Thursday, September 24, 2015

Dr Eva Carneiro quits Chelsea following Mourinho outburst!


Dr Eva Carneiro has decided against a return to Chelsea Football Club, and is now expected to fight for a significant pay-off from the Premier League side.

The Times and the Daily Mail both report that the FA is investigating a complaint from a member of the public claiming Mourinho had shouted "filha da puta" - something that means "daughter of a whore" towards Carneiro during the Premier League match against Swansea City on 8th August.

New evidence regarding the incident involving Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho and team doctor Eva Carneiro has been submitted to the Football Association by Women in Football (WiF).

This evidence includes video footage and a written submission from a Portuguese translator who says the coach singled out the club doctor in his outburst.

After the controversial incident with manager Jose Mourinho, Carneiro lost her place on the Chelsea bench and was not allowed to attend training sessions, matches or enter the team hotel.

Carneiro was told to report back for duty at Chelsea last Friday by the club’s hierarchy, the day before the crucial game at home to Arsenal, but decided against doing so and is understood to have now left the club.

The news has invited criticism from within the Football Association, with chair of the 'FA's Inclusion Advisory Board' (IAB) Heather Rabbatts expressing her "sadness and anger" at Dr Carneiro’s departure.


Anna Kessel, chair and co-founder of WiF, said: "We'll be extremely surprised if there is no charge at all."

Kessel also wrote in the Guardian: "One day we will look back at the story of Dr Eva Carneiro and wonder how any of this happened."

"How did a highly respected doctor have her reputation ripped to shreds despite not putting a foot wrong?"

"How did a Premier League manager lose his rag, misinterpret the facts and the laws of the game and fail to apologise? And why did no one defend her?"

"It is time now to hear from the game's enforcers, the Football Association and the Premier League. WiF urges them to step up to the plate."

"This is about medical ethics, human rights, employment rights, the integrity of the game. This is a test and we urge football not to shy away from it."

Mourinho’s heavy-handed actions have been condemned by Fifa and the medical community while Chelsea have continued to insist it is an “internal staffing matter” and have not commented throughout the case.


Mourinho had claimed that both Carneiro and Fearn could both eventually resume their duties despite his angry criticism of them – when he called them naïve and not understanding football - but, according to sources at the club, it was always expected that the doctor would leave as her position had appeared to become untenable.

Carneiro is understood to have further angered the manager when in the immediate aftermath of the incident, during the 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge, she took to the social media network Facebook to express her thanks for the "overwhelming support" she received.

Chelsea are unlikely to replace Carneiro (right) in the short-term with Dr Chris Hughes, who has worked with the academy players, continuing to sit on the bench. However it is understood the club is eventually going to use another doctor, David Porter, in the role once he has the necessary certificate to enter the field of play.

In a further twist first team physiotherapist Jon Fearn, who was also rebuked by Mourinho and demoted after also running onto the pitch, is expected to return to the Chelsea bench and has continued to work with the first-team players and also travelled to games.

Defending the doctor’s actions against Swansea, Rabbatts said last night: "Any other response would have been a dereliction of her duty and a breach of General Medical Council guidelines."

"In acting properly she was then subject to verbal abuse and public criticism and in effect demoted by her removal from the bench."


"Over the weekend WiF submitted evidence to the FA's investigation into Mourinho's comments as well as writing to Richard Scudamore, Chief Executive of the highest tier of association football in England, the Premier League.

Anna Kessel says of Carnerio: "Anyone who has met her is impressed by her professionalism, her serious nature, her commitment to helping others – both the patients she treats and the young women who write her streams of letters wanting to follow in her footsteps. She has worked at Chelsea for six years, as first-team doctor under four different managerial regimes. Surviving as a female medic in the football industry is hard enough; excelling as one is almost unheard of.

Dr Carneiro had already endured so much in her career, the horrific sexist abuse from opposition fans highlighted by the WiF campaign last season. It is sad that her ultimate downfall appears to be at the hands of the very club who once supported her and a game that so far has suggested it does not care to."

The expectation remains that no charge will be leveled, but if he is prosecuted Mourinho could be handed a five-match ban.


Friday, September 18, 2015

Will Dr Eva Carneiro accept Chelsea's invitation to return?


Dr Eva Carneiro, who was banned from the Chelsea bench after being criticised by manager José Mourinho, has been told to report for work at the club’s training ground today.
Carneiro has not been seen at Chelsea since the incident on 8th August, possibly through the legal advice she has taken from law firm Mishcon de Reya, but has been informed that she needs to return to duty now.

Whether Carneiro turns up at the Cobham training ground in Surrey remains to be seen – although physio Jon Fearn, who also had his duties cut, has continued to work during the intervening period with the first-team.

The Football Association has confirmed it is investigating a complaint that Chelsea manager José Mourinho used abusive language during the incident in the opening game against Swansea that saw club doctor Eva Carneiro and first-team physiotherapist Jon Fearn stripped of their matchday duties.

Fearn has not, as yet, resumed his place on the Chelsea bench but is expected to eventually do so. Whether Carneiro is able to do the same would appear to remain in doubt although there have been claims the duo will be in place for Saturday’s Premier League match at home to Arsenal.
Chelsea have previously insisted the issue is an "internal staffing matter" and say they do not intend to comment although Mourinho has publically said that Carneiro might be reinstated.

According to a report in the Independent, the Football Association received a complaint after the match on 8th August and the governing body’s compliance department are now studying video evidence.

Carneiro (right), born in Gibraltar is understood to have already taken legal advice with the possibility that Chelsea might be seeking to re-deploy her within their medical department and away from being first-team doctor. Some lawyers have suggested she may have grounds for constructive dismissal.

The Chelsea manager lost his cool towards the very end of his team’s 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge, when Eden Hazard went down in the third minute of stoppage time and Carneiro and Fearn ran on to treat the winger and it was revealed last month that Carneiro and Fearn had been told they would not sit on the Chelsea bench after the incident with Mourinho accusing the pair of naivety and failing to "understand the game."

Under FA rule E3, players and coaches can be penalised for using "offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures," with Mourinho facing up to a five-match ban if he is found guilty.

It subsequently emerged that not only did referee Michael Oliver twice gesture the medics to come on, but that he had also checked with Hazard that he wanted to receive treatment. This led to further criticism of Mourinho from medical professionals.

Sky Sports released video footage of the moment Mourinho lost his temper with his medical staff which appears to show the Portuguese boss calling one or both of them “son of a bitch”.
According to the report, Carneiro has not returned to Chelsea’s Cobham training ground since being withdrawn from matchday duties, with Doctor Chris Hughes and physiotherapist Steven Hughes having replaced her and Fearn.

Mourinho’s treatment of Carneiro and Fearn has already been discussed by world football governing body FIFA. Another influential body, the British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine (BASEM) has also raised the matter with the League Managers Association of which Mourinho is a member.

Chelsea play Arsenal on Saturday 19th September at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League, kick-off 12:45 BST.


Will Eva be on the bench tomorrow in her capacity as Chelsea first-team doctor?


Wednesday, September 09, 2015

Statistically, the best performing players in the English Premier League so far this season!


The top ten performing English Premier League outfield players in each of their respective positions since the start of the season, ranked according to the exclusive CIES Football Observatory’s approach to the technical analysis of performance. Only footballers fielded for at least 60% of minutes are included in the rankings.
Data provider: OptaPro.

For those of you currently playing 'Fantasy Premier League Football' you may want to take note!

Season 2015/16 - Last update: 31/08/2015

Centre-Backs:

1. L. Koscielny (Arsenal) 100.0
2. A. Williams (Swansea) 78.2 (right)
3. J. Fonte (Southampton) 61.4
4. C. Smalling (Man. United) 60.0
5. E. Mangala (Man. City) 57.1
6. F. Fernández (Swansea) 53.2
7. E. Can (Liverpool) 53.1
8. J. Vertonghen (Tottenham) 48.7
9. S. Cook (Bournemouth) 47.4
10. V. Kompany (Man. City) 46.9

Full-Backs:

1. A.Kolarov (Man. City) 100.0
2. N. Monreal (Arsenal) 96.8
3. J. Amavi (Aston Villa) 86.5 (right)
4. C. Soares (Southampton) 80.5
5. S. Francis (Bournemouth) 75.9
6. J. Holebas (Watford) 71.7
7. L. Shaw (Man. United) 67.5
8. S. Coleman (Everton) 63.1
9. A. Nyom (Watford) 58.6
10. C. Daniels (Bournemouth) 57.6

Defensive Midfielders:

1. Y. Touré (Man. City) 100.0
2. F. Coquelin (Arsenal) 87.1
3. A. Ramsey (Arsenal) 75.5
4. J. Cork (Swansea) 64.1
5. J. Shelvey (Swansea) 60.6
6. J. McArthur (Crystal Palace) 59.0 (right)
7. N. Matić (Chelsea) 58.6
8. E. Capoue (Watford) 56.9
9. B. Schweinsteiger (Man. United) 51.8
10. L. Fernandinho (Man. City) 51.2

Attacking Midfielders:

1. D. Silva (Man. City) 100.0 (right)
2. E. Hazard (Chelsea) 75.0
3. J. Montero (Swansea) 73.0
4. S. Cazorla (Arsenal) 72.8
5. M. Özil (Arsenal) 71.2
6. S. Mané (Southampton) 66.0
7. R. Barkley (Everton) 62.4
8. J. Morrison (WBA) 60.5
9. W. Hoolahan (Norwich) 57.8
10. J. Mata (Man. United) 57.1

Forwards:

1. D. Tadić (Southampton) 100.0
2. A. Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) 97.9
3. R. Mahrez (Leicester) 92.7
4. C. Wilson (Bournemouth) 74.7
5. A. Koné (Everton) 65.3
6. B. Gomis (Swansea) 60.2 (right)
7. R. Sterling (Man. City) 56.4
8. M. Diouf (Stoke) 47.4
9. S. Agüero (Man. City) 46.8
10. D. Costa (Chelsea) 41.4


The Football Observatory is a research group within the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES), a private foundation affiliated to the University of Neuchâtel, in Switzerland. Set up in 2005 by Drs Raffaele Poli and Loïc Ravenel, it currently comprises a staff of full-time permanent researchers specialised in the statistical analysis of football.

The CIES Football Observatory has regularly been mandated to undertake original analysis by several prestigious institutions such as, but not limited to, FIFA, UEFA, European Club Association (ECA), European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL), Swiss Football League (SFL), Aspire Academy, as well as top-flight European clubs in several countries.

CIES Football Observatory, Avenue DuPeyrou 1, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland, +41 (0)32 718 39 00


Tuesday, September 01, 2015

Babe of the Month - Katarina Johnson-Thompson



Katarina Mary Johnson-Thompson was born on 9th January 1993 in Woolton, Liverpool and is an English track and field athlete specialising in the heptathlon.

At the age of nine, with an audition for the Royal Ballet School lined up, Katarina reversed Billy Elliot’s cinematic route and chose sport over dance.

Her father Ricardo is Bahamian, Katarina attended St Julie's Catholic High School in Woolton and John Moores University in Liverpool, where she studied for her sports science degree. Katarina represents Liverpool Harriers and is coached by Mike Holmes. She is also an ardent fan of Liverpool FC and admits she was "devastated" when Steven Gerrard left the club.

At the 2009 World Youth Championships in Athletics in Brixen, Italy, she won the gold medal in the heptathlon.

She missed most of the 2010 athletics season suffering from patellar tendinopathy, also known as jumper's knee.

Johnson-Thompson broke Jessica Ennis' British junior record at the Multistars competition held in Desenzano del Garda, Italy in May 2012.

At the 2012 IAAF World Junior Championships, held in Barcelona, Johnson-Thompson chose not to compete in the heptathlon competition to save herself for the Olympics; instead she took part in the long jump and the 100 metres hurdles, winning a gold medal in the long jump, with a leap of 6.81 metres.


Johnson-Thompson competed for Great Britain at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the women's heptathlon, alongside compatriots Jessica Ennis and Louise Hazel at the Olympic Stadium. She finished in 15th place with a score of 6267 points.

In September 2012 Johnson-Thompson was nominated for the "European Athletics Rising Star award." In October, she won the "Lillian Board Memorial Award" (for junior women) at the 2012 British Athletics Writers' Association Awards.

In the 2013 IAAF World Championships held in Moscow, Katarina Johnson-Thompson finished in 5th place in the heptathlon. After a first day which left her in 5th place, with a personal best (PB) in the 200m, she had an excellent second day with PB's in the Long Jump, Javelin and the 800m, finishing just 28 points away from bronze medallist Dafne Schippers.

In March 2014 IAAF World Indoor Championships held at the Ergo Arena in Sopot, Poland, Katarina won long jump silver with a PB jump of 6.81m.

On 11th July 2014, Johnson-Thompson set a new long jump personal best of 6.92m at the Glasgow Diamond League meeting, taking her to number 2 on the British all-time list for the event. Johnson-Thompson won gold at the 2014 edition of the prestigious heptathlon Hypo-Meeting in Götzis, with a world leading personal best score of 6682.

Katarina was expected to be the GB team’s outstanding performer in track and field at the Commonwealth Games and the European Championships last summer. But her hopes of competing were ruined by a stress-fracture in her foot.

Johnson-Thompson set a new British high jump record with a height of 1.97 metres at the British Indoor Championships in Sheffield on 14 February 2015, surpassing her previous record of 1.96 metres set on 8 February 2014. Prior to Johnson-Thompson, Debbie Marti's 1.95 metre jump had held the record since 1997.

On 21st February 2015, Johnson-Thompson set a new indoor British long jump record with a distance of 6.93m at the Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix.

In August 2015, Katarina finished in 28th place in the heptahlon at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing after three foul jumps in the long jump meant she failed to record a score in the event, effectively ending her hopes of winning a medal. Her final jump appeared to be good at first, but officials discovered on closer inspection that she had marginally overstepped the take-off mark, and ruled it illegal after a delay of nearly five minutes. She had been lying in second place to Jessica Ennis-Hill after the first day of events. Ennis-Hill went on to win gold.


You can follow KJT on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram


Sunday, August 16, 2015

José Mourinho - A Very Special Crime Sheet!




José Mário dos Santos Mourinho Félix is widely regarded by many players and coaches to be one of the best managers of his generation, and by some to be one of the greatest ever managers, but the fiery Lisbon born Chelsea manager is no stranger to controversy!



AUGUST 2015 


Eva Carneiro, Chelsea’s first-team doctor and club physio Jon Fearn came under fire from Jose Mourinho for trying to treat Eden Hazard in stoppage time as 10-man Chelsea held on for a point against Swansea in their opening game of the 2015/16 campaign.
It reduced Chelsea to nine men as goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had already been sent off.
Mourinho said afterwards: “I wasn't happy with my medical staff," stating that they had been "impulsive and naive" and "did not understand the game."
“If you go to the pitch to assist a player, then you must be sure that a player has a serious problem. I was sure that Eden didn't have a serious problem. He had a knock and was very tired. My medical department left me with eight fit outfield players in a counter attack after a set piece and we were worried we didn't have enough players left.”                      

The Football Medical Association stressed that Carneiro "acted with integrity and professionalism at all times."

In a subsequent press conference Mourinhio said Carneiro and Fearn will not be on the bench for the next match at Manchester City, but Mourinho has not ruled out their return.
Based on what I have heard I believe Fern will be allowed to return to the bench, but Dr Careiro (pictured right) will soon be seeking employment elsewhere - there is no smoke without fire!


JUNE 2015

Jose Mourinho is given a six-month driving ban after being found guilty of speeding last year.
The Chelsea manager was handed the ban after being caught driving at 60mph in a 50mph zone on the A3 in Surrey in September 2014.


JANUARY 2015


Jose Mourinho is fined £25,000 by the Football Association but escapes a touchline ban for his claims that there was a “campaign” against Chelsea.
An FA hearing found Mourinho to have been guilty of “improper conduct” for his comments about referees, however the commission decided he was not implying bias.


APRIL 2014

Fined £8,000 and warned about his future conduct after being sent off against Aston Villa after approaching referee Chris Foy when Ramires was sent off.


MAY 2014

Fined £10,000 for his remarks after sarcastically congratulating officials following Chelsea's Premier League defeat to Sunderland at Stamford Bridge.
After the match, which saw his assistant Rui Faria sent to the stands and later given a six-match stadium ban, Mourinho congratulated his Chelsea players, Sunderland and then moved on to the officials.

He described referee Mike Dean's performance as "unbelievable" and "fantastic", before moving on to head of referees, Mike Riley, saying: "What they are doing during the whole season is fantastic, especially in the last couple of months, especially in matches involving the teams that were in the title race, it's absolutely fantastic."


OCTOBER 2013

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho fined £8,000 for a breach of FA rules during his sides clash with Cardiff. Mourinho was sent to the stands with about 20 minutes left of the match, which ended in a 4-1 victory for his side.

The Portuguese lost his temper with referee Anthony Taylor when he asked Branislav Ivanovic to speed up taking a throw-in, having seen Cardiff get away with time-wasting earlier in the game.


MAY 2013

Atletico de Madrid faced Real Madrid in the final of the King’s Cup in Mourinho’s final act at the Bernabeu. Atletico hadn’t beaten Real Madrid in 25 games going back to 1999, but in a dirty yet riveting match Diego Simone’s side caused an upset, winning 2-1 after extra-time. By the time of the final whistle, Mourinho had long since departed, being sent off for abusing the referee.
His assistant Aitor Karanka accepted his runners-up medal and commemorative tray on his behalf. On seeing him, King Juan Carlos turned to Angel Maria Villar, the president of the Spanish Football Association, and said, 'Do I give it to this guy?'

Mourinho picks up a two-game ban for his behaviour.


OCTOBER 2011

On 17 August 2011, in the final of the 2011 Supercopa de España, Mourinho was seen gouging the eye of Barcelona's assistant coach Tito Vilanova during a brawl at the end of the game. After the game Mourinho did not comment on the incident except to claim that he did not know who "Pito" Vilanova was, with Pito being Spanish slang for penis.
As a result Mourinio received a two-game ban.


MAY 2011

UEFA handed the then Real Madrid coach Mourinho a five-match ban by UEFA for an on-field outburst and post-match comments after their spite-filled Champions League semi-final defeat to arch rivals Barcelona.

Mourinho was fined £44,000 by UEFA's control and disciplinary body for his sending-off and comments after the first leg.


DURING 2011 and 2012

The acrimony between Barca and Real Madrid was getting out of hand. Iker Casillas, Spain’s World Cup-winning captain intervened, telephoning Xavi and Carles Puyol, his international teammates and counterparts at Barca, looking to mend relations between the two teams.
When Mourinho heard about the peace overture, he flipped and accused Casillas of traitorous behaviour. During a Real Madrid squad meeting, Mourinho lectured his players, telling them they had to all pull in the same direction, while staring at Casillas. His captain exploded.
'Everybody in the same direction?' Casillas roared. 'What does that mean? All of us go in the direction that you want to go? That’s the last time you make a shit of me in front of my companeros!'
Casillas and Mourinho didn’t speak again for a month.

In January 2012, 'Sport' one of Barcelona’s most respected sports newspapers, published a story in which it claimed Casillas might be 'el topo', the mole in the Real dressing room that has been leaking information to the Spanish press during Mourinho’s tenure. That month, there had been a training pitch bust-up with Casillas and Sergio Ramos. Mourinho dropped both players – Casillas for the second half of the season. In a squad survey commissioned by Perez, fifteen players said they wanted rid of Mourinho; five threatened to take up transfer offers if he stayed.


DECEMBER 2010

Real Madrid travelled to Amsterdam to play Ajax in a Champions League group stage match in November 2010, already having qualified for the knockout stages. Real Madrid prevailed, winning 4-0, but not without some chicanery towards the end of the game when they engineered two red cards.
In a convoluted manoeuvre, caught on camera, Mourinho despatched a message, via substitute goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek, to Iker Casillas and on to Sergio Ramos and Xabi Alonso to intentionally get Ramos and Alonso second yellow cards.

After an investigation by UEFA Real Madrid were fined €100,000, Mourinho €30,000 plus a a one-match Champions League ban with Alonso, Ramos, Casillas and Dudek all receiving lesser fines, but Ramos and Alonso were now free to start the knockout games the following February with a clean slate.



NOVEMBER 2010


Two-match ban for being sent off after protesting to the referee during a 5-1 Copa del Rey victory against Real Murcia, a third-tier team.

Two days before playing Sporting de Gijon in the league, Mourinho re-iterated claims that Sporting purposefully played a weakened side against Barcelona the previous September. The allegation drew the ire of Sporting’s coach, Manolo Preciado, who called Mourinho 'canalla', a swine or creep.
Mourinho, who was serving a two-match ban for abusing a ref in a Copa del Rey match, watched the match from the VIP box. Real Madrid won 1-0. Mourinho left the stadium flanked by three security staff, and, as his team bus pulled away, he casually flipped his two fingers at screaming Sporting fans.


FEBRUARY 2010

Three-game ban and €40,000 fine while manager at Inter Milan for a handcuff gesture to Sampdoria fans. Mourinho made the "handcuffs" gesture after seeing Inter's Walter Samuel and Ivan Cordoba sent off and Samuel Eto'o booked against Sampdoria.
The gesture has been interpreted as a way of suggesting his side have been victimised by referees in Serie A. Mourinho had also insulted the officials at half-time in the 0-0 draw.
Samuel and Cordoba were both dismissed in the first half of the match, while Eto'o was booked for allegedly diving.
When Eto'o received the yellow card, Mourinho burst out laughing and made the "handcuffs" gesture in front of photographers and TV cameras.
Mourinho - who had served two one-game bans already that season after being sent off, did not speak to the media after the match against Sampdoria.


SEPTEMBER 2009

One-match touchline ban and a €15,000 (£13,500) fine for abusing the referee in Inter's 2-1 win against Cagliari. He was sent to the stands in the second half after protesting vehemently on the sideline after referee Daniele Orsato failed to book Cagliari player Davide Astori for a foul on Inter's Mario Balotelli.

Italy's football judicial body said Mourinho "had theatrically contested a referee's decision and repeatedly directed harsh insults at the referee."


JUNE 2005

On 2 June 2005, Mourinho was fined £200,000 for his part in the meeting with then Arsenal full-back Ashley Cole in January 2005 in breach of the Premier League rules. His fine was later reduced to £75,000 after a hearing in August


APRIL 2005

Mourinho allegedly hid in a laundry basket used for transporting the club's kit to get round the before Chelsea's Champions League quarter-final tie against Bayern Munich to beat a UEFA ban imposed on him following his behaviour in the previous round against Barcelona (see below).
It was claimed that Mourinho arrived early at the ground, watched the game on a TV in a dressing room and delivered the pre-match and half-time talks.
Then, 10 minutes before the end of the game, Mourinho clambered into one of the laundry skips and was then wheeled away to the Stamford Bridge leisure club where it was claimed he had spent the entire evening.


MARCH 2005

Following a last-16 Champions League tie between Chelsea and Barcelona at the Nou Camp in March 2005, Mourinho accused Swedish referee Anders Frisk and Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard of breaking FIFA rules by having a meeting at half–time.
Mourinho insisted that this biased the referee and caused him to send off Chelsea striker Didier Drogba in the second half. Frisk admitted that Rijkaard had tried to speak to him but insisted that he had sent him away. The situation intensified when Frisk began to receive death threats from angered Chelsea fans, causing the referee to retire prematurely.

After an investigation of the incident, Mourinho was given a two-match touchline ban for his behaviour and fined £9,000 by UEFA, and Frisk never took charge of another professional football match again.



Saturday, August 08, 2015

My Predictions for the 2015/16 Football Season and the Betting Odds.


Sky Bet League Two:

Winners: Leyton Orient 12/1

Runners-up: Oxford (8/1 to win League Two, 13/8 to win promotion)

Promotion by winning the Play-offs: Portsmouth 9/1, Luton Town 10/1, Plymouth 16/1 or Cambridge 14/1

Dark Horses: Exeter City

Relegation: Newport 4/1 and Crawley 11/2

Top Scorer: John Akinde (Barnet) 20/1

Players to Watch: Lee Holmes (Exeter), Ben Kennedy (Stevenage), John Akinde (Barnet)


# Sky bet odds correct at time of writing.

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Sky Bet League One:

Winners: Sheffield United 9/2

Runners-up: Barnsley (16/1 to win League One, 5/1 to win promotion)

Promotion by winning the Play-offs: Bradford 12/1, Peterborough 14/1 Fleetwood 18/1, or Scunthorpe 18/1

Dark Horses: Bury and Gillingham

Relegation: Crewe 4/5, Colchester Evens, Walsall 9/2 and Port Vale 3/2

Top Scorer: Leon Clarke (Bury) 18/1 or Ian Henderson (Rochdale) 12/1

Players to Watch: Jack Collison (Peterborough) Jobi McAnuff (Leyton Orient), Paul Anderson (Bradford), Jimmy Ryan (Fleetwood), Marley Watkins (Barnsley)


# Sky bet odds correct at time of writing.

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Sky Bet Championship:

Winners: Middlesbrough 5/1

Runner-up: Derby (6/1 to win the Championship, 7/4 for promotion)

Promotion by winning the Play-offs: Hull 9/1, Burnley 11/1, Wolves 11/1 and Fulham 28/1

Dark Horses: Bristol City

Relegation: Rotherham 11/8, Huddersfield 4/1 and Preston 5/1

Top Scorer: Benik Afobe (Wolves) 10/1, Chris Martin (Derby) 10/1, Daryl Murphy (Ipswich) 12/1

Players to Watch: Tom Ince (Derby), Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough), David McGoldrick (Ipswich), Chris Wood (Leeds)


# Sky bet odds correct at time of writing.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Barclays Premier League:

Winners: Chelsea 13/8

Runners-up: Arsenal

Europe (Champions League qualification): Tottenham and Manchester City

Dark Horses: Stoke City and Crystal Palace

Relegation: Sunderland 15/8, Leicester 3/1 and Watford 8/13

Top scorers: Christian Benteke 16/1, Daniel Sturridge 11/2 e/w and Romelu Lukaku 10/1 e/w

Players to Watch: Memphis Depay (Man Utd), Troy Deeney (Watford), Aleksandar Mitrović (Newcastle), Dimitri Payet (West Ham), Matt Richie (Bournemouth), Yohan Cabaye (C.Palace) and Bojan Krkić (Stoke)


# Sky bet odds correct at time of writing.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Sunday, August 02, 2015

Babe of the Month - Brazilian Fitness Beauty Andreia Brazier


All fitness fans have a goal body in mind. The fitness industry is a multi-million dollar business, pedalling products promising that elusive perfect figure. Whether it’s exercise videos, diet foods, subscriptions, memberships, or meetings, there’s always a new fad to fulfil your fitness goals. It’s an ongoing quest, that gets more challenging as bodies change and age.
But what about those people who have already reached physical perfection?

Those lucky few – who may have been so rare that people would hardly have believed they existed in the past – now have social media to show off their results. Fitness models who post tantalising shots of their bodies online never tire of telling fans that they achieved that perfection through hard work, healthy eating, dedication, and perseverance. From daily workouts to clean eating, fitness is a full-time job for these models. Should they lose that perfect body, it could mean they’re out of the job.

Outside of the entertainment business, fitness models also serve a purpose for the common people, as “fitspiration.” Followers of these Greek goddess-like people want to know exactly how they work out and what they’re eating, and they helpfully fill fans in on their Instagram and Facebook accounts, racking up hundreds of thousands of dedicated followers.

Whether you yourself are trying to get some fitspiration, or you just appreciate looking at those tight abs and even tighter butts, here is one of the sexiest and most influential fitness models to follow on social media in 2015.

Andreia Brazier is a personal trainer and fitness model, who was born in Porto Elegre, Brazil in 1978, and currently lives in Dubai. In 2001 she moved to Rio de Janeiro. This was the time in her life when she found the gym and got hooked on training. She was also working as a part time model for TV, magazines, Carnival and Bikini catalogs whilst also making time to design and sell her own jewellery.

In 2005 she decided to move to London and her complete life changed. She couldn’t speak English at all, she had experienced a different variation of challenges, such as working as a office cleaner, glass collector in a local pub, Cloakroom keeper in a night club and also doing make up and eyebrows designing for her Brazilian friends in London. After one year in London her English improved and she became a full time Personal trainer.

From her home in Dubai, she also runs her own lifestyle consultation fitness and health company A1Lifestyle. In her short career, this Brazilian beauty has competed in and won three major events in the WBFF (World Beauty Fitness and Fashion).

Her incredible physique, double-take definition, carved abs, drop-dead looks, and dazzling stage presence have won her repeated victories, and she's hungry for more. She is also Shredz Sponsored Athlete



When Andreia is not competing she enjoys going out for nice coffee and lunch, watching shows, having a spa treatment and getting away for a relaxing time.

Prior to establishing herself as a three-time WBFF Fitness World Champion, Andreia was always healthy although she never felt she really had a body to be proud of. "I use to eat 3 meals a day, such as breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sometimes I would just have another breakfast at dinner time. My meals were mainly carbohydrates such as pasta, rice, bread and potatoes etc. I was always into staying fit but lacked the motivation to really achieve my goals. I got to a stage at the end of 2011 where I was hardly training and my motivation levels had dropped completely."
So she decided to make a lifestyle choice at the beginning of 2012 and to set out to achieve her dream physique and ensure she achieved it.

Andrea says: "I love the fitness lifestyle so much and I have always wanted to dominate in this sport. In everything I do I always give it my absolute 100%. To be the best you have to train like the best."


Andreia's Prefered Workout Routine

Monday: Chest
Flat Bench 4×10
Incline Bench 4×10
Push Ups 4×15
Dumbbell Flat Bench Fly’s 4×10
Standing Cable Fly’s 4×10

Tuesday: Back/Abs
Pull Ups 4x 10
Pull Downs 4×10
Upright Rows 4×10
Seated Cable Rows 4×10
Hanging Leg Raises 4×10

Wednesday: Legs
Squats 5×10
Leg Press 5×10
Sumo Deadlifts 5×10
Leg Extensions 5×20

Thursday: Off (Rest day)


Friday: Chest/Shoulders/Abs
Dumbbell Press 5×12
Dumbbell Shoulder Press 5×12
Decline Push Ups 5×15
Ab Cable Side Bends 8×10
Hanging Knee Side Raises 8×10

Saturday: Legs
Stiff Legged Deadlifts 4×10
Leg Curls 4×12
Walking Lunges 4×60
Leg Extensions 4×10
Squats 4x 10

Sunday: Back/Abs
Single Arm Rows 5x 10
Pull Ups 5×8
Reverse Fly’s 4×12
Leg Raises 10×10
Frontal Plank 5×15
Bent Over Rows 5×10





Andreia's training philosophy is "Train hard or go home" and her training motto is "Eat clean, train dirty.”

Andreia will be on stage to defend her WBFF World Champion Fitness Crown for the 4th successive year on 14th/15th August 2015, at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109


You can follow Andreia on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Tumblr



Friday, July 17, 2015

All the very latest transfer gossip across Europe!




Here is all today's latest football news and transfer gossip with Karim Benzema, Real Madrid, Sergio Ramos, Manchester United, Fabian Delph, Christian Benteke, Liverpool, Emanuel Adebayor, Bayern Munich, Angel Di Maria, Chelsea, Victor Moses, Paris St-Germain, Crystal Palace, Loic Remy, Paris St-Germain and Edinson Cavani all in the news! 

Here is a round up of all the latest transfer gossip across Europe today!

Is your club involved?

Arsenal, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Paris St-Germain, Everton, Juventus, Ajax, Borussia Dortmund, Atletico Madrid, Roma, Manchester City, Chelsea, Barcelona, Anderlect, Swansea, Granada, Newcastle, Anderlecht, Crystal Palace, QPR, Leicester, Espanyol, Middlesbrough, West Brom, Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa, Tottenham, BesiktasChievo, Sampdoria, Reading, Huddersfield, Burnley, Genk, Cambridge United and Rotherham ....................are all caught up in the latest transfer news/rumours across Europe, as we speak.

Arsenal will offer £40m for Real Madrid's 27-year-old French striker Karim Benzema - The Sun.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has rubbished rumours linking the north London club with Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema. Wenger claims he is not aware of any offer.
"I don't know where that story comes from," he said. "That's not happening at the moment, no." - talkSPORT and transfermarketweb.com

Liverpool are on the brink of completing a £32.5m deal for Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke - skysports.com and Daily Mirror

Manchester United could keep David De Gea this season, with Real Madrid increasingly likely to wait until next summer to sign the 24-year-old Spain goalkeeper on a free transfer - The Times

Manchester United will tell Real Madrid to accept their £35m offer for Sergio Ramos or forget any hope of signing David de Gea this summer - The Independent

Bayern Munich are set to seal the signing of Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal, 28, from Juventus for £28m. - The Guardian

Bayern Munich are moving quickly to replace Bastian Schweinsteiger as they close in on a move for Arturo Vidal while Mario Gotze could move in the opposite direction - The Guardian and transfermarketweb.com

Paris St-Germain believe they can tie up a deal for Manchester United midfielder Angel Di Maria, 27, by the weekend - Daily Mail

PSG will not allow striker Edinson Cavani, 28, to move to Old Trafford as part of any deal for Angel Di Maria - Daily Telegraph

A week ago Fabian Delph said he was not leaving Aston Villa to join Manchester City, but could the move be back on? There is a picture doing the rounds of Delph going for a medical and Manchester Evening News reporter James Robson has just tweeted: "Confirmed City move for Delph is back on" - skysports.com and bbc.co.uk

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has confirmed striker Yaya Sanogo has joined Ajax on a season-long loan deal - skysports.com

Arsenal are set to make an improved offer in excess of £30m for Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - Daily Express

Borussia Dortmund Sporting Director Michael Zorc has commented on recent reports linking Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang with a move away from the club, saying that the forward won’t be going anywhere - transfermarketweb.com and skysports.com

Everton have turned down a £20m offer from Chelsea for defender John Stones - skysports.com

Manchester United will bid £42m for Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos, 29, after the Spanish club rejected an opening bid of £31m - Diario AS (Spanish daily sports newspaper)

Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has confirmed the Spanish club is in talks with Chelsea regarding left-back Filipe Luis's return - transfermarketweb.com and bbc.co.uk

AS Roma are looking at Manchester City's Bosnian striker striker Edin Dzeko - skysports.com

La Liga side Granada have confirmed their interest in signing forward Michu from Swansea - skysports.com

Real Madrid have agreed a €6m fee for Espanyol goalkeeper Kiko Casilla - bbc.co.uk and skysports.com

Tottenham will also offer cash plus winger Aaron Lennon, 28, for Everton midfielder James McCarthy, 24 - Daily Mail and Daily Express

Roberto Martinez says midfielder James McCarthy is staying at Everton this summer and wants to build his team around the Republic of Ireland international skysports.com

Chelsea want to sign £15m-rated Serbia striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, 20, from Anderlecht, but Newcastle and Swansea are also interested - Daily Star

Chelsea are set to lose another striker as Loic Remy is closing in on a transfer to Crystal Palace - Daily Star

Chelsea's bid to sign Barcelona winger Pedro for £22m will be blocked if Joan Laporta wins the presidential election at the Nou Camp on Saturday - The Independent

Paul Pogba's agent believes the Juventus and France international could join Barcelona if Joan Laporta wins the Catalan club’s forthcoming presidential elections - skysports.com

Tottenham have made an £8m bid for Chelsea winger Victor Moses, 24, who spent last season on loan at Stoke - The Sun

A bookmaker has suspended betting on QPR striker Charlie Austin joining Newcastle United after a flurry of money was placed on the 26-year-old moving to St James' Park - skysports.com

Leicester City forward Leonardo Ulloa is a target for Turkish club Besiktas - The Sun

Middlesbrough have agreed a £2.8m fee with Espanyol for Uruguay striker Lewis McGugan - Daily Star

West Brom boss Tony Pulis has made a move for Liverpool striker Rickie Lambert - Daily Mirror

West Brom will step up their interest in Arsenal's Serge Gnabry after Nottingham Forest rejected their £5m offer for winger Michail Antonio - Daily Star

Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood will target Tottenham striker Emanuel Adebayor, 31, to replace Benteke - Birmingham Mail

Reading want £4m from Swansea for Wales winger Hal Robson-Kanu - Daily Mirror

Burnley have received international clearance for Jelle Vossen following his move from Genk earlier this month. The Belgian forward is in line to make his debut against Accrington on Saturday - skysports.com

Huddersfield have announced the signing of striker Jordy Hiwula from Manchester City - skysports.com

28-year-old Bosnian full-back Ervin Zukanovic has left Chievo to sign for Sampdoria
- transfermarketweb.com

Cambridge United have signed Rotherham midfielder Conor Newton on a two-year deal - skysports.com

Tuesday, July 07, 2015

Crystal Palace Football Club Pre-Season 2015 - Fixtures, Results, Teams, Scorers & Directions




Crystal Palace First-Team Squad:

Saturday 11th July - Barnet 3 Crystal Palace 5 (H-T 1-2)
at The Hive Stadium, Camrose Avenue, London, HA8 6AG.

Palace squad:
Palace (first half): Speroni, Ward, Hangeland, Delaney, Kelly, Gray, Boateng, Puncheon, Kaikai, Gayle, Murray.

Palace (second half): Kettings, Ward (Croll 60), Dann, McCarthy, Binnom-Williams, Dymond (Scales 73), Kaikai, Gray (Allassani 65), Boateng (Anderson 65), Campbell, Gayle (Breimyr 65).

Palace goalscorers: Gayle (3), Allassani, Campbell.

Saturday 18th July - FC Union Berlin 2 Crystal Palace 0 (H-T 0-0) at Stadion An der Alten Försterei, An der Wuhlheide 263, 12555 Berlin, Germany.

Palace squad: 
Palace (first half): Speroni, Ward, Dann, Delaney, Souare, Puncheon, McArthur, Jedinak, Mutch, Gayle, Murray.

Palace (second half): Hennessey, Ward (Bannan 69), Kelly, Hangeland, Binnom-Williams, Bolasie, Cabaye, Ledley, Guedioura, Mutch (Kaikai 60), Campbell.

Friday 24th July - SuperSport United 0 Crystal Palace 4 (H-T 0-4) at Cape Town Stadium, Fritz Sonnenberg Road, Green Point, Cape Town, 8051, South Africa.

Palace squad:
Hennessey, Kelly, Dann (Delaney 46), Hangeland, Souare (Scales 59), Jedinak, Ledley, Chung-yong Lee, Mutch (Cabaye 59), Puncheon (Kaikai 46), Campbell (Bamford 46).

Palace goalscorers: Jedinak, Chung-yong Lee, Mutch, Campbell

Sunday 26th July - Sporting Lisbon 2 Crystal Palace 0 (H-T 0-0) at Cape Town Stadium, Fritz Sonnenberg Road, Green Point, Cape Town, 8051, South Africa.

Palace squad:
McCarthy, Ward, Dann, Delaney, Souare, McArthur, Cabaye (Bamford 76) Gayle, Mutch (Jedinak 62), Puncheon (Zaha 76), Murray (Lee 69)

Thursday 30th July Bromley 0 Crystal Palace 6 (H-T 0-5) at Hayes Lane, Bromley, Kent BR2 9EF.

Palace squad:
McCarthy (Kettings, 70), Kelly (Dymond, 70), Hangeland, Croll, Scales, Zaha (Bissaka, 70), Mutch (Anderson, 59), Ledley (Allassani, 70), Kaikai (George, 70), Gayle (Breimyr, 70), Bamford (Guedioura, 45).

Palace goalscorers: Bamford (3), Kaikai, Zaha.

Saturday 1st August Fulham 1 Crystal Palace 1 (H-T 0-1)) at Craven Cottage Stevenage Road, London, SW6 6HH.

Palace squad:
Hennessey, Ward (Kelly 75), Dann, Delaney (Hangeland 57), Souare, Jedinak (Ledley 46), McArthur (Campbell 75), Puncheon, Cabaye (Mutch 46), Lee (Zaha 46), Murray (Gayle 75).

Palace goalscorer: Souare

Monday 3rd August  Dagenham and Redbridge 1 Crystal Palace 0 (H-T 0-0) at Victoria Road, Dagenham, Essex, RM10 7XL.

Palace squad:
Palace: McCarthy, Kelly, Hangeland (O’Dwyer 60), Croll, Scales, Dymond, Lee (Bissaka 68), Kaikai (Breimyr 68), Bamford, Wickham (Anderson 46), Campbell (Gray 8, Allassani 78).


Crystal Palace Development Squad:

Tuesday 14th July - Sutton United 0 Crystal Palace XI 2 (H-T 0-1)
at The Borough Sports Ground, Gander Green Lane, Sutton, Surrey SM1 2EY.

Palace squad: 
Palace (first half): Gregory, Pike, Binnom-Williams, Collins, Croll, Boateng, Wan-Bissaka, Breimyr, Anderson, Gray, Allassani.

Other Palace players used: (second half): Pain, Phillips, Andrews, O'Dwyer, King-Elliot, Connor, Hoare, Eyenga-Lokilo, Berkely-Agyepong, McKenzie, Scales.

Palace goalscorers: Anderson, Own Goal.

Tuesday 21 July - St Albans City 1 Crystal Palace XI 1 (H-T 1-0) at Clarence Park, York Rd, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL1 4PL.

Palace squad:
Palace (first half): Kettings, Collins, McMarthy, Croll, Williams, Guedioura, Dymond, Bannan, Bissaka, Berkeley-Agyepong, Anderson.

C.Kettings, R.Collins, P.McCarthy, L.Croll, J.Williams, A.Guedioura, C.Dymond, B.Bannan, A.Bissaka, J.Berkeley, K.Anderson.

Other Palace players used: Andrews, Loikio, Hoare, King-Elliot, George, O’Dwyer, Forte, Inniss, Allassani

Palace goalscorer: 
Berkeley-Agyepong

Friday 24th July - Tooting and Mitcham 0 Crystal Palace XI 2 at KNK Stadium, Bishopsford Road, Morden, Surrey SM4 6BF.

Palace squad: To follow:
Palace goalscorers: To follow

Monday 27th July - Hampton and Richmond Borough 1 Crystal Palace XI 1 (H-T 1-0) at Beveree Stadium, Beaver Close, Hampton, Middlesex, TW12 2BX.

Palace squad:
Palace: Kettings, Pike, Binnom-Williams, Dymond, Croll, Cesar, Allassani, Bannan, Anderson, Forte, Berkeley.

Other Palace players used: Pernteou, George, Breimyr, Hoare, O'Dwyer, Andrews, Bissaka, Mohammed, Connors

Palace scorer: Olly O'Dwyer

Saturday 1st August - Lewes 1 Crystal Palace XI 2 (H-T 0-2) at The Dripping Pan, Mountfield Road, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 2XA.

Palace squad:
Palace: Pain, Wynter (Omrope 78), Akjotu, Dreher (Hogan 61), Jones, Woods, Coker (Linton 68), Philips (Hossonam 78), Fundi (Daly 71), Flanagan, Lumeka (Sturgess 78).

Palace goalscorers: Fundi, Flanagan,

Tuesday 4th August - Bournemouth U21s 1 CrystalPalace XI 2 (H-T 1-1) at KNK Stadium, Bishopsford Road, Morden, Surrey SM4 6BF.
Palace squad: 
Palace: Perntreou; George, Cesar, Collins, trialist; Allassani, Hoare, Breimyr, Bissaka; Anderson, Daly, Andrews.

Palace goalscorers: Breimyr, Andrews


* Any additional fixtures announced will be updated on here.
+ Match results, teams and goalscorers will be posted here following each fixture.


# Dates and kick-off times are subject to change.
Please check the Crystal Palace Football Club official website for details and tickets.

Wednesday, July 01, 2015

Babe of the Month - City Slicker and Sex Bomb Toni Duggan


Toni Duggan was born in Liverpool on 25th July 1991, and is an English footballer who plays as a winger or as a forward for Manchester City Ladies and the England women's national football team.


Duggan broke into the Everton side in the 2007–08 season when the regular forwards suffered injuries. She scored the winning extra–time goal against Watford Ladies to put Everton into that season's FA Women's Premier League Cup final.

Duggan was named as the FA Women’s Young Player of the Year in 2009.

Toni also played in Everton's 2010 FA Women's Cup final win over Arsenal. Her form in the second part of the 2011 FA WSL season led team–mate Rachel Unitt to predict a call–up to the senior England squad.


Toni Duggan joined Manchester City as one of four marquee signings at the end of 2013 on a three-year deal. She scored her first City goals in a 2-1 win over Reading in the FA Women's Cup and went on to find the net ten times in her debut season for the Club.
Amongst those strikes were a Continental Cup semi-final winner at Hyde, and a stunning volley in the last league game of the season. Both finishes occurred against Chelsea, with the latter voted 'Goal of the Season.'


In March 2007, 15-year–old Duggan came off the substitute's bench to score on her debut for England Under–17s. She has since represented England at Under–19, Under–20 and Under–23 levels. She played in the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in both 2008 and 2010. On Duggan's 18th birthday, she scored the opening goal in England's 2009 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship final win, against Sweden in Belarus.

Duggan made her senior team debut in England's 3–0 win over Croatia in the European Championship qualifier against Croatia, at the Bescot Stadium on 19th September 2012. She was named England Women's U23 Player of Year in 2012. She scored her first international hat-trick in a match against Turkey on 26 September 2013, and was voted North West Female Player of Year 2013 and came 3rd in the PFA Women's Player of Year 2013.

Toni was named in the England squad for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup on 11th May 2015, currently being played in Canada.

When she's not kicking a ball, the blonde star player is regularly spotted, dressed to kill, enjoying the northern city's social scene. Like many a young footballer, Duggan has flirted with controversy.
Earlier this year, she 'blacked up' for a fancy dress party, dressing as actress Whoopi Goldberg in Sister Act.

A recent restaurant meeting with Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal, captured on camera and subsequently posted on social media, saw her in hot water with her own club's fans. Duggan (far left) issued a hasty apology.

You can follow Toni on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram