Issue 239 | January 13 2012
SPORTING OveRlOad! Sport asks the 20 key questions for 2012 (and then tries to answer them too)
issue 239, january 13 2012 radar 04 A Shaq’s Tale A few things about the great Shaq to interest and amuse
06 Scary picture
04
Well, it’s of Mike Tyson, which makes it plenty scary enough
08 African winners and losers
30
Who will benefit – and be worst hit – by the Africa Cup of Nations
10 Editor’s letter Why this year will be so momentous... to do this coming week Features
14 Can anyone stop Novak?
Cover illustration by James Dawe, jamesdawe.co.uk
24
We begin 20 Questions for 2012 by looking at the most dominant man in sport last year
50
16 The transfer window Who’s going where? Every Premier League club assessed
22 England’s Euro chances They’re largely non-existent. And who will succeed Capello?
NEW ENERGY FOR THE NEW YEAR improve both your fitness and lifestyle in 2011, with the help of an expert nutritionist...
24 Can London cope in 2012? Is our great capital equipped to deal with the Olympics?
30 Ali at 70 We ask the man who knows best why the legend endures
extra Time 46 Marian Rousse One of the cycling stars peddling a new calendar
48 Gadgets We know you’ve no money right now, so we’re just taunting you
50 Entertainment Warhorse, Shame, Haywire, Boardwalk Empire... powerful
52 Grooming To find out more, turn to page 34!
A new fragrance from Jean Paul Gaultier to kick off 2012 | January 13 2012 | 03
p06 – Tyson in bottles
Radar Tall story
p06 – Stamp collecting made chic p08 – Africa Cup of Nations” winners and losers
With the autobiography of one of the most charismatic sporting superstars of the past 20 years released in the UK next week, we recount some memorable Shaquille O’Neal tales
Beating Tyson
Making excuses
The big slash
O’Neal had a variety of ever-changing nicknames, the majority of which he dreamed up for himself. Some choice favourites include: Shaq, Shaq Fu, The Big Diesel, The Big Daddy, The Big Cactus, The Big Shaqtus, The Big Galactus, Wilt Chamberneezy, The Big Aristotle, Osama Bin Shaq, Dr Shaq and, modestly, Superman.
Shaq recounts in his book how he once browsed a luxury car dealership – still in his sweaty training gear – when he saw Mike Tyson there buying two cars. “You know what I’ve got to do,” says Shaq. “I’ve got to buy three!” Grabbing a salesman, Shaq rapidly pointed out a trio of vehicles and left the dealership $600,000 lighter for “three cars that I can’t fit into”.
Often late for practice, O’Neal would come up with increasingly bizarre excuses that put your fibs to the boss to shame. “I was on the highway, the chicken truck flipped over,” he once offered. “Egg yolk and feathers all over the highway – something I couldn’t get around.” He actually used this excuse twice. Few were inclined to argue with the 7ft 1in star.
As part of his aim to be the “baddest slash” ever (as in basketballer/actor/ singer, etc), Shaq turned his hand to acting (playing a genie in Kazaam), rapping (four studio albums) and conducting an orchestra. He also swam against Michael Phelps, raced Tyson Gay and boxed Oscar De La Hoya. Shaq graduated with a BSc at the age of 30, claiming he studied “crayon biology”.
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images
Shaqnames
Shaq Uncut: My Story by Shaquille O’Neal and Jackie MacMullan is published next Thursday, £20
04 | January 13 2012 | Sport
Rul e
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Radar
Tyson: coming at you T
he idea of Mike Tyson popping out of your wall and bearing down on you might sound like the kind of thing that would give Freddy Kruger nightmares, but it’s been turned into something spectacular by artist Steve Forde. Creating this 3D image involves the careful placing of 1,600 individually hand-painted glass tubes to create a pixelated effect and an image that subtly alters depending on the angle from which you look at it. He’s started with a Sporting Legends theme, beginning with Mike Tyson and Ayton Senna, with more to come in the future. Should you feel an urge to purchase a bespoke original of your sporting hero, each is priced at £4,000 – and we’re reliably informed commissions are welcome. We’re thinking a glass rendering of the mush of Audley Harrison would be the perfect match of medium and subject. fordieart.carbonmade.com
3D art with a vengeance: more than 35 colours are used in each piece
Fast times I
Autocourse 2011-2012, £43, autocourse.com
06 | January 13 2012 |
Gone postal I
f we told you this book focuses on a new stamp collection (for the Isle of Man, no less), you’d probably cast your eyes heavenward and wonder what rancid barrel we were scraping now. However, that’s before you knew that the stamps, and indeed the book itself, are designed by the stylish hand of Paul Smith in honour of the 2012 Olympics – and that the British design
guru got involved because of his passion for cycling and friendship with Isle of Man native and pedaller supreme Mark Cavendish. The result is not only a collection of the most chic postage stamps we’ve ever gazed at (sorry, Ma’am), but also a lovingly created compendium that brings together London 2012 postcards and stamps with words from Sir Paul, Cavendish and British Cycling’s Dave Brailsford. Far from being the bottom of the barrel, this is actually the top of the tree – and the only book about a stamp collection we will unhesitatingly call cool. London 2012 Olympic Games: The Isle of Man Stamp Collection, £50, paulsmith.co.uk
Hiroyuki Ishimizu and Stelios Marcou
f the world of F1 was an American high school, Sebastian Vettel would be the teacher’s pet, Lewis Hamilton the rebel without a cause and Autocourse would be the school yearbook. The annual has been an annual (sorry) tradition since 1951, and this year’s edition lovingly documents what was a mixed year for the class of 2011. While it surely sits proudly on Mrs Vettel’s coffee table, it’s probably been consigned to the attic in the Hamilton household. The book tells the story of Vettel’s dominant season, with race-by-race reports (that probably get a bit samey after a while), statistics, illustrations and photography, as well as features on the major talking points of the season. Perfect for passing the time until the red lights go out on the first race of the 2012 season in 65 days.
Radar
African winners & losers
The Premier League resumes this weekend without many of its finest African imports. We offer up three clubs hit hard by the Africa Cup of Nations – and a trio that should count their blessings...
Hard road Easy street
1 Newcastle
1 Tottenham
The African Nations Cup is leaving a massive, Cheick Tioté-sized hole in Newcastle’s midfield. Plus there’s the small matter of 15-goals-in-19-games striker Demba Ba leading the line for Senegal rather than the Magpies for the next month. Still, we’re sure Leon Best and the Ameobi brothers can pick up where Ba left off. Right?
Harry Redknapp will be puffing out his wobbly cheeks in relief at the fact that both Togo and Cameroon failed to qualify, meaning Spurs first-teamers Emmanuel Adebayor and Benoît Assou-Ekotto will be in London rather than Gabon for the foreseeable future. Playing a key league game against a Toure-free Man City on January 22 is also nicely timed.
2 Manchester United United are on two league defeats in a row, but at least Old Baconface’s squad is free from African Nations plunder. In fact, with top-table rivals Arsenal, Man City and Chelsea all losing players, the tournament could work in United’s favour – particularly as they will face a (very probably) Didier Drogba-less Chelsea on February 5. Bonus.
3 QPR
3 Fulham
Can ill afford to lose the enigmatic talent of Adel Taarabt (Morocco) or left back Armand Traoré (Senegal), especially with Joey Barton unavailable (he’s suspended, not secretly turning out for Burkina Faso) and Alejandro Faurlin injured. Neil Warnock might well be secretly breathing a sigh of relief that he no longer has to pick a team from what’s left.
Wet-look workout
08 | January 13 2012 |
Biggest winners of the African Nations fixtures lottery is, arguably, Fulham. They play Newcastle on January 21, Man City on February 4 and QPR on February 24 (it’s all over by then, but players can suffer the dastardly post-tournament slump). Fulham’s squad is completely unaffected, with Dickson Etuhu’s Nigeria surprise non-qualifiers.
I
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real water. This results in a smooth, rhythmical motion helping you capture the ‘aesthetic pleasure of rowing’ while at the same time burning through those calories. If this thing can’t help you, perhaps morbid obesity really is the only solution. From £699 via waterrower.com
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2 Manchester City They may have an abundance of midfielders, but Yaya Toure has been indispensable to Manchester City’s success this season. The fact that he and brother Kolo are on Ivory Coast duty for up to a month means the boys in sky blues may have to sellotape two or three midfielders together just to fill the enormous midfielder’s mighty shorts.
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Radar Editor’s letter We confidently predict this place will be popular come the summer www.sport-magazine.co.uk @sportmaguk facebook.com/sportmaguk
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COMMERCIAL
Fasten yourselves in! A momentous year lies ahead for anyone with even a passing interest in sport
S Editor-in-chief Simon Caney
10 | January 13 2012 |
As for the sport itself, it seems the country is very slowly getting Olympic fever. It will take a time – it always does – but the test events have been going well and people are waking up to the idea that Team GB could bring home (er, keep at home) a very big bag of gold medals. Truly, it will be a golden summer. And, let’s not forget, before that there’s football’s European Championships. We don’t presume England will win it for one second, but just watch – come June we’ll be as excited as cuddly little puppies. Okay, okay. I admit that when Thierry Henry signed for Arsenal I said on Twitter that I couldn’t see much point to it, or that he would have the slightest bit of impact. I maintain that, overall, he won’t do much for Arsenal’s season: it is not the sort of signing a club aiming for Champions League football should make (and nor is Manchester United persuading the reserve team coach to come out of retirement a particularly positive sign). However, while one swallow doesn’t make a summer, Henry’s goal against Leeds will be the best moment of the season for Arsenal fans. He was a wonderful player in his prime – the first ever cover star of this magazine – and, whatever happens
from here, his reputation won’t be harmed by this comeback. Also on Twitter this week, a great deal of respect to Luke Donald, who spoke up against slow play on the PGA Tour. It’s a terrible blight on the game at all levels, but often amateur players take their lead from imbecilic pros who somehow need more than five hours in which to play 18 holes. Hopefully the powers that be will listen to the world number one and realise that something needs to be done at the highest level of the game. The whole of golf will benefit – but I suspect nobody has the guts to actually make it happen.
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Hearty thanks this week to:
And finally, a word on Vincent Kompany’s red card against Manchester United. For once I’m backing the referee on this one: by the letter of the law Chris Foy had no choice but to produce a red card. I’m not saying it’s a good thing – the rules of the game are crazy at times these days. But if he had not sent off Kompany, then Foy would almost certainly have been marked down by his assessor. Forget ‘discretion’ or ‘common sense’ – they are two things it seems referees are forbidden to use. Equally, it seems to matter not who wins the ball. As I say, a crazy rule, but a correct sending-off.
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o here we are, back in action for 2012. Some of you will have been reading Sport every week on the iPad over Christmas, but this week marks the first print edition of a very special year. An Olympics in your home country doesn’t come around very often – it’s probably a once-in-a-lifetime thing these days – and while there will be plenty of people happy to complain about it, it’s surely something to celebrate. Can London cope? We ask the question on page 24, because there are very real concerns that our public transport system is woefully ill-equipped for such an influx of people (let’s face it, we all complain about it daily, even without an Olympics). Well, the truth is we can do no more than hope for the best and trust Boris Johnson to ensure the city does not grind to a shuddering halt. But we’ve seen this before – at almost every big world sporting event there are fears beforehand that nothing is ready, the infrastructure will break down and even (remember the Commonwealth Games?) the athletes will have to sleep with giant cockroaches. And every time, when the games roll around, everything is just fine. Let’s pray that’s the case this summer.
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Radar Frozen in time
The fall guy If global warming thought it could put the kibosh on ski jumping, it clearly reckoned without the big brains at the Federation Internationale de Ski. “So what that there’s no powder for this year’s prestigious FIS Ski Jumping World Cup?” they scoffed. “If we fill this field with flag-waving schoolchildren, we can guarantee every competitor a super-cushioned landing.” Which is exactly what they did, and here we see Austria’s Gregor Schlierenzauer preparing to crashland on a fat exchange student from Berlin to take first prize. A textbook finish.
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20 Questions for 2012
14 | January 13 2012 |
1. CAN ANYONE STOP THIS MAN?
Prior to 2011, Novak Djokovic had just a single, solitary Grand Slam to his name and was firmly cast in the role of the understudy to his sport’s main protagonists: Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Then a funny thing happened. An unusual thing. A quite unexpected thing. Djokovic unleashed a 43-match winning streak, a run that saw him take three of the year’s four Grand Slams and catapulted him to the pinnacle of the men’s game. As 2011 faded out, Djokovic had become the man to beat. But he had also become a man with a big problem for 2012 – how the hell do you follow 12 months of near perfection? Mentally and physically ravaged in the final months of last season, it became clear the world number one needed a break – which he was granted the moment he was knocked out in the group stage of the ATP Tour Finals in London. Seemingly recharged, the Djoker got straight back to winning ways on his return in a post-Christmas exhibition event in Abu Dhabi, where he crushed Federer in the semi finals before doing the same to David Ferrer in the final. Whether that relatively meaningless trophy (and the rather more meaningful $250,000 winner’s cheque) can
provide the same momentum for the year ahead as Serbia’s Davis Cup victory did for Djokovic at the end of 2010 is doubtful. As is the likelihood he will dominate the Slams again in 2012. In fact, in the past five years, three men have collected a haul of three Grand Slam titles in a single season – Federer did it in 2007 and Nadal in 2010. Both followed up those seasons with one in which they collected a single major. Should the same fate befall Djokovic in 2012, it’s unlikely to be a single man who wraps up the remaining three Slams, with Nadal starting the season as he looks set to go on (crocked) and Federer lacking the consistency that once served him so well. Waiting in the wings (Andy Murray aside – see page 27) are 2009 US Open winner Juan Martin Del Potro and 2011 World Tour Finals runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, both of whom have the weapons to grab any opportunities Djokovic should let slip this time around. Australian Open, January 16-29; French Open, May 27-June 10; Wimbledon, June 25-July 8; US Open, August 27-September 9 >
Julian Finney/Getty Images
In a truly monumental year of sport, the seemingly unstoppable Novak Djokovic kicks off Sport’s 20 Big Questions for 2012...
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20 Questions for 2012
16 | January 13 2012 |
ArsenAl Thierry Henry’s presence will offer cover for Africa-bound Gervinho, but Arsene Wenger still needs a striker to take the pressure off Robin van Persie. Lukas Podolski (left) would fit the bill nicely. West Ham’s James Tomkins is an option at the back.
newcAstle Alan Pardew is likely to concentrate on keeping Demba Ba and finding cover at the back, with PSV’s Erik Pieters linked. He’ll do well to hang on to Cheick Tiote with Fergie reportedly interested. Could the Magpies also swoop for John Obi Mikel (left)?
Aston VillA Holding on to Darren Bent is a priority. Letting go of top earner Stephen Ireland and finding a cheap replacement (Steven Davis, left, has been linked) would make sense for a club with little cash. Robbie Keane joining another ‘boyhood club’ is a start.
norwich Strikers and defenders are the priority for Paul Lambert, who knows a lower-league bargain. Expect him to chase Forest’s Chris Gunter and Wes Morgan, and possibly bring in Blackpool’s Matt Phillips (left). He’ll also have an eye on Jordan Rhodes.
BlAckBurn With limited cash, Steve Kean will have to look to the Championship for a goalscoring midfielder and defensive cover. Nottingham Forest’s Lewis McGugan could be one answer, while Birmingham’s Liam Ridgewell (left) is looking for a top-flight return.
Qpr Mark Hughes has already made moves to get some familiar faces in, with Chris Samba, Andy Johnson (left), Nedum Onuoha and Wayne Bridge all linked. Alejandro Faurlin’s injury means midfield cover is needed as well – Niko Kranjcar, anyone?
Bolton Gary Cahill will need to be replaced, with Manchester City’s Nedum Onuoha (left) a possibility. Their strikers have scored only twice since early November, so Marouane Chamakh on loan would suit everyone, but only if Wenger doesn’t decide to sell him.
stoke Another club with one eye on financial fair play, it’s more about departures than arrivals for Stoke. A quality midfielder would be welcomed with open arms, though, so Lewis McGugan (Forest) or even Darron Gibson (left) could be a possibility.
chelseA With Cahill on his way to strengthen the defence, it’s up top where Chelsea need some quality. Juventus winger Milos Krasic (left) has been linked, while the Blues are likely to reignite their interest in Belgian starlet Kevin de Bruyne, currently at Genk.
sunderlAnd Martin O’Neill has said he won’t let anyone go before he gives them a chance, so don’t expect big changes on Wearside. That said, Robert Snodgrass at Leeds (left) and James McFadden (Everton, if you’d forgotten) have been mentioned.
eVerton Quite simply, David Moyes is desperate for a goalscorer. Jack Rodwell might finally be on his way (Chelsea or Manchester United?), which would free Moyes up to go after lower-league goalscorers such as Nicky Maynard or Huddersfield’s Jordan Rhodes (left).
swAnseA Brendan Rodgers has already signed Cliftonville striker Rory Donnelly and would love to bring in a couple more faces, but loan signings are his only real option. Chelsea’s Josh McEachran (left) is reportedly already in talks for a likely loan move.
FulhAm If Bobby Zamora (Spurs) or Andy Johnson (QPR) go, as rumoured, they will need to be replaced. West Ham’s Carlton Cole (left) is a good fit. At the back, cover is needed for Mark Schwarzer. But will Tomas Kuszczak leave Man Utd’s reserves?
tottenhAm Harry has two priorities in this window: clear out fringe players and boost his options in attack. Bobby Zamora, Junior Hoilett and Marseille’s Loic Remy (left) have been mentioned, while ‘Arry will want Samba if he hasn’t gone to QPR yet.
liVerpool Kenny Dalglish badly needs a striker to take the pressure off Andy Carroll during Luis Suarez’s ban, with Darren Bent (left) and Schalke’s Klaas-Jan Huntelaar the names mentioned. Some genuine pace out wide wouldn’t go amiss either.
west Brom Dundee United’s Scott Allan has signed, while summer target Liam Ridgewell might be chased again. Midfielders are needed with Zoltan Gera and Chris Brunt out, so Sunderland’s Kieran Richardson (left) – said to want away – could be a smart move.
mAn city It’s all about those financial fair play rules at City, so expect to finally see the back of Carlos Tevez (left) and Wayne Bridge. There’s also been talk of Mario Balotelli leaving. A replacement will be needed if he does – and according to Mario, only Messi will do.
wolVes Mick McCarthy will be looking to boost his defence and attack after Emmanuel Frimpong’s arrival helped ease his midfield shortage. Nedum Onuoha is on the radar, while McCarthy has already approached Bristol City about Nicky Maynard (left).
mAn utd Sir Alex says there will be no new blood, but even with the return of Paul Scholes his midfield is weak. Inter’s Wes Sneijder will be mentioned again – and, if reports of Mesut Ozil (left) and Jose Mourinho falling out are true, Fergie’s head might be turned.
wigAn A goalscorer could solve a lot of problems for Roberto Martinez’s side. Hugo Rodallega will surely be on his way, freeing up funds, but tempting a big name will be tough. A lower-league star such as the aforementioned Maynard could be worth a punt. >
All pictures Getty Images
2. Want! Need! Swap! Who’s going where this transfer window? We hazard a guess...
20 Questions for 2012
3. What does Stuart Lancaster have to do to sort out the future of English rugby? After a torrid few months for English rugby, Stuart Lancaster has taken the reins – for the Six Nations, at least – and 2012 brings with it a clean slate. England have a genuine chance to reignite a failing engine at Twickenham, but Lancaster needs to make the right moves to ensure that any success doesn’t become another false dawn. To achieve this, Sport has helpfully made three simple suggestions... 1. Target 2015 Lancaster’s main priority must be to target the Rugby World Cup in 2015, to be held in this country. After the debacle that was their campaign in New Zealand, England have to plan from now, which means two things. First, the player selection has to focus on youth, with the likes of Owen Farrell and Joe Marler needing to be brought in alongside the more experienced names, and allowed to settle into a unit over the next three years. Second, this year is key because the World Cup seeding is based on IRB rankings from December 2012, and England currently lie fifth in the world. A successful 2012 is badly needed to push England into that all-important top four and ensure they avoid the big three teams in three years’ time. For Lancaster, that has to be priority number one.
introduce a similar idea? The extra responsibility could well help the likes of Dylan Hartley, Toby Flood and Ben Foden to mature a lot quicker.
2. Put the players in their place The other big problem for Lancaster is controlling the players and the off-field dramas. The Danny Care incident has shown that Lancaster is prepared to take a hardline approach (Care was omitted from the Six Nations squad after being arrested on New Year’s Day on suspicion of drink driving), and perhaps the longer term could see this approach allied with a different ideal. Graham Henry has talked about a self-policing policy that New Zealand use, whereby any misdemeanours are first dealt with by seven senior players. Could it be time for England to
3. Build bridges Finally, this team and union have a reputation to repair, so the RFU could do a lot worse than going for a full-on hearts and minds mission. The talk of playing games around the country is a great start – now it’s time to increase the open training sessions, ramp up the school visits and public appearances, and allow the players to become accessible to the public again. With English rugby having seemingly hit an all-time low, what better time to bring back a bit of personality? RBS SIX NATIONS, starts February 4
The European champions are into the last 16 of the Champions League with little fuss, but they now sit five points behind Real Madrid at the top of La Liga. Despite winning impressively at the Bernabeu before Christmas, one or two doubts are beginning to find their voice as Barca have been held four times on the road, including a 1-1 at Espanyol last weekend. We asked Question 4 to Andy Mitten, an English football journalist working in the Catalan capital who watches them week in, week out... and he laughed at the very suggestion. “The problem this season for Barcelona is not that they’ve played badly or worse than last season, but that Real Madrid are dropping so few points – so people have started to question Barcelona.
18 | January 13 2012 |
“Have teams worked them out? Well if working them out means playing a 6-2-2 then possibly so, but even the games they haven’t won they’ve still dominated. Lionel Messi is scoring more than ever and the team is playing well. “They have greater strength in depth this season, with Cesc Fabregas playing so well and Alexis Sanchez starting to show, plus there’s the emergence of Isaac Cuenca and Thiago from the B team. I’d say that, if anything, the team actually look stronger this season than last, but just haven’t turned draws into victories enough.” So, in response to the question, that’s a resounding No, but possibly also a Yes. knockout stages of the Champions League BEGIN February 14/15 >
David Rogers/Getty Images, David Ramos/Getty Images
4. Are FC Barcelona starting to fade?
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20 Questions for 2012
5. Will F1 be any more competitive this season? (and can anyone or anything stop Baby Schumi?) As ever in Formula 1, it will largely be down to the cars. So it will be impossible to say until at least the first testing session in Jerez in February, or more likely until the end of Q3 in Australia in March. Red Bull romped to a second consecutive constructors’ championship in 2011 thanks in part to the controversial off-throttle blown diffuser, which is banned for 2012. This should even things up a bit – its absence at Silverstone in 2011 coincided with Ferrari’s only win of the season. However, with technical supremo Adrian Newey, Red Bull are certain to come up with some new tricks. Newey oversaw the development of four championship-winning cars in six years at Williams in the early 1990s – could we be at the start of a similar era of dominance? In truth, it’s hard to see anyone coming close to Sebastian Vettel – Mark Webber in an identical car didn’t seem to have the ability to do it last season, and at 35 there’s nothing to suggest he will improve dramatically in 2012. McLaren’s power pair will be the principal contenders if Jenson Button can continue his fine form (12 podiums in 2011) and Lewis Hamilton (left) can find some consistency. In a field of six world champions, there are drivers capable of challenging the young German – if their teams can give them a competitive car. Australian Grand Prix, March 18
6. Can an Englishman win a golfing major in 2012? The Irish lads have become pretty good at it lately, after all – Padraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke have all become major champions in very recent memory. But it is now 16 long years since an Englishman won a major (Nick Faldo at the 1996 Masters, since you ask) and an amazing 20 years since the very same chap was the last Englishman to win the Open Championship. So what’s the problem? It’s not an easy question to answer. There is now an English world number one and two (Luke Donald, left, and Lee Westwood), while not far behind in the world rankings are Justin Rose (16), Ian Poulter (19) and Paul Casey (20). Donald, the best player on both sides of the Atlantic in 2011, is on paper an obvious major champion in waiting. His stellar short game means he has the ability to post very low scores and, even when the rest of his game is not on song, workable scores. The Masters
probably provides his best chance: he’s not long off the tee, but then nor was Zach Johnson in 2007. And if his putter fires, then he’ll be unstoppable. Westwood could win any of the four, such is the quality of his ball-striking. It all depends on his putting, which has never held up for four rounds of a major before. Recent evidence, though, is encouraging: over the winter he produced scores in South Africa and Thailand that were so good it was as if he wasn’t playing the full 72 holes. If he has found the key to his putting, Westwood will end 2012 as a major champion and world number one. Of the rest, Casey’s latest injury has set him back again, while Poulter is even shorter off the tee than Donald and had a poor 2011. That leaves Rose; he has bags of talent and knows how to win in the States. It could be Justin’s year. Masters, April 5-8; US Open, June 14-17; The Open, July 19-22; US PGA August 9-12
7. Have we seen the last of Tiger Woods?
Results over the winter suggest that Woods is scrapping tooth and nail to get back to his best, but the cold, hard truth is that he’s still a long, long way from it. He may have won the Chevron World Challenge last month and finished third in the Australian Open,
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but Woods is fighting his swing and a misbehaving putting stroke. In his favour are experience – nobody knows better how to win majors; desire – nobody wants them more; and single-mindedness – he’ll have forgotten all of that off-course ‘activity’ long ago. So it’s premature to say we’ve seen the last of Tiger. Surely at some stage he will add to his 14 majors... just (probably) not in 2012.
Alex Higgins was born 13 years before Jimmy White, who is 13 years older than Ronnie O’Sullivan. The Rocket, it just so happens, was 13 when Judd Trump was born. We’re not sure why, but it’s written in the stars: every 13 years, a snooker saviour arrives – a prodigious talent with a rakish charm who knocks in pots, knocks back shots, packs in crowds and carries the sport’s popularity on his back. No pressure then, Judd, young chap – no pressure at all. It’s just that, with O’Sullivan battling indifference and a slide down the rankings, Barry Hearn’s brave new world of snooker was saved from tedium in 2011 by Trump’s winds of change. The Bristolian rocked up at the World Championship, knocked out the defending champion in the first round, then proceeded to pot balls off the lampshade all the way to a close final defeat. He entertained again at the UK Championship, playing exhibition positional shots, chatting to the crowd and tweeting
photos of himself shirtless (but waistcoated) back stage. Oh, and he won the tournament too. So the stage is all set for 2012. Except, well – we lied to you, Judd. There is pressure. There’s masses of it, son. While nothing was expected of The Juddernaut in 2011, this year Trump is favourite for this month’s Masters, favourite for the World Championship in April – and above all this, he’s expected to play with the devil-may-care flair that can disappear when expectations start to weigh heavy on a young talent. Whether the 22-year-old can can keep his attacking style, winning habit,cheeky grin and foolish haircut throughout the year is the golden question all snooker fans will be asking. Because, box office-wise, there isn’t really anyone else who’s going to save the day. And if there is, the snooker gods dictate that he’s probably nine years old right now, and that won’t work at all. World Snooker Championship, April 21-May 7
9. Will Pacquiao and Mayweather finally – finally – get it on? First, the good news: it seems that in the good ol’ US of A, it’s one rule for the poor and one rule for the Money, as Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather has had his 90-day prison sentence for domestic violence pushed back to June, conveniently paving the way for a May superfight. Ah, but in the past, you might rightly point out, Floyd has shrunk like a cold scrotum from the challenge of fighting the ‘other’ best fighter on the planet, Manny Pacquiao. That was until the Filipino dynamo struggled in controversially decisioning Juan Manuel Marquez last November. It seems Pacquiao is, at 33, starting to slow – and Mayweather is said to be far keener to fight this more
beatable-looking Pac Man than the 2009 threshing machine vintage. Now for the bad news: the fractious relationship between their rival promotional companies, Golden Boy (Mayweather) and Top Rank (Pacquiao), means this fight is about as easy to broker as a peace deal between Tom and Jerry. Crucially – while Pacquiao would happily fight both Klitschkos on the same night – Top Rank boss Bob Arum seems unwilling to arrange a contest between Pacquiao and his own former protege, Mayweather. Especially in a match-up that many expect his cashcow would lose on current form. So, the reasons have changed, but the egos remain. Chances are we’ll see both Manny and Money in the ring come the summer, but probably not against one another. Boo! >
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Nelson Almeida/AFP/Getty Images, Sam Greenwood/Getty Images, Scott Halleran/Getty Images, Warren Little/Getty Images, John Gurzinski/AFP/Getty Images
8. Can Trump be a breath of fresh air?
20 Questions for 2012
10. Is there any plausible reason to think England can go beyond the quarter finals at Euro 2012?
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Consider this: in terms of European Championship pedigree, based on performances since that sun-kissed summer of 1996, England have enjoyed less success than Denmark, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Turkey and Greece. Based on one first-round exit, one quarter-final defeat and one DNQ, Fabio Capello’s men are right up there with Romania and Croatia as European superpowers. None of those teams mentioned would be expected to win a tournament of this magnitude, yet still a nation harbours hopes – even if it’s in secret. The obvious issue this summer is that England will have to face and beat some rather impressive opponents if they’re to win Euro 2012. Win the group and they’ll most likely face a revived Italy in
11. Who will be England boss after Fabio Capello? With Don Fabio bidding adieu to the England job after losing on penalties in the Euro 2012 quarter finals, the question turns to who will step into his three lions loafers and overcoat. We give you the names in the frame, with that old wheeler dealer leading the running... Harry Redknapp, Tottenham Roy Hodgson, West Brom Arsene Wenger, Arsenal Martin O’Neill, Sunderland Jose Mourinho, Real Madrid Alan Pardew, Newcastle Guus Hiddink, unattached Carlo Ancelotti, Paris Saint-Germain Stuart Pearce, England Under-21s David Beckham, King of the World
15/8 6/1 8/1 12/1 12/1 12/1 16/1 20/1 20/1 33/1
Clive Mason/Getty Images, Michael Regan/Getty Images
Only if you’ve been wired up wrong. Look, we’re all for patriotism here, but the facts are the facts – and some very sobering ones they are at that. England have not progressed past the quarter finals in any of the past six major tournaments, while in seven European Championships they’ve come no closer than a third-place finish in the very first tournament in 1968. Thereafter, it’s been a tale of steady decline and growing resignation. No doubt, come the start of June, a nation’s expectations will have been overinflated once again, puffed up out of all proportion by the likes of JT announcing that “I genuinely believe, despite all evidence to the contrary, that this time, more than any other time, we’ll get it right”. But they won’t.
the last eight. Win that and they’ll likely face Germany, Holland or Portugal for a place in the final. Frankly, a team’s luck can hold out for only so long. And if, as is more likely, England should finish second in the group – behind France, we’d assume – we’d face World Cup and European Championship holders Spain in the last eight. Even taking into account that 1-0 Alamo at Wembley last November, plotting any further progress is a waste of your time and ours. As Don Capello himself has noted, the Euros is a far harder tournament to win than the World Cup because of the fact they let less dross fill out the places – our words not his, but we share the same sentiment. In mentioning this, he was merely getting his excuses in early, warning you well in advance that England will almost certainly not prevail. To the quarter finals? Perhaps. But all the way? Even a chimpanzee works it out after a while. Euro 2012, June 8-July 1 >
20 Questions for 2012
12. The Olympics. How the hell will London cope? An already overcrowded, ill-functioning city is looking ahead to the London Olympics with an almighty sense of foreboding. Travel chaos, inflated prices and invasive security checks at every turn are all high on the reasons-todespair list for many Londoners – some of whom have already plotted a timely escape for the duration of the Games. But, according to London Mayor Boris Johnson, these ‘Olympo-sceptics’ have been misled by a media full of ‘gloomsters’. In fact, argued BoJo in a keynote speech at last month’s IPPR London Policy Conference, this summer is set to be one we’ll never forget for all the right reasons... “I’ve read lots of articles by journalists – otherwise reputable ones – in which they claim that London during the Games will be gridlocked and expensive, with traffic dominated by Olympic bureaucrats throwing up road spray into the face of normal Londoners. These articles conclude by advising their readers to flee their own city in Games time. This is complete and utter nonsense and, if you obey these miserable journalists, you will be making a serious mistake. Let me say once and for all that the Olympic route network takes up 1 per cent of London’s roads, and the actual Games Lanes take up only a fraction of that 1 per cent and will only be in operation for 16 days. “As for these so called ‘Olympic fat cats’, many of whom are actually journalists, they will be gently but firmly informed of the public transport options that are available to them via their tickets. The Jubilee Line – as anyone who uses it can attest, has been very successfully improved – and there’s no reason why those Olympic fat cats can’t enjoy it as well. And, of course, with the Javelin Train we can get you from King’s Cross to the Olympic Park incredibly fast.
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“I believe we are steadily demystifying Olympic transport and that, when the Games are complete, we will look back at the present spate of journalism as a kind of millennium bug that never materialised. Most people travelling in most parts of London will not even notice that the Olympic route network exists. All they will notice is that in every part of the city, in every borough, there are going to be festivities of all kinds from the Dickens Bicentennial to trapeze artists – and, of course, the live sites where people will be able to watch the events on gigantic screens in a party atmosphere. “We are planning a summer like no other. There will be about a million visitors to London all told, and the overall stimulus to the UK economy up to 2015 is estimated to be more than $8bn [£5.18bn]. So my message to everybody about the Olympics is that no, I don’t think it will be a good idea to shut up your coffee shop or put a tarpaulin over your taxi and head off to Greece. I believe the gloomsters are completely wrong and we will use these Olympics to showcase London as the best big city on earth to live in and invest in.”
25%
The increase expected in the number of trips that will be made on London transport on August 3 the first day of Olympic athletics events
14. Can Mark Cavendish do the double?
13. How many gold medals will Team GB win this summer? The Likely Lads AND Lasses Mo Farah – Athletics Jess Ennis – Athletics Phillips Idowu – Athletics Dai Greene – Athletics Ben Ainslie – Sailing Paul Goodison – Sailing Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson – Sailing Men’s four – Rowing Women’s double scull – Rowing Men’s lightweight double scull – Rowing Anthony Joshua – Boxing Nicola Adams – Boxing Louis Smith – Gymnastics Shanaze Reade – BMX Mark Cavendish – Cycling (road) Bradley Wiggins – Cycling (road) Emma Pooley – Cycling (road) Women’s team pursuit – Cycling (track) Men’s team sprint – Cycling (track) Men’s sprint – Cycling (track) Women’s sprint – Cycling (track) Rebecca Adlington - Swimming Keri-Anne Payne – Swimming (open water) Alistair Brownlee – Triathlon Helen Jenkins – Triathlon Team dressage – Equestrian Ed McKeever – Canoe Sprint
Paul Gilham/Getty Images, Michael Steele/Getty Images, Bryn Lennon/Getty Images
When London first hosted the Games in 1908, the British team made the best of the sodden English weather to walk away with a hefty haul of 56 golds, 51 silvers and 39 bronzes. The inclusion of sports such as rackets – in which only seven competitors entered, each of them British – may have skewed the final medal table somewhat in the home nation’s favour, but when you’ve got your own empire you can get away with that sort of thing. There will be no rackets this summer, but hopes are still high that Team GB’s collection of 19 gold medals in Beijing can be bettered. Sir Steve Redgrave is hedging his expert bets slightly in predicting 20 golds, while The Times has consulted a Dutch sports statistics company, Infostrada, to arrive at a more optimistic figure of 26 – and third place in the medal table behind the USA and China. As for us? Well, we understand Redgrave’s cautious attitude when it comes to predicting British sporting success, but with home advantage to take into account, we’re expecting great things. At the Beijing Games, China’s gold medal record improved by 59 per cent on their 2004 total, while Australia improved by 76 per cent in Sydney in 2000. You have to go all the way back to the Helsinki Games in 1952 to find the last time a host nation failed to improve its performance on home ground. So, in no particular order, here are Sport’s 26 most likely contenders for Olympic gold. Plus, because we’re optimists, one for good luck. And if all 27 come in, it should be enough to propel Britain up one place in the medal table from our record in Beijing – third place it is, then. The London Olympics, July 27-August 12
Two missions await Mark Cavendish in 2012 – and the Manxman is convinced that completing both is more than possible. First up: defending the Green Jersey (awarded to the best sprinter) he won at the 2011 Tour de France. But while Cavendish had a well-drilled HTC-Highroad lead-out train to rely on last time out, this year he’ll be sharing his Team Sky support team with teammate Bradley Wiggins, who is targeting the overall winner’s Yellow Jersey. Will reduced resources limit his stage wins? Six days after the Tour ends, Cav will be back on his bike and into another battle, to try and win Olympic road race gold. Britain dominated the World Championships last year, but did so with an eight-strong team. At the Olympics that’s cut to five – and one of those will be Wiggins, whose own priority in London will be the time trial, which comes four days later. But Cavendish has the talent – and the balls – to win it regardless and bring home the first gold medal of the Games. Tour de France, June 30-July 22; Men’s Olympic Road Race, July 28 >
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20 Questions for 2012 Why have they been introduced? Because football clubs have been living outside their means for some time. In 2009-10, only four of the 20 Premier League teams broke even. It simply isn’t a sustainable strategy. Tied to this is the proliferation of superrich owners funding outlandish transfers. This inflates prices for everyone else (why accept a sensible £8m offer from Liverpool for Andy Carroll when you know they’ve just received £50m for Fernando Torres?), and drives the debt cycle further.
15. Will Uefa’s financial fair play rules curtail the summer spending? Or will they make not a blind bit of difference to the rule-bending sheikhs and oligarchs in our game? All you need to know in four simple steps... What are the new rules? From last June, clubs had three years to spend less than they make, with a little leeway to begin with. They are allowed maximum losses of €45m between 2012 and 2014, falling to €30m between 2014 and 2017. Clubs that fail to comply could be banned from Uefa competitions from the 2014-15 season. At least, that’s how the theory goes.
Will they work? Probably not – as ever in sporting legislation, loopholes abound. Rich owners will still be able to fund clubs covertly through sponsorship deals, which count as football-related income. Manchester City, for example, have seen their income triple to nearly £153.2m since Sheikh Mansour took over, thanks to a range of commercial partners with strong links to his native UAE. Some losses aren’t included in Uefa’s calculations – spending on and depreciation of stadium
infrastructure is excluded, for example, as is youth and community development expenditure. For the bigger clubs, this could lop £20m a season off the final loss figure. The new rules should force the big European clubs to stay debt-free, but then they were never the ones at risk of going under anyway – it’s teams like Portsmouth, who had to leverage their future to compete with the big boys, who will benefit the most from these changes. Will the new rules slow summer transfer spending? Player fees and wages are the main areas the regulations are meant to target, but don’t expect an end to big-money transfers. It is already common for these to be amortised (paid off) over the length of a player’s contract. For example, City’s £38m capture of Sergio Aguero won’t show up as a lump sum in 2011-12, but as a yearly amortisation of £7.6m for five years. Clubs will be keener to get rid of unwanted players, which could stimulate the market. It’s also worth remembering that being banned from Europe is no deterrent for teams unlikely to qualify, who will still be able to spend with reckless abandon.
16. Can Andy Murray finally win Wimbledon? Two reasons why we think he can... 1. Onwards and upwards Since making his 2005 Wimbledon debut as a gangly 18-year-old, Andy Murray (now 24) has used each passing year to move deeper into the All England Championships. Following a dramatic third-round exit to David Nalbandian on his first trip to SW19 – a match he led by two sets – Murray reached the fourth round in 2006. Injury kept him out in 2007, but he returned to reach the quarter finals in 2008, losing in straight sets to Rafael Nadal. A first Wimbledon semi final followed in 2009, when Murray lost in four tight sets to Andy Roddick. For the past two seasons the Scot has reached the last four before failing to get past Nadal – though he did at least win the opening set from the Spaniard last year. Though slower than he’d like, progress is being made.
Clive Mason/Getty Images, Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images
2. New blood Four men have tried and four have failed to coach Murray to the top. But in former world number one and eight-time Grand Slam winner Ivan Lendl, has Murray met his coaching match? The Czechborn American has no elite coaching experience, but knows the mental side effects of coming so
close so many times, having lost his first four Slam finals as a player. He also knows what it takes to be number one, having spent 270 weeks at the top while playing with such remorseless consistency he became known as ‘Ivan the Terrible’. By the time the strawberries and cream come out this summer, Lendl will have had time to impart the self-belief and focus that served him so well on to the Scot. And how sweet it would be for his teachings to take effect at the one Slam that eluded Lendl himself.
But one reason why he can’t, won’t and possibly never will It’s too damn hot... And Murray can’t stand it. Not in temperature terms, but the heat of the nation’s hopes and expectations. Ever wondered why the Grand Slam finals Murray has reached have come in those tournaments sat furthest from his home country? In Australia and the US, he can find some respite from the fervour that accompanies him on his visit to the All England Club. Yes, he’s won at Queen’s twice, but that’s a mere warm-up to the main event. When the pressure steps up, he wilts. With Murray set to remain the lone Brit in the world’s top 10, that pressure is only ever rising. If he’s going to make it, something needs to change. Wimbledon, June 25-July 8
17. Is Federer finished? Without a Slam since the 2010 Australian Open, Federer must beat the statistics as well as two greats of the game in Nadal and Novak Djokovic if he’s to add to his 16 major titles. Only five of the last 100 Grand Slams have been won by a player aged 30 or above. Can Federer be number six with a silver bullet? Yes. The smoothest of tennis operators was the only man to beat Djokovic in a Slam in 2011 – something he was a single point away from doing twice. He finished the season with a 17-match winning streak, too. If anyone’s motivated for 2012, it’s the man out to prove he’s very much still in the game. >
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20 Questions for 2012
18. Can England prove themselves the best* cricket team of all time in 2012? As of August 13 this year, assuming nothing untoward happens against Pakistan (perish the thought) or Sri Lanka before then, the England cricket team will mark one year – 12 whole months – as the world’s number one Test side. And so, at the dawn of a year in which cricket is set to take an inevitable back seat behind Euro 2012 and the London Olympics, we ask whether this very team, superbly coached by Andy Flower and expertly captained by Andrew
The past three tournaments have been won by the home team, however, and in 2008, hot favourites Europe were on the wrong end of a crushing 16½-11½ defeat. This year's venue, the Medinah Country Club (#3), will be set up in favour of the longer-hitting Americans too, so all evidence suggests Davis Love's men will prevail. But then Europe have as captain Jose Maria Olazabal, Seve Ballesteros' envoy on earth. There won't be a dry eye in the house when he lifts the trophy. The Ryder Cup, September 25-30
19. Will home advantage count for anything in the Ryder Cup? If America are to win the Ryder Cup, they generally need to be on home soil. Since Europe won the thing for the first time in 1985, the USA have won it four times – and three of those have been at home. But that tells literally only half the story, because in the same period Europe have won it three times in the States, too.
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Sydney and ending it with a 4-0 home drubbing of a supposedly great Indian team. It’s a run of form that has seen them top the Test rankings for the first time – neither Jardine nor Brearley had such rankings at their disposal, but that does nothing to lessen the current side’s achievement. Getting to the top is one thing, staying there is – famously – another. Strauss and his side must negotiate a tricky winter tour of Pakistan (in Dubai) and Sri Lanka, both of whom will test England’s ability to produce the goods overseas, while South Africa – and before that the West Indies – await back on home soil in the summer. Get through that lot undefeated, and players such as Alastair Cook, Kevin Pietersen, Graeme Swann and Jimmy Anderson may be one step closer to individual greatness. As a team, however, they may already be there. Pakistan Tests, January 17-February 3; Sri Lanka, March 26-April 7; West Indies,May 17-June 11; South Africa, July 19-August 16
Shaun Botterill/Getty Images, David Cannon/Getty Images
Strauss (among others), is the best ever. That’s right – ever. Stand aside Clive Lloyd and your terrible beauty of a 1970s West Indies team; stand aside Allan Border, and indeed Steve Waugh, and indeed all the sensational Australian XIs that swept all before th... oh, what’s that you say? There’s an asterisk up there? Alright then, maybe they’re not the best team ever – but they are very probably the best English team ever. Since Strauss took over the Test captaincy in January 2009, England have lost only five of 36 Tests – a record that stands up against the most statistically successful England captains in history, Douglas Jardine and Mike Brearley. The team went unbeaten throughout 2011, starting with an innings defeat of Australia in
20. Will any women make the SPoTY shortlist? Victoria Pendleton
Jess Ennis
The heptathlete is a hot favourite to win Olympic gold and has the personality bit wrapped up, too. Though that doesn’t usually come into it, of course. The brunette beauty (and these words are written by a female, before you complain) never fails to melt hearts with a smile that’s helped win her more sponsors’ contracts than it has suitors. Well, almost.
Rebecca Adlington
The female face of the Beijing Games finished only third in 2008 behind Chris Hoy and Lewis Hamilton, despite winning 400m and 800m freestyle gold. Should Mansfield’s finest swimmer (Mansfield’s finest anything, in fact) top the podium in 2012, she’ll be back – and with five or six golds around her neck, she might even steal second. Bryn Lennon/Getty Images, Michael Steele/Getty Images, Clive Rose/Getty Images
In the twilight of her track cycling career, our reluctant pedaller Pendleton has the chance to go out on a high by winning three Olympic medals. And with the Velodrome destined to garner plenty of attention this summer, the ever-photogenic Queen Vic will be front and centre of the Games coverage, too. Her time is undeniably now.
Of course they will, if only to avoid the backlash blown down on the misogynistic old BBC last year, when all 10 nominees were bloody blokes. So, the question is less ‘will they?’ and more ‘how many and who?’ Here we anticipate the three names most likely to grace Auntie’s Sports Personality of the Year shortlist for 2012...
AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2012
15 – 29 JANUARY
The only channel showing every Andy Murray match LIVE British Eurosport and Eurosport HD are available via Sky and Virgin Media.
Multi-court action available online with Eurosport Player.
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Ali at 70
Still The Greatest Muhammad Ali turns 70 next week. He’s not boxed in 30 years, yet his popularity remains undimmed. We ask Thomas Hauser, his biographer, why Ali still holds the world in thrall Muhammad Ali’s fame spans countries, races, age groups – why has he connected with such a diverse range of people? “My sense is that the single unifying thing about Ali is that there’s a quality of pure goodwill about him. It isn’t quite as evident now because of his physical condition, but when he was healthier, it was so transparent. He had a kind, loving face, in addition to being handsome. People just responded to him.” But you’ve experienced this first hand, right? “Well, as an example, he was at my apartment for dinner one time, and for dessert we had vanilla ice cream with hot fudge sauce. Ali ate his, then he picked up his bowl and he licked it. Now, that was his way of making me laugh – he meant it as a compliment. If Mike Tyson had been here for dinner and licked his plate, you’d think: ‘God, what a pig!’ Ali could get away with that because he did it with a wink, but also because he had that something endearing about him. If Tyson did that with a wink, you’d still wash the dishes twice.” You first met Ali in the 1960s. What were your earliest impressions of him? “He was very entertaining; an articulate showman – and let’s not forget sports is basically entertainment. He was amazing both in and out of the ring. Things obviously got a lot more complicated when he joined the Nation of Islam and refused induction into the United States army. By then, he had been become recognised as a great fighter, but also as a very important social force. “However, he wouldn’t have had the same impact if he hadn’t been a great fighter. The fact that he was heavyweight champion of the world, at a time when the heavyweight championship was the most coveted prize in sports, made people to listen him.” Is Ali more famous now for his in-ring exploits or for his charisma, quotes and what we saw outside of the ring? “My big concern today is that Ali is famous simply for being famous. People look at him and it’s hard for them to connect that with how good he was in the ring. They hear names like Sonny Liston and Joe Frazier and
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George Foreman, but they don’t always understand how formidable those opponents really were. People also know that he stood up for his principles, but they don’t know precisely what his principles were. But Ali was hugely important in the 1960s. That’s when he made his greatest contributions – and when he was at his best as a fighter.” So what was that impact in the 1960s? “To fully appreciate it, you almost had to live through those times, and every day pick up a newspaper and see that there would be something about this man. When he burst on to the scene, an awful lot of black people thought it was better to be white. Reggie Jackson – the famous baseball player – said that to me. He told me: ‘Before Muhammad Ali, there were times when I was ashamed of being black – my hair, my skin – I really thought it was better being white.’ Of course, that’s not the case now, and Ali was part of that growth process for him. Every time Ali looked into the camera and said ‘I’m so pretty’, what he was really saying, before the phrase became fashionable, is ‘black is beautiful’. So he became a beacon of hope for oppressed people all over the world.” So does it worry you that Ali is heralded by a generation who might not fully understand what he really was or stood for? “All I can say is that I feel I’ve done my part for history in writing Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times. And I suspect that, as time goes by, whether it’s 50 years from now or a hundred years from now, when people look back at this era, what Ali was will come into very clear focus. Now, when people look at Ali, it’s very hard to get by his present physical condition. We know that people love him, but it’s really hard to think of this person we see as the person he actually is. “There are young people today who didn’t live through his time, but who have studied him historically and who get it, just like there are people today who get Abraham Lincoln. You don’t necessarily have to have lived through a person’s time if you study the time of the person. And with Ali, we have the advantage of a lot of film footage, the TV,
radio, newspapers from all over the world. If someone wants to learn about him, they can.” Lastly, of all Ali’s famous quotes, do you have a personal favourite? “One thing that pops into my mind is not something Ali said, but that was said to him. It was when he was king of the world: he was Muhammad Ali, heavyweight champion again after he beat George Foreman. He was on a shuttle flight from Washington DC to New York, the plane was getting ready to take off and the stewardess came over and said: ‘Mr Ali, please buckle your seatbelt.’ He looked at her and said: ‘Superman don’t need no seatbelt.’ She looked at him very sweetly and said: ‘Mr Ali, Superman don’t need no plane’ – which I loved. I’ve told that many times at public gatherings with Muhammad and he loves that story too – he really does.” Alex Reid @otheralexreid
Timeline 1942 Born Cassius Clay in Louisville, Kentucky, January 17 1960 Wins gold medal at the Rome Olympics. Turns professional 1963 As 7/1 underdog, beats Sonny Liston to become heavyweight champion. Announces membership of Nation of Islam. Changes name to Muhammad Ali 1967 Refuses induction to the US Army, stating opposition to the war in Vietnam. Is stripped of title and boxing licence 1971 Having returned to the ring in 1970, Ali fights Joe Frazier in a bid to regain his title, losing his first pro fight 1974 Avenges loss to Frazier, then shocks the world by knocking out new champion George Foreman in the Rumble in the Jungle 1975 Defeats Joe Frazier in the Thrilla in Manila. Ali describes the fight as “the closest thing to dying” 1978 Suffers surprise points defeat to Leon Spinks. Wins back the title for a third time, aged 36, in a rematch 1980 Returns from a 1979 retirement to lose a one-sided fight to champ Larry Holmes
1984 Diagnosed with Parkinson’s syndrome 1996 Lights flame to start Atlanta Olympics 1999 Named BBC Sports Personality of the Century, claiming more than 50 per cent of votes cast
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Chris Smith/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
1981 Ends career with a record of 56 wins (37 knockouts), 5 losses
196 Days to go
Focus 2012 in association with
Trampoline gymnastics
THE VENUE The all-encompassing North Greenwich Arena will host the trampolining at the same time as the artistic gymnastics competition. We always knew that domed roof would come in handy one day (for accommodating big bouncers, that is). THE EVENT Remember those PE lessons in which you learned how to ‘trampoline’? Well, forget them. Olympic-level trampolining goes some way beyond the tuck jumps and seat drops that might have sneaked you a pass at GCSE. Athletes reach heights of up to 10m while performing compulsory and optional routines, the former requiring them to complete specified skills in the correct order. In the latter, they have more freedom in their routines, but must include at least 10 recognised skills. Marks are awarded by a panel of judges, who determine the degree of difficulty awarded to athletes’ routines and the quality of execution. Air time is also deemed important, so the higher the better. Athletes are expected to maintain perfect body control throughout, which becomes more difficult the higher they go. Both men and women compete individually at the Games, so there are just two medal events
32 | January 13 2012 |
to look out for over two days of competition. Short, sweet and guaranteed to make any under-10s watching beg mum and dad for a trampoline to while away the summer holidays. TEAM GB’S PROGRESS If you knew that Britain has a world number one in trampolining then, frankly, you deserve a spot on the SPoTY judging panel. Or perhaps you don’t. For Kat Driscoll is her name, and you can find out more about her on the panel to your right. Britain has three women in the world’s top 10, in fact, and men ranked 12th and 18th – but performance director Tim Jones was underwhelmed by performances at the World Championships last November. Driscoll earned one Olympic spot for GB, but fellow Brit Laura Gallagher missed out by one place and Britain’s men failed to qualify for any Olympic spots whatsoever. “We have mixed feelings about today,” said Jones. “Our aspirations were to secure at least a couple of places for 2012.” TRAMPOLINING AT LONDON 2012 DATES August 3-4 SEATING 20,000 HOW TO GET THERE Tube, National Rail, Thames Clipper
GB hopeful
Kat Driscoll AGE IN 2012 26 MEDAL RECORD British Championships gold 2011; World Cup Series gold 2011 Since becoming a full-time athlete in February 2010, Driscoll has showed her true potential and enjoyed a stunning breakthrough year in 2011.
Driscoll is an athlete very much reaching her peak, having won three individual medals in the World Cup Series – enough for her to claim the overall title and send her into November’s World Championships with plenty of confidence. There, however, she encountered the strongest competitors from China and Canada, who don’t often compete on the ranking circuit but were in action at the worlds because it doubled as a qualifier for the Olympics. Driscoll bagged Team GB’s spot with the required top-eight finish (by virtue of China achieving four, but each country being allowed only two representatives at the Games), and is far and away the front runner to take it.
KEY EVENTS BEFORE LONDON 2012 London 2012 Test Event January 13 2012, North Greenwich Arena, London
Feng Li/Getty Images, Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images
London hosted the first Trampoline World Championships in 1964 – now it bounces back for its fourth Olympics...
Advertising Feature
With the dawn of another new year, men across the nation will be working to improve both their energy and fitness levels. In a new three-part series, expert nutritionist Darren Roberts reveals the lifestyle and training tips that can help three different modern men achieve their sporting potential... ne of the most recognisable characters in modern society, this
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1 The All-Rounder
“Time is of the essence for this guy,” explains Darren Roberts, a former military parachutist who is now an expert nutritionist at Peak Performance Fitness. “Whatever he’s doing needs to be time-efficient to ensure he’s getting the maximum out of his training sessions. He needs to be an early riser to ensure he gets the day off to the right start with his training and work; this ensures he’s not working late into the night and encroaching on precious family time.”
An early start “He should get up early and do two steady aerobic sessions per week, 30 to 60 minutes at an easy pace – that can be out running, an indoor bike or even swimming. These not only help maintain his aerobic engine for his
34 | January 13 2012 |
weekend football, but can also serve as fat-burning sessions – especially if he has a Red Bull Sugarfree beforehand, which can help metabolise fat. Early starts mean planning ahead to get everything ready the night before. It only takes 10 minutes to get your kit ready, but it’s better than stumbling around at 6am trying to get things sorted out. It also means that the snooze button on the alarm is less tempting when everything is ready to go.” In brief... Two 30 to 60-minute easy aerobic sessions per week: running, cycling or swimming.
High intensity “Also, a couple of early-morning metabolic conditioning (high-intensity) circuits to maintain or even increase his work capacity (20 minutes max), which will also help the interval-based nature of his weekend football. These can be simple bodyweight exercises that require no equipment other than yourself and an open space. There’s plenty of people doing such things in parks all over the country if you fancy a group environment. Drinking a Red Bull Sugarfree will help him maintain concentration through the workout, which should demand complex moves as well as intensity. “Ultimately, he needs to view the earlymorning starts and sessions as the means to improve his weekend football and give him valuable time in the evenings with the family. Happy wife equals happy life.”
In brief... Two 20-minute high-intensity circuits per week.
Food matters “Being so busy at work, he needs to plan ahead... otherwise work and training commitments will mean he relies on buying his food during the day from where he buys his petrol or newspaper – not ideal. He knows what he’s doing and when, so must plan accordingly and ensure all meals are taken care of in advance, packed and ready to go. Be proactive. Snacking on sweets and high-sugar snacks because they’re convenient will lead to an energy-sapping sugar low, and then the inevitable craving of more sugar. Lots of protein (lean meat), vegetables and fruit, with some potatoes or rice.” In brief... Lots of lean meat, vegetables, fruit... and no sweets! Darren Roberts is an expert nutritionist at Peak Performance Fitness
The aThleTe
Stuart Broad Age 25 | Sport Cricket
Very probably the nation’s most famous all-rounder, Notts and England cricketer Stuart Broad has enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence since making his international debut in a Twenty20 match against Pakistan in August 2006. He has since featured in 41 Tests and 84 ODIs for his country, starring against India last summer and being named England T20 captain in May 2011. Currently on England’s winter tour of Pakistan (in Dubai), he is ranked the number-three all-rounder in Test cricket – and will lead his country when they defend their World Twenty20 crown in Sri Lanka in the autumn. The experT says... “Cricketers like Stuart Broad need an aerobic engine,” explains Darren Roberts. “But also that ability to repeatedly move fast over short distances on demand, all while maintaining high levels of concentration. They can’t waste time on ‘junk’ training; everything has to have a purpose and be time-efficient. He trains for this, and also fuels for this with a high-protein diet to maintain his muscle and limited carbohydrates (potatoes, pasta, rice) to keep the fat off.”
Red Bull Sugarfree Red Bull Sugarfree is Red Bull without sugar, with only 8 calories per can. As with the Red Bull Energy Drink, Red Bull Sugarfree is a functional beverage that vitalises both body and mind. Red Bull Sugarfree has been developed for people who want to have a clear and focused mind, perform physically, are dynamic and performance-oriented while also balancing this with a fun and active lifestyle.
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7 Days OUR PICK OF THE ACTION FROM THE SPORTING WEEK AHEAD
JAN 13–19 HIGHLIGHTS » Football: Newcastle v QPR » p38 » Football: Wigan v Manchester City » p39 » Tennis: Australian Open » p40 » Snooker: Masters » p42 » Best of the Rest » p42
Gareth Copley/Getty Images
Tuesday > CRICKET | PAKISTAN v ENGlAND: 1ST TEST | DUBAI | SKy SPORTS 1 5.30AM
It’s a step into largely unknown territory for England’s Test side as they seek to retain top spot in the rankings with a three-Test series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates. England have never played a Test match in the UAE. Their only previous experience in the country is two games of Twenty20, also against Pakistan, back in 2010. It finished one apiece then, with Eoin Morgan and Kevin Pietersen starring in a seven-wicket victory in their first match. The previous series between these sides ended in controversial circumstances, with allegations of spot-fixing and match-fixing levelled at both teams (unfounded in England’s case). With three players named in the trial – Imran Farhat, Wahab Riaz and Umar Akmal – in Pakistan’s squad, it will
36 | January 13 2012 |
never be far from people’s minds, despite the court case being concluded last November. Pakistan have performed well since that Lord’s debacle, with four series wins and two draws, while England have won eight and drawn one of their past nine. They have struggled away from home, however, and particularly so on the subcontinent. Playing conditions are likely to be similar to Pakistan, but the atmosphere will be far less hostile in neutral Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The wicket at the Dubai Sport City Stadium, where the first Test is to be held, will be flat, slow and will suit the batsmen. But the selection of Monty Panesar as a second spinner reveals hopes of some turn as the ball degrades, and England’s fast bowlers have the quality to generate movement off
Dubai or quits: Alastair Cook gets into the swing of things against the ICC Combined XI last Sunday
the seam and reverse swing. Fielding in energy-sapping temperatures against a side capable of posting a big total will be a test of the tourists’ fitness and resolve. They have proved they have both in abundance after a brilliant 2011, and are rightly on top of the world – but can they stay there? Tour schedule 1st Test, Dubai – January 17-21 2nd Test, Abu Dhabi – January 25-29 3rd Test, Dubai – February 3-7 1st ODI, Abu Dhabi – February 13 2nd ODI, Abu Dhabi – February 15 3rd ODI, Dubai – February 18 4th ODI, Dubai – February 21 1st Twenty20, Dubai – February 23 2nd Twenty20, Dubai – February 25 3rd Twenty20, Abu Dhabi – February 27
monday Premier League | Wigan athLetic v manchester city | DW staDium | sky sPorts 1 8Pm
saturday Premier League | LiverPooL v stoke city | anfieLD | 3Pm
1. Joleon Lescott
2. The Anfield crowd
With his captain Vincent Kompany suspended and Kolo Toure off at the Africa Cup of Nations with the Ivory Coast, now would be a good time for Lescott to step up and prove that the £22m Mark Hughes (aye, him again) paid Everton for him in 2009 was actually even close to being worth it. Lescott has actually had a decent
We’re claiming bonus points for predictability here, and we may go on to claim even more for the use of hackneyed phrases such as ‘under the spotlight’, ‘backs to the wall’ and ‘one game at a time’ – but there is no doubting that this weekend will see as many eyes on the Liverpool fans as on a potentially tricky home fixture against
season, but goes into Monday night’s trip to Wigan as the only recognised first-choice centre half available to manager Roberto Mancini. Wigan away is hardly the most daunting fixture, but with a league visit from Tottenham and a Carling Cup trip to Anfield on the horizon, Lescott faces tougher tasks ahead – this would be a very good time for him to grow into the role of senior defender.
Tony Pulis’ perennial partypoopers. It’s been a pretty desperate spell for this famous old club in terms of PR, with questions asked of fans, players and manager alike... so a 1-0 win played out in front of a relentlessly silent Kop is just what the doctor will be ordering ahead of a midweek Carling Cup visit from Manchester City. Best behaviour lads, eh?
Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images, Matthew Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images, Michael Steele/Getty Images, Ian Walton/Getty Images
A big weekend for...
7 Days MONDAY TENNIS | AUSTRALIAN OPEN | MELBOURNE | BRITISH EUROSPORT 12AM
Murray’s mission begins After an off season that was barely long enough for Rafael Nadal to lose his tan lines (but did give Andy Murray time to find a new coach) the first Grand Slam of 2012 is upon us. The Australian Open begins on Monday, so with help from Laureus World Sports Academy Member Boris Becker, we assess the men most likely to reach the latter stages and pick out the women capable of stealing Kim Clijsters’ crown...
The Men (according to Becker)
“Roger Federer was definitely the man in form for the last few tournaments of 2011 – in fact, he won them all. I think he is going to preserve his form for Australia and prove to everyone who said he was over and washed up that they’re totally wrong. “But, of course, he’s not the favourite; that’s Novak Djokovic (second from right) as the defending champion. It is an almost impossible feat to duplicate what he did last year, but expectations are still there – they come with the territory when you’re the number-one player in the world. His goals will be very high this year, but I think if Djokovic can win one Grand Slam and retain the numberone ranking it would be a good year for him. “I think Rafael Nadal had a motivation problem after the US Open, where he lost for a sixth consecutive time against Djokovic – all of them in finals. A record like that can play tricks with your mind. Even if Djokovic is his nemesis, it would be a mistake for Nadal only to concentrate on him in Australia; there are so many other players he has to think about.” “Andy Murray (first left) has a tough task. He’s been the outstanding player for the past two Australian Opens without winning the trophy, which is a tough pill to swallow.
Getting over that hump and winning the tournament has to be his goal now. Before a tournament you ask yourself what your goal is. For most players, it’s true that reaching the final is a good tournament. In Murray’s case, though, it wouldn’t be good enough. Unfortunately he put himself in that position by reaching the final twice and losing quite straightforwardly. “If there’s anyone who can break into this top four, then I would say it’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. He made a really big jump in the last six months of 2011. He’s physically healthy and he’s got a big game – when he’s on, he’s very difficult to beat.” (according to us) Forced to miss Wimbledon and the US Open last year through injury, defending Australian Open champion Kim Clijsters (second left) thought the worst when she retired from a match in Brisbane this month with a hip injury. The Belgian has said she’ll be fit to challenge for a fifth Grand Slam title in Melbourne, however – and she showed fine form before Brisbane, beating world number one Caroline Wozniacki at an exhibition event in Brussels. Rory McIlroy’s other half enters the draw as the top seed, but has never made it beyond
The Women
the semi finals in Melbourne. Wozniacki is, in fact, still searching for her maiden Grand Slam win despite finishing 2011 as world number one for the second year running. In her favour in Melbourne will be the doubts over fitness not only of Clijsters but also Serena Williams, who has a 3-0 winning record over Wozniacki. The American was another who looked down and out after rolling her ankle in a heavy fall on the court in Brisbane. Showing her miraculous powers of recovery once again, however, Williams is expected to be fit to play in what will be her 46th Grand Slam. Whether she has the match fitness to last through seven rounds is doubtful, but with the power Williams possesses, the possibility of a run through to the final can never be ruled out. The player most likely to usurp Wozniacki at the top of the rankings this year though is Petra Kvitova (far right) – a quarter finalist at last year’s Australian Open and Wimbledon champion. The 21-year-old Czech had a breakthrough season in 2011, adding the end-of-season WTA Championships to her victory at SW19... and it’s Kvitova who’s triumphed on her two most recent meetings with the world number one, ensuring she’s on everyone’s radar heading to Melbourne.
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| 41 William West/AFP/Getty Images, Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images, Tony Ashby/AFP/Getty Images
7 Days SUNDAY > SNOOKER | THE MASTERS | ALExANDRA PALACE | BBC2 1.30PM
Come back around Snooker’s most prestigious invitation tournament returns for its first outing in its new home of London’s Alexandra Palace on Sunday. The Masters final has been the stage for some of the greatest comebacks in the game’s history – will this year’s decider live up to these classics?
Having lost 0-9 to Steve Davis in the 1988 final, Mike Hallett (us neither) returned to set the record straight against Stephen Hendry. And he looked like doing exactly that at 7-0 ahead. At 8–2, Hallett needed just the pink and black to take the title, but missed with the rest after asking spectators: “Does anyone have any rope?” Iceman Hendry sensed Hallett’s head had gone, cleaning up in the final frame to sneak it 9-8. To add insult to injury, Hallett returned home to find that his house had been burgled.
2. Davis v O’Sullivan, 1997 Ronnie O’Sullivan, only 21, made back-to-back centuries in the first two frames of his third consecutive final before a streaker seemingly disrupted his concentration. Steve Davis hit a naughty double on the blue to take the fifth and went on to level at 4-4. The Rocket then ramped things up to take four frames in 49 minutes, but the Nugget responded with six frames in a row, including a 130 break, to clinch the title.
3. Hunter v O’Brien, 2001 Paul Hunter won the first of his three Masters titles by fighting back from 2-6 and 3-7 down.
The Beckham of the Baize (right) sank four tons in six frames to lead 9-8 before winning 10-9 in an epic final frame. “I put Plan B into operation,” explained Hunter afterwards. “I’m not telling you what it is, but I went back to my hotel room and all I’m saying is my girlfriend was there.”
4. Hunter v Williams, 2002 From 0-5 down, Hunter became the first player since Hendry to retain the title with a dramatic 10-9 win and another four centuries in six frames against Mark Williams. Post-match, Hunter confessed to repeating his ‘Plan B’ approach from the previous year. “I did exactly the same again,” he said. “It seems to work.”
5. Selby v O’Sullivan, 2010 Tell us this wasn’t epic? You can’t. O’Sullivan typically burst into a 4-1 lead with breaks of 86, 122 and 101 (including a remarkable left-handed pink in the fourth). In fact, he and Mark Selby shared 14 breaks over 50 and four centuries before the Jester from Leicester fought back from 6-9 down – including another ton – to make it 8-9 and then nine apiece. In the tensest of final-frame shoot-outs, Selby found the stones to sink a double and take the title.
SUNDAY RUGBY UNION | HEINEKEN CUP: SARACENS v BIARRITz | VICARAGE ROAD | SKY SPORTS 2 3PM
Sarries on the brink It’s back to Heineken Cup duties this week, and while a few tasty ties are in store to all but settle a few matters this weekend, it’s Pool 5 to which our interest is drawn – as Biarritz travel to Saracens. For the visitors, this is their last chance to save their season. Defeat to the Ospreys and a shock loss to Treviso sees them trailing Sarries by two points in the pool, and with the Basque outfit currently sitting third bottom of the Top 14, a decent showing in the Heineken Cup is their only hope for a successful season. Saracens, though, are in no mood to give up their place atop the pool. Unbeaten in six, they are coming into form right on schedule, and recent victories over Ospreys (the Welsh side’s first home Heineken Cup defeat in seven years) and Harlequins (the west Londoners’ first defeat in 11 league games) have proved their ability to beat the best.
42 | January 13 2012 |
BEST OF THE REST
FRIDAY CRICKET Australia v India: 3rd Test Day 1 Perth, Sky Sports 1 2.25am
TENNIS WTA Sydney Final, Olympic Park Tennis Centre, British Eurosport 2 8.30am WINTER SPORT Women’s Bobsleigh Koenigssee, British Eurosport 2 11am MOTORSPORT Dakar Rally Day 12: Arica – Arequipa, British Eurosport 6pm DARTS BDO World Championship Day 7 Lakeside Country Club, ESPN 6.30pm
FOOTBALL Championship: Watford v Reading Vicarage Road, Sky Sports 2 5.20pm RUGBY UNION Heineken Cup: Harlequins v Gloucester, Twickenham Stoop, Sky Sports 1 6pm
SUNDAY RUGBY UNION Heineken Cup: Glasgow v Leinster, Firhill Stadium, Sky Sports 2 12.45pm FOOTBALL Serie A: AC Milan v Inter San Siro, ESPN 7.15pm FOOTBALL La Liga: Barcelona v Real Betis Camp Nou, Sky Sports 1 8.30pm
MONDAY RUGBY UNION Heineken Cup: Ulster v Leicester Ravenhill, Sky Sports 1 8pm
NBA Memphis Grizzlies v Chicago Bulls FedEx Forum, ESPN 6pm
SATURDAY
NBA LA Clippers v New Jersey Nets, Staples Center, ESPN 8.30pm
CRICKET South Africa v Sri Lanka: 2nd ODI East London, Sky Sports 3 7.55am
TUESDAY FOOTBALL SPL: St Johnstone v Rangers McDiarmid Park, ESPN 11.45am
CRICKET South Africa v Sri Lanka: 3rd ODI Bloemfontein, Sky Sports 1 12.25pm
RUGBY UNION Heineken Cup: Scarlets v Northampton, Scarlets Park, Sky Sports 1 1.30pm
GOLF Volvo Golf Champions Day 1 Fancourt, South Africa, Sky Sports 2 11am
THURSDAY
Tom Shaw/Allsport, Scott Heavey/Getty Images
1. Hallett v Hendry, 1991
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Extra time Kit
Making the most of your time and money
Wrap up for running New Year’s resolutions mean an awful lot of exercise, so keep yourself protected from the cold 1
4
5
Performance 1 Mizuno Longsleeve Crewneck Shirt A unique insulation fabric allows this crewneck top to generate heat by absorbing your sweat, thus protecting you from the cold weather. £35 | mizuno.co.uk
Balance Men’s Welded 2 New Half Zip Jacket This high-vis jacket includes state-of-the-art fabric that regulates your temperature and removes odours, as well as foldover mitts with thumbholes, which should help flicking through your iPod. £54 | prodirectrunning.com
44 | January 13 2012 |
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5 Nike Tech Running Tights
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6 Puma FAAS 800 Trainers
The high collar on this Gore top keeps the wind out, while the reflective logo and coloured piping ensure you won’t be hit by any passing traffic – which we find helps with the fitness regime. £40 | prodirectrunning.com
Reducing the risk of muscle problems in the cold weather, these reflective leggings even feature a zipper pocket to keep your house key or other handy items close by. £40 | mizuno.co.uk
You might get a bit of abuse if you rock up wearing these for five-a-side – but when you’re out running long distances, they will help warm up your leg muscles, thus avoiding hamstring or cramp issues. £35 | nikestore.co.uk
Short of sticking little hot water bottles in your trainers, we can’t help keep your feet warm. So why not at least make sure they’re comfy in these brand new Pumas? £85 | prodirectrunning.com
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46 | January 13 2012 |
| 47
Extra time Gadgets
Fitness thirst
Jack Lalanne Colour Elite Juicer This juicer can process whole fruit and vegetables thanks to its stainless steel blades, which are of an ominous sounding ‘surgical quality’. Perfect for a healthy pre-workout juice, a warming post-run soup, or for chopping up your victims, Dr Lecter. Alternatively, if your new year’s resolutions have already lapsed two weeks into January, just shove a Terry’s Chocolate Orange in there and drink the ensuing mess. Festive and refreshing.
Y’know – new year, new you, and those other lies you probably tell yourself every January. Get out there and run. Run for your lives!
£85 | qvcuk.com
Garmin Forerunner 110 Unisex Running Watch Throw out your sundials! This wonderful contraption is calibrated to the movement of the sun, allowing you to precisely determine the hour of day. Oh, and it also measures your heart rate, and accurately tracks your speed and distance using in-built GPS. £140 | currys.co.uk
Jabra Sport headphones
MiBody Analyser Scale
It’s a runner’s nightmare: there you are, jogging along to some horrendous Ministry of Sound compilation, when suddenly your headphones unplug themsleves and you have to listen to your own thoughts. The horror! This Bluetooth pair with FM radio ensures it will never happen again.
These scales have a USB port, so you can export data on your weight, percentage body fat and BMI to your PC. We’re not quite sure what you’re meant to do with it once it’s there (a PowerPoint presentation, maybe), but it’s nice to have the option, isn’t it?
£99 | amazon.co.uk
£80 | salterhousewares.com
Scosche myTREK Now you might think that this heart rate monitor isn’t quite as good as the one featured above – it doesn’t even tell the time! But it can link to a specially created iPhone app that lets you plan workouts and track your progress. £130 | store.apple.com/uk
48 | January 13 2012 |
Extra time Entertainment
Popcorn time
FILM
Secret agents, sex addicts and brave horses – all in different films, we assure you – make this a great week for cinema FILM
War Horse
Haywire
Steven Spielberg directs this epic adaptation of the book-turned-play about a horse who wins World War I by hoofing the Kaiser in the face and munching on his hair like fresh hay. Or, alternatively, he goes through an extraordinary journey from Devon to the front line, leading to adventures that take him to both sides of the war. It’s a genuinely moving tale, so Mr Spielberg should be right at home mixing his twin talents to tug the heartstrings and realise terrific battle sequences (even if he is likely to ladle on the sentimentality). Go see – but don’t forget the tissues.
Haywire is the film Kill Bill should have been. Punchy, tautly paced and with a wronged heroine who – rather than being a fey supermodel – looks like she could seriously kick ass. That’s because she can. This Steven Soderbergh thriller features real-life MMA star Gina Carano as a field agent who’s double-crossed, so turns the tables on those who set her up. Co-stars include Antonio Banderas, Ewan McGregor, plus Michaels Douglas and Fassbender, but this is clearly Carano’s film. She’s convincing enough as a tough, controlled professional with a hint of sexuality, but it’s in the fight scenes where she really shines. One extended mano-a-Carano takes place in a hotel room and is the most involving and innovative fisticuffs you’ll see all year. Simple but snappily enjoyable, Haywire is out from Wednesday.
MUSIC
FILM
DVD
Shame
Future This The Big Pink There’s an almost Phil Spector feel to this joyous dollop of electro-pop from London duo The Big Pink. In a kind of ‘wall of synth’ effect, their vocals serve primarily as a mightily euphoric addition to the layered melodies. Opener Stay Gold is a sign of what’s to come: 10 vibrant, catchy songs that never outstay their welcome. It’s not the most profound or original album 2012 will see, but it might be among the most enjoyable.
50 | January 13 2012 |
Rising Hollywood star Michael Fassbender really does get around. Quite literally in the case of Shame (out today), a superior drama about a sex addict living in New York whose life is spiralling out of control. Oscar whispers abound for Fassbender and fellow homegrown talent Carey Mulligan.
MUSIC Which Side Are You On? Ani DiFranco
Boardwalk Empire Season One Booze, bullets and bad guys are the focus of this HBO prohibition-era masterpiece, released on DVD and Blu-ray this week. A worthy successor to The Sopranos and The Wire, the cast is a match for the razor-sharp script – with Steve Buscemi and Michael Shannon on terrific form. Likely to be all over your January like a mob boss on a cheap dame.
Incredibly, this is a 17th studio album from the New York alt-folk icon who’s now 41, looks a decade younger, but can sound 10 years wearier. There’s a political edge to many of her songs on this Monday release, but DiFranco’s rich, textured voice means her message is always delivered with wit and warmth. Classy stuff.
thE uK’S #1 COMEdy! “Rude, cRude, lewd and veRy funny!” AL AN FrANk, DAiLy STAr
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15
CONTAINS STRONG BLOODY VIOLENCE, LANGUAGE AND SEX REFERENCES
Extra time Grooming the launch
new year revolution One of fashion’s great names has opened 2012 in scintillating scent-related form
Kokorico Jean Paul Gaultier has wasted no time in stamping his fragrant authority on 2012, with the release of his excellent new male scent Kokorico (100ml). Fig leaf, patchouli, cedar, cocoa and vetiver are the ingredients that comprise this pleasingly warm winter fragrance, which sets a high standard for others to follow in the new year. And, as ever with JPG, the packaging tells as much of a story as the scent itself. A ‘deliberately naughty and contemporary bottle’ reveals the silhouette of a (bald) man in profile from one angle, and the iconic Gaultier torso from another. And for the famous can, view the shiny scarlet film canister to the right: a stylish delivery that, when you remove the bottle for use, can conveniently double up as a biscuit tin. Exclusive to Harrods from late last month, Kokorico is available nationwide as of this week. A super way to start the new year – the great Jean Paul has set the 2012 fragrance bar rather high. harrods.com
the range
£2.79
52 | January 13 2012 |
Salt-infused steam room: eliminate those toxins, or just pass out for a bit
£54
the website head&shoulders Fresh and Clean
Niven & Joshua
There are entire generations of men for whom shampoo shopping is very simple: stroll into the local Boots, pick up whichever head&shoulders bottle is closest, and casually stroll back out again (after paying). To their credit, however, that has never stopped h&s from attempting to improve their offerings. Granted, last year seemed to involve little more than lobbing a big pic of Jenson Button on the packaging; but they’ve upped their game for 2012, with the launch of the new Fresh and Clean range. Featuring the recently developed ProClean formula, the range is proven to leave your thatch clean of oil, dirt and flakes, while providing a longerlasting fresh and clean fragrance. There are five different formulas, including the dedicated For Men bottle to the left. Next time you’re in Boots, do take the time to locate it. headandshoulders.co.uk
We’re many things here at Sport, but precious is not one of them... which is why we have no qualms whatsoever about directing you somewhere other than this page for your weekly male grooming fix. The recently revamped Niven & Joshua website is the place of which we speak – and, for men who have developed an interest in the way they look but have absolutely no idea where or how to start (pretty much all of us, then), this could very well be the answer. The new-look site boasts an attractive and clearly signposted homepage leading to a number of
useful sections, the pick of which is an alphabetised Grooming Guide that offers easily digestible intros to topics ranging from ageing skin to thinning hair. There’s plenty more, of course, but you can find that out for yourself with a quick visit. Go on, it’s Friday. nivenandjoshua.com