at Turnberry in 2009 when he just lost out to Stewart Cink on the eighteenth green.
In 1993 the team carried more contemporaries passionate about winning and loving the constant winning of the Ryder Cup. Names such as Ray Floyd, Tom Kite and Lanny Wadkins were there. All different to the young guns this time around. With the likes of Fowler not realising the iconic status of Watson in the world game such is the power of his own brand marketing in the modern era. Without even a major title under his belt. Or maybe Americans don’t appreciate Watson as much as we do in Europe, given his numerous Open Championship wins were probably not televised.
The interesting point about Mickelson’s outburst on Sunday night is that he does care about the Ryder Cup, and is similar to Watson in that regard. The constant losing enough to affect him personally given he is one of the last to remember those good old days of regular USA wins. Mickelson having played first in 1995 at Oak Hill – and winning his singles 2&1 against per Ulrik Johansson. And part of a dying breed of golfers on the other side of the Atlantic. That may only include the generation of Brad Faxon, Jim Furyk and Fred Couples these days. Who between them need now to find that a formula to strengthen the US Ryder Cup teams for the future.
Hence it is understandable that Paul Azinger’s name arises. The equivalent perhaps of the European choice of Sam Torrance for 2002 and someone who was able to bring the home victory, and doing so in the proper Samuel Ryder way after the shortcomings of The Country Club in Brookline two years earlier.
The truth is that if Mickelson is articulating some thoughts – albeit the timing is most ill-judged – then the PGA needs to listen. As occurred in 1977 when Jack Nicklaus met the PGA of Europe after GB & Ireland had lost nine of the previous 10 Ryder Cups. The worry is that the manner the message was delivered was unsporting and may ensure that the effect is minimised
In 1977 though it was obvious to the commercially astute Nicklaus that Americans would lose interest in the biennial matches if they won all the time. So he suggested an expansion of the team to include European players, given the Spanish Armada were winning European tournaments. Resulting in changes within two years, even if the defeats still continued until 1983, when the Europeans lost by mere point and Seve Ballesteros seeing for the first time that the US could be beaten. Which they did in 1985 when Sam Torrance holed a 22-foot putt on the 18th hole to defeat Andy North and help secure a six point for Europe.
Since 1985, the Ryder Cup has been played 15 times and the Gleneagles victory is Europe’s tenth and halving once. Proving that radical changes can deliver results.
Not forgetting that these days ...
The World number one golfer is European - no longer American
Europe won the FedEx Cup in 2013
Europeans have won the US Open 2010, 2011 and 2014
Half the team now live in the USA
All play weekly on the PGA Tour, so no more fear factor
Ryder cup rookies are regular winners
Europe no longer easily beaten in the singles
Europe also played the better golf across the three days and were man for man a match for any opponent. In addition the European captain is a student of the Ryder Cup and left no stone unturned to ensure the victory for his team. The focus always being on the twelve players, caddies and backroom team throughout. Never once stealing the limelight. Except when required to do so
For the USA it may now be time for Watson, Mickelson and PGA to call Jack once again.
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