Sport news

• John McGovern was Brian Clough's go-to midfielder but it wasn't the best of starts when he first met the famous boss

  07-01-2016 23:49 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  CRAIG HOPE: Over the space of 17 years Clough and McGovern would share four clubs, two European Cups – lifted by McGovern at Forest – two First Division titles and two League Cups.
  
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• Former chief executive Ian Watmore wants to replace FA Chairman Greg Dyke

  07-01-2016 23:46 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  EXCLUSIVE: Greg Dyke could face a challenge for the FA chairmanship from former chief executive Ian Watmore. Dyke has informed the FA he wants to stand for another year until he turns 70.
  
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• Give Sam Allardyce a break... he's right to question a system where our players are out injured while Europe's best are on sun beds

  07-01-2016 23:42 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  IAN LADYMAN: Jurgen Klopp, is preparing to put his club's place in the FA Cup at risk merely to save his senior players from the physical calamities. He is quickly finding that English football is unrelenting.
  
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• As Dele Alli's career motors on, watch footage of Tottenham's star midfielder take a driving lesson when he was just 17

  07-01-2016 23:42 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Footage has been uncovered of a driving lesson Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli undertook back in 2013, before sitting his second practical test. He failed at the first time of asking.
  
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• Robin Goodfellow's Racing Tips: All the best bets for Friday, January 8

  07-01-2016 23:40 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Sportsmail racing expert Robin Goodfellow gives his hottest selections ahead of Friday's races at Doncaster, Lingfield and Wolverhampton.
  
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• Fall-out from Hashim Amla quitting as South Africa captain takes focus off England flaws

  07-01-2016 23:40 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  England began a rare four-day break on tour on Thursday happy to sit back and watch the fall-out from Hashim Amla’s shock mid-series resignation as South Africa captain.
  
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• Manchester City open talks with Central Coast Mariners over signing Australian midfielder Anthony Caceres

  07-01-2016 23:39 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Manchester City are in talks to sign midfielder Anthony Caceres from Central Mariners. The 23-year-old is talking to City Group about a proposed £120,000 move, his buyout clause.
  
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• Chelsea approached Carlo Ancelotti five weeks before sacking Jose Mourinho but Italian rejected Stamford Bridge return 

  07-01-2016 23:39 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  EXCLUSIVE BY NEIL ASHTON: Carlo Ancelotti was offered the chance to replace Jose Mourinho at Chelsea five weeks before they sacked the Portuguese manager.
  
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• Reading line up £3m deal to sign Conor Washington following Nick Blackman exit

  07-01-2016 23:30 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Reading are discussing a deal for Peterborough striker Conor Washington.  Washington sat out training with Peterborough on Thursday as talks developed between the clubs.
  
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• 'I nearly robbed Tottenham of Ricky Villa's FA Cup moment by telling Keith Burkinshaw to drop him,' admits Steve Perryman

  07-01-2016 23:30 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Steve Perryman has got an FA Cup secret. If it had been down to him, one of Wembley's greatest moments might never have happened. If it was down to Perryman, Villa would not have played.
  
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• Late Momo strike hands Las Palmas win over nine-man Eibar

  07-01-2016 23:23
  Las Palmas's Momo scored a stoppage-time winner as they twice came from behind to snatch a 3-2 win at nine-man Eibar in the first leg of their King’s Cup last-16 clash on Thursday. Momo fired into the top corner from the centre of the penalty area after 92 minutes against an Eibar side that had Izet Hajrovic and Gonzalo Escalante sent off in the second half. Hajrovic put the home side ahead with a cool finish past keeper Raul Lizoain after 10 minutes following a defence-splitting pass from
  
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• Suspended Guatemalan judge granted release on bond in U.S. football case

  07-01-2016 22:50
  By Nate Raymond NEW YORK (Reuters) - A suspended Guatemalan judge who was arrested last month as part of a U.S. investigation into corruption in football's world governing body FIFA won the right to be released from jail on Thursday on a $4 million (3 million pounds) bond. Héctor Trujillo, 62, was secretary general of the Guatemalan football federation and a Constitutional Court judge until his Dec. 4 arrest while aboard a Disney cruise ship docked in Florida. With Trujillo's wife and one
  
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• Sunderland beat off Bundesliga competition to snap up Bayern defender

  07-01-2016 22:46
  
  Jan Kirchhoff is off to the Premier League.
  
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• Saudi Arabian prince: War with Iran not going to happen

  07-01-2016 22:35
  
  Deputy crown prince tells British magazine an Iran-Saudi war would mean catastrophe for the conflict-wracked region.
  
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• Brazil football chief Del Nero to go on leave again

  07-01-2016 22:26
  Brazilian football boss Marco Polo Del Nero, one of 16 football officials indicted by U.S. prosecutors last month, is to go on leave again from Friday for up to 150 days, his organisation, CBF, said on Thursday. Del Nero returned to work on Wednesday after completing a 45-day leave of absence taken to fight charges against him in football's corruption scandal. The CBF said in a statement that Del Nero “for personal reasons, would take leave, voluntarily, from January 8 from his position as
  
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• Sunderland sign Bayern defender Kirchhoff

  07-01-2016 22:25
  (Reuters) - Premier League strugglers Sunderland have signed defender Jan Kirchhoff from Bayern Munich for an undisclosed fee, the club said on Thursday. The towering centre back, 25, began his career at Mainz before joining Bayern in 2013. “Jan has a very good pedigree and even though he is still relatively young he has experience of football at the highest level, including the UEFA Champions League," manager Sam Allardyce told the club's website (www.safc.com).
  
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• Sunderland complete £750,000 signing of Bayern Munich defender Jan Kirchhoff on 18-month deal at the Stadium of Light

  07-01-2016 22:14 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce has made Bayern Munich defender Jan Kirchhoff his first signing of the winter transfer window. The 25-year-old centre-back has agreed an 18-month deal.
  
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• Who's at home for wild-card round? Not favorites

  07-01-2016 22:12
  
  It's great to make the playoffs and get a home game in the wild-card round. Not so great is being an underdog for that game.
  
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• Nationals don't expect heroics from Daniel Murphy

  07-01-2016 22:11
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Nationals don't expect Daniel Murphy to be their savior.
  
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• Russia must not be on the Rio 2016 Olympic Games track if the world’s greatest sporting event is to retain any integrity

  07-01-2016 21:59 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  MARTHA KELNER, ATHLETICS CORRESPONDENT: If the Olympics is to retain any shred of integrity then under no circumstances can Russia be allowed to take an athletics team.
  
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• Liverpool greats Steven Gerrard, Robbie Fowler and Ian Rush joke behind the scenes before thrashing Australian legends 4-0

  07-01-2016 21:53 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  They may have played in different eras, but Liverpool's legends looked like old friends when they reunited for a one-off exhibition match in Sydney on Thursday.
  
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• Crunch time coming for Republican presidential campaign

  07-01-2016 21:52
  
  Voters in Iowa will significantly narrow the Republican field in 26 days as they pick their favourite nominees.
  
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• Saudi soccer body won't send Champions League clubs to Iran

  07-01-2016 21:51
  
  RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia's soccer federation has said its clubs will not play Asian Champions League matches in Iran amid rising diplomatic tension.
  
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• Diego Costa and Oscar in angry clash at Chelsea training as team-mates are forced to separate the pair

  07-01-2016 21:41 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  SAMI MOKBEL: Chelsea duo Diego Costa and Oscar were involved in an angry training ground confrontation on Thursday afternoon. The pair had to be restrained after squaring up to each other.
  
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• Former Chelsea midfielder Claude Makelele appointed as Monaco technical director

  07-01-2016 21:31 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Former Chelsea midfielder Claude Makelele could have a role to play in Radamel Falcao's future after taking up a technical director role with Ligue 1 side Monaco.
  
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• Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew hits out at Neil Warnock and denies Charlie Austin link

  07-01-2016 21:30 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Alan Pardew has ruthlessly lashed out at Neil Warnock after the former Crystal Palace manager suggested his successor needs to sign Charlie Austin.
  
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• Griffey Jr goes to Hall with Mariners cap; Piazza with Mets

  07-01-2016 21:27
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — Ken Griffey Jr. will go into the Hall of Fame with a Seattle Mariners' cap and Mike Piazza will have a New York Mets' hat.
  
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• APNewsbreak: Platini withdraws from FIFA presidential race

  07-01-2016 21:13
  
  NYON, Switzerland (AP) — Michel Platini's dream of becoming the next FIFA president is over.
  
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• Osvaldo returns to Boca to link up with Tevez again

  07-01-2016 21:07
  Italy striker Dani Osvaldo has returned to Argentina looking for a second shot at helping his favourite club Boca Juniors win a record-equalling seventh Copa Libertadores this year. Argentine-born Osvaldo, who spent the first half of 2015 at Boca before moving to Porto, began pre-season training with the Argentine team on Thursday and is set to sign on Friday when club president Daniel Angelici returns from holiday, the sports daily Ole reported. The 29-year-old former Espanyol, AS Roma, Southam
  
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• Paraguay officials raid South American football confederation CONMEBOL

  07-01-2016 21:04
  Paraguayan state prosecutors on Thursday raided the headquarters of CONMEBOL, South America's football confederation, as part of a money laundering investigation, a police official told local radio. Prosecutor Hernán Galeano led Thursday's raid on CONMEBOL's headquarters building on the outskirts of Paraguay's capital, Asuncion, local police official Abel Cañete said in an interview broadcast on radio station Primero de Marzo.
  
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• Fire breaks out at Rio Olympic park after labour protest - report

  07-01-2016 20:49
  A fire broke out in a shipping container near the tennis venue at Rio de Janeiro's Olympic Park on Thursday and may have been intentionally set by protesting former workers, the G1 news website of Brazil's Globo media group reported. The fire, which started in the early afternoon local time, was quickly controlled by firefighters, G1 reported citing Rio de Janeiro's fire department. There was no damage to Olympic facilities and no injuries at the site, which is still under construction ahead of
  
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• IFAB to recommend video technology trials

  07-01-2016 20:45
  By Mike Collett LONDON (Reuters) - The use of video replays to help referees decide questionable goals, penalties, red cards and mistaken identities could be trialled from next season, football's law-making body, the International Football Association Board said on Thursday. Jonathan Ford, the chief executive of the Football Association of Wales, who chaired the IFAB business meeting told reporters: "We are making the strongest possible recommendation to approve this experiment at the 130th annu
  
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• Michel Platini drops out of FIFA presidential race to concentrate on fighting his ban

  07-01-2016 20:39 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Michel Platini has formally withdrawn his candidacy for the FIFA presidency and said he will dedicate himself to overturning his eight-year ban from all football-related activity.
  
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• Platini withdraws candidacy for FIFA presidency

  07-01-2016 20:31
  Banned European football boss president Michel Platini has withdrawn his candidacy from the race for the presidency of football's scandal-plagued governing body FIFA, he told French sports daily L'Equipe on Thursday. Platini, the head of European football body UEFA, was handed an eight-year ban from the game by along with outgoing FIFA president Sepp Blatter by the federation's independent Ethics Committee on Dec. 21.
  
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• Novak Djokovic stumbles into Qatar Open semi-finals with world No 1 on course for Doha clash with Rafael Nadal

  07-01-2016 20:29 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Novak Djokovic laboured through to the semi-finals of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open with victory against Leonardo Mayer. Djokovic was nowhere near his best but still found a way to win in straight sets.
  
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• Swansea caretaker manager Alan Curtis to remain in charge until end of the season

  07-01-2016 20:25 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Swansea have taken a gamble on their Premier League status by confirming caretaker manager Alan Curtis will stay in charge until the end of the season.
  
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• Football League Q&A: Garry Thompson on his hatred for pre-season, looking up to sprint king Michael Johnson and scoring in the playoff final

  07-01-2016 20:17 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Garry Thompson may not have become a footballer at all. As a sprinter at school, he wanted to emulate his hero, USA great Michael Johnson. He also confesses to a hatred of pre-season training.
  
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• Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri handed £700 speeding fine after admitting offence

  07-01-2016 20:16 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has been fined £700 for speeding after being caught driving over the limit on a road in Cambridgeshire. Ranieri did not attend court to receive his fine.
  
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• England coach gives Buttler IPL green light

  07-01-2016 20:09
  By Mark Gleeson CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - Out-of-favour England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler is being encouraged by coach Trevor Bayliss to play in this year's Indian Premier League (IPL) to hone his limited overs skills. "It’s something we've spoken about,” Bayliss told reporters following the conclusion of the drawn second test against South Africa in Cape Town. "He definitely wants to play more test cricket for England, which is great.
  
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• Argentina, Uruguay want to co-host 2030 World Cup

  07-01-2016 20:05
  COLONIA, Uruguay (Reuters) - Argentina and neighbouring Uruguay will bid to co-host the 2030 World Cup, Argentine President Mauricio Macri said at a joint news conference on Thursday with Uruguayan leader Tabare Vazquez. "We have decided that our best opportunity is to jointly nominate ourselves as candidates," Macri said during a visit to Colonia, Uruguay. Uruguay hosted and won the first World Cup in 1930, beating Argentina 4-2 in the final. (Reporting by Matias Larramendi; Writing by Hugh Bro
  
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• Stoke manager Mark Hughes hoping to agree terms with forward Marko Arnautovic 

  07-01-2016 20:03 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Stoke boss Mark Hughes is confident the club's ongoing contract talks with Marko Arnautovic will result in an agreement being reached. The Austrian's current contract runs out in summer 2017.
  
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• Manchester United didn't want him back and Dortmund don't need him... Adnan Januzaj must embrace adulthood to reach potential

  07-01-2016 19:58 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  IAN LADYMAN: His talent is clear for all to see but both Manchester United and Belgium have questioned Adnan Januzaj's mentality. He needs to start again as he approaches 21.
  
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• Curtis staying in charge of Swansea for rest of season

  07-01-2016 19:44
  Caretaker manager Alan Curtis will remain in charge of Swansea City for the rest of the Premier League season, the club said on Thursday. The former Wales and Swansea forward assumed control when Garry Monk was sacked last month. "Curtis took over the managerial duties on December 11 and has picked up five points from his five games in charge to keep the club out of the relegation zone after a difficult start to the campaign," the club said on their website (www.swanseacity.com).
  
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• West Brom head coach Tony Pulis to learn of January transfer budget over dinner with chairman Jeremy Peace on Friday 

  07-01-2016 19:33 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Tony Pulis will thrash out West Brom's transfer plans over dinner with chairman Jeremy Peace. The pair will discuss on Friday January targets and Pulis and knows Peace will have the final say.
  
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• Joe Cole signs for Coventry City until end of the season after successful loan spell from Premier League strugglers Aston Villa

  07-01-2016 19:24 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  The 34-year-old, who has been capped 56 times by England, headed out on loan in October after failing to hold down a first-team place at Aston Villa. Cole has 18 years of Premier League experience.
  
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• Donald Cerrone one of three fighters fined for ‘serious violations’ of UFC’s outfitting policy

  07-01-2016 18:59
  
  It relates to the UFC’s new Reebok deal.
  
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• Leicester lock Dom Barrow slapped with one-week ban after being cited for striking Saracens' Maro Itoje

  07-01-2016 18:55 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Leicester lock Dom Barrow has received a one-week suspension and will be unavailable for Tigers' Aviva Premiership clash against Northampton on Saturday.
  
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• Sunderland leave Lorient raging after pulling plug on £5m deal for Lamine Kone 

  07-01-2016 18:38 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Lorient have reacted angrily after Sunderland pulled the plug on the proposed £5million deal of Lamine Kone. The clubs agreed a fee last week but Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce halted talks.
  
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• Jermaine Pennant in Singapore, Darmian unhappy and all the latest transfer gossip

  07-01-2016 18:36
  
  Also, the latest on Felipe Anderson’s potential move from Lazio to Man United.
  
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• Syrian government to allow aid for starving town

  07-01-2016 18:28
  
  UN: Assad forces to let humanitarian aid into besieged town of Madaya where 23 people have reportedly starved to death.
  
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