Issue 256 | May 18 2012
Picking apart the mighty Bayern Munich – why Chelsea have nothing to fear
Unstoppable?
issue 256, May 18 2012
Radar
05 Check in to the Priory The Priory Collection, that is – a better collection of sporting memorabilia, you won’t see
07 Familiar foes A nostalgic look back at previous European Cup finals to have pitched England against Germany
10 Show them the money We run through the planet’s 10 most marketable sports stars. Rod Tidwell doesn’t feature to do this coming weekFeatures
18 Champions League final German football writer Uli Hesse on exactly how Chelsea can beat Bayern Munich tomorrow night
29 Ronaldo An Olympic-themed chat with the World Cup’s greatest goalscorer
33 Heineken Cup final An all-Irish affair, and we speak to Leinster’s Rob Kearney
37 Daley Thompson Another week, yet another Great British Olympic legend
44 Championship Playoff final How much are they saying it’s worth this season, we wonder?
extra Time
52 Gadgets We select the accessories you want to go with your new iPad
54 Pollyanna Woodward In between bungee jumps and presenting The Gadget Show, she dates golfer Paul Casey
56 Entertainment The return of Max Payne, and a Tube map-inspired exhibition
58 Grooming The brands that prove the old ones really are the best
18
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| May 18 2012 | 0 3
Radarp07 – Olympic torch burns through Blighty
| May 18 2012 | 05
p08 – European Champs: writing’s on the wallchart
p10 – The world’s most marketable sports stars
rom WG Grace’s last cricket bat, to
a Bobby Moore World Cup shirt, to
a piece of artwork on an Ali-Frazier
fight actually painted by Muhammad Ali in
the 1970s – Nigel Wray’s so-called ‘Priory
Collection’ is one of the most stunning
accumulations of sports memorabilia in the
world. And now, he’s sharing it with you.
Not literally, of course – it’s worth a damn
fortune – but in the format of a large-size
hardback that tells the story of 150 years
of sporting history through 650 incredible
objects. The items from sport’s great titans
aside, it’s the variety that we loved.
For example, there is a children’s Trench
Football game (pictured above) created
during the First World War, with the objective
of steering a marble into The Kaiser’s gob.
No, we’re not sure what that
has to do with football either.
To the right of that you’ll see an
England rugby cap from the 1890s, a 1936
football that Joe Payne of Luton Town used
to score 10 goals in one match, plus an All
Blacks shirt from their 1905 tour of Britain
(when it appears they came dressed as
much for slaying orcs as playing rugby).
Alongside the photography, sportswriter
David Norrie provides a guide through each
era of sport, stopping at memorable
moments such as the two previous London
Olympics or the tragedy of the Busby Babes.
It’s the kind of book you open to glance
through for five minutes, then spend an hour
lost in. A wonderful window into Britain’s –
and the world’s – sporting heritage.
F
A Sporting History:
The Priory Collection
is only available via
shop.saracens.com
or by callling 0844
573 7030. £50 plus
p&p. All proceeds in
aid of the Saracens
Sports Foundation
Enter the priory
Torch touchdown
Radar
Anglo-German relations
I
Bayern Munich 2 Leeds United 0, 1975
Franz Beckenbauer was a busy old ‘Kaiser’ in this
game, captaining Bayern and refereeing the match
as well. Two penalty appeals against Beckenbauer
went ignored, while he also appeared to convince
officials that a Leeds goal should be ruled offside.
Leeds were dominant, but no angels: two Bayern
players were substituted injured in the first half.
The German side eventually won via second-half
goals from Franz Roth and Gerd Muller. Leeds ended
the season with a European ban due to their furious
supporters tearing out the Parc des Princes seats.
Liverpool 3 Borussia Monchengladbach 1, 1977
In an era when familiarity between football teams
breeds contempt, it’s heartening to know that when
Liverpool FC and Borussia MG met in a series of
games in the 1970s, the end result was a friendship
between the two clubs that endures to this day.
This first European Cup final for both was the
biggest match of the lot, and it was an end-to-end
cracker to boot. Terry McDermott scored the
opener, Borussia equalised after half time, but
Tommy Smith and a Phil Neal penalty (thanks to
a storming run from Kevin Keegan) sealed it.
Nottingham Forest 1 Hamburg 0, 1980
“John Robertson was a very unattractive young
man. If one day, I felt a bit off colour, I would sit
next to him,” Brian Clough said of his Scottish
winger. But he knew the player’s class: “Give him
a ball and a yard of grass, and he was an artist.”
Hamburg gave him that yard and paid the cost.
Robertson squeezed a shot inside the post after 20
minutes and, from there, Forest kept Hamburg’s
superstars at bay, Peter Shilton producing a series
of saves. At full time in the Bernabeu, Old Big ‘Ead
had won Old Big Ears for a second successive time.
Aston Villa 1 Bayern Munich 0, 1982
After 10 minutes in Rotterdam, Aston Villa keeper
Jimmy Rimmer was substituted with a neck injury,
replaced by 23-year-old Nigel Spink, who’d played
just one game for Villa (two years previously).
However, wave after wave of German attack
floundered as the rookie produced a superb display,
before Peter Withe tapped in the winner on 67
minutes. In Munich, they probably called this result a
travesty, but we just called it an English team winning
the European Cup for the sixth year in succession.
Manchester United 2 Bayern Munich 1, 1999
It was a “balmy night in Barcelona” (© Clive Tyldesley)
when United, without skipper Roy Keane and on the
back foot for much of the match, had subs Teddy
Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (below) to
thank for two late goals to seal that historic treble.
“Football, bloody hell,” gasped Fergie afterwards.
Lothar Matthaus, substituted with Bayern 1-0 up and
cruising, collected his runners-up medal with a face
that suggested he had harsher expletives in mind.
Our Champions League final preview begins on p18
| May 18 2012 | 07
t was lit by the sun’s rays in ancient
Olympia eight days ago, but today the
Olympic flame lands in Blighty via a
blingtastic gold-liveried plane. From its start
in Cornwall, the flame now begins a 70-day
journey, travelling to within an hour of 95 per
cent of the UK, carried by what are described
as ‘8,000 inspirational people’.
The first of those is three-time Olympic
sailing gold-medallist Ben Ainslie, while
commentator Barry Davies takes the flame
tomorrow. He’s carrying it through Plymouth,
so feel free to turn up to cheer Barry on
and/or beg him to return to football
commentary for Euro 2012, like every decent
person desperately wants him to.
However, our favourite torchbearer is a
self-indulgent pick. Sport’s own senior writer
Sarah Shephard is carrying the flame in July,
having interviewed Olympians from Jess Ennis
(check that out in next week’s issue) to Mo
Farah, as well shining a light on lesser-known
Olympic and Paralympic athletes. We’re just
hoping Sarah’s bionic knee holds up and she
doesn’t go arse-over-torch in Maidstone.
With support like that, she can’t possibly fail.
See where the flame is visiting at
london2012.com/torch-relay
As Chelsea become the sixth English club to face German opponents in the final of Europe’s top club competition, we look at how their predecessors got on
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ven in an age of smartphones, tablets and apps that
instantly update scores, nothing beats the childlike joy
of pinning up your own international wallchart and filling
it in as the tournament progresses. With Euro 2012 three weeks
away, now’s the perfect time to invest in one – and this is the
pick of the bunch that we’ve seen so far.
Inspired by Mr Men stalwart Mr Tickle (what a goalkeeper he’d
make), illustrator Elliott Quince has created a colourful chart
featuring a star player from each of the 16 countries. Wayne
Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Mario Balotelli and a particularly dozy
looking Mesut Ozil are all keeping one tentative finger on the
trophy they so dearly wish to lift. All yours for only £5, as well:
a nice low price that even Mr Mean wouldn’t baulk at.
Order via quinkyart.com
lster and Leinster face off in the Heineken Cup
tomorrow at Twickenham. While Brian O’Driscoll
and co are the holders and European veterans,
the Ulstermen's appearance in the final is the climax of a
year-on-year rise in recent seasons. Here, we take a look
at Ulster’s growing influence on the European stage.
For a full Heineken Cup final preview, including an interview
with Leinster's Rob Kearney, turn to page 33
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12
WINNERS
FINAL
SEMI FINAL
QUARTER FINAL
POOL STAGE
4th
3rd
2nd
Mr Wallchart
Radar
Final destination
E
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08 | May 18 2012 |
WIN %
77
ULSTER
Leinster
WIN %
89
WIN %
75
WIN %
88
WIN %
67
WIN %
63
WIN %
71
WIN %
33
WIN %
50WIN %
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Market leaders
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Dunked over a car to win the
2011 Slam Dunk Contest, and the
LA Clippers sensation treated his
on-court rivals in much the same
fashion in a great rookie season.
Santos star with the bog-brush
hair and showboating skills has
Europe’s top clubs sallivating and
a Brazilian World Cup to cash in
on for 2014. Ker-ching!
Has won four of the past five
Grand Slams in a fearsomely
competitive era of men’s tennis.
The ‘Djoker’ is a national hero
turned worldwide superstar.
Gutsy comeback from Masters
meltdown to win US Open in 2011
made him the darling of golfing
world. Irish brogue and foxy
tennis girlfriend helps, too.
Formula 1’s youngest double
world champion is an articulate,
engaging, likeable driver. Sigh.
It was so much easier to root
against Michael Schumacher.
A 70+ goal season for the
endearingly humble Barcelona
magician. Looked jaded against
Chelsea, but still the best player
in earth’s most popular sport.
Not the best player in the NFL,
but the buff quarterback and
devout Christian definitely has
the biggest fanbase. Also began
the cult of Tebowing (pictured).
The 100m final DQ in Daegu
hasn’t hit the world’s fastest
man too hard. In fact, it gives
a tasty angle to London 2012.
Usain Bolt: out for redemption.
The five-time Major winner is
perfectly placed to cash in on
golf’s popularity in Asia. Listed by
Time as one of the world’s 100
most influential people for 2012.
Talented, handsome athletic: CR7
is a marketing man’s dream, even
with his penchant for tantrums
and ice-white denim shorts. Euro
2012’s biggest star, to boot.
10 | May 18 2012 |
The world’s 50 most marketable athletes have been assessed in depth by SportsPro Media. We check out their top 10 below, while you can visit sportspromedia.com for full rankings and reasonings
10 Yani Tseng(23, China)
5 Cristiano Ronaldo (27, Portugal)
9 Tim Tebow
(24, USA)
4 Usain Bolt
(25, Jamaica)
8 Sebastian Vettel (24, Germany)
3 Lionel Messi (24, Argentina)
7 Novak Djokovic (24, Serbia)
2 Rory McIlroy (22, Northern Ireland)
6 Blake Griffin (23, USA)
1 Neymar (20 years old, Brazil)
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Facebook.com/BurtonMenswear
Burton.co.uk/AmirKhan
12 | May 18 2012 |
Radar Editor’s letter
Deputy Editor
Tony Hodson
@tonyhodson1
Sport magazinePart of UTV Media plc 18 Hatfields, London SE1 8DJTelephone: 020 7959 7800 Fax: 020 7959 7942 Email: [email protected]
EDITORIALEditor-in-chief: Simon Caney (7951)Deputy editor: Tony Hodson (7954) Associate editor: Nick Harper (7897)Art editor: John Mahood (7860)Deputy art editor: William Jack (7861)Subeditor: Graham Willgoss (7431)Senior writers: Sarah Shephard (7958), Alex Reid (7915)Staff writers: Mark Coughlan (7901), Amit Katwala (7914)Picture editor: Julian Wait (7961)Production manager: Tara Dixon (7963)Contributors: Uli Hesse, Lee Roden, Luke Nicoli
COMMERCIALAgency Sales Director: Iain Duffy (7991)Business Director (Magazine and iPad): Paul Brett (7918)Business Director: Kevin O’Byrne (7832) Advertising Manager: Steve Hare (7930)New Business Sales Executive: Hayley Robertson (7904)Brand Creative Director: Adam Harris (7426)Distribution Manager: Sian George (7852)Distribution Assistant: Makrum DudgeonHead of Online: Matt Davis (7825)Digital Marketing Manager: Sophie Tosone (7916)Head of Communications: Laura Wootton (7913) Managing Director: Adam BullockPA to Managing Director: Sophia Koulle (7826)
Colour reproduction: Rival Colour LtdPrinted by: Wyndeham (Peterborough) Ltd
© UTV Media plc 2012UTV Media plc takes no responsibility for the content of advertisements placed in Sport magazine
£1 where sold Hearty thanks this week to: Tom Ville, Andy Gray, Alice Furse, Ranieri Communications, Vodafone
Don’t forget: Help keep public transport clean and tidy for everyone by taking your copy of Sport away with you when you leave the bus or train.
LAUNCH OFTHE YEAR
2008
Total Average Distribution: 304,700 Jul-Dec 2011
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Even by the hyperbolic standards of the Premier League, Sunday’s
denouement to an enthralling,
seesawing title race was
something else. For those of us
getting bored with average Man Utd teams
winning the championship, the sight of
a red-faced Fergie hearing of Man City’s
late, late show at the Etihad carried with it
no small sense of schadenfreude. For the
rest, a simple ringing in the ears as Martin
Tyler’s screams fell just short of supersonic
at Sergio Aguero’s dramatic late strike.
But when the screaming subsided, the
dust settled and Joey Barton switched
off his smokin’ smartphone, I was left to
ruminate on why City’s title win reminded
me so much of United and Sir Alex’s first,
all those Premier League years ago.
All title-winning teams have a strong
spine, sure, but the similarities between
the United vintage of ‘93 and Roberto
Mancini’s current crop go beyond that. For
Peter Schmeichel, read Joe Hart: namely,
the best keeper in the league. Bryan Robson
may have been United’s official captain, but
it was the rock-solid Steve Bruce who most
wore the armband; so to Vincent Kompany
– surely the classiest, most eloquent man
ever to lift the Premier League trophy.
The rampaging Yaya Toure calls to mind
a young Paul Ince – and, while it’s true that
City currently lack a magician in the mould
of Eric Cantona, it’s also true that they
don’t need one. The good sheikh’s millions
have ensured that Mancini can call upon so
many forward alternatives that, should two
or three struggle, another – yes, even Edin
Dzeko – can rock up and have an impact.
The true test will be whether the Italian
can manage his squad cleverly enough to
win another title, and then another. In that
respect, only time will tell whether they
are the true heirs to United.
Over in the States last weekend, Jonny
Brownlee returned from a seven-month
absence to register a bloodless victory
in the San Diego World Triathlon Series.
Twenty-four hours before that, current
world champion Helen Jenkins did
just the same in the women’s race.
Triathlon may not be the highest-profile
sport at this summer’s Olympics, but
there will be few events in which Team
GB are better placed to dominate. If
Jonny’s big brother Alistair returns from
an Achilles problem in time for London,
we could be in for one hell of a show.
Lastly, an update on our PPA Award-nominated iPad app. It’s absolutely free (no, really) and the latest version is out now in the App Store. All you need do is download the updated app, subscribe to Sport and the latest issue will automatically appear in full on your iPad every Friday morning via Newsstand. Lovely.
Doing it the United wayManchester City’s maiden Premier League title bears echoes of their neighbours’ first
Agree or disagree? Tweet us @sportmaguk
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Good Kompany: but can the City captain and his team dominate
like their neighbours have done?
Reader comments of the week
LOVING the Blippar work
in this week’s mag. Makes
our Olympic champs
look even better
#OurGreatestTeamRises
@lesleyturnb
Haye Chisora – 2 numpties,
1 can box a bit but is chinny,
the other can’t box much +
swings wildly - crap but
entertaining.
@monkey6170
Haye vs Chisora will never
be a Rocky vs Apollo
Creed, but I hope its
a double KO and both
counted out.
@JamesHepburn77
Re: ‘Who Reigns in Spain?’
– “McLaren are yet to win
a race”. Mmmm... I think
McLaren driver Jenson
Button may be surprised
to find he didn’t win the
first race in Australia!
Dave Beecham, via email
Your interview with Steve
Redgrave almost brought
tears to my eyes. Rowing
really is a brute of a sport
– but what a f*cking
legend!
Iain, via email
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14 | May 18 2012 |
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Stollen momentsIf you’ve ever wondered how professional cyclists
refuel during races, on those occasions when
you’ve really nothing better to be wondering about,
the results are just in. An old crone cooks up some
cake and they hand it out on silver platters – as we
see here during the Giro d’Italia. Stage winner Mark
Cavendish (not pictured) preferred to wait for the
cream horns round the very next bend.
Radar Frozen in time
| 15
18 | May 18 2012 |
Champions League Final
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In both Germany and in England, perceived wisdom has it that Bayern Munich will
start tomorrow night’s Champions
League final as overwhelming
favourites. For three good reasons.
They are playing on home soil. They
have the stronger team. And they
will miss their suspended players less than
Chelsea will miss theirs.
The first argument is undeniably true –
Bayern at home have an advantage, as
seven Champions League victories on home
soil this season testifies. The second claim
is questionable – on paper, Bayern have a
team to match almost any on the continent.
But, as they’ve found out in the Bundesliga
against Dortmund this season – and again
at the weekend in the German cup final –
since when did that count for anything? The
third argument and those suspended players
is probably the key, however. And it is wrong.
David Alaba, Holger Badstuber and Luiz
Gustavo – the three suspended Bayern
players – are hardly household names
outside of Germany, but Bayern will miss
them more than Chelsea will miss John
Terry, Branislav Ivanovic, Raul Meireles and
Ramires. Their absence tomorrow night
disrupts Bayern to such an extent that
coach Jupp Heynckes would probably happily
sacrifice a star player such as Arjen Robben
to have any one of those three back. Of the
three, the hardest man to replace will be,
| 19
by some distance, David Alaba. Little known
outside of Germany and his home country,
the 19-year-old Austrian left-back has
turned Bayern’s season around and taken
them to where they are now – the final for
the biggest trophy in club football.
To understand his importance to Munich,
you have to look at the other side of the
pitch, where Bayern will field Germany
captain Philipp Lahm. A world-class
defender who is naturally right-footed,
Lahm can play on either side, but prefers the
left-back position, where he’s at his most
impressive. Which is precisely why Bayern
paid €5.5m for Brazilian right-back Rafinha
last summer, thinking it would allow them to
move Lahm over to the left for good.
Only it didn’t work out like that. Rafinha
never really adapted and lacked defensive
discipline – which, for a team built around
the performance of its two full-backs,
spelled disaster. This Bayern Munich team is
built to play a 4-2-3-1 system, with Arjen
Robben on the right wing and Franck Ribéry
on the left. Both are as gifted going forward
as they are disinterested in tracking back
– and when they don’t track back, they leave
gaps in behind them. Since Bayern’s two
holding midfielders usually play in a more
central position, this means that the
right-back has to cover for Robben and the
left-back for Ribéry. If one of the two fails to
do his job, as Rafinha too often did, Bayern
are left extremely vulnerable at the back.
The absent answerIt took Heynckes until mid-March to come up
with a surprising, but inspired, solution to
this. He moved Lahm over to the right wing
and played the midfielder Alaba at left-back.
From that day on, Bayern looked like a
different team and may even have mounted
a late challenge for the league title if
Borussia Dortmund hadn’t been so unerring
in their consistency.
“It was the most important change we
made this season,” Heynckes recently said,
as Alaba struck up a great partnership
with Ribéry and Lahm was rock-solid on
the right flank. >
When Chelsea take on Bayern in Munich tomorrow,
few expect the Blues to stop Die Roten adding a fifth
star* above their club crest. But, says German football
writer Uli Hesse, the Londoners have little to fear...
Operation Allianz
Final position: Bayern
thrived with Philipp
Lahm at right midfield,
but will have to adapt
against Chelsea
*Pedants: you are of course correct, the stars on Bayern's shirt relate to Bundesliga titles won, not Champions
Leagues. We are calling this 'artistic licence' – never let the truth get in the way of a great cover.
20 | May 18 2012 |
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But what now, with Alaba absent? Will
Heynckes go back to the formation with
which he started the season – Lahm at
left-back and Rafinha on the right? No. It
didn’t work the first time and Heynckes
won’t try it again in such a big game. So now
his and Bayern’s problems begin to stack up:
too many inferior alternatives and too many
square pegs in round holes.
He could play centre back Jérôme Boateng
at right-back; he has occasionally filled this
role for Manchester City and Germany in the
past. But he can’t do that because the other
centre back, Holger Badstuber, is suspended
and therefore Boateng is needed at the heart
of the defence. And he can’t turn to Luiz
Gustavo, who has also played left-back,
because he’s ruled out for the same reason.
So Heynckes will be forced to use a player
he doesn’t completely trust at left-back – most
likely 22-year-old Diego Contento – and pray
that Ribéry tracks back... and that Chelsea
don’t capitalise on the problems on this wing.
But the problems keep coming, because
Heynckes also has to worry about the area in
front of the back four. This season Bayern
have employed the system
with two holding midfielders
– one of them a ball-winner,
the other some kind of
deep-lying playmaker
– to great effect and
with varying personnel.
The most impressive ball-
winner was the suspended
Gustavo, but the Ukrainian Anatoliy
Tymoshchuk has also done well in this role.
The first choice for holding-midfielder-as-
playmaker used to be Bastian Schweinsteiger,
but during his long absence on account of
injury, Toni Kroos impressed in that position.
If only Gustavo and Alaba had been
suspended, Heynckes would gladly field
Tymoshchuk and Schweinsteiger and move
Kroos into the central position behind the
strikers. But he can’t, because there is yet
another knock-on effect. Since centre half
Badstuber, one of Bayern’s most reliable
if unsung players of this season, is
unavailable, Heynckes probably has to use
Tymoshchuk in his stead, which means that
he will have no real ball-winner playing in
front of an already vulnerable back four –
an area Chelsea can and will need to exploit.
There is a solution available, but it’s
unlikely Heynckes will opt for it in a game
of such magnitude. The coach has another
centre back in Daniel van Buyten, but the
towering Belgian was out for more than
three months with a broken foot and
only resumed training again last week.
Playing someone so short of match fitness
(van Buyten hasn’t played since Bayern’s 3-1
loss to Monchengladbach in January) in the
Champions League final is a gamble Heynckes
will not dare take, especially because his
defence has given him enough headaches
already. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is
outstanding and, as mentioned, Lahm and
Badstuber have been consistently strong
– but Boateng is always good for an error
of judgement or a lapse in concentration.
Forward thinkingDefensively, Munich are a mistake waiting
to happen. The reason that too few teams
have been able to exploit that weakness this
season has been down to the fact that so
many of them dare not fight fire with fire
or trade punches. Bayern’s attacking
options so often paper over their defensive
inadequacies. Consider the Champions
League semi final second leg as a prime
example, when Real Madrid had the Germans
at their mercy: 2-0 up on the night, 3-2
overall and cutting through almost at will.
When Madrid decided to hold what they had
rather than keep pouring forward, they
played into Munich’s hands. Ultimately, they
paid the price.
If Chelsea require inspiration, they should
look no further than Borussia Dortmund, a
team that has repeatedly shown the guts to
take the game to Bayern and beaten them in
each of their past five encounters – most
recently, and spectacularly, 5-2 in last
weekend’s German Cup final. Clearly,
Dortmund have a far less celebrated squad,
but they usually compensate for that with a
total team effort. Yes, it takes lungs and legs
to always put two men against both Robben
and Ribéry. But you can do it, because
neither man will find the space to cross very
often, so Chelsea won’t need great numbers
back to marshall striker Mario Gomez.
It also takes discipline and courage to
break forward with more than just two or
three players as soon as you have the ball,
but it’s worth taking a chance because the
question is not if Bayern’s defence will make
mistakes, but when. Chelsea should not fear
Bayern Munich, even facing them on home
soil. They should believe it can be done,
because it can. Provided they believe it. >
Champions League Final
Home advantage?
Bayern’s Fußball
Arena München has
served them well this
season, with just two
defeats in 24 games
– both caused by an
old familiar face...
Champions League
P7 W7 F21 A4
Bundesliga
P17 W14 D1 L2 F49 A6
August 7 2011
Bayern 0-1
Monchengladbach
Jerome Boateng fails
to deal with an
innocuous long ball,
Igor de Camargo
pounces to win it.
November 19 2011
Bayern 0-1 Dortmund
Boateng (again) spurns
several chances to
clear the ball, allowing
Mario Götze to score
the only goal from
10 yards.
“Now Bayern's problems begin to stack up: too many inferior alternatives and square pegs in round holes”
A wing and a prayer:
Chelsea will pray
Bayern's dangermen
do not track back
22 | May 18 2012 |
Champions League Final
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Know your enemy
Manuel NeuerThe second most
expensive keeper of
all time, signing last
summer for €22m from
Schalke, he paid back
a huge chunk with his
penalty saves against
Ronaldo and Kaka at
the Bernabeu. Hard to
believe he was booed by
sections of Bayern fans
upon his arrival.
Bastian SchweinsteigerShowed nerves of steel
to score the winning
penalty in the Bernabeu.
The holding midfielder is
nicknamed ‘The Brain’ in
his homeland, given his
ability to orchestrate the
team. We'd question his
knowledge of the English
game after his ‘revelation’
that he doesn’t know
who Roy Hodgson is.
Philipp LahmCaptain for club and
country, comfortable on
either side of Bayern’s
back four and a man not
given to shows of great
emotion. Don’t expect
any over-the-top
celebrations if Bayern
win – he didn’t even
invite any teammates
to his own wedding.
Arjen RobbenA fascinating match-up
with Ashley Cole awaits
for the ex-Blues wide
man – who, despite his
spat with Ribery, has
signed a new two-year
contract with Bayern.
Alongside Mario Gomes,
the bald pensioner is the
club’s main goal threat.
Jerome BoatengThe former Manchester
City man is Munich’s
weak link – prone to
procrastinating when
Row Z is required.
With Holger Badstuber
suspended, Boateng will
need to settle in quickly
alongside fellow
defensive stop-gap
Anatoliy Tymoshchuk.
Didier Drogba won’t be
losing any sleep.
Thomas MullerIt says much for
Bayern’s forward
options that the 2010
World Cup Golden Boot
winner had to settle for
a place on the bench in
the semi-final win in the
Bernabeu. An enforced
reshuffle should ensure
he returns against
Chelsea.
Anatoliy TymoshchukUkrainian who’d have
preferred his favoured
midfield position, but for
Bayern’s suspension-
enforced rejig. His lucky
number is four, Bayern
have won the European
Cup four times, he's
scored four for Ukraine
and guess how many he’s
bagged in Europe this
year? That’s right: none.
Franck RiberyPlayed primarily on the
left wing, this will be the
Frenchman’s first final
after he was suspended
against Inter two years
ago. Will be looking to
take the fight to Chelsea
rather than to his
own teammates –
he reportedly slapped
Robben in the face after
the first leg against
Madrid.
Diego ContentoItalian in heritage but
born in Germany, the
left-back is named after
Argentine legend
Maradona. Confused?
Not as much as Diego
was when he went from
a regular for Bayern
last season to a bench-
warmer under Heynckes.
Expected to be drafted
in more through
necessity than choice.
Mario GomezThe jewel in the Bayern
crown. Strong in the air
and deadly in front of
goal, he has netted two
hat-tricks in the
competition this season,
taking his Champions
League tally to 25 goals
in 38 games. He’s
already turned down a
move to Chelsea, signing
a new deal with Bayern.
Will he rile them again?
Toni KroosBe it in the holding
midfield role or further
up the pitch, Kroos has
been one of the star
performers for Bayern
this season. At just 22,
comparisons with
Schweinsteiger are
plentiful, but the general
consensus is that he
has, ahem, ‘kroosed’
ahead of his more
illustrious teammate.
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| May 18 2012 | 25
Champions League Final
ManuelNeuer
11 games (1,020 minutes)
10 conceded
Philipp Lahm
11 games (1,020 mins)
1 assist
Anatoliy Tymoshchuk
10 games (619 mins)
JeromeBoateng
12 games (1,110 mins)
1 assist
Diego Contento
1 game (90 mins)
Bastian Schweinsteiger8 games (544 mins)
2 assists
Toni Kroos
11 games (953 mins)
2 goals, 2 assists
ArjenRobben
7 games (549 mins)
4 goals, 2 assists
ThomasMuller
11 games (630 mins)
1 goal, 1 assist
FranckRibery
11 games (934 mins)
3 goals, 5 assists
MarioGomez
11 games (883 mins)
12 goals, 0 assists
PetrCech
12 games (1,110 mins)
11 conceded
AshleyCole
11 games (964 mins)
2 assists
DavidLuiz
10 games (895 mins)
1 goal
GaryCahill
4 games (222 mins)
JoseBosingwa
10 games (562 mins)
John ObiMikel
8 games (575 mins)
FrankLampard
11 games (723 mins)
3 goals, 3 assists
SalomonKalou
6 games (249 mins)
2 goals
JuanMata
11 games (828 mins)
2 goals, 2 assists
FlorentMalouda
8 games (486 mins)
2 assists
DidierDrogba
7 games (550 mins)
5 goals, 2 assists
(4-2-3-1)
(4-2-3-1)
Forward thinking“You can’t go to the Allianz Arena
against Bayern Munich and not be
underdogs, but I don’t think Chelsea
are bothered. They went to the Nou
Camp as underdogs and won with 10
men, and there’s no reason to think
they can’t do the same again. It’ll be
tough, but it’s the Champions League
final – it’s going to be tough. Home
advantage will only count if Bayern are
playing well. If they’re not, it can be a
hindrance because fans get nervy and
that can transmit down on to the pitch.
Munich’s four attacking players are
each capable on their own of winning a
football match, so Chelsea will have to
defend very well, break quickly and
put people like Tymoshchuk, who’s not
a natural centre back, under pressure.
They’re without half their first-
choice back four, Robben and Ribery
don’t help defensively, and I don’t think
Lahm or Contento are great defensive
full-backs – their strength is going the
other way. If Chelsea can get two v
one against them, that will help.
Chelsea are a little weak at the back
without John Terry, and I don’t think
they’ll risk both Luiz and Cahill – they
might move Bosingwa infield and start
Ferreira at right-back. I worry about
the right-back against Ribery or Robben
– that could be a matchwinning or
losing area of the pitch. The best way
to stop Robben and Ribery is to run
them the other way, and I hope Ashley
Cole and Bosingwa or Ferreira aren’t
too scared to join in the attack. Munich
might just have too much attacking
quality. They might just shade it. I can
see both teams scoring, but I think
Munich will win by the odd goal.” >
Andy Gray is one half of the award-winning
Keys and Gray talkshow on talkSPORT.
Go to talksport.co.uk
Expert view
Andy Gray
26 | May 18 2012 |
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Round of 16Napoli 3 Chelsea 1 February 21
A ragged defensive display in Naples left Chelsea’s hopes hanging by
a thread. Mata opened the scoring, only for Lavezzi (two) and Cavani
to fire the Italians into a healthy lead.
Chelsea 4 Napoli 1 (Aggregate 5-4) March 14
One of the performances of the season. Inler’s clever finish cancelled
out Drogba’s opener, but goals from Terry and Lampard took the game
to extra-time where Ivanovic rammed home a nerveless winner.
Quarter finals Benfica 0 Chelsea 1 March 27
Less impressive than against Napoli, the Blues still had more than
enough to edge out their poor Portuguese hosts – the only goal coming
from Kalou 15 minutes from time, sliding home a Torres cross.
Chelsea 2 Benfica 1 (Aggregate 3-1) April 4
Lampard’s penalty after 21 minutes doubled their lead, but Chelsea
were outplayed and pegged back by Garcia’s goal on 85 minutes. Cue
a nervous last five, until Meireles made the tie safe in injury time.
Semi finalsChelsea 1 Barcelona 0 April 18
Had Cesc Fabregas not been particularly wasteful, the Champions
League champions would have been home and hosed. Instead, Drogba
struck with Chelsea’s only effort on goal, dispatching Ramires’ low cross.
Barcelona 2 Chelsea 2 (Aggregate 3-2) April 24
In one of the greatest European performances by an English team,
Chelsea looked all but out thanks to first-half goals from Busquets and
Iniesta, and having had Terry dismissed for brainlessly kicking out.
But the rampaging Ramires handed them a lifeline with a sublime
finish, and an immense second-half rearguard action was rewarded
in injury time when Torres raced clear and made the game safe.
FinalAllianz Arena, Munich, Saturday 7.45pm, Sky Sports 1/ITV 1
Round of 16Basel 1 Munich 0 February 22
Bayern dominated for long periods, but fell to substitute Stocker's late
goal. Having accounted for Manchester United in their previous game,
the Swiss prayed it would be enough to take to Bavaria.
Munich 7 Basel 0 (Aggregate 7-1) March 13
It wasn't. Mario Gomez helped himself to four goals in 23 minutes, the
fastest four-goal haul in Champions League history, in the biggest ever
knockout-stages win. Bayern were home and dry by half time.
Quarter finalsMarseille 0 Munich 2 March 28
An efficient and effective performance inspired by a rampant Robben,
who teed up Gomez for the game's opener a minute before the break
before curling home a superb strike 21 minutes from time.
Munich 2 Marseille 0 (Aggregate 4-0) April 3
For once, Gomez took a backseat, Olić scoring twice in the first half to
finish the tie as a contest: first connecting with a Ribery cross early
on, then converting from close range eight minutes before the break.
Semi finalsMunich 2 Real Madrid 1 April 17
Mesut Ozil cancelled out Ribery's 13th-minute opener and it looked like
ending honours even. Then, cometh the hour and a half, cometh the man:
Gomez making up for a profligate night's work to establish a narrow lead.
Real Madrid 2 Munich 1 (Agg 3-3. Bayern win 3-1 on pens) April 25
In the face of a white tsunami, Bayern found themselves two down
within 14 minutes, Ronaldo scoring twice. But then, for reasons known
only to Jose Mourinho, Real sat back and invited trouble. Robben pulled
the tie level on aggregate from the spot and the game ebbed towards
penalties. The Germans won, because they always do, with Schweinsteiger
despatching with ruthless efficiency after Ramos had ballooned over.
Via a two-legged playoff victory over Zurich, Bayern
found themselves in Group A’s ‘group of death’
against Villarreal, Napoli and Manchester City.
They progressed with games to spare, undefeated
until the final game at the Etihad – where a 2-0
defeat couldn’t stop them topping the group.
A stuttering group campaign saw Andre Villas-Boas’
Chelsea scramble through in the final game, a
routine 3-0 home win over Valencia. They still topped
Group E, a point ahead of Bayer Leverkusen, so
should, theoretically, have been dealt a more
manageable last 16 encounter.
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“My beautiful Olympic year”Widely regarded as one of the greatest World Cup players of all time, Ronaldo – the original Ronaldo – first cut his tournament teeth for Brazil in the 1996 Atlanta Games. And he has fond memories of representing his country at the greatest sporting event of them all
What does it mean for a footballer to play at
the Olympics? Particularly for a player like
you, who has won almost everything...
“It’s always a great opportunity to play at the
Olympics. For athletes, it’s a dream – a dream
to be an Olympian. For me it was really great,
because I came with memories of the 1994
World Cup, where I didn’t play even one minute.
My next opportunity with the national team was
1996, in Atlanta. Unfortunately, we couldn’t
win the gold, but it was a brilliant experience.”
It was an important summer for your career,
too – you signed for Barcelona soon after.
What are your memories of that year?
“I was playing for PSV, I went to the Olympics
and immediately after I was presented at Barca.
It was a spectacular
year at Barcelona –
I scored a lot of
goals and won World
Player of the Year. It
was a beautiful year.”
As a player, is it difficult to play in a
tournament like the Olympics after
a hard season with your club?
“Yes, I think so. After playing a whole year
in tough competitions, the players who go
to the Olympics are going to suffer a bit
from tiredness. But it’s a really brilliant
tournament. Everyone goes there intending
to overcome it and recover their best for
the competition.”
A lot of people here are interested in
Neymar. Do you think he has the quality to be
the star of Olympic football this summer?
“I think so. He has a lot of quality, and he’s
already a big idol in Brazil [14,000 fans signed
a petition demanding Neymar go to the 2010
World Cup]. Certainly, he will be a really
important player in these Olympics.”
There are a lot of similarities between you
and Neymar in terms of playing style – you
both like to take on a man (or four men, in
your case). Do you see the resemblance?
“I think we do have very similar qualities.
When he has control of the ball he slaloms
through defenders – he’s a very dangerous
player. Moreover, he scores goals [Neymar
has eight in 16 games for Brazil]. He’s a
second striker, but he scores goals and he
has a lot of quality. He’s really quick, very
technically capable. He’s captivating.”
A lot of clubs here, such as Manchester
City and Chelsea, have been linked with him.
Do you think he’s capable of adapting to the
physical demands of the Premier League?
“Yes, I’m absolutely certain. He might possibly
have some difficulty initially, but in time he will
become an important player in any club that
he goes to.” >
| May 18 2012 | 29
Ronaldo
Neymar’s already a big name, but are there
any Brazilian players we aren’t aware of
who could be important this summer?
“Ganso is certainly a talent in midfield that
everyone is going to become familiar with. We
also have a brilliant forward, who’s definitely
going to come, called Leandro Damiao. There
are a lot of great, young, promising players
who are going to turn some heads here in the
Olympics for sure.”
In your opinion, apart from Brazil, who are
the most dangerous teams this summer?
“Apart from Brazil, who I think will be
favourites, then Great Britain, who have a
great team. Spain, they’re going to be really
strong, and in the Olympic Games the African
teams are always very strong, so those are
my favourites.”
Do you think one of the African teams could
win the Olympic title?
“It’ll be between Brazil and Great Britain, but
the African teams always turn out strongly.”
Leandro Damiao, 22, InternacionalA slightly leftfield choice from Big Ron. Damiao is expected to lead the line at the 2014 World Cup, but he’s perhaps not quite ready yet. A sturdy 6ft 2ins, he’s got an array of tricks that are always functional – his style’s been described as ‘samba with a vengeance’, which sounds like a great low-budget action film. Unusually, he had to work his way up from the lower tiers of Brazilian football, an experience that should serve him well as he tries to make his mark on the national team. With the Olympics helpfully clearing some of the older players out of the way, it’s a perfect opportunity.
Ganso, 22, SantosAlso at Santos, Ganso (whose nickname means ‘goose’ and derives from his long neck), drew comparisons to Kaka when he first emerged on the national scene. There were actually calls for him to replace the Madrid player at the last World Cup, since when he’s been linked with Inter, Milan and Tottenham (who hasn’t been?). Tasked with providing the creative spark for the national side of late, Ganso is a classic number 10 in the Juan Roman Riquelme mode – at his best playing just behind the strikers, linking play and feeding them through balls. That said, he’s pretty handy with a long range strike, too.
Neymar, 20, SantosThe spiky-haired YouTube sensation has the Ronaldo seal of approval, and has scored some spectacular goals for Santos, including a preposterous effort against Flamengo that won FIFA’s Puskas Award for the best of 2011. Quick, skilful and still only 20, a move to Europe surely beckons, although his club president Luis Alvaro de Oliveira rather wishfully thinks he can keep hold of him until 2014. The wonderkid fluffed his lines in the Club World Cup final – unable to prevent a 4-0 defeat by Barcelona – but the Olympics offers him another chance to showcase his wares (and his hair) on the global stage.
Ronnie’s rockets Ronaldo’s Olympic bronze is one of his most treasured medals, and he’s picked out a few compatriots who could go one – or two – better this summer. Keep an eye out. They’ll probably be playing for Man City next season...
| May 18 2012 | 31
Ronaldo
Are there times when you wish you could
play again?
“Yes, of course – but between my friends and
colleagues I still play some games, which I
really enjoy.”
Let’s talk a bit about your ex-teammate,
David Beckham. He’s already said that he
wants to play for Great Britain this summer.
Do you think that he still has the quality and
ability to play in the Olympics?
“I’m absolutely certain that David Beckham
still trains a lot – he’s a player who has
always been very dedicated, and he’d love
to play in the Olympics. It’s a decision for
his coach to make, but I don’t see any
problem with his ability to play in the
tournament.”
There are people who say there’s greater
interest in Olympic football in countries like
Brazil compared with here. Should we pay
more attention to Olympic football?
“I think there's a global interest in the Olympic
Games, really – everyone wants to win. I don't
think there’s zero interest here. When it comes
to football, everyone wants to be champions.”
Finally, in a few words, what does it feel like
after winning something at the Olympics?
“It’s amazing, you’re proud to be an Olympic
athlete, and to get a medal is an honour.”
Lee Roden @LeeRoden89
Tickets for the London 2012 Olympic football
tournaments go back on sale on May 23. Visit
tickets.london2012.com for more information
Brazil’s best: Ronaldo tips Ganso (far left), Neymar (left) and Leandro Damiao (below) to shine this summer
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How was the mood in the camp after
your 19-15 semi-final win over Clermont
Auvergne?
“I suppose everyone was obviously ecstatic
and delighted with the victory, but I think
most people realise that we were probably
very lucky that we came out on top – so we
didn’t really celebrate. We played quite
poorly on the day. A lot of our setpieces
were poor, our lineout didn’t function at all
and I think we probably let them up the field
much too easily towards the end for Wesley
Fofana’s chance.”
Did you think he’d scored?
“Yeah, I was almost certain he had. On the
video replay, it shows quite clearly that
he didn’t [because the France centre lost
control of the ball over the line in the dying
seconds of the game]. But in real time, it
really looked like it.”
You played a big part in the win with your
break for the try. How surprised were you
to see prop Cian Healy on your shoulder?
“It’s a move we’ve practised a lot, so I knew
I was going to get through; and I kept saying
to the lads not to worry about the ruck, just
get on your bike and try to support me
because I’m going to need someone there.
A prop is probably the last person you
expect, yeah. But we all know that Cian
has an exceptional turn of pace.”
And then you scored a 40-metre drop-goal a
few minutes later. You also hit the post with
one from a similar length against England
back in March. Is this a new trick?
“It’s something I’ve definitely been practising
a lot. If I get kicked ball in space for a
turnover, a drop at goal’s a free shot to
nothing because if you miss, you’re gonna
get the ball back off the 22m restart
anyway. I’ll keep working on it and
hopefully I’ll get a couple more
chances to give it a go.”
It was a brilliant atmosphere
down in Clermont. How much do
the fans help?
“It always does. There are moments when
the opposition are camped on your line and
hammering at the door, and hearing the
fans at times like that really spurs you on.
In these moments, you need to dig deep for
that extra couple of per cent to hold teams
out. And that’s what the fans can give you.
Our fans are among the best in Europe, and
Ulster are sure to bring a fair few, so I can’t
wait for the atmosphere at Twickenham.”
You had nine minutes off the bench in the
2009 final, and missed last year’s through
injury. How much are you looking forward to
finally getting to make your mark in a final?
“Yeah, it’s obviously something I’m really
excited about. I’ve had quite a bit of >
HigH Hopes
It’s an all-Irish Heineken Cup final at Twickenham tomorrow, as holders Leinster face 1999 champions Ulster. Having come off the bench in one triumph and missed out on last year’s success, Leinster’s Rob Kearney is determined to play his part this time round...
| May 18 2012 | 33
Heineken Cup FinalD
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Heineken heartache, and it’s certainly the one
thing in my career that I’ve felt I have really
missed out on – so hopefully I’ll be in a
position to make my mark.”
Do you think it helps you that you’re playing
a team you know so well in Ulster?
“I think it probably hinders us a little bit, to be
honest. Obviously anything can happen in a
final and there’s no such thing as a favourite
– but with it being a derby match as well, it
adds a whole new level of unpredictability.
They’ll know our game inside out, they know
us quite well as players on and off the field,
and they probably know our weaknesses as
a team a little bit more.”
Having said that, how big is it for Irish rugby
that there are two Irish teams in the final?
“It’s fantastic, and very few people probably
would have expected it. It just shows Irish
rugby is in a really good place. Okay, most
people will identify our
Six Nations with that
second-half drubbing
against England – but,
if a bit of luck went our
way in that tournament,
it could have been a
different story.”
What will you do the night before the game
and the day of the game?
“It’s very easy. We’ll treat this just like any
other game – that’ll be really important for
us. We’ll travel in and go to the ground the
day before, have a look around and maybe
have a quick run around, then we’ll go back to
the hotel and literally just chill out there until
it’s time to head to the stadium. Head to the
ground, bit of a warm-up, come in, get ready,
and then, just a minute before we go out, we
come in together as a team, the captain will
say a few words and then off we go.”
It’s been said that this Leinster side are
the best side in European rugby history.
What do you say to that?
“As a group of players, we’re pretty on
the ball; but we know that if we lose in the
final, we suddenly won’t be the best team
in Europe. Ulster will be. We’re fully aware
that those headlines mean nothing and
you’re only the best team once you have won
the tournament. We’re not getting carried
away but, yeah, we know it’s been a good
few years. Sometimes clubs just go through
a real purple patch and we seem to be in one
at the moment. The whole culture of Leinster
rugby changed there back four or five years
ago. We have a really good academy system,
which means lots of good young players
coming through, and we can match that
by ensuring that our big-name players
stay here.”
Some might say your biggest strength is your
ability under the high ball. Does it frustrate
you that you sometimes get pigeonholed as
a ‘safe’ 15?
“Not frustrate me, I suppose – I think that’s
what you expect from your full back. I always
think a solid game for a full back is a really
good game because it means they haven’t
made any mistakes – ultimately, that’s what
you want from a 15. Being safe at the back and
just being really consistent is basically my job,
so I don’t expect to make headlines.”
Mark Coughlan @coffers83
Optimum Nutrition (ON) is the Official Sports Nutrition
Partner of the Leinster Rugby Team. For more
information about ON and their premium sports
nutrition products, go to optimumnutrition.com/uk
“If we lose in the final, we won’t be the best team in Europe. Ulster will be. Headlines mean nothing. You’re only the best once you’ve won the tournament”
Since losing to Clermont in the group
stage back in December 2010,
Leinster have gone unbeaten in 14
consecutive Heineken Cup matches
34 | May 18 2012 |
Heineken Cup Final
Saturday
Leinster v Ulster
Twickenham
Sky Sports 3 5pmDa
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World Cup winner Will Greenwood picks out the areas where the game will be won and lost
Four Key Battles
the BacK-row BattleThe confrontation here is a massive
one. You’ve got Stephen Ferris (above),
Pedrie Wannenburg and Chris Henry
for Ulster to provide proper beef and
power. Wannenburg is the go-to guy at
eight – he always picks up yardage and
has a low error count. Ferris is your
talisman at six and Henry is your dog on
the floor at seven. Leinster, meanwhile,
picked Shane Jennings at seven in the
semi final because he’s a real scrapper
on the floor, and I expect him to start
again. Jamie Heaslip will be at eight,
where he was wonderful in the semi
final. Then Sean O’Brien, at six, is much
more comfortable as a second-wave
runner who can use his power.
sexton v PienaarEven though they don’t play the
same position, these are two master
controllers. Their roles are essential.
In the final last year, when they came
back against Northampton, it was a
speech from Jonny Sexton (above)
and his management of the game that
underpinned the win. It was also his
calling of the move that led to the
Cian Healy try when they were losing
in Clermont in the semi final. With
Ruan Pienaar, he’s just the absolute
barometer of the tempo of Ulster’s
game... he can place a box-kick on a
sixpence from miles away. The kicks
at goal will be crucial, but both players
are ice cool under pressure.
healy v aFoaThis will be a fascinating one, even
though John Afoa and Cian Healy
(above) don’t scrummage directly
against each other, because they’re
two modern looseheads in that they
can both scrummage brilliantly, but
they both understand the game and
can get around the park. Afoa was
brilliant in the win against Munster in
the quarter finals [when Munster came
back from 19 points down after 31
minutes to dominate the rest of the
match]. Healy scored the decisive try
against Clermont and is a massive
ball-carrier for them, while Afoa’s
tackle count and reading of the
defensive systems is key.
the line-BreaKersLeinster’s precision under Joe Schmidt
and the quality of their handling has
been quite special, and they can open
you up and leave you grabbing at thin
air from anywhere on the park. With
Ulster, it’s more about an Andrew
Trimble (above) doing something
special, or a Stefan Terblanche finding
himself with a chance to draw a
two-on-one and release Craig Gilroy.
Leinster have the better unit but Ulster
have some game-breakers, as we saw
with their key try against Munster.
Will Greenwood was talking to Sport in
association with Dove Men+Care™. Go to
dovemencare.co.uk for more information
© Copyright 2012 FedEx
business.fedex.com/rugby
SUCCESSPrepare thoroughly.
Commit totally.
Deliver.
LIVE TO DELIVER
Daley Thompson
| May 18 2012 | 37
Few British athletes are more synonymous with the Olympics than Daley Thompson. He went to his first
Games as a 17-year-old in 1976,
finishing a respectable 18th in the
decathlon in Montreal, before running,
throwing and jumping his way to
consecutive gold medals in Moscow and Los
Angeles. Indeed, his performance atop the
podium in LA, where he whistled his way
nonchalantly through the national anthem,
earned him a place in the top 10 of our 100
most memorable Olympic moments feature
only last month.
These days, the 53-year-old Thompson’s
Olympic involvement has a virtual edge;
he meets Sport on the ground floor of
London’s BT Tower, where his work as
an ambassador for BT Infinity sees him
launching the new official Olympic video
game. But his enthusiasm for the Games
remains as real as ever – even if he can’t
recall everything from his glorious past...
In our Olympic Legends issue last week,
Sir Steve Redgrave exhibited an almost
forensic recollection of his entire Olympic
career. Are you the same?
“It’s funny you ask that, because when
there were 300 days to go to this Olympic
Games, I went back to Moscow with Allan
Wells. We went to the Luzhniki Stadium,
where they held the 1980 Games, and there
wasn’t a single thing Allan didn’t remember.
He remembered the colours of the seats,
where all the soldiers were sitting,
everything... but for all I knew it could have
been a different stadium. I didn’t remember
a thing, but Allan was exactly the same
as you say Steve Redgrave was. He even
remembered some seats that had changed
from wooden then to plastic now.
Unbelievable.”
So what do you remember of your first
Games, in Montreal in 1976?
“You know what – and this probably sounds
silly – but I actually had my best memories
from that one. I went there as a 17-year-old;
three weeks earlier I’d been doing my
O levels, and then I’d come to a place where
one day in the dining hall I’m sitting on the
same table as the world’s fastest man, the
world’s strongest man and the world’s best
gymnast. When you’re 17 years old, there
really is no better place to be.”
By the 1980 Games in Moscow you were
world record holder and favourite for gold
– how did you cope with the expectation
from back home?
“Well, my own expectations were pretty
high anyway. Most athletes have high
expectations for themselves because they
know how well they can perform, and for
me it just came with being the favourite.
But you know what? In sport, the favourites
generally win.”
Through the early ‘80s you enjoyed a great
rivalry with the German decathlete Jurgen
Hingsen. Did it help to have someone pushing
you so hard at the top, even though you
generally got the better of him in
competition?
“Generally? Don’t you mean always? Twenty
times out of 20 – pull yourself together man.
[Laughs] But yeah, of course it helped.
I was lucky in a couple of ways. One, that > To
ny
Du
ffy
/All
sp
ort
One of our greatest ever
Olympians, decathlon legend and
local lad Daley Thompson tells
Sport he expects London 2012 to
be the greatest Games of all time
Great expectations
Daley Thompson’s lifetime best
for the decathlon, set at the 1984
Olympics in Los Angeles. It was a
new world record that stood for
eight years, and a British record
that stands to this day
8,847
Jonathan Brownlee (above) and brother
Alistair are “my kind of guys”, says Thompson
38 | May 18 2012 |
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I had Jurgen, because it wouldn’t have been
as much fun without him; he was the guy
who made you go out and train twice on
Christmas Day and all that kind of stuff.
But also – and for which I was probably even
more fortunate – I was competing in an era
when, for want of a better phrase, I was able
to stand on the shoulders of giants. We had
Seb Coe, Steve Ovett and Steve Cram. These
guys took our sport from the back pages
to the front pages, and everyone was
interested. It was like football is now.”
You’re playing down your own part in that,
surely? You are a double Olympic gold-
medallist, after all.
“Sure, and you’re right, there’s not many of
them – but I think I was able to stand a lot
taller because of the interest people already
had in my sport. Listen, I think I would have
done really well anyway, but I did even better
because those guys were around. It was
a truly great era for track and field.”
Do you expect the home favourites in
London – athletes like Jess Ennis and Chris
Hoy – to be under added pressure because
they’re at home, or should they use it to
their advantage?
“All those guys will have pressure on them,
but I think the majority of them are seasoned
campaigners; they’re not in their first year
of competing and they should be able to cope
with it fairly well. And if you’ve played it fairly
smart in the last three, four, or five months
– and done the minimum
of this kind of thing [media
work] and the maximum of
the other kind of stuff
[training and preparation]
– then you’ll be alright.”
It is a tough balancing act
though, isn’t it? Media
and sponsorship demands are so much
greater now than perhaps they were when
you were competing...
“I think you’re right. When I was competing
I wouldn’t have been doing this kind of thing
because I was just so much more interested
in being really good. I always figured that if
you were really good, then you got all the
other stuff anyway. But I guess some people
have to hedge their bets a little, and make
a little hay while the sun shines before the
Olympics – because, for whatever reasons,
it might not end up happening for them at
the Games. We’re in this society now where
anyone can be famous for five or 15 minutes
– all you need to do is say something stupid
and you’re the flavour of the month – so
it’s difficult for sportspeople to get the
balance right.”
You said a few things in your time, though
– although some would argue that made
for a more interesting sport. Do you think
athletics suffers from a lack of personality
these days?
“There are fewer personalities these days,
completely, and that’s a shame because I
think sport is personality-driven. Athletics
in particular only has a couple of real
personalities right now, but sport in
general has very few. There are loads of
people who are really good at what they
do, probably better than the guys in my
time, but there’s not many people with
bigger or brasher personalities.
That may just stem from how much money
is in it now... or maybe it’s just progress,
I don’t know. But you’re right; people do still
gravitate towards the personalities – and
particularly now, because there’s even less
of it than there was before.”
As a Londoner yourself, how much does it
mean to you to have the Olympics in London?
“It’s really difficult to put into words. As a
nation we love sport, and we love big events
– you just have to look at all those royal
weddings and all that stuff. We put them on
really well too, and I don’t see any reason
why this shouldn’t be our greatest Olympics,
and the greatest Olympics ever. Sport in the
past six or seven years has been really well
funded, there’s lots of really great stuff in
place, and I think the time is right for all the
good things to come to fruition. Of course,
it’s not going to be 100 per cent perfect
because shit happens, but it’s still going to
be brilliant. Everybody’s going to think that,
whatever the cost has been, it will have been
worth it.”
Charles Van Commenee has said he thinks
you should be the man to light the Olympic
flame at the opening ceremony...
[Smiles] “That is very nice of Charles, and
I hope he has a lot of influence. Do you
know what, it would be fantastic. It’s not
something you ever think about because, you
know, it’s the first time the Olympics has
been here since any of us have been alive,
and it would be brilliant. But I suspect there’s
a few other people who think they’re in line
for it, so we’ll just have to wait and see.”
What events are you particularly looking
forward to seeing in the summer?
“Triathlon, for sure, and the Brownlee
brothers. Those guys are my kind of guys,
throwbacks... they work hard, they stay at
home and they don’t get involved in all the
noise, you know? They just go out and get on
with it. They’re my kind of guys and they are
really, really nice.”
Finally, you’ve been outspoken about the
need for the Olympic Stadium to remain an
athletics stadium. How sad you will be if it
becomes just another football ground?
“Yeah, I hold with that. Athletics deserves
a home, and I think if a football club is going
to get a great stadium like that on the cheap
– which is exactly what it would be – then
they should be prepared to put up with a
couple of disadvantages... if they feel that
having a track around the pitch even is a
disadvantage, that is. If you’re getting
a great stadium like that for a quarter
of the price, then I think there has to be
some downside.”
Tony Hodson @tonyhodson1
BT ambassador Daley Thompson hosts the BT
Infinity gaming tournament as competitors test
their skills with London 2012 – The Official Video
Game of the Olympic Games. To find out how to
game eight times faster, go to bt.com/infinity
Daley Thompson
“I stood on the shoulders of giants. We had Seb Coe, Steve Ovett and Steve Cram. They took our sport from the back to the front pages”
40 | May 18 2012 |
Rory McIlroy
World ranking: 1
Why he can win itIt’s been said often enough, but McIlroy is one of
the most naturally gifted players the world has ever
had the pleasure of watching. His ball-striking is
immense, and he possesses a very tidy short game
to go with it. While he may miss the odd putt, there
are no glaring weaknesses in his game. He is the
only major winner among the Big Three and,
although he keeps flip-flopping the world number
one spot with Luke Donald, most observers
would agree that he will be the one who keeps
the position in the long term.
Why he might notMcIlroy is one of those players who seems to love
certain courses, while feeling less comfortable
on others. Unfortunately, Wentworth would appear
to be one of the latter. While his best performance
here is a creditable fifth in 2009, he has mostly
made up the numbers at the BMW PGA. History
is starting to tell us that if a course doesn’t
suit Rory’s eye, he will almost certainly find it
hard to perform there.
The world’s three best golfers head to Wentworth’s West Course next week, to do battle on home soil for the first time this year. But which of them will conquer one of the toughest courses in the world?
Str
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Wild west shootoutBMW PGA Championship
Thursday
BMW PGA Championship
West Course, Wentworth
Sky Sports 1 10.30am
Luke Donald
World ranking: 2
Why he can win itWhy not? Donald has shown that he likes the
new-look West Course, winning here in thrilling
fashion last year in a playoff with Westwood. The
fact that whoever won that particular duel would
be world number one added just more spice – and
pressure – but it did not affect the ice-cool Donald,
who rates this tournament second in the calendar
only to the majors. He was second here in 2010
and third in 2008 – and while he is famed for his
accuracy, it is his world-beating short game that
has served him so well at Wentworth.
Why he might notIt’s hard to find holes in Donald’s game at
Wentworth, because this is clearly a course and
tournament he loves. But there have been signs
that his game is not as rock-solid as it was in 2011,
even though he has already won on the PGA Tour.
If anything will beat Donald, it will be the weather
– the West Course is long at the best of times, and
especially so after the recent rain. Donald is a
relatively short hitter and may find it a slog.
Lee Westwood
World ranking: 3
Why he can win itFrom tee to green, Westwood is untouchable. His
driving is impeccable, and his iron play finds the
greens with a metronomic regularity. Around
Wentworth, that’s vital – a missed green can be
a disaster here (unless you have the scrambling
abilities of, say, Luke Donald). Westwood could have
won here last year had his approach to the 18th
green in the playoff not spun back viciously into the
water, and his record around the West Course has
been much better since Ernie Els redesigned the
course two years ago.
Why he might notIn short, Westwood’s putting does not match up to
the rest of his game. Anyone who saw him at the
Masters last month can testify that, while the rest
of his game was world-beating, his putting was
direct from the monthly medal at the local muni.
If he wins, he’ll do so from the front – despite the
dodgy putter, he still has the ability to fire in a
couple of low rounds. That said, with the course
playing so long, scoring will be high.
JUSTIN ROSE
EUROPEAN AND PGA
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Focus 2012 70 Days to go
42 | May 18 2012 |
The venue
A double dose of British disappointment
awaits Wimbledon this summer, with the All
England Club set to host the Olympic tennis
tournament only three weeks after its own
2012 champions have been crowned.
The grass courts of SW19 have some
Olympic experience, having hosted the tennis
when London first hosted the Games in 1908.
If history is to repeat itself, then we’ll see a
British clean sweep of gold medals, as there
was back then. You can stop laughing now.
The challenges faced by Wimbledon’s
ground staff to keep the grass in good nick
are not to be underestimated, with Andy
Murray admitting the players are concerned
about how the courts will bear up. Too many
five-setters in the early rounds at Wimbledon
and you might see players forced to wear
slippers to save the grass from a battering.
One major change is that players will be
allowed to wear their country’s colours for
the Olympic tournament, as opposed to the
all-white kit insisted on for Wimbledon.
The evenT
There are five medal events at the 2012
Games: men’s and women’s singles, men’s
and women’s doubles and – for the first time
since 1924 – mixed doubles. All matches will
be played over the best of three sets except
for the men’s singles final, which will be best
of five, and mixed-doubles matches, which
will be decided by a first-to-10 tie break if
the scores reach one set all.
A maximum of four players from each
country can compete in the singles, and
two teams from each nation in the doubles
– which is where, aside from the usual
hullabaloo over Murray in the singles, Team
GB could have a chance. The Murray brothers
will compete together if Jamie’s ranking
allows, while Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins
reached the Wimbledon and US Open quarter
finals last season – which isn’t bad.
Team GB’s proGress
“There’s so many good things going on in
British tennis,” says British Tennis chief
Roger Draper, who has come under fire in the
wake of disappointing adult-participation
figures. “We’re six years into a 10-year
change programme; there are lots of positive
things going on, but you’ve got to continue to
roll your sleeves up. It’s part of the journey in
the sport... everyone goes through their
bumpy patches. I suppose the positive thing
[about criticism] is that it takes heat away
from everyone else, and they can get on with
working hard across British tennis.”
Tennis aT London 2012
dates July 28-August 5
Capacity 15,000 (Centre Court)
How to get there National Rail, London
Underground
Cliv
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Tennis
elena Baltacha
KEY EVENTS BEFORE
LONDON 2012
French Open
May 22-June 10,
Roland Garros, Paris
The Championships,
Wimbledon
June 25-July 8,
London
GB hopeful
Age in 2012 28
MedAl record Commonwealth Youth Games
silver (women’s team) 2000
Britain’s top-ranked female has struggled
with illness, but recent seasons have seen
her able to play more consistently...
In 2010 she recorded wins over top-10
opponents Li Na and Francesca Schiavone,
and followed that up with a win in the AEGON
Nottingham Challenge in 2011.
Currently ranked 63 in the world, Baltacha
will likely have to rely on receiving one of six
wildcard places awarded to players outside
the top 56, who qualify automatically for the
Games. She has admitted that it could be
her competitive swansong, however, saying:
“If I’m struggling with injuries, then I’m not
going to carry on.”
Some of the biggest names at London 2012 may end up going nowhere near the Olympic Stadium...
7 DaysMAY 18–MAY 24
HIGHLIGHTS
» Football: Scottish Cup final » p46
» Rugby Union: Amlin Challenge Cup final » p46
» BT Paralympic World Cup » p48
» MotoGP: French Grand Prix » p50
» Best of the Rest » p50OUR PICK OF THE ACTION FROM THE SPORTING WEEK AHEAD
44 | May 18 2012 |
Saturday FOOTBAll: CHAMPIONSHIP PlAyOFF FINAl: WEST HAM v BlACKPOOl | WEMBlEy | SKy SPORTS 1 3PM
Be
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Managers like to talk about momentum being a
prerequisite to promotion. West Ham had it – they
were second in early March, only one point behind
the leaders, but drew five in succession – and lost it.
Blackpool, on the other hand, are not the “dead duck”
even Ian Holloway thought they were at the beginning
of the season, and timed their run to secure a top-six
place with a game to spare by thumping Burnley 4-0.
The Tangerines will look to two of the players who
scored in that victory to continue their momentum on
Saturday: Gary Taylor-Fletcher and
Stephen Dobbie. The former is a
survivor from Blackpool’s one season
in the Premier League, and was also
on the scoresheet in their previous
playoff victory, in 2010. Dobbie, on
the other hand, is looking for his third
straight Championship playoff success
in as many seasons, having been part of that Blackpool
side as a second-half substitute two years ago, and
started in Swansea’s win over Reading last May.
Dobbie was also on the scoresheet in the Seasiders’
draw with Birmingham at St Andrew’s that helped them
to a 3-2 aggregate win – Thomas Ince’s goal in the
first leg proving decisive. The young winger (above)
will relish facing a team whose fans still give his dad
Paul untold grief every time he returns to Upton Park
since an untidy move to Man Utd over 20 years ago.
The Hammers, though, are undoubted favourites,
having brushed Cardiff aside 5-0 over two legs and
emphatically stuck four past Blackpool home and away
this season – and with only 10 men at Bloomfield Road,
after keeper Rob Green was sent off.
Sam Allardyce will look to his leaders in Kevin Nolan
and Mark Noble to calm any nerves on the field, and
establish the same control they enjoyed over Cardiff.
He will also give Jack Collison until the last minute to
prove his fitness after the Welsh midfielder dislocated
his shoulder in that second leg at the Boleyn Ground.
Collison, crucially, provides a bit of imagination that
West Ham have lacked this season, when they have
too often been guilty of looking for Carlton Cole’s
head without having a plan B. That said, the Irons’
top scorer has five in his past seven games. Dobbie,
by comparison, has six in his past eight.
Some momentum, that.
West Ham finished three points off the top spot and one from automatic promotion, but take on Blackpool – who finished fifth with 11 points fewer – in tomorrow’s playoff final, in a game estimated to be worth £90m to the winners
| 45
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“Small things can make a huge difference. Preparation is key”
Ge
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It’s been 116 years since Hearts and Hibs
last met in a Scottish Cup final, so it’s doubtful
anyone in Britain (except possibly David
Weir) will have any memory of the original
Edinburgh derby final. That lends this year’s
Hampden showpiece a refreshing air, even if
one team do start as fairly clear favourites.
Hearts’ season has been dogged by
consistency problems and a few financial
worries, but it all came together splendidly
in their rousing semi-final victory over
Celtic. The sight of Craig Beattie celebrating
his late, matchwinning penalty by hauling his
shirt from his slightly love-handled frame
and joyously gambolling in front of the
Hearts fans is one of the indelible images
of the season – and the good news for
Hearts fans is that the forward looks set
to overcome a recent hamstring strain
to be fit for the final.
Throw in the prolific Rudi Skacel in midfield,
and Hearts will feel confident of scoring
against a Hibs defence that has conceded
76 goals in all competitions this season.
Hibs have also struggled to score goals
of late, until a cathartic 4-0 win over
Dunfermline a fortnight ago finally ended
any lingering relegation worries. They have
scored eight in four Scottish Cup matches
(knocking out two SPL teams), however, and
while injury disrupted his fine start to the
season, Garry O’Connor has the class to
score on the biggest stage.
Hibs may not have beaten Hearts in any
of their past 10 attempts, but Scotland’s
domestic cups have seen a fair few upsets
already this season. You can’t bet against
there being one more in the rare, raucous
atmosphere of an all-capital final.
46 | May 18 2012 |
7 Days
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Saturday Football | ScottiSh cup Final: heartS v hibernian | bbc one Scotland/Sky SportS 4 3pm
Friday rugby union | amlin challenge cup Final: biarritz v toulon | twickenham Stoop | Sky SportS 1 8pm
Edinburgh festival
Remember a certain England number 10 hitting that drop-goal back in
2003? Well, Lord Jonny of Wilkinson
is at it again over in Toulon – it was
his last-minute strike three weeks
ago that secured the French side’s
place in tonight’s Challenge Cup final
against Biarritz.
A total haul of 27 points in the
32-29 semi-final win over Stade
Francais shows that England’s
erstwhile golden boy is rediscovering
some of his best form. And he’s
desperate for victory at the Stoop,
which – incredibly – would signal his
first European trophy. Two years
ago, Toulon were 13-6 up in this very
final against Cardiff Blues when
Wilkinson went off injured, and they
went on to lose 28-21. This time
round, however, they are the form
side, having followed up their
semi-final win with victories over
Toulouse and Lyon in the Top 14. Now,
with the likes of Steffon Armitage,
Matt Giteau and Carl Hayman in their
star-studded side, Toulon have their
eyes on European success.
Biarritz may have other plans,
however – and, more to the point,
they have a kicking star of their own
in Dimitri Yachvili. The masterful
number nine notched up 14 points in
a comfortable 19-0 win over Brive in
the semis, and will be looking to take
that form into the final. A bonus-point
defeat to Montpellier the following
week all but secured Biarritz’s Top
14 safety, and silverware would
salvage something from what has
been a largely forgettable season.
For both sides, Heineken Cup
disappointments will be quickly
forgotten with a win tonight. The
question is, which kicker’s cool
will crumble first?
Jonny’s in town
hibs have lost their
last eight Scottish cup
finals. they last lifted
the trophy in 1902
Believe in Britain
Ben Swift
Backing British Cycling
For the last four years, our ground
breaking partnership with British Cycling
has supported cycling at every level.
From getting a million more people on
their bikes to supporting new talent and
creating a British road cycling team.
believeinbritain.com
With the Paralympic Games in London just
over three months away, budding medallists
can outline their credentials a couple of
hundred miles further north in Manchester
next week, at the BT Paralympic World Cup.
Now in its eighth year, the 2012 event will
showcase athletics, seven-a-side football,
wheelchair basketball and the bowls-like
boccia. It wouldn’t be a World Cup without
a trophy up for grabs, and the athletes are
therefore divided into four teams: Great
Britain, the Americas, Europe and a Rest
of the World team. As well as medals for
individual performances, teams score points
according to their displays in each sport.
The chief attraction will naturally be Oscar
Pistorius (above), who will enter the 100m and
200m ahead of his bid to compete in both the
Olympics and Paralympics
this summer. Seeking to
make the most of home
advantage will be the
British seven-a-side
football team, made up of
the same 12-man squad
who will head to London 2012 under the Team
GB banner (no national FA disputes here).
Players include veterans of the side that
finished seventh at the Beijing Olympics – Matt
Dimbylow, Jonathan Paterson and Michael
Barker – as well as a couple of players from
the 2010 World Cup, including Martin Sinclair,
brother of Swansea City’s Scott.
The Brits will face Brazil in the football, but
it is not the sport the South Americans are
expected to dominate. For they are ranked
number one in the world in boccia, a sport for
wheelchair-confined athletes in which teams
score points for throwing their ball closest to
an object ball (hence the similarity to bowls).
Five days of competition begin with the
athletics on Tuesday, for which tickets are still
available at btparalympicworldcup.com.
48 | May 18 2012 |
7 Days
Ric
ha
rd H
ug
ga
rd/G
all
o I
ma
ge
s/G
ett
y I
ma
ge
s, I
an
Wa
lto
n/G
ett
y I
ma
ge
s
Tuesday > BT ParalymPic World cuP | manchesTer regional arena | channel 4 12Pm (nexT saTurday)
saTurday aThleTics | samsung diamond league: shanghai | shanghai sTadium | BBc red BuTTon 12.30Pm
Gearing up
American sprinters Justin Gatlin and Allyson Felix ensured the
2012 diamond
league got off
to a sparkling
start in doha last
weekend, but any
ovation they received will soon pale into
insignificance if home favourite liu xiang
races to victory in the series’ second
meeting in shanghai tomorrow.
The sight of the 110m hurdler (and
defending olympic champion) limping from
the first-round start line was one of the
defining images of the 2008 olympics in
Beijing, leaving a nation to mourn the end
of their biggest hero’s hopes. But liu has
returned to fitness and form recently,
defeating us record holder david oliver at
this very meet 12 months ago and seeing off
world record holder dayron robles over the
shorter 60m hurdles in Birmingham in
February – as such, he will be expected to
best a field including oliver and current
world champion Jason richardson tomorrow.
elsewhere, london medal hope Phillips
idowu (pictured) represents British interest
in the men’s triple jump. The 33-year-old
triumphed in four diamond league meetings
last year, but had to settle for silver behind
american christian Taylor at the World
championships in daegu; he’ll hope to
kickstart his olympic year with a win over
Taylor and world bronze-medallist Will claye.
oh, and keep an eye out for long-distance
great Kenenisa Bekele in the 5,000m. The
multiple world and olympic champ suffered
an injury-plagued 2011, but looked back near
his best in running a staggering 27:49 in
a 10km road race in dublin last month.
Chinese turn
No momeNt is more goldeN thaN wiNNiNg
golf’s greatest prize
as the world’s best athletes arrive on British shores for a
summer festival of sport, golf ’s finest will gather in England’s
North west at the original major - the open Championship.
experience the Championship for yourself at royal lytham
& st annes, 15-22 July 2012.
Buy tickets before end of may for early season prices.
fine dining packages from £250. Book now on 01334 460010
or at theopen.com.
the opeN. tiCkets availaBle!
iN 2012, wiNNiNg silver
isN’t always seCoNd Best
50 | May 18 2012 |
7 Days
Pa
tric
ia D
e M
elo
Mo
reir
a/A
FP
/Ge
tty
Ima
ge
s, A
lan
Cro
wh
urs
t/G
ett
y I
ma
ge
s
Sunday MotoGP | Round 4: FRench GRand PRix | Le Mans, FRance BBc two 12.30PM
Half-term report
FRIDAY
cRicKet
england v
west indies:
First test day 2, Lord’s,
sky sports 1 11am
RuGBY LeaGue
super League: huddersfield v
wigan, Galpharm stadium,
sky sports 2 8pm
BoxinG British heavyweight title:
david Price v sam sexton,
echo arena, Liverpool,
sky sports 1 11pm
SATURDAY
cYcLinG Giro d’italia stage 14:
cherasco-cervinia,
British eurosport 12.45pm
BaseBaLL MLB: toronto Blue
Jays v texas Rangers, Rangers
Ballpark, esPn america 8pm
FootBaLL Major League soccer:
chivas usa v La Galaxy, home
depot center, esPn 3.30am
SUNDAY
canoeinG canoe sprint world cup,
Poland, British eurosport 9am
athLetics Great Manchester
Run, Manchester,
BBc one 10am
MotoRsPoRt
dtM Round 4, Brands hatch
circuit, esPn 12.45pm
MotoRsPoRt
world touring cars,
salzburgring, austria,
British eurosport 1pm
saiLinG america’s cup
world series, Venice,
sky sports 4 1.30pm
tennis atP Rome Masters Final,
Foro italico, Rome,
sky sports 3 3pm
FootBaLL dutch eredivisie
Playoff Final 2nd Leg: Vitesse v
RKc waalwijk, esPn 3.30pm
FootBaLL coppa italia Final:
napoli v Juventus,
stadio olimpico, esPn 7.45pm
MONDAY
swiMMinG european
championships, debrecen,
British eurosport 1 4pm
TUESDAY cRicKet indian Premier League
Playoffs: Qualifier 1,
MBa stadium, Pune, itV 4 4pm
WEDNESDAY
RuGBY championship Final 1st
Leg: cornish Pirates v London
welsh, Mennaye Field,
sky sports 2 7.30pm
THURSDAY
cRicKet clydesdale Bank 40:
sussex v Yorkshire,
Probiz county Ground,
sky sports 2 4.30pm
BEST OF THE REST
A perfect 10?
SaTuRday hoRse RacinG | JLt LocKinGe staKes | newBuRY channeL 4/RacinG uK 3.40PM
The world’s elite motorcycle racers have the chance to brush up on their GCSE French as MotoGP heads to Le Mans this weekend. With three of the season’s 18 races gone, we mark some of the riders on their early-season form
A+Casey Stoner, 66 points
The Australian (leading Jorge
Lorenzo, above) finished third
in Qatar but comfortably held
off Lorenzo to win in both
Spain and Portugal. The defending champion
is showing no signs of relinquishing his
crown, and his Honda is flying. His win at Le
Mans this time last year was the first of three
consecutive victories; the same this time around
will extend his lead at the top of the class.
BJorge Lorenzo, 65 points
His title challenge faded last
year and he missed the last
three races through injury,
but Lorenzo got off to a flyer
this season, winning the opening race in Qatar.
The Spaniard is probably sick of the sight of
Stoner’s exhaust pipe, however, finishing just
seconds behind him in the subsequent two
races. Has the potential to win another world
title, but he’ll need Stoner to start slipping up.
C+ Cal Crutchlow, 37 points
The Brit’s been tipped for big
things in his sophomore year
– and he has raced well thus
far, scoring a fourth-placed
finish in Qatar. In truth, though, he has been
some way off the leaders’ pace, coming in
almost 15 seconds behind Stoner in that race.
He might have to settle for being the best of the
rest this season, but he’s racing with renewed
confidence and could yet upset the front three.
DValentino Rossi, 22 points
The seven-time champion
must be ruing his decision
to switch teams. His Ducati
spluttered into seventh in
the championship last season – and, currently
sitting ninth after three races, he’s doing
no better this time around. Whisper it, but
there’s been speculation that the 33-year-old
Italian will retire from motorcycle racing at
the end of the season.
Last Saturday, the unbeaten Australian wonder mare Black Caviar continued her extended
journey into horse racing
history with victory number
21 of an astounding career.
A week on, and her northern-
hemisphere equivalent is set to
make his own seasonal bow in
tomorrow’s Lockinge Stakes at
Newbury. That’s right people,
Frankel is back.
Only a month ago, Sir Henry
Cecil’s four-year-old superstar
(below) – winner of all nine of his
career starts, not to mention
a cool £1.37m in prize money –
was rumoured to be on the
verge of retirement after
suffering a minor injury to his
off-fore leg. The rumours
proved false, however, and
a successful recent gallop at
Newmarket convinced his
trainer that he was ready to roll
in the Lockinge – and Cecil is in
no doubt as to the importance
of his charge to the sport.
“Every sport needs its
champions, right?” he said last
month. “Not just for the racing
public, but for other people who
aren’t interested in racing and
get to learn about it from word
of mouth and the television.
“Frankel is in the public eye...
when he comes to the races,
people are lining up to see him.”
As they will be at Newbury
on Saturday – when, if he’s
anywhere near his brilliant
best, he will hose up for a 10th
straight victory. Here’s looking
at you, Mademoiselle Caviar.
| 51
Sport Promotion
Take part in a very special British 10kThe annual British 10k takes place on July 8, and Olympic gold-medallist Darren Campbell has some helpful advice for those who want to get involved
With 70 days to go until the 30th Olympiad
gets under way in the country’s
capital, there’s no better time to play
your part and pound the city’s streets
in the British 10k. With places still
available, official charity Special Olympics Great
Britain are looking for men and women of all shapes
and sizes to don their running shoes – and athletics
legend Darren Campbell has a few handy tips for
those planning to do just that.
The build -up“Your preparation really needs to be done before the
day of the race. Being a sprinter, my diet was more
about protein but, for the guys taking part in the 10k,
carbs are important – and the key is to make sure
you get it in ahead of the day. A couple of days before
the run, make sure you’re carb-loading and keeping
yourself well hydrated. Chances are if you leave it to
the last minute, it’s never going to be enough.”
Race day“If you haven’t prepared right, the best bit of advice
on the day is to make sure you hydrate yourself
properly and don’t turn up on the day in a brand
new pair of trainers you’ve never worn before – the
chances are you’ll get blisters. Do the same things
you would do before a training session. As an athlete
and a sprinter, I wouldn’t prepare any differently for
an Olympic final than I would for any other races.
I should already be comfortable with the preparation
I put in beforehand, so for people who are maybe
running a 10k for the first time, practise your
preparation in your training before you get there
on the day. Once you’re happy with the way that you
prepare, don’t change anything. On the morning of the
race, don’t have a huge breakfast thinking you need to
stock up. It’s harder to run on a full stomach – that’s
just common sense.”
Ready, set...“Warm-up is always an individual thing, but I’d always
advise everyone to have a little stretch. No matter
how fast you think you’re going to be running – and
remember it’s not a race for a lot of the people taking
part, so go at your own pace – it’s always important
to have a good stretch before you start. And, so
you don’t feel too bad the following morning, have a
stretch afterwards as well. The other important thing
to remember after the race is to get the carbs and
protein back in your body straight away, and to try to
hydrate yourself quickly. It’s okay to have a pint later
on in the evening, but don’t have a celebratory drink
straight afterwards. Give it a couple of hours and
then it won’t kill you!”
Darren Campbell is an ambassador for Special Olympics
Great Britain, the official charity for the British 10k.
Only a few select places remain in the race, so you’ll have
to act very fast if you want to take part. To enter, visit
thebritish10klondon.co.uk. Opt in during the entry process
to be part of the Special Olympics GB fundraising team
Get involved
The British 10k has sold out for the past six years and, with 2012 being an Olympic year, this year’s event is sure to be an extra special occasion. Demand for places has been higher than ever.
To be one of Special Olympics GB’s 2,012 runners, visit thebritish10klondon.co.uk and tick the Special Olympics GB opt-in box when entering. Don’t miss out on a unique experience. Sign up today and start getting ready for the run of your lifetime.
For more information, please visit specialolympicsgb.org.uk
Extra time Gadgets
52 | May 18 2012 |
Tablet topping
So, you’ve loaded your new iPad up
with the best apps, but you still don’t
feel complete. Our favourite iPad
accessories might help fill the gap...
Making the most of your time and money
Inci
pio
Pre
miu
m K
icks
tand
£
35
| s
torm
fro
nt.
co
.uk
Spe
ck W
ande
rFol
io
£4
5 | s
pe
ck
pro
du
cts
.co
m
Logitech Keyboard Case £90 | logitech.com
Pro
port
a U
SB
Tur
boC
harg
er
£5
5 |
pro
po
rta
.co
m
Scosche boomCAN Speaker £20 | squaregroup.co.uk
Speck HandyShell £35 | speckproducts.com
Scosche reVOLT Car Charger £20 | squaregroup.co.uk
Wac
om B
ambo
o S
tylu
s £
25
| w
ac
om
.eu
Pro
port
a Q
uilli
t 3
in 1
£
25
| p
ro
po
rta
.co
m
iCra
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Sty
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£8
| p
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ox
.co
m
Mar
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Aar
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ase
£8
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am
azo
n.c
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The
New
iPad
£
19
9 o
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27/m
th c
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| vo
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fon
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P56
Max Payne bloody loves
blowing away bad-ass
Brazilians. Fact.
Realise your potential by
helping childrenrealise theirs. Teach in
today’s primary schools. As a primary school teacher you are responsible for shaping young minds and laying the foundations for their future. The rewards for primary teaching start immediately and you could receive a £9k* bursary to train. What’s more, primary school teachers are on the same pay scales as secondary teachers with their salaries rising by an average of around 30% after the first four years. To find out more search‘teaching primary’ or call0800 389 2500.
Rewarding Challenging Teaching
*Conditions apply. See education.gov.uk/teacconditions for full details.
54 | May 18 2012 |
Extra time Pollyanna Woodward
Polly
gos
hF
irs
t, t
he
dis
cla
ime
r. P
ollya
nn
a W
oo
dw
ard
is n
ot
a s
po
rts
wo
ma
n. S
he
is m
os
t
re
no
wn
ed
fo
r g
ett
ing
he
r g
ad
ge
ts o
ut
on
the
bo
x, i
n f
ac
t – b
ut
Po
llya
nn
a W
oo
dw
ard
is o
n o
ur
ra
da
r, a
nd
we’r
e a
bo
ut
to t
ell
yo
u w
hy.
A r
eg
ula
r p
re
se
nte
r o
n C
ha
nn
el 5
’s T
he
Ga
dg
et
Sh
ow
, sh
e h
as
als
o b
un
ge
e-j
um
pe
d
20
0 f
ee
t o
ff a
brid
ge
in S
ou
th A
fric
a,
en
du
re
d a
gru
elli
ng
53
km
ex
tre
me
ski-
mo
un
tain
ee
rin
g r
ac
e in
th
e S
wis
s
Alp
s, a
nd
ris
ke
d li
fe a
nd
lim
b b
ein
g
pro
pe
lled
ou
t o
f a
dra
gs
ter
at
50
mp
h. A
ll ra
the
r s
po
rty
,
yo
u w
ill a
gre
e..
. as
is t
he
fa
ct
tha
t s
he
is
cu
rre
ntl
y d
ati
ng
go
lfe
r P
au
l Ca
se
y.
Th
e p
air
ha
ve
be
en
an
ite
m f
or
nin
e m
on
ths
.
Th
at’
s n
o m
ea
n f
ea
t, g
ive
n t
he
fo
rm
er
wo
rld
nu
mb
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thre
e is
ba
se
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Ariz
on
a, b
ut
the
re
lati
on
sh
ip is
cle
arly
wo
rkin
g –
Ca
se
y h
elp
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Wo
od
wa
rd
lea
rn
to
pla
y g
olf
in ju
st
12
we
eks
.
So
th
ere
yo
u g
o. A
nd
we
go
t th
ro
ug
h t
he
en
tire
pie
ce
wit
ho
ut
a s
ing
le g
ag
re
lati
ng
to
a h
ole
in o
ne
, bir
die
s, s
ha
nks, o
r s
tro
ke p
lay.
..
we’r
e a
bo
ve a
ll th
at.
Po
llya
nn
a p
re
se
nts
on
Th
e G
ad
ge
t S
ho
w
Wo
rld
To
ur o
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on
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at
8p
m o
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ha
nn
el 5
Anna Fowler| 55
The Bridge
Fans of Wallander and The Killing will know all about
brilliantly bleak Scandinavian crime drama, and The
Bridge is the latest to roll off the production line.
Why has a woman been killed, cut
in two and dumped on the bridge
linking Copenhagen to Malmo?
That’s up to affable Danish cop
Martin Rohde and his beautiful but
crazy Swedish counterpart Saga
Noren to find out. Out on Monday.
Max Payne 3 (PC/PS3/Xbox 360)Eleven years after thugs brutally
slayed his family, Max Payne returns
as a washed-up former cop, bald
but bearded and chugging back
the painkillers. He’s working in São
Paulo, Brazil, protecting the family
of a wealthy real estate mogul and
spending his days playing with the
family dog, creosoting fences and
finally putting his troubled past
behind hi... what? Yeah, right. See
that little 18 certificate on the cover
there? It’s more justified than ever,
for Payne’s business is blasting
bad-ass Brazilians – and business
is booming. Consider this: it’s by
Rockstar Games – how could this
be anything other than epic?
Mind the Map
The word iconic is hugely overused (possibly within
these very pages), but it genuinely applies to Harry
Beck’s London Underground map. First created in
1931, the Tube map of today still uses the basis of his
concept. It’s this kind of innovative creativity that’s
on show at the London Transport Museum’s new Mind
the Map exhibition, which explores how the capital’s
public transport maps have not only aided navigation,
but also inspired art and design. Open from today
until October, visit ltmuseum.co.uk for tickets.
Words and Music by Saint Etienne Saint Etienne
Sarah Cracknell and co
are all comfortably past
an age when they should
still be making joyous
indie synth-pop. So why
does this new album still
sound so fresh? Maybe
because songs like
Tonight and DJ are up
there with the band’s
catchiest tunes. Proof
that you don’t need to
change tack if you’re
perfect as you are.
No Regrets: Writings on Scott Walker Edited by Rob Young
Collection of articles on
the velvet-voiced singer
who went from teen idol
as part of The Walker
Brothers to critically
lauded musician. Any
fresh perspectives on
this enigmatic genius
are extremely welcome.
The Raid
Indonesian action with a Welsh twist? It sounds like
the worst fusion restaurant ever, but it makes for
sizzling cinema as Gareth Evans, a Welsh director
who makes Indonesian martial-arts films, serves up
his masterpiece. The Raid
(out today) sets a new
standard in jaw-dropping,
breathless, balletic ultra-
violence. Just don’t go in
expecting much of a plot.
56 | May 18 2012 |
FILM
Bring the Payne
Yet more murders in Scandanavia,
while Maximilian Payne is back: badder,
balder and beardier than ever before
GAME
EXHIBITION
DVD MUSIC BOOk
Extra time Entertainment
Available at
SELECTED STORES AND AVAILABILITY. ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE.
sainsburys.co.uk/entertainment
DVD
£8.99
BLU-RAY
£9.99
/RevolverEntertainment @RevolverUk www.revolvergroup.com
1 Nivea for Men Skin Energy
Moisturiser Instant Effect Q10Last year marked a
century since the
launch of the iconic
Nivea Creme – but
they’re still thriving
today, as witnessed
by a moisturiser
that revitalises tired
skin while reducing
signs of stress – a
21st-century winner.
£8.99 | boots.com
2 Gillette Series Deodorant
Olympic Gold EditionThe original Gillette
Company was founded
by the superbly named
King Camp Gillette (a
real person, we shit
you not) to produce
razors back in 1895.
Today, they are one
of the behemoths of
the industry – this
deodorant is merely
the top of their
grooming iceberg.
£1.37 | boots.com
3Agua de Colonia Eau de Cologne
Scented CandleThe grand old man of
Spanish fragrances,
Agua de Colonia
recently celebrated a
centenary of making
hairy lads smell
better than they look.
This candle, infused
with that very scent,
can do the same for
your bathroom.
£18.50 |
carterandbond.com
4 Aramis Classic Aftershave
Queen of cosmetics
Estee Lauder
launched the original
Aramis aftershave
for men way back in
the 1960s. Little
did she know at the
time that it would
eventually outlive
her – it’s recently
done just that,
however, being that
she died in 2004.
£45 for 240ml |
0870 034 2566
5 Brylcreem Original
HairdressingIf you were around in
Birmingham in 1928,
then you might have
seen the very first
Brylcreem product
– a pomade, no less
– hit the shelves. If
you weren’t, you can
recreate the period
by picking up a tub of
the good stuff from
Boots today.
£3.75 | boots.com
6 Lotil Original Cream
A rich, hydrating and
gentle formula that
has been battling
dry, chapped and
sore skin for more
than 100 years.
It can be used
anywhere on the
body, too, which is
a definite bonus.
£3.59 | boots.com
7 4711 Original Eau de Cologne
A truly ancient
scent formulated
from the essential
oils of citrus fruits
blended with
rosemary, lavender
and neroli, 4711
Original was created
in Cologne (naturally)
in 1792. That makes
it so old we can’t
even do the math.
£21.95 for 100ml |
carterandbond.com
This week, we doff our cap to the brands
that existed long before the concept
of male grooming was ever dreamt up
Extra time Grooming
58 | May 18 2012 |
History boys
Fu
ll S
top
Ph
oto
gra
ph
y
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Soak up the summer ‘sun’The weather might be terrible, but when
(or if) that one nice evening does come
along, these lot will see you through
Extra time Kit
60 | May 18 2012 |
1 2
3 4
5 6
1 Criminal Panel Polo £39 | houseoffraser.co.uk
Also available with ‘sorbet’ colouring in place of the
river lines (or, if you will, light red in place of the
blue), this number is a great alternative to plain
white polos.
2 Franklin & Marshall Sun Orange Polo£54 | franklinandmarshall.com
Blackpool fans, rejoice. A marvellous casual
alternative to wearing your side’s luminous
tangerine shirts – with the colour scheme dialled
down just a notch. It will also handily double as a
Dutch shirt come the summer. We reckon it’s good
for two finals.
3 Eden Park Regular Retro Polo£68 | uk.eden-park.com
Celebrate 25 years of the iconic rugby brand
Eden Park by getting one of these simple designs
– also available in pink, red, royal blue or sky blue.
4 Nike France Polo£45 | nikestore.com
All you ABE (Anyone But England) fans out there can
turn your backs in style by getting your hands on
this French beauty before the June 11 showdown
between Les Bleus and Roy’s boys.
5 Fred Perry Twin Tipped Polo£49 | usc.co.uk
This slim-fit top, with the signature Fred Perry
branding, is the epitome of the classic look. Ideal
for holidays and anyone looking to perfect that
early-years Andy Murray look this summer.
6 Puma Golf TransDry Pique Polo£40 | puma.com/golf
One for the Rory McIlroys among you. Puma’s polo
features special technology to keep you dry and
sweat-free, allowing a nice easy swing throughout
your round – no matter how long it takes.
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