Patrick Kluivert’s move to Newcastle has created a good deal of excited talk, and not just among those with shares in Tyneside nightclubs. Some critics have wondered if the Dutchman is an over-egged pudding. Many more doubting voices might be raised were the brains behind the move not those of Newcastle’s Freddy Shepherd.
It’s been a tough few days for Wayne Rooney, who is learning the harsh lessons of life rather too quickly for an 18-year-old. He started the week as a happily engaged lad-made-good, the most wanted teenager in football. Last Sunday, the Sunday Mirror revealed England’s Euro 2004 top-scorer had been scoring with an escort.
The United States Senate report on Riggs bank details a path of corruption, cover-ups and unscrupulous collusion between the respected bank and the President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. Single-party rule was officially ended in Equatorial Guinea in 1991, but free and fair elections have not followed.
Roman Abramovich’s transfer spending since he bought the Stamford Bridge club just more than a year ago now exceeds £200-million. But there are still a few decent players for Europe’s footballing money men to chase. Get the lowdown on Fernando Torres, Pablo, David Trezeguet and the rest of the bunch.
Organisers of the Athens Olympics admitted on Thursday that fewer than half of the 5,3-million tickets for the event have been sold, raising the prospect that athletes will perform before sparsely filled stadiums. At this stage, ticket sales for the Sydney games had surpassed 75%.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard fuelled diplomatic tensions with Greece on Friday by again warning of the possibility of a terrorist attack at the Athens Olympics that start on August 13. Howard appealed to the Greek government and the Greek ambassador to Australia not to take offence at his comments.
Organisers of the Athens Olympics admitted on Thursday that fewer than half of the 5,3-million tickets for the event have been sold, raising the prospect that athletes will perform before sparsely filled stadiums. At this stage, ticket sales for the Sydney games had surpassed 75%.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has ordered a replay of the Confederation Cup match between Orlando Pirates and Sable de Batie of Cameroon. This comes after the referees had declared a walkover in favour of Sable, but a CAF emergency committee on Thursday ordered a replay on August 15.
Fast bowler Makhaya Ntini claimed five wickets on Friday to help South Africa dismiss a Sri Lanka Cricket President’s XI to 251 runs in a three-day warm-up match. In reply South Africa was 34 for two wickets at stumps on the first day, with the loss of both openers — skipper Graeme Smith (21) and Andrew Puttick (0).
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