Sport magazine 323

Issue 323 | September 20 2013

Naked ambition David Haye reveals his reignited love for boxing

Contents

22

Issue 323, September 20 2013 Radar 06 The dirtiest race A new documentary reflects on the now notorious 100m final at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul

10

Gaming wars A pre-emptive strike from Pro Evo ahead of the new FIFA launch

13

Gary Lineker A brief chat with England’s not-quite record scorer on all things football

oFeatures this coming week

22 David Haye The former world heavyweight champion is back in love with boxing – and looking forward to knocking out Tyson Fury

31

Lydia Greenway Looking back on the innings that helped England regain the Ashes

32 Thiago Silva We speak to the man captaining two of football’s most powerful teams

34 Mark Webber

Cover mage: Charlie Gray. This page: Clive Rose/Getty Images, Romeo Gacad/AFP/Getty Images, Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP/Getty Images, Olivier Morin/AFP/Getty Images

06

52

It may be his farewell season in Formula 1, but we found the Aussie driver in typically forthright mood

38 Rachel Atherton The British biker going downhill fast, but in the best possible way

Extra Time

32

52 Gadgets

34

Fingerprints at the ready with the brand new iPhone 5S

54 Kit Our selection of trail runners for those mad enough to want to do it

56 Grooming Braun’s (literally) cool new shaver, plus more clippers and trimmers

60 Entertainment Kings of Leon jump back on the bull, plus Homeland tension on Blu-ray | September 20 2013 | 05

Radar

running dirty Simon Bruty/Getty Images, Mike Powell/Getty Images

Y

ellow eyes bulging, muscles rippling like those belonging to a comic book villain... looking back at it now, the most remarkable thing about Ben Johnson’s tainted 100m win at the 1988 Seoul Olympics is that anyone was surprised he was doping. He wasn’t the only one, of course. Four of the top five finishers in ‘the dirtiest race in history’ failed drugs tests in their careers.

Their stories are explored in 9.79*, a documentary that takes its name from the struck-off world record time set

by Johnson in that final. It features interviews with all eight of the runners from that day in Seoul, including Johnson and his great rival Carl Lewis, as well as coaches and managers, and offers a frightening insight into the prevalence and practice of banned steroid use among high-level athletes at the time.

Most interesting are the different paths the athletes have taken since. Scenes of Johnson digging through boxes in his stark concrete garage to find old medals are a timely reminder that, ultimately, the drugs don’t work.

9.79* out in cinemas today and DVD on Monday 06 | September 20 2013 |

p09 – Flashback: He is the messiah!

‘God’ recalls his Liverpool debut

p10– PES 14: an evolving challenger to FIFA’s crown

fiat.co.uk

Radar

September 22 1993

<<FLASHBACK<<

Action Images

It has been 20 years since Robbie Fowler burst on to the scene to score the first of his 183 Liverpool goals on his debut, in a League Cup match at Fulham’s Craven Cottage. He went on to bag every goal in the 5-0 secondleg win at Anfield two weeks later, introducing himself to the Kop as one of football’s most natural finishers.

“Funnily enough, a lot of people think [the 5-0 win at Anfield] was my debut, and that night will live on forever. For a young lad to score one goal is massive in my eyes, because it’s the Liverpool first team. But then I got two, three, four and five, and I think I became the fifth Liverpool player in the club’s history to have done that. Regardless of who it was against, where it was and it being in a cup competition, it was something I never ever saw coming. And some of those goals were laid on a plate for me – so thank you, teammates.

I remember going into the dressing room after the game and I was absolutely over the moon to have scored five. I could think of every football cliche under the sun to describe it, but [Liverpool coach] Ronnie Moran turned around and said to me I should have had six. That was just typical of Ronnie and the staff at Liverpool.

Ahead of my actual debut I knew I had a chance of playing, but didn’t know I was going to. At the time Liverpool were going through a bit of a transitional period, and struggling for goals. I think Everton had just

‘God’ scores on his Liverpool debut beaten them [2-0] on the Saturday before, and I had been in the squad for that game.

I travelled down to London with the team, and [manager] Graeme Souness was being very coy with me, but when I found out I was playing I was actually very surprised. I had scored goals in the reserves and I had been there or thereabouts in the first team, but I wasn’t expecting anything. My dad had travelled down because I had a chance of playing, so he was there watching.

I don’t really remember too much about the game other than the result, which I think was 3-1. I had a hand in the first two goals and my goal was very late – the last couple of minutes, I think. It may have been Jamie Redknapp who laid it off to Don Hutchison, who swung it first time to the far post, and I caught it sweetly on the half-volley with my left foot.

It was right in front of the travelling Liverpool fans and I was absolutely delighted. I was made up to be playing, and to cap it off with a good goal is the stuff dreams are made of.

From then on I went from strength to strength, and managed to score a few goals. I know I said Liverpool were in a transitional period, but we really did have some very good players... a lot of my goals were down to the team we had.”

Robbie Fowler was speaking to Damian Mannion at the British Airways Football Legends Invitational Tournament in Barbados

| September 20 2013 | 09

Radar

TIME TO SHINE T

he Tour of Britain continues this week, and British cycling could hardly be in better shape. Our Olympians’ saddlebags are heaving with gold medals; we’ve ended our 100-year Tour de France drought in style; and middle-aged men in Lycra have annexed Surrey and turned it into a county-sized velodrome.

In The Long Race to Glory, Chris Sidwells looks at how this all happened, delving into the history of British cycling, from pioneers such as Reg Harris and Tom Simpson to modern-day knights of the realm Chris Hoy and Bradley Wiggins. It features interviews with the likes of Wiggins, Chris Froome and Mark Cavendish, making it a fascinating read. If you’re into that sort of thing, of course.

The Long Race to Glory,

by Chris Sidwells (Andre Deutsch), out next Thursday, £19.99

Evolution in action F

ederer v Nadal. Manchester United v Liverpool. Coco the Monkey v Crafty Croc. There have been some epic rivalries in our time, and Pro Evo versus FIFA is up there. The two franchises have been going tete-a-tete since Pro Evolution Soccer arrived to challenge the established order in 2001, and the Konami crew have released one week ahead of their licence-heavy friends again this year.

So, is it any good?

Well, the short answer is yes, as long as you skip the usual rights-free headaches (a superb edit option cures this anyway) and go straight to gameplay. The passing is a joy, the skills offer the right balance of risk and reward, defending is just difficult enough, and the shooting certainly makes your goals enjoyable.

It has its flaws, but PES has struggled for a long time to rediscover the class it used to lord over its rivals – and this is not that far off.

Your move, FIFA… PES 2014, out today

10 | September 20 2013 |

Radar

Gary Lineker

Footy and crisps

W

e quiz the star striker turned TV presenter on all things England

What do you make of this season?

“It’s early days, but it promises to be a fascinating season.”

Have any signings caught your eye?

“Paulinho has been excellent at Tottenham, as has Etienne Capoue.

I like one or two of Liverpool’s additions. The best they can hope for this year is Champions League, but you can see Brendan Rodgers bringing his style and I’m impressed with the way he’s gone about it.”

Getty Images

How does the current England side compare to the teams you played in?

“It’s always difficult to pitch one side against another from a different generation, but I think there’s no question that we’ve not got the strongest team at the moment. A lot of the so-called Golden Generation are reaching the end of their career, but we have some very good, very young players who are probably not quite ready yet.

But in terms of players at their absolute peak – with the exception of Wayne Rooney, and Joe Hart maybe – we haven’t really got any world-class players in their prime.

It’s a difficult time for Roy Hodgson.”

Who are the most promising young players around at the moment?

“We’ve seen Danny Welbeck perform well; Daniel Sturridge is scoring goals and looks good. We’ve also got Jack Wilshere coming through, and then you look at Ross Barkley at

Everton. Andros Townsend at Tottenham has been exceptional at the start of the season – maybe he’ll break through. But next year’s World Cup is probably two or three years too early for them.”

You started your England career at 23, relatively late by modern standards. With Rickie Lambert doing so well, is there a case for bringing in experienced players?

“Well you just put in the best players – you don’t necessarily look at their age. Obviously it’s nice to have younger players coming through – but it’s always been wise to mix that with experience, especially at this level.”

On Match of the Day you’re quite restricted in the presenter’s role – is it refreshing to be able to give your own opinions?

“I often put my opinion in a question – I’ve done that for years, if I feel strongly about something or if I disagree with what’s being said.

That’s the advantage I have in this business: in terms of presenting, not many have played at the top level.

I always thought if I could grasp the actual technicalities of presenting, then that would give me a niche.

Because, unlike other sports, where the presenters are often former players, that’s very rare in football.”

Join the hunt for Walkers’ delicious ingredients and uncover millions of amazing rewards at walkers.co.uk

| September 20 2013 | 13

Radar Editor’s letter Foot of the rainbow: no pot of gold, but acceptance of gay footballers... hopefully www.sport-magazine.co.uk @sportmaguk facebook.com/sportmagazine

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But football can’t genuinely support gay players until it has some gay players to support

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At regular intervals throughout the game, a large section of the home support indulged in homophobic chanting aimed at David Ginola, largely because he was known to wash his hair. It rhymed, and indeed scanned, but that didn’t make the lyrics any more palatable to the many who didn’t join in.

Almost 20 years on, and I would like to think the terraces’ attitudes to homosexuality have improved – not just at Villa Park, where my 68-year-old mum remains a season-ticket holder, but at every ground in the nation. It is a theory set to be tested this very weekend, when footballers across all four divisions have been asked to wear rainbow laces in support of their gay counterparts.

We are yet to see just how many players take part in an initiative set up by the always innovative Paddy Power alongside gay rights charity Stonewall, but I would hope to see the vast majority make what is a straightforward gesture within a sport whose approach to homosexuality has at best been to ignore it and hope it goes away.

That, in the 21st century, simply isn’t good enough.

Of course, what the sport really needs above all else is some openly gay footballers to actually support. Until that particular closet door is flung wide open, football can never truly overcome a prejudice that has endured far too long.

Next Tuesday, Stephen Lee will find out his punishment for being found guilty of match-fixing in what officials have called “the worst case of snooker corruption we’ve seen”.

With that judgement ringing loud in the ears of all involved in the sport, together with Ronnie O’Sullivan’s claims that “I’ve heard there’s many more players who throw matches”, there can really be only one result. If snooker is to retain any integrity at all, Lee must be banned for life.

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LAUNCH OF THE YEAR

On a lighter note, many congratulations to new world triathlon champion Non Stanford, whose performance in the ITU Grand Final in Hyde Park last Saturday brightened a miserable old day in the capital. Twenty-four hours later, in the men’s race, Jonathan Brownlee was overtaken by great rival Javier Gomez on the home straight – leading older brother Alistair, down the field with an ankle injury, to label him “a complete tactical numpty”. I love those lads.

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ack in November 1995, I was at Villa Park to watch the hosts take on the exciting Newcastle team of Beardsley, Ferdinand, Lee, Ginola and Gillespie.

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Radar Opinion

It’s like this…

Bill Borrows

Flats on Friday

David Lyttleton

W

Second jobs for the boys

A

nd so Cristiano Ronaldo signs a new contract worth £288,000 a week. The morality of it can be argued either way. Of course there are billions of people in abject poverty, but there are also plenty of crooks in the City who make his annual wage in the turn of a deal, and they don’t entertain the masses.

But can he – or, rather, his agent – justify the figure?

He certainly can. There is an argument that this is L’Oreal money – and he’s worth it because, on top of what he delivers on the pitch, the extra revenue he brings to Real Madrid in terms of shirt sales and publicity is far in advance of the £15.2m they now pay him every year. He deserves his slice.

It’s all about market forces, of course. But then the thought keeps returning that, as club chairmen before the abolition of the maximum wage realised, these men get paid to do something they love – and, as with amateur players, the majority would pay to play. In terms of a negotiating position, surely the owners have them where they want them?

It can only be the fear that they will join a rival that prompts the ludicrous sums of money to keep the top players in bling, Bentleys and bad-decision leisurewear. It’s not as though, when they start out, they have a separate income stream and can turn around and say: “Well, if you’re not giving me £30k a week, I’m going to winter in Antibes.”

Gianluca Vialli, a man brought up in a castle, is possibly the exception to that rule – but even when players can afford to quit, they tend not to.

16 | September 20 2013 |

They might retire from international football or call it a day a season sooner than they might have done if they were not already made for life.

But, generally, they live to play football.

Which begs the question: just what would they do if they couldn’t play football? Ronaldo would almost certainly be able to scrape a living as a barman in Madrid, and I have the Neville brothers (Neville Neville & Sons) fitting carpets, Roy Hodgson behind the counter in a sub post-office and Gareth Barry as a uniformed police officer.

I can see Theo Walcott buzzing around the shop floor at Top Man, while Frank Lampard is one of life’s natural-born estate agents. Martin Skrtel would have to move to America as part of the President’s security detail, but Nicolas Anelka could stay put if he wanted to be a children’s entertainer.

Feel free to fire in your own suggestions… @billborrows

Plank of the Week Andriy Shevchenko, Ukraine And, in keeping with the ‘what if’ theme, what if Andriy Shevchenko became a professional golfer?

What, he has? Yup. “I’m looking forward [to my professional debut] and hope I play well.” He shot rounds of 84 and 86 at the Kharkov Superior Cup in Ukraine, to lie 40 strokes off the lead and miss the cut. Incredibly, he wasn’t even wearing royal blue.

hen we watch sport, we are fascinated by what the elite can achieve and maintain. How footballers run so far yet manage to control a ball as if without fatigue; how the Kenyans (and Mo) run for hours at semi-sprint speeds; or how Floyd Mayweather repeatedly punches in the head blokes who are so good at dodging blows that they are paid millions of dollars to do it. We love how other-worldly their performances appear, but we also love it because it’s the best against the best.

It’s not always a fair contest, though, and I’m not talking about drugs. No, this time I’m referring to something far more powerful: genetics.

As a boy, I was quite large when compared with my contemporaries, and quite strong. I wasn’t as talented as many others, but I was two years into a professional rugby career before I came up against anyone I regarded as physically stronger than me. Plenty more arrived after that, but I had played for 12 years and always felt stronger than everybody else. What’s odd, though, is that my body ultimately wasn’t strong enough to avoid major injury. I pushed some decent weights as a player, and played a lot of games over a long career, but I also had more than three years out with injuries.

In the gym I could shoulder-press 60kg dumbbells over my head and chat as I did it, but I also had five shoulder reconstructions. This was because, despite having sufficiently strong muscles, I have the cartilage strength of a newborn lamb. Stretch my arms too far in any direction and bang – my shoulders will explode.

This was not to do with my training techniques – we all did the same stuff every day – but genetics.

I found this out when a gaggle of geeks arrived at a training session to do some tests on us. They measured every millimetre, from skull size to thumb length. They weighed us, ran heart rate experiments, had us spit into funny pots, pee into cups, give blood, hair and everything in between. Depending on perspective, my results were either terrifying or hilarious – and great news for my surgeon, whose ski chalet my shoulders financed.

The report labelled me “dangerously out of proportion”. I’m 6ft tall and was 19-and-a-half stone, with abnormally high levels of testosterone. The results showed that my body was straining badly to cope with my job, and they predicted – knowing nothing of my history – that I would get injured a lot. They were right.

Danny Grewcock, on the other hand, defied medical science. At 6ft 6ins and 19 stone, he should have been in the same boat. Instead he proved, along with just a couple of other athletes they had ever tested, almost perfectly proportioned, with the natural recovery systems of Wolverine. These scientists were astounded at his almost-mutant physique. As predicted, he was barely hurt during a 16-year career.

So we don’t all arrive at the start line on equal terms.

Some are born to dominate, whether they know it or not.

Who knows – you could be an X-Man, too. @davidflatman

18 | September 20 2013 |

Sometimes, in a sporting arena, you suddenly realise you’d rather be anywhere else on earth. It’s how a footballer feels when he gets the ball and sees Ryan Shawcross lunging toward him. Or the feeling a boxer has when he looks across the ring at his opponent and sees a 1988-era Mike Tyson. In a clown mask. Holding a chainsaw. Well, that’s how we imagine this New York Islanders ice hockey player felt as he crouched in the middle of the rink at his team’s first practice in the Barclays Center. Of course, his teammates could just be stretching, not prepping to charge. But we fear that this poor chump is just a blue splat on the ice right now.

Piggy in the middle

Frozen in time

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

| 19

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David Haye

Hitman Haye David Haye is gunning for Tyson Fury, but admits he doesn’t know what to make of his brash British rival Photography : Charlie Gray

ess than a fortnight ahead of his fight against Tyson Fury, David Haye is sporting a visible injury.

Sport is talking to him in his spartan boxing gym, hidden away in a secluded part of central London. “Not a lot of people know about this place,” he says, sitting on the ring apron and casting his eyes around the brickwork as trains rumble past overhead.

“Well, a few more do now. I had the drug testers here this morning. Taking urine, blood... who knows what else? Stools?”

He laughs. “If it’s helping them to catch the people who are doing that shit, then I’m all for it. Still, it took her a few goes to find my vein,” he says, stretching out a right arm with the muscular heft of a Boa constrictor and pointing to a small bruise.

L

22 | September 20 2013 |

This minor blemish aside, Haye looks in terrific shape: the archetypal athlete with slim, tapered waste, wide shoulders and defined muscles. Still, seeing him up close is a different experience to encountering most heavyweights. Meet man-mountains such as Lennox Lewis or Wladimir Klitschko, and you’re immediately struck by their abnormal enormity... the sheer scale of them.

You gaze up, wondering why they’re trying to hand you a large dinner plate, before realising that it’s just their giant mitt being extended forward to shake your puny paw.

By mortal standards, Haye is a big man.

But at around 210lbs and at 6ft 3ins, he is small for a heavyweight boxer. The man he’s fighting next weekend is 6ft 9ins and 254lbs.

‘The Hayemaker’ has fought and beaten

even bigger opponents than this in his career, of course, but even he admits that giving away six inches in height and more than three stone in weight is not to his advantage.

Big man on canvas “Anyone with his dimensions could do someone with my dimensions a lot of damage if I get it wrong,” says Haye evenly. “If I bob when I should weave or if I duck when I should dive, this guy could land something dangerous.

I can’t afford for that to happen, so you have to respect him. I respect the fact that he’s got to 21 fights unbeaten. I respect the fact that he’s talked his way into a big fight. I also respect the fact that he’s got the British public interested in a fight that I think is a mismatch.” >

| 23

David Haye

“Anyone who hasn’t respected my power has been knocked down within seconds”

And there’s the rub. Although he talks of respecting Fury, the Bermondsey big-hitter clearly believes he is on a different talent level to his opponent. While Haye is the pre-fight favourite, however, there are many in the boxing industry picking Fury – and several who think that there are as many question marks over the 32-year-old Haye as there are over the less experienced, 25-year-old Fury. One worry is that Haye has fought just twice in almost three years – most recently in July 2012, when he stopped Dereck Chisora at Upton Park.

“Every time I’ve got back into the ring for sparring for the last five years, it’s been after a big, long layoff,” explains Haye. “So you always think: ‘Is it still gonna be there? Am I going to get old overnight?’ A year is a long time in boxing. Most fighters have two or three fights in a year, and I’ve had none.”

His method of handling the ring rust is to test himself against sparring partners of the very highest class. “For this camp, we’ve had Deontay Wilder – 29 fights, 29 wins, 29 knockouts – so I’m starting my preparation, after having been out of the ring for over a year, getting clumped by someone who’s just had a fight two weeks ago. It’s hard, and you take some lumps early doors, but it’s like getting chucked in the deep end: you’ve got to keep swimming. That’s my philosophy.

I don’t like to ease myself back into it slowly, 24 | September 20 2013 |

sparring with nobodies. I’ve had great big guys like Alexander Dimitrenko, Mariusz Wach and Richard Towers raining down bombs on me all day, so I quickly discover whether I’ve got it or not. Fortunately for me, I’ve still got a little something in reserve.”

Before he began training, Haye spent time with the motormouth Fury as they fulfilled publicity obligations. Haye has utilised the media to grab attention in the past. He once said of 7ft-plus Nikolai Valuev: “He is the ugliest thing I have ever seen. I have watched Lord of the Rings and films with strangelooking people, but for a human being to look like he does is pretty shocking.”

He later told the world that Audley Harrison was going to get “violated in that ring”. So it was a surprise to see Haye being drowned out by Fury’s own brand of outlandish braggadocio. The general opinion was that, if verbal sparring counts for anything, Fury had edged out his rival early on.

“I’ve heard his press conferences and interviews in the past,” says Haye. “When it wasn’t me sitting there, I found it hilarious.

But when you’re sitting there and it’s directed at you, you’re thinking: ‘I really can’t be bothered to hear this.’ I know what he’s going to say before he says it. It’s all stupid, none of it makes sense, he keeps contradicting himself. He’s just a clown.

I didn’t really want to be there or to talk to him. I only wanted to be there to let everyone know that I’m looking forward to the fight. I just can’t wait for when all the talking stops and it comes down to actually fighting. Because that’s what I do best.”

Real Fury

There’s an irony in the fact that Haye is now on the receiving end of the treatment he’s dished out to other fighters in the past: the brash young upstart irritating the senior professional with his headline-grabbing claims. With Haye, there was always a sense that this was a calculated strategy designed to garner him publicity. But Fury often cuts a more openly eccentric figure – how much does Haye feel the Mancunian is being genuine in how he acts?

“I honestly don’t know,” he admits. “We did the [Sky Sports] Ringside show and the press conference. They’re the two times that I’ve met him. He didn’t come across as the nicest chap; not the type of guy I’d want to go and have a drink with. I’d like to think he was putting on all that crazy crap a little bit, but he seems a bit too natural at it, to be honest.

I think he just genuinely is that much of a dick.”

As well as being not fully aware of the sincerity behind Fury’s bluster, Haye admits it’s going to be something of a guessing > Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

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David Haye game as to his opponent’s tactics in their fight. For all his big talk, one obvious way for a fighter with Fury’s vast size and reach advantages to approach a fast, hard-hitting counter-puncher like Haye would be to stand off him, jab and force Haye to come forward.

“He’s never been in the ring with anyone like me, so you never know how he might respond,” says Haye. “He may try and tuck up really tight and walk me down. He might just think ‘I don’t want to get anywhere near this guy’ and stand off me – or he might come and try and knock me out of the ring.

We’re unsure what he brings to the table at the highest level. I know what he does when he fights people that aren’t very good – we’ve all seen that – but I’m not in that category, so I can’t expect him to do the same thing with me.

“I do have to be careful, because when you corner an animal – even if you don’t think it’s a dangerous animal – when it feels threatened, it can lash out. Put someone in the hot seat and you’ve got to expect anything. He’s not been in training camp for 12 weeks to come out there and give me a hug. He wants to punch my face in.”

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Feel the love

Haye doesn’t necessarily need to let young giants try to whack him in the kisser these days. He’s been healthily remunerated throughout his career, thrived on reality TV when he was last man standing in 2012’s I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! and retired from boxing – briefly – in October 2011.

He also keeps his hand in with other projects, launching his own bookazine, mobile game and most recently co-creating his own sporting health shake: Lean Plant-Based Protein.

The question is, with so many irons in the fire and options outside of the sport, what keeps drawing Haye back to boxing?

“Because I love it,” he replies simply. “I still do other things that keep me entertained, but I’m a born fighter. I do like a break, just to switch off from boxing mentally and physically, because the preparation that you put your body through drains so much energy out of you. You can’t do it too often.

Now, every time I get into training, I have got my hunger and love for the sport back.”

“It’s the public as well,” he says on the motivation for his ring return. “People coming up to me saying: ‘When are you fighting next... why don’t you knock out Tyson Fury for us?’”

Haye does acknowledge, however, that putting his body through the rigours of a training camp doesn’t get easier over time: “It’s hard. My body is in bits the whole time.

I’m always tired, my back is killing me, my knees... I can definitely feel that I’m getting older. I don’t recover as well as I did 10 years ago. But I’m doing stuff better than I used to – I’m pushing more weight, I’m running faster, jumping higher than I did when I was 22. Although I felt a little fresher back then, I still feel I’m producing the goods at the ripe old age of 32. Wait, 33 next month!”

26 | September 20 2013 |

“I know what Tyson Fury is going to say before he says it. It’s all stupid, none of it makes sense, he keeps contradicting himself. He’s just a clown”

Haye opens his eyes wide in mock terror as he contemplates the onset of 33. Yet one area where he certainly seems to have improved with age is in durability. After all, the younger vintage Haye was knocked down by journeyman Lolenga Mock in 2003, and then stopped when he punched himself out against cruiserweight Carl Thompson a year later – the latter being his only loss aside from the points defeat he suffered against Wladimir Klitschko in 2011.

Mismatched?

Haye and Fury get to know each other at their press conference in July

“I know that I take a better shot now than I did once,” he confirms. “That punch that Wladimir Klitschko hit me with – if he’d hit me with that seven years prior, I’d have been sleeping on the canvas. But over time your neck muscles, your jaw, your physical strength all improve.”

Haye’s passive display in his loss to the younger Klitschko brother, and his toe injury excuses in the aftermath, marked a low point in his public perception. Looking back, does he wish he’d done things differently?

“I never look at life like that,” he replies.

“If I was to fight him again, I’d obviously do things differently – but I’m never the type of person to wish I’d done this or wish I didn’t say that.

“Whatever happens, happens. I lost fair and square to him, so there’s nothing for me to complain about. I’d love the opportunity to do it again. Whether or not he gives me the opportunity to do that remains to be seen.

But it’s these fights against the likes of Tyson Fury that get the world excited. And that will also get me closer to a title shot, whether it’s against Wladimir in a rematch or Vitali [Klitschko], who’s recently made a bit of noise about fighting me. >

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David Haye

Michael Steele/Getty Images, Johannes Eisele/AFP/Getty Images

“It’s going either one of two ways: he’s either going to lose it completely, or he’ll rise to the occasion”

“Now, whether he’s said that because he’s got some political thing he wants to push through and he needs his name in the public...

I don’t know what his game is. But I certainly do want a heavyweight title back around my waist and back in Britain.”

That may be Haye’s ultimate goal before he retires, but he’s fully focused on the large figure of Fury first. And, the way Haye sees things, it may not be physical factors that will cause Fury’s demise.

“He’s lost it mentally in a few fights I’ve seen,” says Haye. “In his last couple of fights, he was emotionally all over the place. He’s a bit erratic. But maybe he’ll realise the enormity of this fight when he gets out there.

28 | September 20 2013 |

It’s going either one of two ways: he’s either going to lose it completely, or he’ll rise to the occasion. When he’s fighting guys like [Fury’s last opponent] Steve Cunningham, who can’t punch his way out of a wet paper bag, and he gets knocked down, it’s going to put big question marks in his own mind.

“Everyone knows that Cunningham is quite skilful, but can’t punch. Whereas with me, the first thing everyone who’s fought me says is: ‘He punches f**king hard.’ Every single person I’ve been in the ring with has had to respect my power. Anyone who hasn’t respected it has been knocked down within seconds. John Ruiz is a two-time world champion who’s renowned for his toughness

Born fighter: Haye floors John Ruiz in his 2010 TKO (top, right) and lands a jab on Wladimir Klitschko in a points defeat two years ago (above, right)

– he had been in there with the likes of Evander Holyfield, going the distance three times. Within the first minute of fighting me, he was on his backside because he didn’t respect me. He thought he could charge across the ring and rough me up.

“So if Fury wants to come out and act like that – to try and impose himself on me – it’s going to be a really short fight. But however he tries to play it, Tyson Fury is going to get knocked spark out.”

Alex Reid @otheralexreid Haye v Fury on September 28 is live on Sky Sports HD Box Office and Sky 3D Box Office. Visit skysports. com/hayefury or call 08442 410888 for booking info

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Hitting back England’s Lydia Greenway on the knock that reclaimed the Ashes, heading down under this winter and the genius of Sarah Taylor Going into this Ashes, were the England team fired up having missed out on a few major targets of late?

“I think so, because we’d had the feeling of being the best in the world.

So to have that taken away last winter – to know that we’ve not played as well as we should have in both the ODI and T20 World Cups – was bitterly disappointing. In terms of where this Ashes win ranks for me, it’s up there with World Cup wins.”

Your captain Charlotte Edwards called your 80 off 64 balls at Southampton the best limited-overs innings she’d seen. How do you react to that?

“It’s a huge compliment. She’s been playing for years, so I’m sure she’s seen a few decent innings. But from a personal point of view, I think it’s my favourite innings because of the circumstances. In winning, we reclaimed the Ashes.”

England were struggling at 9/3 when you came out to bat. What was your mindset?

“We couldn’t afford to lose any wickets, but we needed to be positive.

When the run-rate is up to where it got to in that game – sevens and eights [runs per over] – you have no choice but to go after it. I tried to do that and, when you do, there are times it won’t work out. Luckily for me, it did.”

Ben Duffy for ECB

The crowds were high for this series.

What do you believe that’s down to?

“The new format [seven matches across three forms of the game] has helped. In the past, we’ve had just the one-off Test – and it’s hard to get the Ashes back if you didn’t have them, because all the team defending them needed to do was draw. Involving all three formats of the game has made it really exciting – for the players, who have loved it, and for the public too.”

You’re renowned as the best fielder in women’s cricket. What makes a good fielder?

“Well, I’m not the best of bowlers – I don’t bowl for England – so I have to try and contribute with my fielding.

It’s something that I’ve always really enjoyed. Growing up, my family played all the different sports, and I just remember my dad used to hit balls at me with a tennis racket in the garden.

We’d do that for hours on end in the evening, as it [fielding] was just something I loved from an early age.”

You go down under to face an away Ashes this winter. Is it a place you enjoy playing?

“I really do. As a batter, it’s nice when the ball is coming on to the bat and you get a true bounce. You can sort of trust the shots you’re playing, and trust the wicket. It gives you a bit more freedom to express yourself – and there is that bit more pace, which makes it more exciting as well.”

Do you expect Australia to be an even tougher proposition playing at home?

“Definitely. We knew how we felt when we didn’t perform as well as we could do – it is always in your mind that you have something to prove. I know they’ll come back just as hard as we did at them. Also, playing at home, we got that extra buzz when we knew the crowd were behind us, so I’m sure they’ll feel that as well. We’ll have to make sure we’re ready to go in December and January.”

Lastly, who are your favourite cricketers to watch?

“From the women’s game, Sarah Taylor. You can’t really compare her to any other player. We sit there sometimes watching some of the shots she plays and I’m just thinking: ‘How on earth have you just done that?’ When her shots come off, it’s brilliant. From the men’s game, I’d probably go a bit old school. Being a left-hander, I used to really love Marcus Trescothick. I’d say Adam Gilchrist, too – but he’s Australian, so I probably shouldn’t admit to that…”

Alex Reid @otheralexreid

Keep up to date with England Women’s winter tours of West Indies (Oct-Nov, against WI and New Zealand) and Australia (Jan) at ecb.co.uk/women

Lydia Greenway

Thiago Silva

Captain marvel We catch up with one of the world’s finest defenders – Brazil captain Thiago Silva – whose big-spending PSG side takes on AS Monaco this weekend SUNDAY PSG v AS MonAco | PArc deS PrinceS | BT SPorT 1 8PM

Ferrari isn’t really designed for cobbled streets. It’s a typically Parisian problem, and one that has surely intensified since ‘the project’ began at the city’s main football club: Paris Saint-Germain. The supercar in question tonight is being driven by their Brazilian centre-back Thiago Silva.

Its headlights dazzle onlookers as it rumbles down towards the plush hotel where we’re waiting to speak to him.

We’re doomed to carry on waiting, however, because after filming a piece for television, he decides he’s had enough, leaving us choking on exhaust fumes in the Paris night, dictaphone clutched in our forlornly outstretched hand.

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We’re exaggerating, of course, and we do eventually catch up with Silva a few weeks later, ahead of this weekend’s clash between his club and AS Monaco, the new big spenders in Ligue 1. The two clubs burned through almost €250m between them in the summer transfer window, on the likes of Edinson Cavani and Radamel Falcao. Silva was one of the first marquee signings of the previous summer, joining from AC Milan alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who he describes as a “decisive goalscorer and 32 | September 20 2013 |

Competitive market The money being pumped into the club means the pressure to show signs of progress will come from both the owners and the fans, in a city that has generally punched well below its weight on the football pitch. Silva insists the spending does not increase the pressure on him and his colleagues: “Independently of the investment, we will always respond in the best way, and give our best for the team.”

He’s not worried either, by the emergence of AS Monaco. They have been backed with investment from Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev since December 2011, and are already top of Ligue 1 in their first season

Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP/Getty Images, Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images

without a doubt one of the best strikers in football worldwide”.

A fine passer and header of the ball himself, Silva is not your traditional centre-half – but nor is he prone to marauding forward like his national team defensive partner David Luiz.

He is a modern footballer – a hard, athletic tackler with immaculate timing and a sound positional sense. If you asked Ibrahimovic, he would probably say Silva was one of the best defenders in world football (although ol’ Ibra probably thinks that title belongs to himself).

Silva’s move to PSG came shortly after the Qatar Investment Authority took full ownership, throwing their financial muscle behind the club to try to return them to the pinnacle of French football. Still, the 28-year-old insists that money was not the motivator behind his move – despite his rumoured wage of €185,000 a week.

“I was attracted to the people leading the club when I was invited – president Nasser [PSG president Sheikh Nasser Al-Khelaifi], Leonardo and Carlo Ancelotti,” he tells us through a translator. “President Nasser has always been very attentive to me, and I was looking forward to the new opportunity to work with Leo and Ancelotti again.”

Both Leonardo and Ancelotti have now departed, the latter poached by Real Madrid and the former under a cloud of controversy after an altercation with a referee. With those who drew him to the club departed, there was a danger that Silva could slip back into the unhappiness he admitted to in his early days in Paris. But he insists that, although he had “unforgettable moments” in Milan, he and his family are now settled in France.

The Italians were thought to be interested in re-signing Silva in the summer – he tells us that the club will “always be in my heart” – but in an important World Cup year, he has reconfirmed his commitment to PSG by signing a new deal that will keep him there until 2018. “My affection for PSG is growing,” he explains. His club’s summer signings are a signal of their intentions to retain the Ligue 1 title and progress in the Champions League – they reached the last eight last year, before being knocked out by Barcelona.

“Last season’s campaign set the standard,” he says. “We are looking to improve. I think we will have a good Champions League, and we want to have a go at winning it.”

“I watched Messi’s game, learnt how he plays and gave my best on the match day” back in the top flight after two seasons in Ligue 2. Silva welcomes the competition, and believes it will benefit the league. “It’s good when foreign investment is made in any market, because it makes football grow,” he insists, although we suspect he might change that view if PSG are pipped to the title by their southern rivals.

Silva should have little problem handling Monaco’s new stars if the way he muzzled Leo Messi in last season’s Champions League is anything to go by. We ask him how he successfully shackled the little Argentine he describes as the “best player in the world right now”. He replies: “Watch his game, learn how he plays and give my best in training and on the match day.” Easy, then.

Messi has expressed his admiration, and Barcelona were rumoured to be weighing up a release clause-breaking offer for Thiago in the summer. They were rebuked by Sheikh Nasser, who threatened to trigger Messi’s own €250m release clause if the Catalans dared make an offer for his captain. Silva says La Liga is “without a doubt one of the best” but adds that “Ligue 1 is growing”.

It’s where Silva will ply his trade until the World Cup, when he will captain Brazil in their home tournament. They will be among the favourites, but Silva insists it won’t be easy.

“We are title challengers, but it’s going to be a tough one,” he insists. “There are many other teams who can rise to the challenge.”

The attitude towards the tournament in Brazil is not quite the universal love-in FIFA might want. Protests around this summer’s Confederations Cup saw millions take to the streets to voice their concerns about social

problems being ignored ahead of the World Cup. There are parallels with the issues Paris has had in the past, but there’s a sense that PSG’s recent success could help unite the city.

When Leonardo came to the club as sporting director, one of his aims was to use football to help those in the city’s deprived suburbs.

“We live in a difficult moment where 80 per cent of the population has economic problems,” he said. “You can touch that if you are positive with a winning structure. We can open doors.”

Brazil has a history of captains, such as Socrates, who cared about its people. As current skipper, Silva is in a unique position to influence matters and ensure hosting the World Cup has a lasting effect on his country.

We ask him whether he sympathised with the protesters at the Confederations Cup, whether the World Cup will have a positive impact on his country, whether football can help with Paris and Brazil’s social problems.

But, a modern footballer to the last, he declines to answer.

Amit Katwala @amitkatwala

Thiago Silva is a brand ambassador for Skullcandy. Visit skullcandy.com

| 33

Mark Webber

new formula Mark Thompson/Getty Images, Vladimir Rys/Getty Images

Mark Webber retires froM forMula 1 at the end of the year. he tells sport about his final season at red bull, and his neW drive With porsche s the sun sets in Singapore this Sunday, and the drivers prepare for the city’s night race, Mark Webber will be readying himself for the twilight of his Formula 1 career. The 37-year-old announced back in June that this will be his final year in the sport, his imminent move to join Porsche’s new LMP1 sports car programme in the World Endurance Championship perhaps hastened by tensions with Sebastian Vettel, the triple world champion and Webber’s Red Bull teammate.

The Australian’s frustration at the preferential treatment enjoyed by the younger driver came to a head at the Malaysian Grand Prix in March, when Vettel ignored team orders and overtook his teammate to

A

34 | September 20 2013 |

claim victory. Webber was typically outspoken then, and didn’t disappoint when we caught up with him.

Why have you decided to retire now?

“I think the timing is perfect for me. The category has big changes coming next year – and I thought I’d do all those changes where my future is going to be, instead of taking another year in F1, where I do think I’m starting to run out of a little bit of puff. I want to stop while I’m still driving very well at the front, still hanging out with Fernando and Seb and those boys.”

When did you actually make the decision?

“In December. I’m sitting there, down there next to the beach, thinking: ’Okay, yeah, I’ve got to go back again.’ Don’t get me wrong – I get bored if I’m three weeks at the beach, and still need to find stuff that’s gonna stimulate me. I’m still a young man, but the fire in the belly needs to be very strong at this level.

And, if you’re not completely driven and focused on it, you’ve gotta be honest with yourself and pull the pin.”

Your replacement at Red Bull is Daniel Ricciardo, another Aussie. What advice would you give him?

“He’ll be fine – he’s got nearly 50 Grands Prix under his belt [Ricciardo is currently on 43], so he’s getting the experience now. He’s in pretty much a perfect slot as a Red Bull junior driver. That’s what they’ve been pushing for quite hard for the past few years, to get one of those guys in there beside Seb. So he’s got every opportunity to blossom and get some phenomenal results.”

Was it important that the team promoted from within, instead of bringing in someone more experienced such as Kimi Räikkönen?

“It makes sense for lots of reasons. It’s good that there’s some talent coming through, and not just pay-drivers on the grid, which is getting completely out of control. We need to keep the talented guys coming through so that there’s a good high level. So it was good that Daniel stayed in the Red Bull system, and managed to prove himself to get a top seat.”

“mE and sEb aRE jUsT pRoFEssional. WE go aboUT oUR jobs. WE don’T HavE mUcH oF a RElaTionsHip aT THE TRack – THaT’s no sEcRET. HE doEs His job, i do minE” Vettel gets a hard time from the fans and the press relative to his success – is he really that bad?

“Well, it’s interesting. Yeah... he’s been dominant, obviously, and very successful – he’s done a lot of winning. I suppose the general public have their views on how they like to see people be successful, I suppose. Look at Usain Bolt and Roger Federer – they’re not booing those guys, so it’s interesting to see how people have this perception of certain sportsmen and women. That’s unfortunately the perception they have of Seb at the moment.”

Has he brought that upon himself with his actions, like his controversial win in Malaysia this year?

[Exhales slowly] “Yeah, I think... yeah, in some scenarios he might not have helped himself.”

THE FUTURE With seven races left in his final season, Webber has unfinished business before his move to Porsche.

He’s yet to secure his maiden win of the season, which would be his tenth in F1, but his powers have barely diminished with age – as demonstrated by a battling podium in Monza a fortnight ago.

What are your aims for the rest of the season?

“To get as much silverware as I can before the year is out – obviously some wins would be nice, and there’s even a chance for me to move up the championship quite a bit. I’m fifth now, but I’ve got Kimi and Lewis within striking distance [they are four and 11 points ahead, respectively]. I think Lewis will be strong finishing the year, to be fair – the car is strong and the circuits might suit them. But it’ll be good to finish a bit higher in the championship.

And that comes with good, consistent results.”

Will having a clear number two help take away some of the tension in the team?

[Carefully] “I think it will be easy for the team to handle Daniel...”

Easier than it was with you?

“Of course, yeah. We saw in 2010 that it was not exactly straightforward between Sebastian and myself, particularly in the years when I was more competitive. There were some good battles, and that does cause some interesting dynamics within the team. I think Daniel will be fast. He’ll be strong, but he needs to assert his authority on the team as well.”

The podium at Monza looked like it meant a lot?

“Yeah, it was good. It hasn’t been the easiest track for me over the years, so it was nice to get a good result there. It was a fighting second place, too – I was pushing Fernando. After the race, the first thing he said was: ’You really made me work for that.

I couldn’t make any mistakes, you were always there giving me a hard time.’ It was a good little battle.”

Tell us about your next move.

“There are a lot of categories out there, but I think LMP1 [Le Mans Prototype] is the closest category to Formula 1 in terms of lap times. With Porsche coming back in, it’s exciting for me to still drive very quick cars with a very famous brand. I enjoy the endurance element as well – I did it in the late 1990s. I enjoy driving when the sun’s coming up or going down – testing the car and testing the man in different conditions. You’re still pushing the car very hard, and you’re sharing a car with other drivers, which I don’t mind. It’s really good fun, and a good challenge.”

Will you have a bit more spare time?

“A little bit more, but it’s still a very professional and pretty busy programme. I’ll have a few more ’pit stops’ here and there. When you look at the F1 programme next year – 20 races, with four tests in a season – my programme will be more relaxed.”

Is there anything you’re looking forward to being able to do?

“Going to some other sporting events that have always clashed. There are lots of other events that I’d like to go and see and do, and I’ve got a bit more time on my hands now.”

Will you go to any F1?

“Yeah, I think the odd race here and there. But you won’t see me at too many.”

What do you make of the direction that Formula 1 is taking, with the new engine regulations?

“Well, we still need to keep it at the pinnacle of the sport, if we can. And the sport is about the drivers, ultimately. People turn it on to watch the drivers.

The cars are important as well – they’ve gotta be quick, they’ve gotta sound awesome – but people loved watching Senna, Mansell, Piquet, Prost, and Hamilton, Vettel, Alonso in this era. That’s what it’s got to be about. As long as the drivers are all strong characters and strong men racing, then the sport will be in good shape. Engine-wise, yes, they need to go with something that is going to be beneficial for mainstream production down the line. And, > Feeling the squeeze: Webber overtakes Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso at the Belgian Grand Prix in 2011 – a battle the pair revisited in Italy only a fortnight ago

How is the dynamic between you and Seb at the moment?

“We’re just professional. We go about our jobs.

We don’t have much of a relationship at the race tracks – but that’s no secret. He does his job, I do mine.” | 35

Mark Webber

Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

“ThAT’s ImpOrTANT TO me: KNOwING ThAT whAT’s ON The mANTeLpIeCe Is reAL ANd GeNuINe ANd jusT A GOOd, sOLId, hONesT LeGACy”

by putting it in a competitive environment like F1, I think they’re gonna find some nice technologies.

The sport has been super-competitive in the past few years, even though Seb has won all the titles.

Whether it will be like that in the future... who knows?”

LOOKING BACK One of the most popular characters in the paddock, Webber’s frank approach to the often closeted world of Formula 1 will be sorely missed by the fans.

It would be a mistake to think of him as just another ageing also-ran – he came desperately close to winning the title in 2010. Die-hard fans will point to his famous overtake of Fernando Alonso at Spa’s storied Eau Rouge corner in 2011 as evidence of his skill, even if the man himself tells us he’s more proud of another move on Alonso – at turn 10 in Singapore the same year. But what other moments stand out from Webber’s decade of top-level racing?

What’s your fondest Formula 1 memory?

“The wins at Monaco [in 2010 and 2012] are always special – to win there is unique for any driver. It is probably the Wimbledon of our year, the blue-riband event. A lot of special and very nostalgic moments have happened round that circuit, so it’s great to have those wins. And the British Grand Prix as well – those wins [again, in 2010 and 2012]. Also, your first victory is very special in F1 [at Germany’s Nürburgring in 2009] – no driver will ever forget their first win because it’s such a big moment.”

You had to wait a long time for that first win...

“Yeah, I was hoping to have that sort of mid-2000s, when I moved to Williams. But with such an unreliable 36 | September 20 2013 |

car... I led a few races, but I think twice we retired in the lead. It was nice to finally get the wins at Red Bull.”

You’ve been with Red Bull from the start. How has it been watching them develop from relative minnows into the dominant force they are today?

“I’ve seen it all unfold, really. We are the benchmark in all aspects, and it’s been great to see just how slick the team has become, and the details that we go to just to make sure that we are still the benchmark – from pit stops to preparing for the race, to sensational design under Adrian Newey. It’s been a very impressive run, and everyone’s thrown the kitchen sink at us – all the teams have.”

Did you feel when you joined that it was the start of something big?

“Not really, no. Adrian was a big factor in why I came – that was very attractive. It was great to have him there, and you’ve seen the team evolve. But no one would have ever envisaged what they’ve achieved.”

What’s been the low point?

“Oh, I think obviously losing the championship in 2010 was a tough moment. But looking back, knowing that I gave pretty much everything I could, it was still a pretty phenomenal year. I didn’t really pick the easiest year – it was pretty special, going down to the last race when so many drivers could win it.

I don’t just put it down to Abu Dhabi or down to one day – there were obviously lots of opportunities to score points throughout the year. Obviously Seb and I had contact in Turkey – I maybe lost a win there.

So you look at so many different ways of how that championship could have unfolded.”

Do you have any regrets?

“Not really. No sportsman or woman has had a career where they’ve made only perfect decisions. We’re risk-takers. Whatever decisions we make, we’re backing ourselves. Sometimes they come off, and sometimes they don’t. Going to Williams [moving from Jaguar in 2005] was ultimately not a great thing at the time, because of the slump the team had in that period.

I would have undoubtedly been winning races earlier if I went to Renault, but I didn’t make that decision.”

How would you like to be remembered by F1 fans?

“That’s up to them. Always gave his best, hard but fair on the circuit – that’s the biggest thing. Always achieved results in the fairest and most honest way possible. That’s important to me: knowing that what’s on the mantelpiece is real and genuine and just a good, solid, honest legacy.”

Amit Katwala @amitkatwala

Mark Webber was promoting the GEOX-Infiniti Red Bull Racing collection for men and kids, available online at uk.geox.com

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Rachel Atherton

f O p O t n O d l r O w the

n i a t n u O m l l i h n w O d O t S k a e p SpOrt S r rachel athertOn – piOn bike racey crOwned wOrld cham the newl

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hen Rachel Atherton won at the Downhill World Championships in 2008, at the age of just 19, it seemed her career trajectory would be very much at odds with the downhill nature of her sport.

A run-in with a pick-up truck on a training ride in California in January 2009 interfered with that meteoric rise, and she had to wait until last month to reclaim her world title. Now, this weekend, she’s aiming for World Cup glory in Austria. Confused?

We asked the leader of the pack to explain.

You’ve already won at the World Championships, and you can secure the World Cup this weekend.

What’s the difference?

“It is kind of weird, and people do get confused. The World Championships are decided in a one-off race, and then there’s the overall World Cup series. From a public point of view, I guess the World Championship is easier to understand – you get the Rainbow Jersey 38 | September 20 2013 |

and the prestige of doing well in that one race.

With the World Cup [eight rounds in eight different countries] you have to be consistent – you have to be there every week for the whole year.”

The recent World Championships were held in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Tell us about that...

“It was a pretty big race for me in the context of this year – I focused on it in winter training and it pretty much all went to plan. Everything went smooth in practice and then the race itself was pretty perfect.”

Do you feel like you’re back to your best after your pick-up truck injuries?

“Yeah, I guess so. It’s always hard. You get injured so then you’re rehabbing a lot, training and coming back from the injury. Then, once you get to a certain point, where you know you’re strong and you know you’re racing well, you feel comfortable riding your bike.

It’s a good feeling: I was standing on the podium thinking about everything that’s happened... and, yeah, you definitely feel proud of yourself.”

A lot of cyclists switch disciplines – BMXer Shanaze Reade is considering a full-time move to the track, for example. Would you consider another discipline?

“Well, we ride a lot of motocross in the winter, and that’s always been something I love. But to start racing motocross now would be a bit of a traumatic experience, with all the injuries that go with it. I think if I was to do life over again, I would like to try downhill skiing – I think that’s pretty closely linked [to downhill mountain biking]. And, you know, the track as well – my strength definitely lies in my ability to put out power, and the track would be something that I’d definitely be interested in, in a couple of years.”

Track cycling obviously enjoys a lot of support because of its Olympic status and Britain’s success.

How does your discipline fare by comparison?

“The support and the infrastructure around us, and the team we’ve built up is, probably – dare I say it – better than some of those Olympic disciplines.

Obviously the track team has that facility in Manchester, but the BMX and cross country guys

All downhill from here Atherton tAlks us through A typicAl run

pre-rAce rituAls

“We always do the warm-up in the race pits at the bottom, and then we head up to the top of the hill. I do a more intense warm-up at the top. Some people listen to music, but I just go into my head and go through the track in my head. You do a mental run-down of the course, and that gets you pretty well prepared.”

the stArt gAte

“After you’ve finished your warm-up, you get your kit on, and then it’s just you and your mechanic at the start. You just try and lower your heart rate, take some deep breaths. You’re thinking about what gear you’re gonna start in, and the first couple of turns. It’s a fine line – you’ve got to be quite tentative, yet powerful.”

the rAce

Both your brothers are in the same business [Gee, 28, is top of the men’s standings and can take the title if he finishes ahead of Stevie Smith on Sunday; Dan, 31, is a former 4-cross national champion and an enduro mountain bike racer].

How important have they been to your success?

“Yeah, I think for any female in a predominately male-dominated sport, having guys around all the time to ride and train with has been the making of me.

I can’t stress how much it’s helped: training and riding with guys, and always trying to keep up with them and push yourself. I think it’s probably the best thing that a female athlete can do, is train with guys.

It definitely pushes you on and helps you.”

Is there a bit of sibling rivalry there?

“Yeah, I think there’s a healthy rivalry – you’re always gonna get that competition. If Gee wins the World Cup, I’m like: ‘Right, the focus is on him now – I want to bring it back over here.’ But it’s good. No matter what happens at a race, you’ve always got support.

Even if you’ve had a crap race and you’re hurt or you’re sad, you’ve got that support. And if you’ve had a good race, it’s amazing to share it with family and such a close team.”

Do you ever get sick of being around each other?

“Yeah... the older we’ve got, it is more difficult. We live together and it’s a bit of a strain at the moment, you know, the past couple of years. The older you get, the more you need your own space. Gee and I are always at each other’s throats, but come race day you forget your differences and just get out there.”

Amit Katwala @amitkatwala

the AftermAth

“After the World Championships, I’d never felt anything like it finishing a race. I was in agony – it was crazy, my body was cramping up, quads just burning and burning and it was getting worse, not better. My vision was closing in, I could hardly see and I couldn’t hold myself up. It was horrible, to be fair.

Normally, though, you feel proud that you’ve pushed yourself hard and you’ve really used up all your energy and effort.

You don’t want to finish a race feeling like you’ve got more left in the tank.”

Compare your downhill skills with Rachel Atherton by heading to www.redbull.co.uk/personalbest | 39

Sven Martin/Red Bull Content Pool

always come to our races, and they’re always like: ’I wish we had the same sort of support as you guys.’

Although the support doesn’t come from British Cycling, I think we’ve built up such a good team and support from sponsors. I wouldn’t say that we suffer from it not being an Olympic sport – apart from the fact that we don’t get to compete for Olympic gold.”

“You want it to be autopilot – the best races you have are when you’re going through the motions, you’ve done it all before in practice and you know exactly what you’ve gotta do.

You push so much harder in a race, and it often feels like you’re going slower because you’re hitting stuff faster and so feeling a bit messy. In the first minute of the track, I always end up having a near crash and have to tell myself: ’Calm down, Rach – you’ve got this.’ Then you get into the flow and find your rhythm.”

7 Days OUR PICK OF THE ACTION FROM THE SPORTING WEEK AHEAD

SEP 20-SEP 26 HIGHLIGHTS » Football: Premier League » p42 » Cycling: UCI World Championship Time Trial » p45 » Cricket: YB40 Final » p45 » Golf: Alfred Dunhill Links Championship » p46 » Rugby League: Leeds v St Helens » p48

SUNDAY FORMULA 1 | SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX | SINGAPORE STREET CIRCUIT | SkY SPORTS F1 1PM

Night riders

What a difference a year makes. This time 12 months ago, Formula 1 was in the middle of a dogfight for the drivers’ title, with seven different men boasting wins to their name and a certain German sitting fourth in the championship standings.

Sadly, this season hasn’t been half as exciting, with Sebastian Vettel well on course to secure his fourth successive crown at a canter, having won six races already (including the past two, in Italy and Belgium).

This weekend things shouldn’t be so easy for him, however, with the toughest race of the season in Singapore. That said, Vettel has won here in both of the previous two years.

The big news of the past fortnight has come away from the circuit, with Ferrari announcing that Kimi Räikkönen will make a return to the team five years after being paid to leave – a move that has left a bitter taste with his current employers. Lotus F1 Team tweeted: "So #Kimi is off to #Ferrari for 2014; it hurts a little bit… #F1 #Raikkonen." The tweet was accompanied by an image of copulating rabbits.

The decision may not sit well with future teammate Fernando Alonso either, but the Spaniard must put that to one side if he is to claw back Vettel's 53-point lead. For his part, Alonso (left) insists the title is still within reach. Lewis Hamilton's championship hopes, on the other hand, are all but over, with the Brit writing off his chances after a dismal ninth place in Italy.

said, after expressing his initial frustrations.

The odds will be stacked against him this weekend, too: despite winning around the tight street circuit in 2009, Hamilton's patchy record in Singapore – he has finished on the podium only twice here before – suggests he may be in for another bumpy ride.

40 | September 20 2013 |

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Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

“I basically need to win every race, which is the tallest order ever, but I can do nothing but try,” he

7 Days

Premier League

saturDaY norwich v aston villa carrow road | bt sport 1 12.45pm

A bit like seeing Christmas cards for sale in September, the Manchester derby is here before anyone really expected it. It’s a nice surprise, though sunDaY manchester city v manchester united | etihad stadium | sky sports 1 4pm

Defeat last weekend was Aston Villa’s third league defeat in a row.

With summer signing Jores Okore suffering a knee injury that could keep him out for the season, there were few positives for Paul Lambert.

Norwich had a downbeat time too, troubling Tottenham’s Hugo Lloris just once during a 2-0 loss. A Gabby Agbonlahor (pictured) brace gave Villa a win on their last trip to Carrow Road – a memory Lambert will cling on to this time round.

saturDaY chelsea v fulham | stamford bridge sky sports 1 5.30pm

It feels uncomfortably early in the season for a

Manuel Pellegrini’s side were held to a 0-0 draw at Stoke

“We didn’t have killer instinct,”

Manchester derby, but that arguably only makes it

last weekend, when they managed just three shots on

bemoaned Jose Mourinho after

all the more interesting.

target. And, with just one win in their past five league

Chelsea lost to Everton last weekend.

meetings against United at the Etihad, the Chilean’s first

The Blues failed to hit the back of the

Manchester clubs since 2009, when the derby took place

taste of derby action presents another big test. Sergio

net with 22 attempts, despite fielding

on September 20. That match was a seven- goal thriller,

Aguero hit the winner the last time these sides met back

new boy Samuel Eto’o (pictured) .

with Michael Owen scoring the winner for Manchester

in April, reducing United’s lead at the top of the table to

Their west London neighbours arrive

United in the 96th minute (– a stage of the game formerly

just the 12 points – and thus restoring a little local pride.

at the Bridge without a league win

It’s the earliest Premier League clash between the

known as ‘Fergie Time’.

David Moyes will have been buoyed by his first league

since the first day of the season, but

win at Old Trafford, against Crystal Palace last weekend.

have held Chelsea to a draw on their

the local rivals. Both go into the clash having suffered one

With Bayer Leverkusen having visited on Tuesday, the

past two league visits. Mourinho may

league defeat so far, and with question marks hanging

United boss knows it’s weeks like this that have the

eschew his usual cautious approach

over the likelihood of them battling it out for the title.

power to make or break him.

and just issue the order: ‘kill’.

After four games of this season, there is little separating

42 | September 20 2013 |

saturdaY newcastle v hull | st james’ park | 3pm

saturdaY west brom v sunderland the hawthorns | 3pm

saturdaY west ham v everton | upton park | 3pm

Brendan Rodgers will hope to have

Unbeaten since the first day of the

It took Paolo di Canio until his

West Ham haven’t scored since the

Daniel Agger available after the

season, Newcastle are sticking two

fourth game of the season to incur

opening day, and in Everton face a

Dane missed the Swansea game.

fingers up at those who scoffed at

his first FA fine this term. It won’t be

side that hasn’t conceded in the

In his absence, the Reds conceded

their lack of dealings in the transfer

his last. Sunderland’s trip to West

league since the same day. Granted,

for the first time in the league this

window. Yohan Cabaye is back in

Brom precedes visits from Liverpool

Roberto Martinez’s side have only

term. But Victor Moses (pictured)

Alain DePardeu’s good books after

and Manchester United, adding to

scored once since then themselves,

made a strong debut, to suggest his

his flirtation with Arsenal, and

the pressure on them to get a result

but that Steven Naismith goal was a

new employers’ promising start to

Hatem Ben Arfa (pictured) is

at the Hawthorns. Gareth McAuley

crucial one, securing Everton’s first

the season will continue. Throw in the

playing the wonderful football of

(pictured) scored the Baggies’ first

win of the season. The Toffees did

continued form of Daniel Sturridge,

which he has shown flashes between

goal of the season in a 1-1 draw at

the double over West Ham last

and Saints – only two goals in four

previous injuries. Meanwhile, Hull are

Fulham last time out, but they are

season, but with goals in such short

games, and one of those a penalty

carrying a striker in Danny Graham

still far from the side that were so

supply between these teams, the

– face their toughest test so far.

who hasn’t scored since January.

impressive this time last season.

draw has to be the most likely result.

sundaY arsenal v stoke | emirates stadium sky sports 1 1.30pm

sundaY crystal palace v swansea selhurst park | 1.30pm

sundaY cardiff v tottenham | cardiff city stadium | 4pm

Premier League tabLe L

F

A

Pts

1

Liverpool

4

3

1

0

5

2

10

2

Arsenal

4

3

0

1

8

5

9

3

Tottenham

4

3

0

1

4

1

9

4

Man City

4

2

1

1

8

3

7

5

Man Utd

4

2

1

1

6

2

7

6

Chelsea

4

2

1

1

4

2

7

7

Stoke

4

2

1

1

3

2

7

8

Newcastle

4

2

1

1

3

5

7

9

Everton

4

1

3

0

3

2

6

10 West Ham

4

1

2

1

2

1

5

11 Southampton 4

1

2

1

2

2

5

P

W D

12 Cardiff

4

1

2

1

4

5

5

13 Swansea

4

1

1

2

5

7

4

14 Fulham

4

1

1

2

3

5

4

Arsene Wenger must be dreading

Swansea face a steep learning

It’s Tottenham’s turn to try and

15 Norwich

4

1

1

2

3

5

4

this: up against a manager with

curve this season, now juggling

breach the Cardiff City Stadium

16 Hull

4

1

1

2

2

5

4

4

1

0

3

5

6

3

1

0

3

4

6

3

whom he’s had his share of run-ins,

domestic football with Europa

stronghold this weekend, where the

17 Aston Villa

against a team whose approach

League competition. This weekend

home side are yet to be beaten,

18 Crystal Palace 4

usually leaves him steaming mad.

we’ll get a clue as to how they

having beaten Man City and held

19 West Brom

4

0

2

2

1

4

2

20 Sunderland

4

0

1

3

3

8

1

Mark Hughes has Stoke playing

handle it, with their match against

Everton to a draw. Spurs have plenty

some decent football, and almost

Palace coming just three days after

of momentum going into the game

pulling off a shock win over Man City

a trip to Valencia. These teams last

though, with the pain of Gareth

last weekend. Arsenal, now inspired

met in the Championship, when

Bale’s departure eased by the arrival

by Mesut Ozil (pictured) are on a

Swansea trounced the Eagles 3-0

of Christian Eriksen (pictured). The

three-game winning streak in the

both home and away in 2010-11.

Dane made an immediate impact on

league, and have never lost at home

Jonjo Shelvey (pictured) should try

debut last weekend, providing the

999

to Stoke in the top flight.

and make it interesting, either way.

assist for Spurs’ opening goal.

history. Thousand up this weekend?

Number of 1-1 draws in Premier League

Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand | 43

All pictures Getty Images

saturdaY liverpool v southampton | anfield | 3pm

7 Days saturday CRiCkeT | yB40 Final: glamoRgan v noTTinghamshiRe | loRd’s | sky spoRTs 2 11.30am

Wednesday CyCling | UCi Road WoRld Championships Time TRial | monTeCaTini TeRme, FloRenCe | BBC TWo 1.15pm

Time trials and tribulations Sir Bradley Wiggins is attempting to

who took the biggest win of his

salvage a troubled season on home

professional career with the 54.8km

roads in the Tour of Britain this week,

TT in the Giro, although he finished

but it's World Championship gold in

nearly a minute behind Wiggins at

the 56.8km cronometro individuali

Knowsley Safari Park on Tuesday.

that has been his target since he pulled out of the Giro d'Italia in May. There is a nice sense of symmetry in

Trials elsewhere for the UCI come with tribulations for current president Pat McQuaid, who last week asked the

Sir Mod redeeming his season in the

International Cycling Union ethics

same country in which it fell apart,

committee to investigate allegations

when he abandoned his pursuit of the

of corruption against him made in

Maglia Rosa with a chest infection and

a dossier compiled by private

knee injury. He has begun to pick up

investigators – including accusations

the pieces with crushing time trial

relating to Lance Armstrong.

victories in the Tour of Poland and at

British Cycling's Brian Cookson

the Tour of Britain this week, but those

has called for the allegations to

results are countered by a time trial

be "immediately and thoroughly

fifth in his previous race, the Eneco

investigated, for the good of cycling".

Tour of the Low Countries – his lowest

Cookson is standing against

placing against the clock in four

McQuaid's re-election for presidency

seasons with Team Sky.

of the sport's governing body, which

It's also worth keeping an eye on 24-year-old Essex boy Alex Dowsett,

will be announced at the UCI congress – also in Florence – next Friday.

Outlaws call on England bandits It's been a domestic season to forget for both Glamorgan and

Nottinghamshire – but redemption will come for one this weekend, as they contest the YB40 final at Lord's.

Notts will start favourites to secure a first domestic trophy since their 2010 County Championship win. The Outlaws have disappointed in four-day cricket this season, but made light work of qualifying for the last four of this competition and then crushed Somerset in a one-sided semi final two weeks ago. England T20 openers Michael Bryn Lennon/Getty Images, Tony Marshall/Getty Images

Lumb (pictured) and Alex Hales will lead a powerful batting line-up also featuring James Taylor and Samit Patel, while the attack will be bolstered by the availability of Ashes heroes Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad.

No such strength in depth for Glamorgan, who have not appeared in a Lord's final since 2000 and have never, ever won a domestic limited-overs tournament. They shocked defending champions Hampshire in the semis, however, and in the experienced Australian Michael Hogan boast the competition's leading wicket-taker.

The Welsh county's attack is also likely to feature the 34-year-old Simon Jones, who is set to retire from first-class cricket after the match. A Lord's farewell is an appropriate finale to a career that promised so much, but has been so blighted by injury. | September 20 2013 | 45

7 Days sunday nfl | detroit lions @ wAshinGton redskins | fedexfield, lAndover | sky sports 3 6pm

Redskins tough it out The season has not started too brightly

first half alone, on his way to a franchise

for the Washington Redskins. Off the

record 480 yards in the game.

field, pressure is growing to force them

The Redskins started last season 3-6

into a name change, with the Redskins –

before winning their final seven games,

a moniker they have held since 1933, when

however, and coach Mike Shanahan is

the franchise lived in Boston – increasingly

confident the toughness of his team will

deemed offensive to Native Americans.

show through. He would like that to start

Pressure is building on the field too, as

on Sunday, when they play host to Detroit.

the Redskins have lost their opening two

The Lions lost to the Arizona Cardinals

games. Both have followed a similar

last week, after an impressive victory over

pattern, with the Redskins almost out of

the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1.

the game by half-time. They trailed the

Sunday’s later televised game sees the

Philadelphia Eagles 26-7 in Week 1, and

Indianapolis Colts travel to San Francisco,

the Green Bay Packers 24-0 at the same

(Sky Sports 3, 9.25pm) to take on a 49ers

stage last week. Packers quarterback

team that was swept aside by the Seattle

Aaron Rodgers threw for 335 yards in the

Seahawks last week.

Thursday > Golf | Alfred dunhill links ChAmpionship | st Andrews, CArnoustie, kinGsbArns | sky sports 1 1.30pm

I’m a celebrity...

Andy Garcia, Samuel L Jackson, Hugh Grant, Johan Cruyff, Sir Ian Botham (pictured) and DJ Spoony are an eclectic bunch, but they have one thing in common: when possible, they make sure they keep the last week of September free.

For that is when the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship takes place on three of Scotland’s finest golf courses, offering amateurs the chance to tee up alongside some of the best players in the world. And while celebrities are thick on the ground, there are plenty of amateurs who have coughed up to play – just this week, one of the final spots in the tournament sold for £18,100 on eBay. But while the handicap hackers tend to grab the column inches, it’s easy to forget this is a seriously Patrick Smith/Getty Images, Warren Little/Getty Images

lucrative event for the pros – its $5m prize fund makes it one of the richest tournaments on the tour. This year, South African star trio Ernie Els, Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen (compatriot Branden Grace led from start to finish here last year, winning by by two shots from Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen) are all set to play, while European players will be looking to harvest valuable Ryder Cup points.

Frenchman Gregory Bourdy, recent winner of the Wales Open, could be one to keep an eye on.

46 | September 20 2013 |

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7 Days Friday Rugby League | SupeR League pReLiminaRy Semi FinaL: LeedS RhinoS v St heLenS | headingLey CaRnegie Stadium | Sky SpoRtS 1 8pm

Confidence trick Confidence is the key to this intriguing

The game throws up an intriguing duel

playoff battle between reigning champions

between two back-rowers operating in the

Leeds Rhinos and St Helens at Headingley.

pivotal role of stand-off. Leeds skipper

The Rhinos, champions for the past two

Kevin Sinfield is pencilled in at half-back for

years, suffered their first playoff defeat

England in the World Cup, while Jon Wilkin

since 2010 when they were beaten 40-20 at

(pictured) has hardly spent any time in the

Warrington Wolves last Saturday. They were

St Helens pack this season.

uncharacteristically off key in both attack

Much will depend on the kicking game of

and defence, so will need to tighten up

both men, but for out-and-out matchwinners

considerably against a Saints side boosted

look no further than lightning-quick Rhinos

by their 46-10 hammering of Hull Kingston

scrum half Rob Burrow and the talismanic

Rovers. “Confidence will be an issue,”

Saints hooker James Roby.

admitted Rhinos coach Brian McDermott

If you are reading this on Friday morning,

after his side’s defeat. “We will have to

then the other preliminary semi final –

address that.”

league leaders Huddersfield Giants v

Conversely, opposite number Nathan

Hull FC – took place last night. If you’re

Brown said after Saints’ win: “We have

reading us on Thursday evening, however,

some confidence now. We have a big task

it kicks off at 8pm. That should hopefully

against Leeds, but we should go there

give you plenty of time to get home and

thinking we can do okay.”

catch it on Sky Sports 1.

Sunday Rugby union | aviva pRemieRShip: SaRaCenS v bath | aLLianz paRk | bt SpoRt 1 2pm

“The message to our fans is to be patient,

platform up front they have so far displayed

because it’s going to be a bit of a

this season. It’s the exciting rugby the Bath

rollercoaster at times,” said Bath coach Mike

head honchos have promised, however, that

Ford after his side’s 27-20 win over the old

the fans will really look forward to seeing on

enemy Leicester last week. Ford can try to

Sarries’ plastic pitch. A backline featuring

temper the supporters’ excitement all he

Anthony Watson, Semesa Rokoduguni,

likes, but the Rec faithful aren’t having any

Jonathan Joseph, Matt Banahan and Gavin

of it. Two wins from two, and things are

Henson could trouble the Londoners.

looking rosy out west – and it’s Ford’s own

Saracens romped to an easy 44-12 win

son George (pictured), signed from the

last Sunday, but it was against a Gloucester

Tigers in the summer, creating the headlines.

side operating with 14 men for 79 minutes

The next challenge for England’s great

– and the truth is that they struggled to

young hope at 10 (Messrs Burns and Farrell

put their opponents away until well into the

aside) and his new teammates is an away

second half. While Bath have struggled for

trip to face Saracens – also on two wins from

80-minute consistency in their two victories,

two – on Sunday. If they are to upset their

they have the potential to cause an upset

hosts, the visitors will need to bring the solid

here. It could prove a fascinating clash.

48 | September 20 2013 |

Action Images/Craig Brough, David Rogers/Getty Images

Ford focus

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The third round of the Capital One Cup never fails to throw up a tasty tie or two – and this year is no exception, with the two most successful clubs in English football meeting again at Old Trafford

T

he second round saw a sprinkling of top flight teams added to the 2013-14 Capital One Cup – and in the third, we see the really big guns joining for their tilt at the title as the European football qualifiers enter the fray.

Four-time winners Manchester United have been handed the trickiest tie – they welcome old rivals Liverpool, who recently defeated them 1-0 in the Premier League. It’s a game that is given added spice, not that it needs any, because it could also mark Luis Suarez’s first Liverpool action of the season. We’ve spoken to supporters of the two clubs on the opposite page for their views on the clash, and on the Capital One Cup. Elsewhere, League One Bristol City have been rewarded for their second-round win over Crystal Palace with a trip to Southampton, who demolished Barnsley 5-1 at Oakwell to book their third-round place.

50 | September 20 2013 |

There’s an interesting clash between Manchester City and Wigan – a repeat of last year’s FA Cup final. City will be out for revenge after losing out to a late winner at Wembley that day. City have not lifted the League Cup trophy since the 1970s – a good cup run would be a welcome distraction for Manuel Pellegrini (right) in his first season.

Bradford’s run to the final last year demonstrated that lower-division clubs can punch above their weight, and there are lots of potential upsets in the third round.

Sunderland needed late goals to get past MK Dons in round two, and now play Peterborough. Posh battered Reading, a tier above them, 6-0 in the second round, and have scored 11 goals in their two ties so far.

Will they be able to repeat the trick, or will someone else provide the inevitable drama that’s waiting in round three?

CAPiTAl ONE CUP: THiRD ROUND iN FUll TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 24

Aston Villa v Tottenham Burnley v Nottingham Forest Fulham v Everton Hull v Huddersfield Leicester v Derby Man City v Wigan Southampton v Bristol City Sunderland v Peterborough Swindon v Chelsea (Sky Sports 2) Watford v Norwich West Ham v Cardiff

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 25

Birmingham v Swansea Man Utd v Liverpool (Sky Sports 2) Newcastle v Leeds Tranmere v Stoke West Brom v Arsenal

All pictures Getty Images

SERViNG UP DRAMA

supporting the supporters LiverpooL

manchester united pete shaW from red neWs

Jim Boardman from the anfieLd Wrap

Where does the rivalry with United rank for the fans? This and Everton are our two strongest rivalries.

Anything else is way behind, including Chelsea.

How important is the Capital One Cup to you? To me it’s very important.

I’d love another trip to Wembley, and it’s all too easy to take silverware for granted.

Has it diminished in the past 20 years? If anything it’s got stronger over the past 20 years... their last manager’s obsession with Liverpool playing a big part in that!

Luis Suarez could make his return – what kind of reception will he get from the fans after his attempts to leave? I think Liverpool fans will get behind him. I still think there’s time for some quotes from him that smooth everything out a little bit more between now and then, too. The best way to smooth things out is on the pitch, though, and it’ll be a surprise if he doesn’t do that.

Your most treasured memory from a Liverpool v United game? Loads to choose from, but I’ll go with the League Cup final in 2003, Liverpool winning 2-0 with goals from Gerrard and Owen. It hurt them more than they’ll probably admit!

Most painful memory? Again, a lot of these to choose from. Maybe the ‘white suit’ FA Cup final of 1996.

Neither team deserved to win, but it was disappointing to see Liverpool perform so badly and to lose to a goal that came from nowhere.

And the suits.

Have you got the upper hand after the league win? Head to head, I think we’ve been quite close to each other for a while, and most games are decided by the odd goal. This won’t be much different, allowing for how much of a weakened side either club puts out.

Key players if you’re going to win again? Martin Skrtel might play – if he plays like he did in the league game, they’ll find it hard to score. Suarez could be key, if he plays, but Daniel Sturridge has been the man for us so far this season. Jordan Henderson’s energy might be important, too.

How excited do you get about a tie like this? It’s a bit different to a league game, especially it being so early in the competition, but any game against that lot is a big one. It’s usually a mixture of excitement and nerves as the game gets nearer.

Can’t wait!

Who is the club’s greatest ever player, and why? Kenny Dalglish. Just look at his medal haul and the part he played in the club winning the trophies they came with. theanfieldwrap.com

We got the lowdown on one of the biggest rivalries in English football from fans on both sides of the divide

Where does the rivalry with Liverpool rank for the fans? It’s still the one.

Well, certainly for Reds of a certain age – and now that we’ve knocked them off their perch, we want it to stay that way. Despite the fear and loathing along the M62, we do still need each other, because we both need this fixture.

What key battles will United need to win on the pitch if they’re going to go prevail this time? I think we’ll see Liverpool play a stronger side.

Will David Moyes match them because he doesn’t want another defeat?

Whichever young United players do play need to play the game, not the occasion.

Is it still as fierce as it once was?

It is, although it must be said most of our performances at Anfield these past few years – including last week – have been flaccid. At Old Trafford it’s been different. And, if the 1980s taught us anything, it’s that however important this game is, it’s the other 36 that define your season. So maybe Fergie was right seeing it as just another game.

How important is the Capital One Cup to you? It’s a good grounding for the kids. We’ve had some great away days with it – we prefer the away draws – but we don’t turn against the trophy as some do, even though we always get knocked for fielding weakened, young sides. Fergie realised any cup run is a good one, for confidence.

Your most treasured memory from a United v Liverpool game? Quite a few, to be honest! The Eric strike past Ian Rush’s nose at their Cream Suits Cup Final in 1996: Spliced Boys. Gordon Strachan chomping on an imaginary cigar when we came back to make it 3-3 in the ’80s; Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s last-minute cup winner in 1999; Rio Ferdinand’s last-minute league winner in 2006; Diego Forlan looking the player he was elsewhere in a United shirt.

Most painful memory? 1992. We’d lost the league before this game, but this defeat confirmed our fate and they cheered Leeds’ crown as if it were theirs. They sang ‘you lost the league on Merseyside’ and while our fans left thinking we’d never see us win the league, Fergie told the players to remember it, don’t forget, and do it the next year. And as ever, he was right!

Views on David Moyes and his performances so far?

The earlier he starts beating the big clubs, the better. But he needs time and, despite what some say on Twitter and the like, most sane Reds will give him that as the season goes on – and hopefully results start to come.

Who is the club’s greatest ever player, and why?

Some of a certain age would say Best or Law, some of mine would say Cantona, younger Reds would say Cristiano Ronaldo, and all of us would say we’re lucky to have been blessed with so many greats who shaped their eras. We’d have liked another this summer, mind! rednews.co.uk

Capital One, the Credit Card that Supports the Supporters.

For competitions and exclusive content, visit: facebook.com/CapitalOneUK | 51

Extra timE Making the most of your time and money

P60 Caleb Followill: grinds axe and rides Mechanical Bull KOL style

Gadgets

Golden touch

iPhone 5S

Pictured in gaudy ‘champagne’, the iPhone 5S is, as you’d expect, a relatively small step up from its unlettered predecessor. The biggest changes are the new A7 processor (40 times faster than the original iPhone) and the silver ring you can see around the home button, which can scan your fingerprint to unlock the phone and authenticate purchases. Apple have promised that your fingerprint data will stay on the phone and not be transmitted to their servers. And, since they’re a big multinational company, you know you can trust them.

Out today | store.apple.com 52 | September 20 2013 |

Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

ET

Kit

Run ThE gREaT ouTdooRs

The streets of London just don’t match up to Mother Nature when it comes to running, so strap on a pair (of these trainers) and get out there this weekend

Inov-8 TrailRoc 150

Inov-8’s Tri-C compound outsole is back, and it comes with a 1.5mm air foam layer and three separate rubber compounds to provide a low-profile authentic barefoot feel. It’s the most comfortable run imaginable from something that weighs a mere 150g. £90 | inov-8.com

adidas adistar Raven 3

The footwear giants are after the more rugged trail fans here (a weekend jog on Clapham Common doesn’t count).

An Adiwear outsole provides durability, adaptive Traxion offers protection and grip, and Continental rubber means optimal grip in the wet. £105 | adidas.co.uk 54 | September 20 2013 |

Puma Faas 500 Tr

Puma’s most technical running shoe offers a 4mm heel-to-toe drop to encourage the type of midfoot striking that is essential for trail running. On top of this, a gussetted tongue keeps out debris, while multidirectional lugs provide 360-degree traction at braking and toe-off. £72 | sportsshoes.com

saucony Xodus 4.0 gTX

With multidirectional lugs, a lace garage (offering a midfoot support strap that provides a ‘locked-in’ feel), a comfortline sock liner and Gore-Tex liner, there’s no shortage of neat touches in the Xodus 4.0 GTX. Also features a waterproof and breathable upper. £115 | en.saucony.co.uk

Vibram Trek sport

The footglove (our name, not theirs) specialists have hit the trail market running, as it were.

A 4mm EVA midsole offers plating protection from stone bruising, while a sock liner means a comfy fit and a Vibram rubber outsole improves your traction on rugged terrain. £99 | primallifestyle.com

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The

B U S t s a f k a e r B

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P O T P O S OTP

It h t i W t o N #

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Get a Beechwood Smoked Back Bacon Sub with a drink for £2.

OPEN FROM 7AM WEEKDAYS

Breakfast available until 11am Monday-Friday. Most stores open Monday-Friday from 7am. Weekend opening times may vary. See in-store for details. †Beechwood Naturally Smoked Back Bacon with added smoke flavour. £2 Breakfast deal valid on Bacon, Sausage or Egg & Cheese 6-inch Subs or flatbread and either a regular size coffee, cappuccino, latte, tea, bottle of Tropicana Juice, regular 16oz carbonated dispensed drink or 500ml bottle of water. Terms and conditions apply. Not valid for double meat, extra cheese, bacon or any other extras. Prices and participation may vary. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offers or discounts. ©2013 Doctor’s Associates Inc. SUBWAY® is a registered trademark of Doctor’s Associates Inc.

ET

Grooming

SuB-zERo

You are not now, nor will you ever be, a rapper. But here are four new shavers to help you rock the mic like a vandal in the bathroom mirror

Ice Cube

Braun °CoolTec

What puts the cool, and indeed the tec, in Braun’s latest offering – aside from that it comes in a massive ice cube (not true) – is its Thermo-Electric-Cooling technology. While similar gadgets can allow heat to build up in the head of the shaver, this one features an aluminium cooling bar that moves heat away and cools your skin. You will, say Braun, experience an ‘energised coolness’ and ‘perfectly relaxed, smooth skin’ at the push of the ice weather warning button in the middle.

It automatically adapts to the contours of your face, maximising closeness without compromising comfort. Well worth chipping into. £199 | boots.com from October

Ice-T Remington Pro Power Hair Clipper

Ice-T spent four years serving in the US Army, so is presumably no stranger to the clippers.

We guess he’d approve of the HC5800 Pro Power, what with its self-sharpening titaniumcoated blades, digital display, adjustable beard comb and quick-wash system. It can also be charged from a USB port, in the event that you need to scrub up pre-meeting while making last-minute notes on your laptop. £49.99 | boots.com 56 | September 20 2013 |

Vanilla Ice Philips Laser Guided Beard Trimmer

It’s the future: a shaver that projects a crisp red line of light on to your cheek, jawline or neck, exactly where your hairs will be cut, allowing you to achieve a perfectly symmetrical look. For now, Philips can only help your questionably steady hand, as Vanilla Ice would have it, “slice like a ninja” to a certain extent. Waterproof, and features Philips’ Zoomlock wheel and digital display. £99.99 | boots.com

LL Cool J BaByliss for Men Super Stubble

Ladies Love Cool James, apparently, and with a little help from BaByliss, they could (probably) love you too. The Super Stubble comes with contouring head, LED display and 24 ultra-precise length settings. It automatically returns to its previous setting, too, for the sake of consistency – which is not something a man who produced Big Ole Butt could ever be accused of. £90 | boots.com

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Extra time Mandy Capristo

58 | September 20 2013 |

| 59

Max Seam/Lipstick Syndication

fter witnessing his £42m deadline day move to Arsenal, Sport didn’t have to look very far to find the inspiration behind Mesut Ozil’s vow to prove himself as a model professional. For looking on approvingly was the lithe, sinewy figure of Arsene Wenger – the man presumably responsible for the German midfielder’s fierce stance in the wake of claims from Real Madrid that he was more interested in romancing a model than playing football.

That said, here’s Mandy Capristo, a German singer-songwriter in the Shakira mould. She was chosen by public vote to be part of girl band Monrose on the Deutsche version of Popstars in 2006. Sadly, the band separated in 2011.

Happily, she and Ozil reportedly remain an item. Welcome to London, Mandy. We’re certain that, as well as being a professional model, you too are a model professional.

Model professional A

ET

Entertainment

No Bull

Kings of Leon snarl their way back to form, while lauded novelist William Boyd sends James Bond back to basics

Music

Book

Solo William Boyd

The royal path walked by Kings of Leon is typical rock and roll fare. Acclaimed early albums, followed by breakthrough success, than a bland fifth album, rehab stints and backstage tensions. So now they should descend into being a bland pastiche of what they once were, right?

Well, here Nashville’s finest have clearly lost their way, because Mechanical Bull is the sound of a band revitalised.

Opener Supersoaker, if you’ve managed

DVD

Arrow Season One

A dollop of Christopher Nolan’s Batman with a dash of Marvel’s playful fun have gone into this TV take on DC Comics’ Green Arrow.

Oliver Queen is the billionaire with a mysterious past who goes vigilante using the unstoppable power of, erm, arrows. Dazzling action scenes and the gradual reveals of Queen’s motives make for a stellar first run. More please.

Out Monday 60 | September 20 2013 |

to avoid hearing it all summer, is a rollicking anthem in their best tradition.

On its heels is Rock City, which also harks back to the band’s early energy, making full use of Caleb Followill’s throaty, southern-lilted rasp. The slower numbers – Beautiful War, Wait For Me – may be less instantly enjoyable, but if the overall result is a band confident enough to both successfully return to their roots and to branch out, we won’t complain. Welcome back, gentlemen.

Out Monday

Music

Nothing Was The Same Drake His mix of crooning and rapping over pop/R&B hooks mean Drake divides opinion in the hip-hop world. However, while he may never garner huge street cred (is that still a term people use?), his third album is full of terrific songs that stick in your head and refuse to leave. Hold On, We’re Going Home even sees the cheeky wee scamp channelling Marvin Gaye.

Out Monday

Blu-ray

Music

Homeland Season Two

Cracking performances from the two leads, pressure cooker tension and an explosive finale were the highlights of Homeland’s second run, released this month ahead of Season Three airing in October. Extras include Damian Lewis’ Super 8 film diary and an extended third-season prologue, charting his character’s escape into Venezuela. Excelente.

Out Monday

The Bones of What You Believe Chvrches

Many bands sneak a couple of catchy tunes on to a debut album, but Scottish synthpop trio Chvrches have packed in about 12. Tracks such as Lies and Gun operate a wall-of-synth policy that provide a perfect platform for Lauren Mayberry’s angelic voice and sassy lyrics.

Fully justifies the online buzz.

Out Monday

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AP/Press Association Images, Harry Benson/Express/Getty Images, Showtime 2012

Mechanical Bull Kings of Leon

A new James Bond novel lands next week, as William Boyd plots a 1969-set tale of 007 going rogue on a self-appointed mission. Sounds a bit Licence to Kill to us, but don’t say that to Boyd – a devotee of Ian Fleming (above) who’s said that his spy is based less on the films, more on the flawed character from the original novels... “troubled and a massive boozer”. We know the feeling. Solo does involve three continents, intriguing women and fast cars, so signature Bond themes are present – even if the exploding pens are left at home.

Out Thursday

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