Issue 258 | June 1 2012
WE fEar no onE Joe Hart tells Sport why England have their sights set high this summer
“ IS THIS REALLY THE HANDHELD THAT JUST DOES EVERYTHING ”
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“READY FOR THE CHAL
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ISSUE 258, JUNE 1 2012 Radar 07 On yer bike... We bring you the amateur velo mechanic’s bible in the shape of The Bike Owner’s Handbook
28
08 Klitschko TV A new documentary gets up close and personal with boxing’s most destructive brothers
10 The Sm-Ashes What a reality TV show would look like if Graeme Swann entered UFC
60
11 The best free iPad apps We’ve included our own. But then, it’s really bloody good oFeatures this coming week
18 Joe Hart
18
Ahead of his big trip to Poland and Ukraine, England’s number one meets Sport in confident mood
28 The Top 10 We reveal our most memorable moments from Euros history
68
36 Dave Brailsford The brains behind both British Cycling and Team Sky allows us into his world of perfection
40 The Derby If it’s good enough for Her Very Majesty, it’s good enough for you
Extra Time 56 Kit Choose your favourite Euro 2012 shirt from our very select bunch
58 Polly Parsons Rumour has it she quit the East End for some Belgian chocolate
60 Gadget Special Time to pimp your lounge for a summer of sport like no other
68 Entertainment London Zoo is housing alien snakes and Prometheus brings you penguins. That’s right, isn’t it? | June 1 2012 | 05
Radar
p08 – Never kick a Klitschko
p10 – UFC Sm-Ashes its way to Australia
p11 – The best (free) sporting iPad apps
This leatherbound gem explains how to do on-the-spot bike repairs via simple steps and clear illustrations. It covers basics such as changing tyres, inner tubes and brake blocks, plus other common adjustments. Writer Peter Drinkell also explains how to maintain your bike and ensure things are less likely to go wrong. The perfect size to stuff into your pocket (or down your lycra), this really is the ideal cycling companion. The Bike Owner’s Handbook (Cicada), £9.95
Get your fix s a sport, as an alternative to the Tube, and as something gorillas all do when they think we aren’t looking (probably), cycling has never been more popular. The downside is that moment when you’re pedalling through the sweet summer air and your bike suddenly hits a problem. Now, meet the solution.
A
| June 1 2012 | 07
Radar
It’s a knockout New Klitschko documentary offers a fascinating look at boxing’s most famous brothers, including highlights such as...
recalls Wladimir. “All of the radioactive water flowed into huge pools – and I played in those pools with my paper boats.”
Cheese spread Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko grew up behind the Iron Curtain in the Ukraine, so a first trip to the USA for teenage Vitali as an amateur boxer was an eye-opener. What astonished him most as he walked open-mouthed around a shopping mall? Well, cheese. “How can there be 100 types of cheese?” he recalls thinking at the time. “That’s madness. There’s only one type of cheese... it’s called ‘cheese’.” Don’t even get him started on shoes.
Don’t kick Vitali The cinema-quality footage of the pair’s professional fights is epic stuff – you get a real sense of the weight and impact of an 18-stone heavyweight’s punch (with the bonus of not getting your conk destroyed in the process). The early fight recordings are enlightening, too, particularly of Vitali in his kickboxing bouts. In one, a plucky opponent whacks a stationary Vitali with a powerful kick, then drops to the mat holding his leg in utter agony. If it’s any consolation, punching him doesn’t tend to work too well either.
Don King’s self-playing piano Infamous promoter Don King invited the brothers to fly over to his mansion as they
turned professional in 1996. King was so keen to win the pair over that he began playing Mozart on his piano with the flair of a concert pianist. The brothers were duly impressed at the multitalented Don, at least until they noticed the pedals were moving of their own accord. The piano was a fake. The Klitschkos chose not to sign a contract with King. Today, both brothers are very rich men. Radioactive puddles The Klitschkos’ father – an Air Force colonel – was one of the first people called in to help containment and clean-up after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986. The family lived just 60 miles from the accident site. “The [military] vehicles and helicopters then came back here, and first had to be washed down,”
Perfect drive errari are famous for making Earth’s most desirable sports cars (never say that you don’t learn anything from Sport), but they’ve now branched out into premium golf. The results are pretty stunning. And before you ask what Ferrari know about making golf clubs, the underlying tech is by Cobra Puma Golf. So, for example, the base of the driver is that of the the Cobra ZL Encore, but with input from Ferrari engineers who suggested shape changes to reduce drag, making the club swing easily through the air. Benissimo! From July 1, via ferrarigolfcollection.com
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08 | June 1 2012 |
Klitschko is now available on Blu-ray and DVD from Universal Pictures (UK)
House of pain ancy living in a house with a bunch of Aussies and Brits, and getting in loads of fights on TV? It might sound like the premise for a Geordie Shore: Down Under spin-off, but it’s actually the latest series of UFC show The Ultimate Fighter. After the huge success of the reality show – now in its 16th series and having given us Michael ‘The Count’ Bisping back in 2006 – the UFC have confirmed an Aussie version of the series called The Sm-Ashes (see what they did there?), which will see undiscovered MMA fighters from Australia and the UK living in the house down under and competing for the golden prize of a UFC contract. The Ultimate Fighter’s 2009 winner, Ross Pearson (pictured), is rumoured to be coaching the Brits. Feel like getting a piece of the action and joining him? Well, the great news is there’s public try-outs for the show in both Sydney and London (on June 15). The bad news, depending on how you look at it, is that the auditions are open to you only if you have fought at least three times (and won at least two). All the info is online at uk.ufc.com.
Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
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10 | June 1 2012 |
From $167 (AUD), hollowayeyewear.com.au
Radar
Fab four free
With the Sport app now live on Apple Newsstand, we look at the very best wallet-friendly apps on the iPad
The Football App Park your tactics truck where the sun don’t shine, Andy Townsend – there’s now a humble app that can provide more stats, footy intel and minute-by-minute match updates than you and your gas-guzzler ever could. The Football App is a great source of news on the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga and more. Not perfect yet, but very user-friendly and improving all the time. Sport magazine Biased? Us? Surely not. All we’re saying is that the Sport magazine iPad app is now a part of Apple’s Newsstand service, which means a new issue automatically appears – for free – every week, before the paper mag is even handed out. You also get lots of extra content, which in the last six months includes video interviews with Mark Cavendish, Scott Parker and Chris Robshaw. Get it today. PGA Tour Golf news, play-by-play updates, plus player and course stats are at the heart of this impressive app, but it’s the videos that really make it. Highlights of PGA tournaments are updated in rapid fashion, plus there’s the ever-popular Shots of the Week. If they’d just add live shot-tracking, this app really would be the ultimate guide to the PGA Tour.
Ski Jumping 12 It’s not the full game (that costs a whopping £1.49), but there’s still fun to be had with this free version of the ski jump extravaganza with the sparkling graphics. The controls are simple to get the hang of and the 3D reenactment of your mighty leap – possibly with Eddie the Eagle arse-over-skis landing – really shows off the iPad visuals to the full.
Ski jumping: scale the dizzy heights without the risk of a shattered pelvis
Radar Editor’s letter Kick in the teeth: but is British Taekwondo shooting itself in the foot over Cook?
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COMMERCIAL
Nice one, blazers Sporting administrators find yet another way to fly in the face of either rhyme or reason
Editor-in-chief Simon Caney @simoncaney
World Class Performance Programme, believing that its coaching methods were not getting the best out of him. The fact that 12 months on he is rated as the world’s best suggests that he was right. Clearly, this put the noses of the powers that be at British Taekwondo out of joint. For the governing body of a sport that involves fighting, it would appear they have very thin skins. Now, any governing body can choose who they like, within reason. Team GB’s taekwondo performance director Gary Hall pressed for Cook’s inclusion, but the suits weren’t having it. Now the British Olympic Association has demanded that British Taekwondo explains itself – while Cook has, naturally, appealed the decision. It seems inexplicable that he won’t be at the Olympics, and by the time you read this British Taekwondo may well have had their minds changed for them. But don’t
underestimate the fury of a scorned sports administrator. Say what you like about Formula 1, but the fact there have been six different winners of the season’s first six races demonstrates that it can be as thrilling as any sport. Many predicted 2012 would be a walk in the park for Sebastian Vettel, and that might yet be the case. But right now there are few sports that are quite so open or exciting. There are few more pleasant experiences than watching a Test match at Trent Bridge on a warm summer’s day. It’s a lovely ground, and one I first visited in (I think) 1979. Back then, you could sit in your own deckchair by the boundary (or, as a child, patrol the area desperately hoping to field a ball that crossed the boundary rope). Times change, but Trent Bridge retains its charm. A great venue.
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Hearty thanks this week to: David Wade, Abby Burton, Rob Haycocks, Caitlin Hocking, Holly Legg, Henry Griffiths, Chris Brawley and LG
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Reader comments of the week @simoncaney great read on @J_Ennis 2day. Not often u find someone so driven & talented, yet likeable. Very rare. Good luck this summer, Jess
@simoncaney #chelseafc CL win showed worst of English football. In what other sport can the worst team win so often?
@Jamiehockin Twitter
@Dzekonhyde Twitter
12 | June 1 2012 |
@simoncaney “not much football”, “anti-football”, “parked the bus”. Bore off. #CFC
@Official_Campo Twitter
great article on Chelsea, despite being a LFC fan their battling spirit was admirable. Re Oliver, the full page pix like the wonderful one of Lauren Vickers make tube journeys bearable.
5-1 victory for Hearts in the Scottish Cup Final and yet again no mention. Very poor.
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A
aron Cook is rated number one in the world in his weight division at taekwondo. You’d be right in assuming he’d have a very good chance of an Olympic gold medal. Well, er, he would. Except, as things stand, he won’t be representing Team GB. British Taekwondo has decided that he is good enough to be first reserve, but no more. You read that right: the world number one will be a reserve for Great Britain at the Olympics. Now, I’ll come clean and confess that I’m not necessarily the world’s foremost expert on taekwondo. My wife might suggest I’m not exactly hot on common sense either – but even I can see that this is a decision that defies logic. But dig a little deeper and maybe the reason becomes clear. A year ago, Cook took himself out of British Taekwondo’s
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Radar Frozen in time
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Dog day afternoon Fielding questions after his Indy 500 victory last week, Scotland’s Dario Franchitti is joined by a dog dressed up as a driver. This was the idea of a race sponsor, Target Brands, who must have scoured the earth to find a dog with a birthmark in the shape of their trademark target. And his name’s Bullseye, which is almost beyond belief. You almost couldn’t make it up.
14 | June 1 2012 |
| 15
Joe Hart
IN SAFE HANDS
A week away from the start of Euro 2012, England’s irreplaceable goalkeeper tells Sport why they’ve learned from 2010, why he can’t wait for penalties, and why they believe they finally can... >
18 | June 1 2012 |
| 19
Joe Hart
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or 82 long days and nights, the nation waited. On February 8 2012, Don Fabio Capello had walked out on England, a man of principle carrying a look of disdain and a bulging wallet. On May 1 2012, the Football Association appointed Roy Hodgson as his successor: a good man with a fine track record on, we assume, a fraction of the salary. But, in those 82 intervening days, for fans and media alike, uncertainty reigned. All England asked who would take over and lead the Three Lions into battle at Euro 2012. Harry Redknapp or Roy Hodgson? Alan Pardew or Stuart Pearce? Jose Mourinho or Uncle Tom Cobley? Who would they pick, when would they pick him, who would he pick and how would they play? Down a long, windowless corridor of uncertainty we wandered, with little or no idea of the direction in which the FA were headed. But while theories and speculation filled the air, one thing was crystal clear to all observers. While we couldn‘t be sure how England would play or who would lead them out, we could predict with cast-iron certainty one thing: when the new man came in, the first name on his teamsheet was as good as set in stone: J Hart. Even if England had been saddled with the world‘s worst manager, he would have been clear that success is built from the back, and that the likes of Joe Hart do not grow on trees. For he is a giant barrier for Manchester City and the base on which they won the Premier League title. He is the man who Arsenal and Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny lauded only last week as the finest goalkeeper on the planet. And he is the man who Sir Alex Ferguson predicted would make the England job his own for the next 10 years. Hart is England‘s first world-class goalkeeper in a decade, the latest in a select list of goalkeeping heavyweights that also includes Gordon Banks, Peter Shilton and, most recently, David Seaman. He is a player who would walk into the starting XI of any of the teams at this summer‘s Euros – but who is, as we meet him, attempting to cram his significant frame on to and into a small wooden chair. Before it splinters into a thousand tiny pieces, we begin... We spoke to Wojciech Szczesny last week, and he told us you’re the best goalkeeper in the world right now. Is he right? “Well, I don‘t know about that – but it‘s really, really nice. I‘m really honoured to hear something like that, especially from a goalkeeper I really admire and respect. Personally, I think I‘ve got a long way to go to get to that kind of level. I just try to improve game by game; you just need to work on being a better goalkeeper every season.“ Do you think a team can win a major tournament such as Euro 2012 without a world-class goalkeeper? It seems absolutely fundamental... “You need good players all over the pitch, I think. And to win an international tournament, you need everyone playing well.“ Is it important that a goalkeeper has a good relationship with the defenders in front of him, though? “I think it obviously helps. If they have confidence in you and you have confidence in them, then you‘ll play well together – and you‘ll tend to raise each other‘s games as well. I‘ve seen that at City – and, of course, you know you‘ll be playing with good defenders with England.“ What have you made of Roy Hodgson’s appointment as manager? “Brilliant – obviously we had our first meet-up with the England squad today [at the time of interview], and it‘s gone really well.“ >
“IF YOUR DEFENCE HAS CONFIDENCE IN YOU AND YOU HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THEM, YOU PLAY WELL – YOU TEND TO RAISE EACH OTHER’S GAMES” 20 | June 1 2012 |
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ON THE SPOT England in a major tournament throws up the prospect of penalties. Is that something you relish, or does it give you sleepless nights? “Sleepless nights? No way. I beg for penalties – I love them. I’ll watch absolutely any standard of football if I know it’s going to go to penalties. It’s all part of the game.”
How much work do England do on penalties? How meticulous are you? “On the European stage, all you’ve got to do is put the TV on and they’re being assessed all the time. You don’t have to dig too deep to know where people usually put their penalties. But things change, situations change and you might know where they usually put their penalties... but they know that you know, so it’s hard. But I think that’s why I love it.” Do you expect to be practising for penalty shootouts in the build-up to the Euros? “You’ve got to be prepared, but then you’ve also got to get through the group stage first before you even think about that. You don’t look beyond that. If you can get through, though, you definitely have to be prepared for pens.”
22 | June 1 2012 |
“I’M A FAN TOO, AND YOU HAVE TO BE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT YOUR CHANCES – OTHERWISE WHAT’S THE POINT?” Was he in touch with you between his appointment and that first meet-up with the squad? “Yeah, I think he managed to take time out to speak to quite a lot of players. Did he have any specific message? No, not really. He was just very happy and looking forward to us all working together.“ You’re coming off a high with City, as are some of Chelsea’s England players – will you carry that momentum to the Euros, or is it a totally different thing when you meet up with England? “It can only be a good thing. Obviously, we‘ve got players who have just won the league, and players who have just won the Champions League in dramatic fashion. Whether it‘ll help, I don‘t know. But it definitely can‘t harm the England squad to have that experience.“ Let’s rewind a few months. Losing a manager in Fabio Capello so close to a major tournament cannot have helped, can it? “We just had to deal with it. It is what it is. It‘s behind us now. We‘ve got to be grateful that he got us to this tournament, and we‘ve got to move on and concentrate on the finals.“ Before he departed, Capello warned that the European Championships will be harder to win than the World Cup. Do you agree with that? “I haven‘t really played many internationals, so it‘s hard for me to say. But I know for a fact it‘s a strong, strong tournament – but so is the World Cup. They‘re both strong tournaments and neither‘s ever going to be easy to win.“ Didn’t you feel part of the squad in South Africa, then? “Yeah I did, but when you‘re not playing you feel like you‘re on the peripheries a bit, I suppose. I expect to feel more involved this time, obviously.“
What are your thoughts on England’s group? “It‘s exciting. We played Sweden recently and got a good result, and France are unpredictable – but looking more like the France you expect them to be, so they‘ll be hard to beat. And Ukraine‘s going to be such an exciting game in their home country; it‘s going to be hostile, it‘s going to be an enjoyable occasion, an evening kick-off, but by then hopefully there won‘t be much riding on it.“
Alan Shearer suggested we write off these Euros, treat it as a learning curve and concentrate on the next World Cup campaign. Is that how the players feel? “No, not at all. I‘m sure if Alan Shearer was playing now, he wouldn‘t be saying that. That‘s how it is: when you play, you play to win. We‘re all winners and when we go into a tournament, we go in intending to win.“ So you have genuine optimism that England can win these European Championships? “If we come together as we know we can, then yeah, I do – but I also know there are some very good teams in the tournament. People tend to focus on England not being very good, but there are some really, really strong teams in it. If you look at the top four in the world, Spain, Germany and Holland are in there – so we‘ll have to play out of our skins. But we‘ve got the capabilities and we‘ve got players who have won things in the past. If we come together, why not?“ Because it’s England and we’ve all been here before. Don’t England players always say they think they can win it? “I don‘t know, but I can only speak for myself personally and say what I think. I‘m an England fan who gets to play for England, and you‘ve got to look at the positives. You‘ve got to be optimistic about your chances, otherwise what‘s the point?“ But doesn’t that just increase expectation and therefore have a detrimental effect on the team? “No, because that pressure will always be there. You‘re never going to get an England fan saying ‘go and do your best, it doesn‘t matter if you don‘t win‘... and we wouldn‘t want that. We‘re a winning nation and we need to concentrate on going out and showing that.“ >
Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
You scored one against Sweden for the England U21s. Would you happily take another this summer if called upon? “Just say where and when and I’ll be there. I’d be happy to take one, no question.”
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Joe Hart
Not too many people are tipping England to win the Euros. Does that motivate you to prove people wrong? “People are always going to have opinions. Obviously there are a lot of other strong teams, but I don‘t think you need extra motivation going into an international tournament. Winning it is motivation enough.“ What do you expect the mindset to be in that first group game, against France and without Wayne Rooney? Is it more important not to lose than to necessarily win the opening game? “We go into it like any other game – to win. We‘re a good side, we don‘t have to go into any game thinking we need to graft out a result. I think if we go in and play to our capabilities, defend properly and attack properly, then we should be able to win any game.“ If not England – and let’s steer clear of saying Spain – who will win the Euros? “I think it‘s got to be Holland and Germany – based on the most recent World Cup and on the fact that they‘ve both come on since then, particularly the Germans. So probably one of those two.“ How much heart did you take from beating Spain last November? Did it prove anything? “A few people got their chance in that game. We mixed it up a bit, but took it seriously – and, while we didn‘t pass them off the park, we did still beat them. So it counts for something, even if it was a friendly. The thing is, you don‘t get any awards for passing, although Spain have picked up a few in fairness – but for all they passed well that night, you‘ve got to combine the two. They passed well, but we won.“ Is that the hardest game you’ve played in, in terms of the pressure you’ve faced? “For me, no – because the defending was so good as a unit, I didn‘t actually do anything. I expected to be very busy, but I didn‘t really have a save to make. I had Joleon Lescott and Phil Jagielka at centre half and the lads were great. It was a great result for the players because we were written off before the game, people were saying ‘try to keep the score down‘ and all that. So internally, it was good for us.“ What’s the key to beating Spain? “I'm not sure there is one. We did the only thing we could do, which was keep it tight and score a goal. There‘s no point in me trying to work out a tactical reason, because I‘m not the coach or manager. But the only thing you can do is stop them scoring and hope you can get one at the other end.“
24 | June 1 2012 |
“It’s important to use your downtime in the right way when you’re away at a tournament,” says Hart. “How do I expect to fill my time in Poland? I am not entirely sure, because I’m not into computer games like a lot of the lads are... Wii Tennis is about as much as I can play. So I think it’ll just be a case of keeping things simple, socialising with the boys, playing a few challenge games like table tennis and stuff like that – anything that keeps it interesting. If I take one book with me? Probably Fantastic Mr Fox – at least, that’s my favourite at the minute. One album? I’m not sure, I’d probably have to say anything by Jay Z. And one film? Man On Fire, the Denzel Washington [below] film.”
“THERE’S A LOT OF PRESSURE WITH ENGLAND, BUT THAT’S WHY WE’RE THERE – YOU JUST HAVE TO GET USED TO IT” How confident would you be if you faced them in the Euros? “No point in turning up if we didn‘t think we could beat them. It would be difficult, but we believe we can beat anyone, Spain included.“ And the Germans? “Exactly the same. We believe we can beat anyone.“ Do you think England have learned from a sobering experience in South Africa? “I wasn‘t playing, so it‘s really hard for me to comment. But as a team, I definitely think we‘ve learned a lot from the World Cup. We try to learn from every experience and move on.“ What went wrong, as far as you could tell? “I think we were just picked off by a very good German side, but then we had to push and push. But Lamps‘ ‘goal‘, which we could all see was a goal... well, that could have changed everything and it could have ended so differently.“ Was there an element of naivety about the way England pushed? “Well, we needed to – we were losing 2-1.“ Yes, but it was only 2-1 and there was a long time to play... “There‘s no easy way of doing it, you‘re playing against Germany in a World Cup – there‘s a lot riding on it. You could say naivety, but mistakes happen. We could have built a brick wall but they might have sneaked through. It happens [you get beaten]. We didn‘t want it to, but it did.“ What did Capello say afterwards? “There was a lot of disappointment, obviously. Everyone was devastated, it was the end of the tournament and we were out. It‘s not like a Premier League game, where you can bounce back – it was over and we were out. Not much needed to be said. We‘re all England fans at heart, and it hurt that we had gone out.“ How does the pressure of playing for Manchester City compare with the pressure of playing for England? Is it a quantum leap? “I think the pressure‘s different with your club side, speaking personally – because you deal with that pressure every day, that pressure you sort of get used to. When you‘re with England, you‘re straight into it and that‘s how it is, you know? There‘s a lot of pressure because everyone wants us to win, and at the end of the day, that‘s why we‘re there... so you just have to get used to it.“ Finally, would winning these European Championships usurp winning the league with Manchester City last season? “It‘s hard for me to say. Obviously winning the FA Cup last season was great, and winning the league this season was great – but with England you can‘t really comment when you haven‘t done it yet.“ Nick Harper/Alex Reid Joe Hart wears the England home goalkeeper kit, tailored by Umbro. The Geometra gloves and Neo 2 ball are from Umbro’s St George Collection. Available from umbro.com
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MANIACS MAD MEN MIRACLE
THE 10 MOST MEMORABLE* MOMENTS IN EUROPEAN CHAM 28 | June 1 2012 |
*Agree or disagree? Tweet your two bob to @sportmaguk
10
El Lazarus 2000 Prior to becoming good and winning things, Spain's greatest successes were limited to stirring fightbacks – and none were more heroic or improbable than the 4-3 win over Yugoslavia in 2000. Kicking off their final Group C game, Spain knew they had to win to guarantee a place in the quarter finals – but found themselves 3-2 down as the clock showed 90+3 minutes. The straw-haired Gaizka Mendieta rolled in a penalty on 90+4, but a point would not suffice – something noted a number of times by the hyperventilating John Motson. But then, moments later, the ball broke loose to an Alfonso, 15 yards out and with a mass of bodies blocking his path to goal. The plucky Spaniard hit it and hoped, then watched the ball bounce low into the corner of the net for the most statistically improbable winner of this or any other tournament. Up in the gantry, Motson went molten with an "Alfonsooooooooo!!!!!!!", very probably soiling his slacks in the process.
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Arguing the toss 1968 Imagine a European Championship semi final being decided on the flip of a coin – you, being of sound mind, probably cannot, but the great visionaries running football in 1968 certainly could. This being in the days before penalty shootouts had been devised as a way of deciding games, Italy and the Soviet Union had played out a tedious goalless draw in the 1968 semi final – and, with no time to schedule a replay, new rules devised by a committee of clowns decided that a coin-toss might be a dramatic way of deciding the outcome. Presumably ahead of a round of rock, scissors, stone. "The referee pulled out an old coin and I called tails," recalled Italy's captain, Giacinto Facchetti. "The stadium was still full and about 70,000 fans were waiting to hear the result." But, adding to the sense of drama, the coin-flip had taken place not in full view of the paying public, but in the bowels of the stadium – out of sight of the fans. Cue the "Hello Cleveland!" scene from This is Spinal Tap, as Facchetti attempted to find his way back out on to the pitch. "My celebrations told them that they could celebrate an Italian victory," he remembered. Not surprisingly, the first time a European Championship game was decided on the flip of a coin was also the last.
Henri Szwarc/Bongarts/Getty Images, VI Images/Press Association Images, David Cannon/Allsport, Shaun Botterill /Allsport, David Cannon/Getty Images, Action Images, Ben Radford/Getty Images, CTK Photo/Stanislav Tereba, Simon Bruty/Allsport. This page: Laurence Griffiths /Allsport, Bob Thomas/Getty Images
S, N ES
The Top 10 Euro Moments
Alfonso and his Spanish teammates send themselves, and John Motson, into raptures (above); while Giacinto Facchetti puts that lucky coin toss behind him to lift the Henri Delaunay Trophy (right)
MPIONSHIP HISTORY! | 29
The Top 10 Euro Moments
8
Van Basten's volley 1988 Had Marco van Basten been an Englishman, the thought going through his head as Arnold Muhren's long, lofted cross-cum-pass fell out of the Munich sky and towards him would have been how many touches it would take to control it. But Van Basten was different. He was the finest striker in the world in 1988, in fact – and, as the ball dropped, he saw another option. Despite the acutest of angles and the presence of the hulking Russian Rinat Dasaev filling the goalframe, the Dutchman saw something nobody else had noticed: a chance. So as it dropped, he took aim, pulled back his right foot and whipped it through the ball, sending it arcing up and over Dasaev, on to the underside of the bar and down into the back of the net. If Marco van Basten hadn't meant it, then what was he attempting to do? But if he had really meant it to happen like that... well, he's just plain weird.
7
Lineker off, Smith (Alan) on 1992 Two decades on, the most bewildering substitution in English football history still makes no sense whatsoever. Yes, Gary Lineker grew up to be a giant corporation suck-up, but in his day he knew where the goal was. Put it this way: desperately chasing a winner against the hosts Sweden with 38 minutes remaining, would you really have swapped him for Alan Smith? Or if you were going to substitute him, would you not perhaps first consider the young lad Alan Shearer sitting on the bench behind you? Not unless you were Graham Taylor – and, let's be honest, few people are. Time may heal old wounds, but it doesn't make nonsensical decisions such as this any easier to comprehend.
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Holland's penalties 2000 Because we're English, the sight of another nation failing from the spot more spectacularly than us should be celebrated with an appearance on this list. And in some style. In their semi final with Italy, Holland contrived to spurn not one, but two nice penalties that would have seen them through against opponents reduced to 10 men for most of the game, and who'd long given up the ghost. Frank de Boer and Patrick Kluivert both missed and it eventually went to penalties, but we all knew by then that there really was no point. Holland missed another three of their five and exited a major tournament on penalties for the fourth time in eight years. What's schadenfreude in Dutch?
Colorsport/Imago, Simon Bruty/Allsport, Henri Szwarc/Bongarts/Getty Images
Clockwise from left: Van Basten's volley beats Dasaev and bursts the USSR net; Lineker trudges off for the last time; and Stam blasts over the bar as the Dutch crash out
“Holland missed three of their five and exited a major tournament on penalties for the fourth time in eight years ”
30 | June 1 2012 |
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The Top 10 Euro Moments
5
The Rule of Le Roi 1984 Now reinvented as just another corpulent clown in charge of running UEFA and ruining football, it's hard to imagine Michel Platini ever had the energy to single-handedly dominate a European Championships in a style never seen before or after. But in 1984, on home soil, 'Le Roi' was truly on one, scoring nine times (neuf, and from midfield) and propelling the then finest France team to a seemingly preordained title. The highlight was not the perfect hat-trick of left foot, header, right foot against Yugoslavia, as majestic as it was, but the nerveless winner he fired high into the roof of the net against Portugal in the 119th minute of the semi final.
“Panenka showed the balls of a very big boy to win the tournament and illustrate how it should be done”
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Panenka's chip 1976 The first time penalties were used to decide a European Championship, Czechoslovakia's Antonin Panenka showed the balls of a very big boy to win the entire tournament and illustrate how it should – or should not – be done. In the final against the always heavily fancied West Germany, it went to penalties, where Uli Hoeness blinked first. He missed to leave it 3-4 to the Czechs – and if Panenka scored from their fifth kick, his team would win. The coolest man on the continent, the lad should have closed his eyes and lashed at it, but instead he waited for Sepp Maier to dive to his left before dinking the ball slowly into the very centre of the goal – a dink, if you will. Nowadays, such chutzpah is 10-a-penny. But Panenka blazed the trail for those who chose to think outside the box, while standing inside the box and 12 yards from goal. He later credited the kick to "the will of God", proving that He truly moves in the most unexpected of ways.
3
Zidane's guts 2004 It was so refreshing to see that, despite being the most gifted footballer of his generation and arguably the greatest player ever, Zinedine Zidane was still prone to the self-doubt and uncertainty that grip us mere mortals. It was late, oh so late, in France's opening game of Euro 2004 against England – and Zidane had just stolen an undeserved point with an equaliser in the 90th minute. More inexplicably still, three minutes later he was gifted the chance to turn one point into three from the spot after David James clattered into Thierry Henry. Up stepped Zizou and the rest was a formality: the Gods do not miss, not when it matters, or so we thought. But then it happened. As Zidane stooped to place the ball, he stopped, opened his mouth and out gushed the contents of his guts – it looked like he'd had a pre-match Pot Noodle. At that point, all of England had hope. He feels fear, self-doubt, the dark demons of despair! He is a mere mortal after all! But he still scored.
Press Association Images, Bongarts/Getty Images, AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Clockwise from top left: Panenka demonstrates never-before-seen stones to win the thing with a dink; Zizou shows similar guts to beat England; Platini hits his ninth of Euro '84, against Spain in the final
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The Top 10 Euro Moments
2
Psycho killer, qu'est que c'est? 1992 Yes, we considered sticking Stuart Pearce on this list for the moment he exorcised his demons from the spot against Spain. But the enduring memory of Psycho in any European Championships is not of that moment, but four years earlier in Sweden. England's group game against France plumbed new depths of tedium until a set-piece enlivened proceedings no end. As the players jostled for position, few noticed the stumpy Frenchman Basile Boli or the murderous glint in his eye. Certainly not Pearce, who heard the toot of the referee's whistle, then found himself prostrate on the turf, nursing a gaping wound in the shape of Boli's bastard-like forehead. And, as Psycho listened to the birdies twittering above his head, Boli did what most Frenchmen do – he ran away, back to the safety of his own penalty area. We were every bit as amazed as Psycho, for who had seen that coming? But we took comfort knowing that as soon as the fug lifted, the world's hardest footballer would exact swift and brutal retribution. But a funny thing happened: nothing happened at all. Some would say Psycho proved his sobriquet apt by simply playing on as if nothing had happened. Others suggest he had met his match and seen his reputation reduced to rubble.
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Denmark 1992 One of football's many apocryphal tales has it that, having failed to qualify in 1992, Richard Moller Nielsen's not-very-great Danes were sat on the beach in their budgie smugglers when news arrived that their presence was requested in Sweden – Yugoslavia had been kicked out for being ravaged by civil war, which contravenes Uefa's Rule 3,219 (subsection 32). Sadly, that was stretching the truth – although Moller Nielsen was decorating his house when the call came to make up the numbers. Which is how things appeared to be going after two group games in which the Danes returned just a single point – that coming in a 0-0 opener against the quite hopeless England. But, by beating France 2-1 in the final game, they were fast-tracked through to a semi final against holders Holland. The Dutch scrambled a late equaliser as it finished 2-2 and went to penalties, where the giant red-nosed albino Peter Schemeichel saved from
Marco van Basten to take them through to a final against World Cup holders and eternal villains of any piece, Germany. On the rack from the first toot, Denmark somehow found themselves in front when John Jensen fooled a group of watching Arsenal executives with a thunderbolt from miles out after 18 minutes. When the Danes next escaped their own half after 78 minutes, Kim Vilfort surprised everybody, himself included, by adding a second. Few people complained that he'd carried the ball five yards with his arm before shooting home – not even the Germans, who realised that sometimes, you can't fight fate. (Note: Greece pulled off a similarly heroic Euro win in 2004, but we're discounting them for being truly obnoxious to watch.) Nick Harper
Roy Beardsworth, Allsport UK, Michael Kunkel/Bongarts/Getty Images, Action Images
Clockwise from left: Psycho shrugs off the scratch on his cheek and gets on with it; Brian Laudrup (11) and Flemming Povlsen (9) start the celebrations for Denmark , before they get their hands on the trophy (below)
“Pearce lay on the turf, nursing a gaping wound in the shape of Boli's bastard-like forehead” 34 | June 1 2012 |
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Dave Brailsford
36 | June 1 2012 |
M MI
MASTER MIND T here's a photograph from the Beijing Olympics adorning the otherwise bare walls of Dave Brailsford's office, buried deep within the bowels of the Manchester Velodrome. Enlarged to A2 size and stretched on to canvas, the photo shows the team pursuit boys – Ed Clancy, Paul Manning, Geraint Thomas and Bradley Wiggins – in formation during their world record, gold medal-winning ride (pictured right). “A nice memory,” we say. “Yes, and it's almost perfect,” Brailsford says, walking over to it. We're confused. What could possibly be wrong with a photograph of the perfect ride? Pointing to the back of Thomas' aerodynamically contoured helmet, British Cycling's head honcho explains: “It's not quite resting low enough on his back, you see. I've made sure I told him about it, too...” It's no surprise to see such attention to detail from a man who currently fulfils lead roles at two of Britain's top sporting institutions. Indeed, when Team Sky launched in January 2010, many questioned whether Brailsford could handle managing Britain's first professional team while also preparing the nation's top cyclists for a home Olympics. “I think people misunderstood how I was going to approach it,” he says now. “I see my role as an orchestra conductor; it's my job to decide what tunes we’re going to play, then pick the violinist, the cymbal player, etc. Not diving in, grabbing an instrument and saying: 'This is how you play it.' It's making sure we've got the best guys and creating an environment in which they can be at their best. “Yes, it was a stretch to start with, when we were getting everything off the ground. But in a four-year Olympic cycle, there are times when it's full on and times when it drops off a bit. I timed it so we built Team Sky at the start of an Olympic cycle, got it up and running, and now I'm focused on the Olympics.” KEEPING IT SIMPLE “It's not complicated,” he insists, smiling. “There are people running companies with 20-30,000 people out there. Sport is a game. And it's all about trying to get people to perform to the best of their ability.
”What makes it easier for sports teams is that most elite sportspeople are very driven individuals. They don't come to work and think: 'I'll do my nineto-five and see the week through – I'm interested in my pay packet and that's about it.' If you can harness that drive, it gives you an advantage.” Even so, Brailsford admits he can't see himself leading both orchestras again when the Rio Olympics come around. “I like to know what's going on in every area and have it at my fingertips,” he says. “I want to make sure I'm across junior BMX enough, for example. Likewise with mountain biking or any element of the development programmes. The volume of information I get now is so great...” At this, he exhales deeply: ”Something has to give. After London, I'd imagine my role changes, and that's more in terms of British Cycling than Team Sky.”
CAVENDISH THE GREAT Brailsford had planned to be in Majorca on the day we meet, keeping one eye on a Team Sky training camp. But a change of heart sees him in Manchester, where new recruit Mark Cavendish is due to put in some hours on the boards. The Manxman's switch to Team Sky at the start of 2012 was no surprise – one of the best British riders at the best (well, only) British team makes sense. Brailsford has also known the world champion since he first appeared at the Manchester Velodrome as a bolshy 16-year-old with his chest puffed out and ideas way above his station. “Like most youngsters, I asked him:'What's the top of your mountain? Where do you want to be?'“ Brailsford recalls. “He was very forthright in saying: 'I want to be the fastest man in the world.' I thought: 'Blimey, that's a bit bold.' >
| 37
Bryn Lennon/Getty Images, Nick Laham/Getty Images
He's fighting a war on two fronts, heading up British Cycling in their preparation for the Olympics and Team Sky in their third season. But Dave Brailsford tells Sport that really, his job is easy...
“Mark has managed to keep his feet on the ground. Professional road cyclists are remarkably robust characters – they have to be” “Not many lads say things with such conviction. You wonder if it's bravado or if it's for real. But the most critical thing was that he genuinely believed it. Whether anybody else believed it didn't matter, because he did. When you realised he had absolute belief in his own ability, you thought: 'Regardless of the competition, this guy's gonna be very, very good.'“ In fact, he's been better than that. The 27-year-old took another three stage wins in the recent Giro d'Italia, taking his career tally to 33 Grand Tour victories. With the prestigious Green Jersey (for the Tour de France's best sprinter) and the world champ's Rainbow Jersey already in his collection, Cavendish has ticked almost every box a sprinter can, with the Olympic road race a question soon to be answered. All of which – combined with his acquisition of a former Page 3 model girlfriend – has resulted in his fame rocketing. “I think he's managed to keep his feet on the ground, despite the success,” says Brailsford when asked if he has any worries over the young rider's rapidly expanding portfolio of sponsors, frequent photo shoots and TV appearances. “Professional road cyclists are remarkably robust characters – they have to be. Their day job requires them to get up early, have breakfast, jump on the bus for a 100/200km ride to the start of a stage, race for six hours, get back on the bus, shower, travel another 100km to the next hotel, eat, have a massage, get to bed late and get up early the next morning to do the whole thing again. And they do that for 20-odd days.
38 | June 1 2012 |
“Mark manages himself very well in that area, and he's got good people around him who understand that if their commercial activities impact upon his ability to perform... well, that's the beginning of the end, really.”
TEAM TACTICS The biggest question surrounding Cavendish, though, has been where he would fit into a team that has always prioritised the ambitions of leader Bradley Wiggins. “The thing about pro cycling is there are so many races,“ says Brailsford. “And the team races on so many different fronts at the same time that Mark and Brad are rarely in the same team.” They will be at the Tour de France, though, where Wiggins will presumably be leading the charge again. “They can operate in harmony,“ says Brailsford with a grin. “I've no doubt about that. They're different characters. Bradley is a guy who leads by example on the road, whereas Mark maybe has more charismatic leadership skills. But what you can't underestimate with Bradley is that he knows the sport – he really does. He's also very funny; he makes people laugh all the time. He's very witty, very sharp and very clever. “They both influence other people's behaviour – they just do it differently. Traditionally, people look at leadership as being by the charismatic guy leading from the front. But there are other ways of doing it, and Bradley does it in a different way. I don't think there's a challenge or a clash between them.” CASH FOR CLASS? With the backing of a multimedia giant and a team boasting some of the world's best riders, it seems apt that the brains behind Team Sky occupies an office the width of an (albeit humongous) Asda car park away from Manchester City's Etihad Stadium. But
Brailsford is keen to point out that that is where the links between the two end. “It's good to set the record straight,“ he smiles. “We have the sixth largest budget on the world tour, so we're not the Man City of cycling by a long way. I refute that totally. The biggest portion of other teams' spending is on rider salaries. Their thinking is that the more you pay, the better riders you get, and that should correlate to more success. Our belief is that if you get very good riders and you invest in coaching to support them, you'll get a better performance. We're not just out buying the best riders at any price – we didn't go and buy Alberto Contador or the Schleck brothers. We invest in supporting and developing performance. And I think that's quite unique.” Even so, should Team Sky complete their stated mission on launch (to win the Tour de France with a British rider within five years) this year, comparisons with the league champions will doubtless resurface. The statement certainly raised eyebrows. “It came across as a bit brash,” says Brailsford. “A bit full of ourselves. It was never meant to be. But when we took it into the public domain, it seemed to jolt a bit. “I wouldn't want to be in a team that goes in at the highest level without trying to win the biggest thing it could though – I don't see the point in that.” But does he see it happening at this year's Tour? “I believe it's possible. As much or more so now than I did then. Sport is about playing a game against the opposition. You can't control the opposition, but you can work out if you've got a chance of winning. So, it's not saying we will win, but you cannot say we can't win. It's dependent on a lot of variables. That's what makes it interesting. That's racing.” And with that we thank Brailsford for his time, getting the distinct impression he enjoys welcoming others into his complex world of tactics and strategy. This orchestra conductor will have riders pedalling to his tune for some time yet. Sarah Shephard @sarahsportmag
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Dave Brailsford
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The Investec Derby
Five reasons to watch... The Derby
The Queen will be celebrating her Diamond Jubilee with a little trip to Epsom to catch the Investec Derby this Saturday. Here, for your esteemed reference, are five reasons why you should join her
1
Classic racing Alongside the Grand National and the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Epsom Derby is one of the absolute jewels in the crown of horse racing in this country. The fourth and most important of the five English Classics to be run during the flat season, the race determines the champion three-year-old middle-distance colt of the year. That may sound like a fairly specific accolade, and it is. But consider this recent quote from the master trainer Aidan O‘Brien, whose stable in Ireland sends out runners bred by the influential Coolmore Stud: ”All these horses are bred and reared to turn up in the Derby, he said. “The Derby is the race that distinguishes the breed, so it‘s very hard, if they‘re well, not to let them take their chance.“ In short, then, this is the one race of the season everyone in the sport wants to win.
Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images
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A star is born Not every Derby winner goes on to be the champion people expect him to be (last year‘s winner, Pour Moi, was retired due to injury soon after, while the 2006 winner Sir Percy never won another race), but every so often a horse wins the Derby on its way to true greatness. Take 2009 winner Sea The Stars, who came to Epsom on the back of an impressive win in the 2000 Guineas and went on to claim another four top-level Group 1 victories before being retired to stud with more than £4.4m of prize money in the bag. ”A horse of
40 | June 1 2012 |
a lifetime!“ screamed commentator Jim McGrath as he romped home in his last race, the Prix de l‘Arc de Triomphe, in October of that year. And he was right.
3
History repeating? Three years on from Sea The Stars completing the Guineas-Derby double, the 2012 renewal could witness a repeat in the form of Aidan O‘Brien‘s unbeaten colt Camelot. The three-year-old was sired (that‘s horsey language for ‘fathered‘) by Montjeu, who himself won the French and Irish Derbies back in 1999, and has won all three of his career starts to date. Could Camelot be the next horse to write himself into equine immortality? The bookies think he could be – despite facing up to 11 high-class opponents, he is likely to start an odds-on favourite tomorrow.
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One for the girls Tomorrow‘s Derby carries momentous importance for the female of our particular species, for two reasons. First, ace jockey Hayley Turner (pictured) is set to become only the second woman ever to ride in the Derby, after Alex Greaves finished stone last aboard Portuguese Lil in 1996. Turner rides another outsider, the Marcus Tregoning-trained Cavaleiro, but this is no publicity stunt; the 29-year-old is a top-rate jockey who will surely enjoy many more rides in the big race in years to come. Oh, and the second reason? With the Beeb set to lose all of its horse-racing coverage at the end of
this year, this is likely to be the last Derby anchored by the incomparable Clare Balding. For that reason alone, it‘s not to be missed.
5
Fancy a punt? And, finally, the Derby is a horse race – and that means a chance to whip out your wallet and treat yourself to a little gamble. We advise kicking that off today, with the Investec Oaks (the fillies‘ version of the Derby, BBC One 4.05pm), for which we will be having a pound or three on the very talented Kissed at a tasty-looking price of 6/1. As and when she wins, you can stake your returns on the Derby... and, while Camelot looks a worthy favourite, we fancy the strongstaying Thought Worthy to emulate his big brother Lucarno and run into a place. An each-way bet at about 20/1 will yield a nice little profit indeed.
Saturday Investec Derby | Epsom Racecourse | BBC One/Racing UK 4pm
56 Days to go
Focus 2012
Indoor volleyball
THE VENUE Earls Court is used to hosting the Great British Beer Festival and rock concerts, but this summer it’s swapping its beer-belly and ripped jeans for short shorts worn by long-limbed athletes with the jumping power of a Red Bull-infused flea. Which is a rather unflattering description of Olympic indoor volleyball athletes, but you get the picture. They leap. High. Earls Court has played Olympic host before, to the boxing, gymnastics, weightlifting and wrestling at the 1948 Games. A six-team test event was held there last summer, when Kevin Hansen – captain of the reigning Olympic champions, the US men’s team – said: “It’s beautiful, the surface is great, the lighting is fantastic.” Beautiful, eh? He’s obviously not seen it after an Iron Maiden concert. THE EVENT Beach volleyball may have only two players per team, but indoors there are six, taking it closer to the sport first invented by the athletics director of the YMCA training school in Massachusetts as an alternative to basketball for people “of a certain vintage”. But that was in 1895. These days the sport is all about speed, power, strength and inches. The crucial set and spike play (one player feeds the ball to a teammate, whose job is to smash it into the opponents’ court) means height is definitely an advantage in this
42 | June 1 2012 |
game, in which the net is 2.43m high for men and 2.24m high for women. Once the ball is in play, each team is allowed three touches before it must pass over the net, though consecutive touches by the same player aren’t allowed. Whichever team wins the point serves next, with matches played to the best of five sets. For the first four sets, the team that reaches 25 points first with a margin of two clear points wins the set. If the tie goes to a fifth (and deciding) set, whichever team reaches 15 points (with that two-point cushion) wins. In the men’s and women’s competitions in London, there will be 12 teams divided into two groups of six. The best eight teams from the group stage then go into the knockout phase. Look out for Russia, Brazil and the USA. TEAM GB’S PROGRESS “I want to show the world we have a very good team and win two matches to get into the quarters,” says Harry Brokking, GB men’s head coach. Audrey Cooper, head coach of the women’s side, says: “I am excited about the prospects for this team reaching its full potential and delivering our style of play.” VOLLEYBALL AT LONDON 2012 DATES July 28-August 12 CAPACITY 15,000 HOW TO GET THERE London Underground, London Overground (Kensington Olympia)
GB hopeful
Lynne Beattie AGE IN 2012 26
The GB women’s captain has competed across Europe to gain top-level experience... The GB women’s volleyball team has moved on a massive amount since having their public funding cut in 2010, when they were forced to leave their Sheffield training base and the centralised training programme was under threat. It meant most players sought contracts at teams abroad, with captain Lynne Beattie heading for Spain (she’d already spent seasons in Slovenia, Germany and Italy). Although both the men’s and women’s teams were given host-nation places for the Games, they first had to prove they could hold their own at international level. “As a team, GB have worked so hard over the past five years,” says Beattie. “We’ve had to fast-track to the level required to compete at an Olympics against the best in the world. We are now at that level, but we want wins.”
KEY EVENTS BEFORE LONDON 2012 International Men’s Volleyball v Belgium June 12-16, University of Edinburgh International Women’s Volleyball v Algeria June 22–23, Kelvin Hall ISA, Glasgow
Tom Shaw/Getty Images, PA Archive/Press Association Images
Originally invented for those too old for basketball, volleyball has come a long way from its YMCA roots...
7 Days OUR PICK OF THE ACTION FROM THE SPORTING WEEK AHEAD
JUNEHIGHLIGHTS 1–JUNE 7 » Hockey: Investec London Cup » p46 » Athletics: Samsung Diamond League » p46 » MotoGP: Round 5 » p48 » Cricket: England v West Indies: 3rd Test » p48 » Football: England v Belgium » p50
SUNDAY > CYCLING | CRITERIUM DU DAUPHINE | FRANCE | BRITISH EUROSPORT 2 9.30PM
Pascal Pavani/AFP/Getty Images
Wiggins on the up and up Bradley Wiggins’ final race before the big one – which for him means the Tour de France rather than the Olympics – sees him return to the scene of one of his finest victories at the Criterium du Dauphine. Beginning with a 5.7km prologue in Grenoble on Sunday, the seven-stage event is seen as a key warm-up for the Tour, and will pit Wiggins against the riders most likely to be challenging him for the Yellow Jersey when the race begins at the end of the month. That includes last year’s Tour winner Cadel Evans, whose form has been patchy this year, and Andy Schleck. The Team Sky rider’s win in last year’s Dauphine sparked a run of tremendous form,
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despite a heavy crash on stage seven of the Tour, which left Wiggins nursing a broken collarbone. Just seven weeks later, though, he was back on the bike and riding outstandingly well to finish third in the Tour of Spain. Since then, there’s been a silver medal in the World Championships time trial and impressive victories in Paris-Nice and the Tour of Romandy. All of which suggest it’s no flight of fancy to picture him wearing the Yellow Jersey of the Tour leader in Paris on July 22. But first it’s to Grenoble, and the beginning of a 1,052km race that takes riders on a climb up the Grand Colombier on Stage 5.
It’s a mountain pass they will also face in the Tour, so if you spot any riders taking notes as they struggle up it, you will know why. Having just been on an altitude training camp in Tenerife, where one of Europe’s highest volcanoes provided the kind of testing terrain that would kill any regular human, Wiggins will be well prepared for the heights to come. Should he defend his Dauphine title, he’ll go into the Tour with hopes of topping the podium about as high as they have ever been.
The last time Mount Teide – the volcano in Tenerife where Bradley Wiggins has been training – erupted, although it’s still considered to be unstable
1909
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7 Days TUESDAY > HOCKEY | INVESTEC LONDON CUP | UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER SPORTS GROUND, CHISWICK | SKY SPORTS 4 7PM (FROM WEDNESDAY)
SATURDAY NBA | WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL GAME 4: OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER v SAN ANTONIO SPURS | CHESAPEAKE ENERGY ARENA, OKLAHOMA CITY | ESPN 1.30AM
GB’s scouting mission
Alex Danson has teamed up with Philips to promote the ActionFit Sports headphones – available now at Amazon, from £20
Showdown in Oklahoma
It’s game four of the Western Conference Final between Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs – one which, in a seven-game series, is always crucial. Both teams swept aside their second-round opponents – Spurs (and Tim Duncan, top) not dropping a game in dispatching the LA Clippers 4-0, while Oklahoma dropped just one to defeat the 2010 NBA champs LA Lakers. It’s this form that has led many to predict that whoever wins the Eastern Final between Miami Heat and Boston Celtics/Philadelphia 76ers stands little to no chance in a seven-game series against the Western Conference winners.
SATURDAY ATHLETICS | SAMSUNG DIAMOND LEAGUE: EUGENE | HAYWARD FIELD, OREGON | BBC RED BUTTON 7.20PM
Farah smasher 46 | June 1 2012 |
The 38th Prefontaine Classic sees Mo Farah head back to the track where he smashed the British and European 10,000m record last year. The fourth Diamond League meet of the season is an event the Briton can consider almost a ‘home’ one after his move to Portland to train with Alberto Salazar last year. He has, however, opted for the shorter 5,000m this year – a decision that will pit him against double Olympic gold-medallist (over both 5,000m and 10,000m) Kenenisa Bekele in Eugene. But it’s the men’s 110m hurdles that is set to really excite, starring the two fastest hurdlers in history (with just 0.01s between them) and the previous two Olympic champions in China’s Liu Xiang and the Cuban Dayron Robles. Don’t blink, or you may just miss it.
Bryn Lennon/Getty Images, Christian Petersen/Getty Images, Mark Dadswell/Getty Images
Injured GB hockey captain Alex Danson (above) will likely watch from the sidelines when her teammates play in their final Olympic warm-up tournament in London, but she told Sport why it’s the perfect preparation for the Games. “The Investec London Cup is our final run in to the Games, so it’s crucial to our preparation,” she explains. “It’ll be the Olympic squad playing and we are up against some really good opposition. South Africa and Germany are in our pool, and they are two teams we could meet in the crossover finals at the Olympics. “Holland are in the other pool so hopefully we’ll meet them in the semis or the final, because they are in our pool at the Olympics. They’re a team that are always tricky to break down, with good skills, so it gives us one final opportunity to get another look at them
before the Games. I’ll be there for every game. There’s a tiny bit of me that’s still hoping maybe I can play, but it’s more likely I’ll just be watching. “We’re ranked fourth in the world now, but a few years ago, before we went fulltime (thanks to UK Sport and lottery funding) we were ranked 11th – so it’s been an incredible few years. We’ve managed to medal at every major tournament, which is a huge step for us and something we’re looking to build on. “We’re aiming for that Olympic gold medal – that’s where we have set our sights. The biggest thing for us is we know that, whatever happens, we can’t have any regrets because we’ve done everything we can.”
CHANGE YOUR GAME
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7 Days THURSDAY > CRICKET | ENGLAND v WEST INDIES: 3RD TEST EDGBASTON | SKY SPORTS 1 10.30AM
SUNDAY MOTOGP | ROUND 5 | CIRCUIT DE CATALUNYA, MONTMELO | BBC2 1PM
Weight off the shoulders Next Thursday, the final Test between England and the West Indies begins, but the battle is already won. England’s 2-0 lead against a spirited but flawed Windies team is unassailable and, crucially, Andrew Strauss’ two centuries mean he’s fought back against his batting demons. The captain’s lack of form has been under press scrutiny of late, particularly because England’s poor run-scoring was the major reason they lost four out of five Tests over the winter. It was a dilemma. Replacing Strauss, popular and successful in equal measure, was a last resort. But how long could England persist with an opening batsman who simply wasn’t scoring enough runs? This series against the West Indies has settled such concerns. The captain’s 309 from four knocks make him England’s leading run-getter so far this series. It also ensures he will end a Test series with an average of more than 50 for the first time since Australia in 2009/10 (we’re excluding minnows Bangladesh. Sorry, Bangladesh). He’ll want to seal a 3-0 win over the Windies, for sure, but for now both England and their skipper will be looking forward to July’s Tests against South Africa in a far more assured state of mind.
Spain again There’s a sense of deja vu hanging over MotoGP this weekend: we’re back in Spain for the second time this season (after Jerez in April) and, just like last year, Jorge Lorenzo leads the standings from Australian Casey Stoner (above). Lorenzo’s win in Le Mans propelled him back to the top, where he’s opened up an eight-point lead, but he’ll be well aware that he had an even bigger lead this time last year before falling away as Stoner took the title. This will be the last season there’s any danger of that happening, because the
Aussie announced his impending retirement from the sport before the race in France a fortnight ago. He still managed to finish a comfortable third behind a revitalised Valentino Rossi, who scored only his second podium since moving to Ducati. Stoner said he made his decision because he no longer enjoys racing, but hopefully that won’t stop him from bowing out on a high. He won last year’s race to complete a run of five consecutive podium finishes in Catalunya, but Lorenzo has an equally strong pedigree, with two wins and two second-place finishes from four starts. With home support, he’ll be hoping to maintain his title momentum for one last battle with Stoner.
The youth is out there While the seniors start their summer tours this weekend, the next generation head to South Africa for the Junior World Championship. We pick three home stars to keep an eye on MATT KVESIC (ENGLAND) The Worcester back row has played more than 30 first-team games for the Warriors. His tackle count, workrate and power remind us of a young Chris Robshaw. 48 | June 1 2012 |
PADDY JACKSON (IRELAND) The Ulster fly half orchestrated his side’s path to the Heineken Cup final with a cool head and accurate boot, and should thrive at this level.
HARRY ROBINSON (WALES) Shane Williams’ ready-made replacement, the Cardiff Blues speedster has the pace and clever footwork to make a gap out of nothing.
Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images, Alain Jocard/AFP/GettyImages, David Rogers/Getty Images, Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images, Michael Steele/Getty Images
MONDAY > RUGBY UNION | JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: ENGLAND v ITALY | CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA | SKY SPORTS 2 3.45PM
Competition
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FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A PAIR, JUST ANSWER THE SIMPLE QUESTION BELOW: Who does Xavi play for? A. Barcelona B. Bilbao C. Barrow To enter, text PREDATOR, your answer A, B or C and your name to 81089
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CALLING
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kiaoval.com/londoncalling | 49
7 Days SATURDAY FOOTBALL | ENGLAND v BELGIUM | WEMBLEY STADIUM | ITV1 5.15PM
Dress rehearsal
BEST OF THE REST
FRIDAY
TENNIS French Open Day 6, Roland Garros, British Eurosport 9.30am AUSSIE RULES AFL: St Kilda v Richmond, Etihad Stadium, Melbourne, ESPN 10.30am CRICKET CB40: Kent v Warwickshire, St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury, Sky Sports 2 4.30pm
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England’s opening Euro 2012 opponents finish their warm-up games with what should be an easy runout. Improvement is required after their lacklustre performance against Iceland last week, when two late goals secured a 3-2 victory for Les Bleus. Karim Benzema, Franck Ribery and Olivier Giroud in particular looked dangerous, but they had to rely on defenders Mathieu Debuchy and Adil Rami to score the goals that levelled and then won the tie. Defensively, they were less impressive, and coach Laurent Blanc (left) will need to instil a bit of confidence before they meet England. After all, Andy Carroll doesn’t give you a second chance...
can retain solidity at the back without jeopardising their ability to create chances against higher-quality opposition. Ashley Young will be lucky if he gets to waltz his way to goal like he did in Oslo, with Vincent Kompany and Thomas Vermaelen to keep him company, while England’s own centre-back pairing will need to be wary of Romelu Lukaku’s physicality and Eden Hazard, who will be keen to give English fans a preview of what he can do. Doubts persist in central midfield after Gareth Barry’s forced withdrawal, too, meaning England will be grateful to come through with a decent show of attacking intent and no more injuries.
RUGBY LEAGUE Super League: Leeds v Wigan, Headingley, Sky Sports 1 8pm
SATURDAY RUGBY UNION Super Rugby: Blues v Chiefs, North Harbour Stadium, Sky Sports 2 8.35am BOXING British Light-Middleweight Title: Brian Rose v Kris Carslaw, Bowlers Arena, Manchester, Sky Sports 2 8.30pm BASEBALL MLB: Toronto Blue Jays v Boston Red Sox,
Rogers Centre, Toronto, ESPN America 6pm
GOLF Memorial Tournament Day 4, Muirfield Village Golf Club, Ohio, Sky Sports 1 5pm
Odsal Stadium, Sky Sports 1 7.30pm
ICE HOCKEY AHL: Calder Cup Final Game 2: Norfolk Admirals v Toronto Marlies, Norfolk Scope, ESPN America 12am
FOOTBALL Brazil v Mexico, Cowboys Stadium, Dallas, ESPN 8pm
RUGBY UNION Australia v Scotland, Ausgrid Stadium, Newcastle NSW, Sky Sports 1 10.30am
SUNDAY
MONDAY
MOTORSPORT DTM Round 3, Red Bull Ring, Austria, ESPN 12.15pm
CRICKET CB40: Essex v Gloucestershire, County Cricket Ground, Chelmsford, Sky Sports 1 1.30pm
CRICKET CB40: Durham v Nottinghamshire, Emirates Durham International Cricket Ground, Sky Sports 2 1.30pm
TUESDAY
CRICKET CB40: Lancashire v Worcestershire, Old Trafford, Sky Sports 1 1.30pm
WEDNESDAY RUGBY LEAGUE Super League: Bradford v Castleford,
TENNIS French Open Day 11, Roland Garros, ITV4 12.30pm
Alex Livesey/Getty Images, Franck Fife/AFP/GettyImages
Back at Wembley tomorrow for their second international under Roy Hodgson, England will face a much tougher test of their Euro 2012 credentials when they welcome a Belgian side packed with talent. In last week’s 1-0 win over Norway, England showed that, even after a relatively short time with the former Fulham boss, they’ve already started to inherit some of Hodgson’s trademark organisation and defensive stability. Still, it was far from a perfect performance – the Norwegians were allowed 56 per cent possession, and John Arne Riise in particular was afforded far too much space. Against Belgium, England will have to show that they
TUESDAY FOOTBALL FRANCE v ESTONIA | ESPN 8PM
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Advertising feature
SUPPORTING A NATION
In the first of a series of three features, we take a look behind the scenes of the brand new television advert for the England Team Sponsor Vauxhall, as they look to build a nation united this summer
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‘Are you sure you’re not James Beattie?’ asks Ashley Cole
Watch the new Vauxhall advert at... www.vauxhallfootball.co.uk/england2012 Scott Parker tries out his hard face...
... while Joe Hart chills out to a bit of Jay Z (see page 24)
LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP Football, you may have noticed, is the number-one sport in this proud old nation of ours – and Vauxhall’s heritage as a British firm with 109 years’ experience in the UK motor industry makes them an appropriate driving force behind football on these shores. And the brand’s pedigree within the sport is undoubted; its 12-year sponsorship of the Football League Conference remains the most iconic in the division’s history, but they have now taken the ultimate step in becoming the lead partner for each of the four national associations in the UK. For the summer of 2012, that means getting behind the England team as they head east – and supporting the nation that so loyally follows them.
Under instruction: the England boys practise sitting still and listening to the boss
A
s a rule, we don’t like to admit that advertising has any great impact on us. In a world of ever-increasing commercialism, we as intelligent human beings are becoming desensitised to the effects of the industry; whether in print, on the box or on those huge billboards that continue to pepper our thoroughfares, we just don’t take as much notice as we used to. So goes the theory, at least. The reality is, of course, very different – and at no time is that reinforced more starkly than in the build-up to a major sporting tournament. We’ve all been there, lounging around in front of the television when, quite suddenly, an ad comes on that gets the juices flowing,
ramps up the excitement and serves to build not just excitement, but also belief. Belief that, this time, our sporting heroes really can do it.
DRIVING ENGLAND ON Which brings us to this summer, when a new-look England side will head to Poland and Ukraine under a recently appointed manager and, for the first two games at least, without their star player. They are going to face a tough task in a competitive group, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get just as excited as usual about a summer festival of football. And helping us to do just that are Vauxhall, England Team Sponsor, whose rousing new advert looks set to bring players and fans together from Saturday June 2.
You can watch the new advert, featuring a host of England stars – including captain Steven Gerrard and this week’s Sport cover star Joe Hart – online at www.vauxhallfootball.co.uk/england2012. We’re not going to spoil your enjoyment by revealing too much more about it, of course... although keep an eye out for a small cameo appearance from one fancyfooted former England international. Ahead of your first viewing, however, we are able to bring you this selection of exclusive behind-the-scenes shots from the making of the advert. So enjoy the images, and don’t forget to head online to see the ad – if you’re not already looking forward to giving the England boys your full support this summer, one look at this and you soon will be.
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Advertising feature
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IS IAN RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT OR WRONG, WRONG, WRONG? Ian Wright has teamed up with 888sport to give us his 31 Euro predictions, and that’s not all – he’s got some of his mates to join his own mini-league. Why not find out who Wrighty and his showbiz mates have gone for in their Winning Streak predictions? You can even try and beat them and set up your own mini-leagues! Visit www.888sport.com/ winningstreak
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*Featured prizes: Xbox 360, three-day hire of a Porsche Cayman S, 32” LED Cinema 3D Smart TV, Lionel Messi-signed Barcelona shirt, Amazon Kindle Wi-Fi, Sony HDRCX210 Camcorder 54 | June 1 2012 |
P68 Noomi Rapace is the girl who kicks the alien’s sorry ass in Prometheus
Extra time Kit
Making the most of your time and money
Get your shirt on for the lads
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Time to pick your Euro 2012 horse and prepare to back it to the finish. Or just pick the shirt that brings out your eyes...
1 Nike Poland home £60 | nikestore.com Blend in with the local stereotypes by drinking obscene amounts of vodka and donning their colours. With the iconic Polish eagle back in its rightful place, the shirt is ready for action. Shame the team aren’t very good.
2 Adidas Ukraine home £65 | adidas.co.uk Show your support for Andriy Shevchenko (yes, he’s still going), Andriy Voronin (him too) and co with their latest offering, boasting the nation’s coat of arms across the patterned midriff.
3 Nike Netherlands home £60 | nikestore.com You can only imagine how excited Robin van Persie must be to play some football for a team in which other people do stuff – and he’ll be adorned in this two-tone tangerine number when he does. Okay, their shirt might be nice, but they don’t have Abou Diaby in their team, do they?
4 Adidas Spain home £65 | adidas.co.uk With the gold star representing their World Cup win and an inscription inside the collar to honour their Euros history, the Spanish top screams class and quality – much like their entire midfield.
5 Puma Italy home £55 | puma.com Italy’s new top features panelling across the top as well as a pocket (you know why). It’s Italian simplicity and elegance at its finest. Expect to see it rolling around the floors of Poland and Ukraine any day now.
6 Umbro England home £45 | umbro.com/en-gb England’s latest look is set to be worn by such legends of modern football as Phil Jagielka, Stewart Downing and Andy Carroll. You may as well add a second star (in a different colour, naturally) now – there’s no way they’ll mess it up again...
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Silence the irritation with NIVEA FOR MEN Sensitive
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Extra time Polly Parsons
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Zoe McConnell/Celebrity Pictures
here’s every chance it will have escaped your attention, because you, sir, insist on turning straight to these pages before perusing the rest of the magazine. But take a look at page 50 – go on, do it now. She’ll still be here. Right. England are playing Belgium, see? And Polly Parsons here is currently rumoured to be stepping out with Arsenal and Belgium defender Thomas Vermaelen. Marvelling at how hard we work to make these pages relevant, as you doubtlessly are, the fact that Parsons presents BBC Three’s The Real Hustle and that she has recently ended a six-year relationship with Sid Owen – Ricky Butcher in Eastenders – will likely be of little interest. Though it might be of interest to Vermaelen, given reports that Arsenal are interested in signing Velez Sarsfield winger Alvarez this summer. His first name? Rickyyyyyyy.
T
Take a Butcher’s
Extra time Gadgets
Summer of sport 3
Euro 2012 kicks off in a week, with the Olympics hot on its heels. Is your living room ready for it?
DT50 1TB Box by Viera LED TV Sir Stirling Moss 6 Panasonic 1 Sky+HD Decked out in the British racing green made famous by Moss, this limited-edition box has tons of space to tape F1, football or hundreds of episodes of Man vs Food.
The official TV of the Games, although the IOC have shown unusual leniency in allowing other brands to receive the event as well. Comes in sizes from 42”- 55”.
From £99 | sky.com/ designerboxes
£1,696 | panasonic.co.uk
EHTW9000W 2 Epson It’s every man’s dream, so clear a wall and free up some cash – you get a sporting summer like this once in a lifetime, and this 3D, HD and Wi-Fi projector is just what you need to enjoy it. £2,650 | epson.co.uk
R1 MkII DAB Radio 3 Ruark You may, if the sun stays out, actually want to go outside during the summer. So make sure you don’t miss any sporting action from the garden or balcony. £TBC | ruarkaudio.com
4 Roku LT
Makes your dumb old TV smart, like when Homer has that crayon pulled out of his brain and gains a bunch of IQ points. Connects to Wi-Fi and is great for streaming the 2,000 hours of Olympics coverage on iPlayer. £50 | play.com
Harmony One+ Remote 5 Logitech
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Alphason Pebble TV Stand
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No point getting a sleek new TV if you’re going to rest it on an upturned shopping crate. This stylish stand is also available in white.
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£230 | alphason designs.com
BP420 Blu-ray 8 LGPlayer Plays Blu-ray discs and has Smart TV capabilities. Clever girl. £120 | lg.com/uk
Samsung SMT-S7800 500 GB 9Freesat HD PVR Kick the digital switchover’s ass with this box, which will let you store up to 120 hours of hi-def shows. £150 | samsung.com
Sound Bar 10 NB3520A Wirelessly beef up your sound with this two-part system (including speaker, bottom right), which can also receive music over Bluetooth. £150 | lg.com/uk
Don’t you hate it when you turn on your expensive TV, but your expensive Blu-ray turns on instead? The solution? An expensive touchscreen remote.
Contour 200i Air 11 Pure
£129 | logitech.com
£200 | pure.com
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No home entertainment set-up is complete without some tunes. This dock provides wireless music streaming.
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James Lincoln, jameslincoln.co.uk
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Extra time Gadgets
Televisual treats If you’ve managed to persuade your other half it’s upgrade time, choose carefully. Your sofas could be pointed at this thing for years...
Sony Bravia HX853
LG LM670T Cinema 3D
Toshiba TL963B
Loewe Connect ID
Samsung ES8000
The flagship model of Sony’s 2012 line-up, the HX853 is made from a single sheet of gorilla glass, the same stuff that stops your keys from scratching your iPhone when you put them in the same pocket (and manufactured by primates deep in the Congolese forests). The sleek stand doubles as a soundbar, boosting the audio and holding the TV up simultaneously. Comes with all the good stuff you’d expect from a cuttingedge TV: Wi-Fi, 3D, and colour.
Yes, most new TVs have got iPlayer, and 4oD and *shudder* ITV Player, but with oldfashioned remotes they’re harder to navigate than the plot of Sherlock. This TV has passive 3D technology and, as well as five pairs of glasses, it comes with a Magic remote that lets you scroll around Smart menus like you would with a mouse. Sadly, the magic stops there, so it won’t let you rewind time when Stevie G underhits a 40-yard backpass straight to Karim Benzema.
Although better known for computing, Toshiba have a healthy home entertainment pedigree at the more budget end of the spectrum. Priced reasonably this TV may be, but it matches up well with its more prestigious brethren, featuring 3D and internet capability. It’s also available in a relatively small 40”, so would be perfect for those of you with rustic fireplaces you don’t want to obscure. Although, of course, everyone knows that the bigger a man’s TV...
This unique offering from ultra design-conscious Loewe comes with the option of a built-in hard-drive, can be controlled via a bespoke iPad app, and is available in 12 different colours and 30 configurations for the ultimate custom set. We think the colours should be named after TV shows – so if you’re a fan of fake tan and breast implants, you could go for TOWIE orange. Or, for a more sedate option, perhaps a Corrie beige or Schofield silver.
If you’re liable to scream at the TV as England crash out of the Euros, then this might not be the product for you. It’s got an HD camera and microphone on top, so you can control it with your voice – or, more likely, by shaking your head in disgust as Ukraine score a last-minute winner. There’s even face recognition, so you can quickly log into your ‘Smart Hub’ of online content. Yep, not only is this TV so advanced that you need to log in to it, but you can also do it with your face.
40”, 46” and 55” models From £1,200 | sony.co.uk
42”, 47” and 55” models From £1,149 | lg.com/uk
40” and 46” models From £550 | toshiba.co.uk
32”, 40” and 46” models From £1,395 | loewe.tv/uk
40”, 46” and 55” models From £1,500 | samsung.com
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Extra time Grooming
Not-so-rough diamond It’s the long Jubilee weekend – so do thyself a favour and polish up regally
THE BOX
Glossybox for Men The crown emblem on the sticker that seals this box of seven high-end grooming samples is as good as a royal stamp of approval (probably). We’ve waved a majestic hand
this way before, but the good chaps at Glossybox have unveiled their spring edition – and quite regal it is, too. Inside is Kyoku for Men sake-infused shave crème, Liz Earle for Men face scrub with pumice and jojoba beads, Organic Homme wrinkle-reducing repair serum by Green People,
Dr Bronner hand sanitizer, FAB body wash and 4711 cologne. There’s even a book of matches by The Legends London because, well, it looks cool (and they soothe razor burn). All of which should leave you feeling like a king. They even deliver it to your door. glossybox.co.uk/men
£15.00 (+£2.95 P&P)
THE FRAGRANCE
THE MOISTURISER
David Beckham Instinct Sport
Steamcream
He was married seated on a golden throne and is currently flogging smoothies and burgers that pretend to have something to do with the monarchy, but we still have a soft spot for Becks – especially when he smells like this. His latest offering, Instinct Sport, is a timely refinement of David Beckham Instinct (we find adding ‘sport’ to the title of anything lends an immediate touch of elegance), with notes of zesty mandarin and fresh citrus giving way to sandalwood, patchouli and the lingering hint of cashmeran that will, we’re told, reenergise and revitalise. We imagine the visiting dignitary at Wembley will get a whiff of this when they hand over the Olympic football trophy. And suitably impressed they’ll be, too. beckham-fragrances.com
Could a moisturiser be any more British? Handmade on the Dorset coast, Steamcream is packaged by Tim Henman and a pack of dexterously pawed corgis in tins depicting Routemaster buses, the Union Jack, Big Ben and Grenadier Guards. It will calm irritation, windburn, sunburn as well as hydrate your face, body, hands, feet and just about everything else with a combination of natural ingredients including almond oil, cocoa butter, jojoba oil and orange flower water – all neatly tied together with a delicate herbal scent. Among all the flag-waving celebrations and excitement this weekend, you can’t go too far wrong looking after your visage if you keep calm and Steamcream on. steamcream.co.uk
64 | June 1 2012 |
£15
£12.95
C ett elli GehT121©02012 The Gillette Company.
MANY ROADS LEAD TO THE MEDAL, BUT ALL BEGIN WITH A GREAT START. SIR CHRIS HOY, 4X OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALLIST
NOTHING BEATS A GREAT START. facebook.com/GilletteUK
Extra time Travel
In association with
After a crazy summer of sport, treat yourself to a much-needed break in one of Europe’s most picturesque and iconic destinations: Venice
V
enice, said Truman Capote, is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go. You can take that whichever way you want, of course, but to us that means one thing: pretty damn sweet. Unlike another renowned individual’s box of chocolates, however, you always know exactly what you’re going to get with one of the true jewels in Italy’s historic crown. Canals, culture and an overriding sense of elegant decay – even by Italian standards – sets Venice apart from almost any other city in modern Europe. But it’s the beauty of its setting, sited on a group of more than 100 small islands linked by an intricately constructed network of canals and bridges, for which Venice is best known. After a summer of intense sporting entertainment, starting with the launch of Euro 2012 next week and taking in both the
A Grand day out: on the canals of Venice
Go there with British Airways
The flights Good news for anyone wanting to experience the Bridge of Sighs (above) and all the other many attractions of Venice: British Airways is expanding its route network at London City Airport, and from September onwards that will include flights to Venice. Prices start from a very attractive £75 one-way*, which includes a 23kg baggage allowance, complimentary onboard drinks and snacks and your choice of seating as standard. “I talk regularly to our customers on board and they love the quick and easy service at London City,” says Andy Kerswill, managing director of BA CityFlyer. “It’s just 15 minutes from kerbside to airside, making the most of their valuable time.” Amen to that. *Flights from September, prices correct as of May 31
Visit ba.com/londoncity or call 0844 493 0758 66 | June 1 2012 |
istockphoto.com
Walk on water
London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics (not to mention Wimbledon, Royal Ascot and the Open Championship), what better way to relax than with a week of enjoying the sights from the back of a heavily cushioned gondola? There is much to Venice beyond the waterways, however. A visit wouldn’t be complete without a stroll around the city’s famous Piazza San Marco, at whose eastern end stands the splendidly opulent Byzantine form of Saint Mark’s Basilica. In a city characterised by diverse and spectacular architecture, Saint Mark’s stands out as a symbol of Venice’s rich and powerful heritage. An intriguing city but a short flight away, Venice is an ideal late-season destination for anyone wanting a lazy break after a busy summer... probably best to avoid watching Don’t Look Now before you go, mind.
LY ON D E RE M UI E GA Q RE ABL AD LO N W DO
8/10
UNITED BY THE GAME PREPARE TO PLAY TOGETHER FOR ENGLAND IN THE UEFA EURO 2012™ EXPANSION PACK. DOWNLOAD NOW WWW.EASPORTSFOOTBALL.COM
© 2012 Electronic Arts Inc. EA, EA SPORTS, and the EA SPORTS logo are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. The UEFA and EURO 2012™ words, the UEFA EURO /RJR DQG 0DVFRWV DQG WKH 8()$ (XURSHDQ )RRWEDOO &KDPSLRQVKLS 7URSK\ DUH SURWHFWHG E\ WUDGHPDUNV DQG FRS\ULJKW $OO ULJKWV UHVHUYHG 2I¿ FLDO ),)$ licensed product. “© The FIFA name and OLP Logo are copyright and trademark protected by FIFA. All rights reserved. Manufactured under license by Electronic Arts Inc.” No use for commercial purposes may be made of such trademarks. “ “ “PlayStation”, “PS3”, “ “ and “ “ are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. KINECT Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license from Microsoft. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Extra time Entertainment
Animal planet
FILM
Penguins, aliens, radioactive spiders and crazy horses. Someone call pest control EVENT
London Zoo Lates
BLU-RAY
Prometheus The most eagerly awaited film of 2012 that doesn’t involve hobbits or superheroes arrives today. An Alien prequel, Prometheus has much in common with Ridley Scott’s 1979 masterpiece: the top cast of grizzled space vets (Noomi Rapace, Idris Elba, Michael Fassbender), plus the sublime visuals and the
MUSIC
mounting, oppressive tension. It’s not an Alien clone, though – for a start, female lead Rapace is far more optimistic on the topic of alien life than Ripley ever was. That is, until things start going wrong. Smart, stylish evidence that Scott can still get your blood pumping, even in the depths of outer space.
FILM
Americana Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Spider-Man Trilogy Summer’s Spider-Man reboot has plenty to live up to, because there’s a pretty amazing trilogy (well, two out of three anyway) already made over the past decade. This Blu-ray re-issue of Sam Raimi’s grin-inducing comic book capers comes with all-new bonus material, as well as the extended 2.1 version of the second – and best – film, with eight minutes of extra footage. Go get ‘em, tiger.
68 | June 1 2012 |
Only Neil Young could sing She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain and pack it with gravitas and rock swagger. So that’s exactly what he does in his first album with Crazy Horse in nine years. There’s some beautifully reworked old-time classics here, including even God Save the Queen. Blare it out over the Jubilee, Euros and whenever else you like.
BLU-RAY David Lynch Collection Mutant babies, severed ears and Sting in sci-fi underpants: Monday’s new collection brings together six of the best from America’s top cult director. Begins with his unsettling breakthrough classic Eraserhead, while also including rare interviews, outtakes and documentaries.
The Angels’ Share Ken Loach uncasks the lightness of touch he used in 2009’s Looking for Eric in this comedy about a group of hard-up pals in west Scotland who see a moneymaking scheme involving a valuable barrel of whisky. Reviews from the Cannes Film Festival were universally positive: expect a genuinely funny film that warms your cockles like a single malt.
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Were you aware that there’s a zoo in London? Apes, lions, bears and Spanish tourists all in the middle of Regent’s Park, perilously close to our picnics. Well, this zoo begins its series of late summer openings tonight (and on every Friday through June and July). Starting at 6pm, London Zoo Lates features food and booze, cabaret, comedy in the aquarium and a silent disco. However, it’s the 750 species of animal that are the real appeal – especially as some are far more lively in the evening than they are under the midday sun. Get tickets via zsl.org, turn up, then open the gibbon enclosure! (Note: do not open the gibbon enclosure.)
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