Premier League’s winter wonderland is part of the sport’s soul

LET IT SNOW: The English top flight sees a packed festive schedule unlike most of the rest of Europe’s other major leagues. (AFP)
Updated 25 December 2017
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Premier League’s winter wonderland is part of the sport’s soul

LONDON: Every time England go out of a major tournament early — which has been every tournament since Euro 96 — some new solution is raised. They need to be more like the Dutch. Or more like the French. Or more like the Spanish. Or more like the Germans. We need to hold the ball more. We
need to remain true to our traditional strengths. We need a quota on foreign players. Our players need to go abroad more. Recently, a new panacea has been suggested: A winter break.
Germany has a winter break and they are world champions. Spain has a winter break and they were dominant before the Germans. The Premier League, the argument runs, is uniquely tiring. Our players are exhausted by the time they get to a major tournament. If they have a break midway through the season, it would give them a chance to recover, so they could attack the World Cup or the European Championship refreshed.
It is an appealing argument. After all, numerous coaches have blamed the wearying nature of England’s top flight — more competitive, fewer easy games, a more aggressive, physically demanding style of football — for the relative underperformance of English clubs in European
competition over the past few seasons. There is some — although not unanimous — medical evidence that players would be less susceptible to injury with a couple of weeks off.
Set against that is the fact that for many fans, Christmas football is the best football. Crowds are bigger and infused with festive spirit. Because so many people in the UK go back to their family homes for the festive season, games become annual reunions with old friends, people who perhaps live on the other side of the world who you see once a year.
Football in Britain has always had a community aspect and this is perhaps the strongest remaining example of that.
This is a subjective point, I realize, but for me one of the joys of English football is the range of conditions as the seasons pass, from the bright optimism of August to the sun-drenched despair or joy of May, through the dark and misty nights of the autumn and the collective breath of the crowd steaming in the crisp air of December and January. To take away the Christmas programme would be to remove a large part of what soul English football has left — and frankly, if that is tough on players, they are well enough remunerated to deal with
it. Nobody these days is expected to play through a quagmire or on a frozen surface that might directly contribute to injury.
And then there are the practical considerations. Give clubs a break and would the players really rest? Or would they be flogged around the world for a series of money-spinning friendlies? The English calendar is packed anyway: Where would the games go? Do we really want a shorter summer break with the season beginning in July? Much of English football’s wealth is derived from broadcast rights: Would
television companies really accept a blank couple of weeks in December or January?
And would it, anyway, really work? After all, there was no winter break when English clubs dominated European competition between 1977 and 1984, or between 2005 and 2012. Has the game really changed so much in five or six years? If anything the trend has been the increasing power of the super-clubs and, for a whole host of socio-economic reasons, the Premier League big six, powerful as they
are, are not quite as powerful as Barcelona and Real Madrid.
But what about the national team? What about the examples of Germany and Spain? Well, yes, but what about Italy, who have a winter break but have not even qualified for the next World Cup. What about all those years before 2008 when Spain had a winter break and won nothing.
Short-term correlation is not cause. And besides, the nature of modern football is that plenty of non-English players play in the Premier League. Was Mesut Ozil any less effective in 2014 for the want of a winter break?
The winter break has become a fetish, an easy answer to a more difficult question of English underachievement. There is very little evidence it would do any good, and the cost to the game’s soul would be enormous. Jingle on.


Barcelona loses at home for 1st time this season, falling 2-1 to Las Palmas

Updated 2 sec ago
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Barcelona loses at home for 1st time this season, falling 2-1 to Las Palmas

Barcelona had played superbly in the first three months under new coach Hansi Flick
They have now gone three rounds of La Liga without a win

BARCELONA: Barcelona lost at home for the first time this season when the Spanish league leader were stunned 2-1 by Las Palmas on Saturday.
Barcelona had played superbly in the first three months under new coach Hansi Flick and were flying high after convincing victories over Real Madrid in the domestic competition and Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
They had won all eight home games overall.
But they have now gone three rounds of La Liga without a win. Prior to the loss to Las Palmas, they fell 1-0 at Real Sociedad and drew 2-2 at Celta Vigo.
Madrid, despite their own troubles especially in the Champions League, can now move ahead of Barcelona in the Spanish league. They trail Barcelona by four points with two games more to play.
Sandro Ramirez and Fábio Silva scored for the Canary Islands club on either side of Raphina’s equalizer.
Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal returned from a right ankle injury that had sidelined with for three weeks as a halftime substitute, but Jasper Cillessen saved his best shot. The Las Palmas goalkeeper also did well to palm a Raphinha free kick over his bar in the final minutes.

Norris hands Piastri the win in Qatar sprint as McLaren closes in on the F1 constructors’ title

Updated 25 min 59 sec ago
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Norris hands Piastri the win in Qatar sprint as McLaren closes in on the F1 constructors’ title

  • Norris started on pole position and kept the lead at the start as Piastri squeezed past the Mercedes of George Russell for second

LUSAIL, Qatar: McLaren neared its first Formula 1 constructors’ title in 26 years as Lando Norris handed Oscar Piastri victory in a one-two finish for the team in the sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix on Saturday.
Norris started on pole position and kept the lead at the start as Piastri squeezed past the Mercedes of George Russell for second.
Norris gave the lead to Piastri with the finish line in sight, paying his teammate back for gifting him a win in the sprint race in Brazil when Norris was still fighting Max Verstappen for the drivers’ title. Russell finished third.
Verstappen — crowned the drivers’ champion last week in Las Vegas — finished eighth and his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez was last after a pit stop to change his car’s nose.
Qualifying takes place later Saturday for Sunday’s Grand Prix race.


Mbappe’s problem is Real Madrid’s problem, says Ancelotti

Updated 33 min 17 sec ago
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Mbappe’s problem is Real Madrid’s problem, says Ancelotti

  • “Mbappe’s problem is the problem that we all have. The idea is to try to give our best version, not just of him but myself, other players,” Ancelotti told a news conference
  • “It’s not a problem about one player”

MADRID: Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said Saturday superstar striker Kylian Mbappe’s struggles this season are due to his team’s overall lack of consistency.
The French forward missed a penalty as Spanish and European champions Real Madrid lost on Wednesday in the Champions League against Liverpool, their third defeat in five matches in the competition.
Mbappe, who joined in the summer at the end of his Paris Saint-Germain contract, was criticized for his performance and has netted just two goals in his last nine games for Madrid.
“Mbappe’s problem is the problem that we all have. The idea is to try to give our best version, not just of him but myself, other players,” Ancelotti told a news conference ahead of Sunday’s La Liga clash against Getafe.
“It’s not a problem about one player, the problem that we have is one of a team that has not been capable of being consistent. It’s not a problem about one player.
“We have to try and improve that, do everything we can... among other things (Mbappe) is new here and adapting, among other things he’s scored eight goals and has participated in attack, giving assists.
“Yes he can play better, but we can all do better and we will try to.”
Mbappe was not included in the last two France squad lists and has also had off-field issues to deal with during his first months at the Santiago Bernabeu.
“He is absolutely not sunken, he knows he has to improve like we all do... he’s being scrutinized after the Liverpool game because he missed a penalty, like many of my players have,” continued Ancelotti.
The coach said the Liverpool defeat was partly due to losing players through injury, including Vinicius Junior, Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao among others, but that Brazilian winger Rodrygo was fit to face Getafe.
Madrid, second, trail La Liga leaders Barcelona by four points, albeit having played one fewer match.
“I am like Mbappe, I am trying to give my best version,” said Ancelotti.
“Results say that I have not been capable of doing that. I’m not happy... but I’m convinced we will fix it, like we always fix it.”


Aspiring GCC drivers make the most of GT World Challenge

Updated 30 November 2024
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Aspiring GCC drivers make the most of GT World Challenge

  • The so-called SAL GT Jeddah 2024 marks a crucial juncture for many of the GCC young drivers as they look to step up from regional to global competition

Jeddah: The Fanatec GT World Europe Challenge has always been a highlight of the racing calendar as a chance for drivers to demonstrate their skills around the world’s most challenging circuits, and this year’s final round in Jeddah featured a diverse grid of international drivers.

The so-called SAL GT Jeddah 2024 marks a crucial juncture for many of the GCC young drivers as they look to step up from regional to global competition.

Six of the contenders vying to leave an impact this weekend are already a part of this year’s challenge and looking forward to achieving positive results. They are: Reema Al-Juffali, Bandar Alesayi, Fahad Al-Gosaibi, Ahmed bin Khanen, from Saudi Arabia; and Ahmad Alharthy and Al-Faisal Al-Zubair, from Oman.

On Friday, the six drivers met the press and expressed their happiness at being part of this international challenge — to enjoy the experience behind the wheel on the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, the world’s fastest circuit.

Bandar Alesayi explained that the championship and the cars were new to the drivers, but they knew a lot about the circuit. “It is a very strong championship and a tough competition but I will enjoy it,” he said.

Ahmed bin Khanen said: “We will strive to provide our best to achieve distinguished results. It is so great to compete against the best in the world.”

Fahad Al-Gosaibi, who proved his skills in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East, said that his 20 years in Porsche racing in the Gulf region would be an incentive to achieve his ambition of first place as he chases the best performance during the Fanatec GT competition being held in his homeland.

“We really appreciate the great support we all receive as Saudi drivers from the Ministry of Sports and the Saudi Arabian Motor Federation,” he said.

Reema Al-Juffali said that the generous support of the Ministry of Sports and the Saudi Arabian Motor Federation provided the drivers with a great incentive in all motor sports championships. Al-Juffali said that she would seek to achieve a distinguished place in the competition, noting that GT events were the first step toward reaching her dream of representing the Kingdom in this race.

Omani driver Ahmed Al-Harthy said: “The GT race is the most difficult championship in the world because there are 49 cars on the track at the same time.” Al-Harthy said that the Kingdom’s hosting of major motorsports championships such as Formula 1, Formula E, and now GT, was a source of pride and gave hope to Gulf youth who aspired to participate in these races.

His countryman, Al-Faisal Al-Zubair, said that his team was ranked second in the chance to win the challenge on Saturday. “It will be a great joy if we win the championship from the land of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is like our country,” he said.

He praised the Kingdom’s ability to host many of the most important international competitions such as the Dakar Rally, Formula 1, and others. 


Pakistan to face Zimbabwe in first T20I on Sunday

Updated 30 November 2024
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Pakistan to face Zimbabwe in first T20I on Sunday

  • The first T20 between Pakistan and Zimbabwe will start at 4pm Pakistan standard time
  • Pakistan this week defeated Zimbabwe 2-1 in their three-match one-day international series

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will face Zimbabwe in the first of their three-match Twenty-20 International (T20I) series in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe on Sunday.
The first T20 between Pakistan and Zimbabwe will start at 4pm Pakistan standard time. Pakistan this week defeated Zimbabwe 2-1 in their three-match one-day international series.
“A 99-run win in the third ODI to wrap up a series victory,” the Pakistan Cricket Board remarked as Kamran Ghulam struck his maiden one-day international century to steer Pakistan to win.
“Onto the T20I action.”
Pakistan and Zimbabwe will play the second and third T20 matches on Dec. 3 and 5 at the same venue in Bulawayo.
The tourists then head to South Africa for an eight-match all-formats tour, including two Tests.