Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Paula ~ The best about sport

Radcliffe bronze still 'awesome'

Yelling and Radcliffe are friends and share the same coaches

An Olympic bronze for Paula Radcliffe would be an "awesome achievement," says British marathon team-mate Liz Yelling.

Radcliffe, 34, was favourite to win Olympic marathon gold in Beijing but now faces a fight to be fit after suffering a stress fracture to her leg.

"She wants to win the gold," said Yelling. "But it would still be an awesome achievement if she came away with the bronze medal.

"People shouldn't give up on her and ask her to throw in the towel."

Radcliffe's plans for a fourth Olympic Games suffered a major setback when she was diagnosed with a stress fracture in her left thigh last week.
Despite medical experts saying the injury could take six to eight weeks to heal, the marathon world record holder plans to start running again in a fortnight.

If she says she will be fit enough to go to the Olympics then so be it - let her go


Radcliffe insists she is "90-100%" likely to run in Beijing and has returned to her French training base in Font Romeu to continue her preparations.
And Yelling says her former training partner must be allowed to make her own decision about whether she could compete in China.
"I think everyone should just give her room to make her own decision," said Yelling, who will be making a second successive Olympic marathon appearance.
"She needs a chance to prove her fitness and that she can get there.
"She'll know next month where she stands and only Paula can answer that question."
Radcliffe is determined to make up for her Athens heartache, when she was forced to pull out of the Olympic marathon at the 23-mile mark.

However, if she is not fit enough to compete in Beijing, Scotland's Hayley Haining has been nominated as a reserve to join Yelling and Mara Yamauchi in Britain's female marathon squad.
The women's Olympic marathon in Beijing is on 17 August and starts from Tianamen Square to the finish point in the National Stadium.

Euro ~ 2008

Euro 2008: Who will you support?

Would you want to work for the Russian?

Mark Hughes, Roberto Mancini and Felipe Scolari are among those on Chelsea's shortlist for the managerial job.

Stay where you are guys ~ The Chairman's a Russian without any idea of loyalty or fairness........and doesn't really know much about football either.

BO HO Manchester!!

Manchester United have threatened to report Real Madrid to Fifa over their interest in signing Cristiano Ronaldo.
A United statement read: "We have watched with growing irritation the comments attributed to Real Madrid over their alleged desire to sign Cristiano.
"We will have no alternative but to report Real if it continues to behave in this totally unacceptable fashion."

BUT HE WANTS TO PLAY FOR THEM ~ NOT MAN UNITED!!

Carl ~ Do your best!

Crystal Palace midfielder Carl Fletcher will captain Wales in Wednesday night's friendly against Iceland in Reykjavik.

Fletcher, 28, takes the armband because Craig Bellamy is not fit enough to reclaim his captain's role, while stand-in Simon Davies is out injured.

West Ham striker Bellamy could play some part, but boss John Toshack will turn to his youngsters against Iceland.
The hosts will be without star striker Eidur Gudjohnsen, who has been blocked from playing by his club Barcelona.
The 29-year-old former Chelsea forward was set to captain Iceland in Wednesday's friendly at the Laugardalsvollur Stadium.
But Iceland were dealt a huge blow when the Spanish giants refused to release talisman Gudjohnsen.
Wales, meanwhile, are missing Davies, David Cotterill, Brian Stock, Paul Parry, Craig Davies, Jermaine Easter, David Vaughan and Carl Robinson.
Wigan forward Cotterill has withdrawn from this week's friendly double-header against Iceland and the Netherlands, on Sunday, for personal reasons, as has Oldham striker Craig Davies and Cardiff's Parry.

606: DEBATE
Give your thoughts on the Wales squad

Fulham midfielder Davies has an ankle injury, Stock picked up a back injury in Doncaster's play-off final win on Sunday against Leeds, while Easter has tendonitis and Vaughan has a leg injury.
Bellamy has been out since 2 February with an abdominal injury but Toshack is hopeful that his regular skipper will be able to take a place on the bench.
Robinson is also set to miss Tuesday's friendly with Iceland as the Toronto midfielder is playing against Montreal on Wednesday.
Hull duo Boaz Myhill and Sam Ricketts will not feature in Iceland after playing in the Championship play-off final on Saturday.
But Toshack will have them back for the visit to Rotterdam on 1 June.
That means Fletcher will be the old hand leading a bunch of talented youngsters into action against Iceland.
Ched Evans, Sam Vokes, James Collison, Joe Jacobson and Aaron Ramsey could all win their first caps.
"There has been a massive change in this squad since my first cap four years ago," Fletcher said.
"But only for the better, there are a lot of really good kids here now and they are in the squad on merit.
"You can see it in training, they have great talent and will give Welsh football a great future.
"There are so many - usually you see two or three coming through but we have loads and that is very refreshing to see.
"It looks good for the World Cup campaign, we have a good blend of youth and experience and if it keeps going like this the sky's the limit."


Wales squad: Wayne Hennessey (Wolves), Boaz Myhill (Hull City), Lewis Price (Derby County), Darcy Blake (Cardiff City), Neal Eardley (Oldham Athletic), Steve Evans (Wrexham), Chris Gunter (Tottenham Hotspur), Joe Jacobson (Bristol Rovers), Craig Morgan (Peterborough United), Lewin Nyatanga (Derby County), Sam Ricketts (Hull City), Ashley Williams (Stockport County), Jack Collison (West Ham), Andrew Crofts (Gillingham), Arron Davies (Nottingham Forest), David Edwards (Wolves), Carl Fletcher (Crystal Palace), Mark Jones (Wrexham), Owain Tudur Jones (Swansea City), Jason Koumas (Wigan Athletic), Joe Ledley, Aaron Ramsey (both Cardiff City), Carl Robinson (Toronto), Craig Bellamy (West Ham), Craig Davies (Oldham Athletic), Freddy Eastwood (Wolves), Ched Evans (Manchester City), Daniel Nardiello (QPR), Sam Vokes (Wolves).