Issue 294 | February 22 2013

a life in limboDavid Haye and the fight that may never happen

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issue 294, February 22 2013

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06 The Miracle on Ice This week in sporting history, the USA ice hockey team’s win over the unbeatable Soviet Union 08 Rugger reads In between games of egg-chasing, pick one of these top books o this coming weekFeatures

16 David Haye Love him or hate him, the former heavyweight champion’s career is in limbo – and his future depends on the decision of a Klitschko

25 Alex Goode On why, ahead of their meeting with France, England’s Grand Slam hopefuls are keeping their feet firmly on the ground

33 The Capital One Cup final Michu reflects on his first season in England and his first appearance at Wembley, and the Dalai Lama wishes Bradford well

39 Johnny Rea The World Superbikes rider on the new season, and why Valentino Rossi has an easier job than him

extra Time

52 Gadgets Sony’s new Xperia Z is a full HD smartphone with a five-inch full HD display on a full HD page

54 Kit Snow+Rock pick out the best skis to wear while humming the Ski Sunday theme on the slopes

56 Grooming Our selection of roll-ons roll into town, accompanied by questionable Oasis punning 60 Games Tomb Raider gets the origin story treatment, and God Of War: Ascension sees Kratos break free of his chains

| February 22 2013 | 03

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ll over the continent, fans of Europe’s biggest clubs

are preparing for some of the most important games

of their seasons. Whether it’s trophy challengers locking

horns, local rivals renewing their animosity or a bit of both, there

are some seriously titanic clashes taking place this week. Here

we’ve mapped out some of the best that Europe has to offer,

from Barcelona and Real vying to reach the Copa del Rey final to

Manchester City and Chelsea battling for the Premier League

runners-up spot. And let’s spare a thought for poor old Rangers,

who instead of playing their great rivals Celtic – as originally

scheduled – instead face a trip to Berwick-upon-Tweed. Ouch.

A

Big game hunting

04 | February 22 2013 |

Radarp06 – This week in sporting history: 1980’s Miracle on Ice

p08 – We get all misty-eyed over When Rugby was Rugby

Celtic v Club 12 (cancelled)Importance: 0

Rivalry: 5This weekend would have

marked the 17,000th Old

Firm derby of the season, if

Rangers hadn’t been smacked

down to the Third Division.

We probably wouldn’t have

watched it anyway.

Man City v ChelseaSunday 1.30pmImportance: 3 Rivalry: 2English football’s plutocrats

go top hat to top hat with the

Premier League runners-up

prize the only morsel left on

the table. Seems money can’t

buy you everything. Not every

year, anyway.

PSG v MarseilleSunday 8pmImportance: 3 Rivalry: 5Although the big-spending

Parisians are eight points

clear of Marseille in third,

Le Classique’s fierce rivalry

always generates tension, and

often violence, with hundreds

of arrest over the years.

Feyenoord v PSVSunday 11.30amImportance: 4

Rivalry: 1Challenging with Ajax for the

Dutch title, these clubs from

Rotterdam and Eindhoven are

currently separated by just

three points at the top of the

Eredivisie.

Inter v AC MilanSunday 7.45pmImportance: 4

Rivalry: 5Mario Balotelli returns to

his former club, whose fans

were recently fined for racist

chants about the former Man

City striker. Expect fireworks.

And not in the bathroom.

Barcelona v Real MadridTuesday 8pmImportance: 3 Rivalry: 5Both clubs are probably more

focused on the Champions

League, but this Copa del Rey

clash is still the biggest rivalry

in Europe, with the score

standing at 1-1 from the first,

fascinating leg.

Radar

06 | February 22 2013 |

t the height of the Cold War,

the USA and USSR were, in the

political sense, two evenly

matched superpowers. It was quite

different on ice – the Soviet Union had

won every World Championship and

Olympic gold for 16 years, and lost

just one of their previous 28 matches.

So, when the US faced them in the

Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, a home

victory looked unlikely for all but the

most fervent patriots. The only people

in America who saw what followed live

were the 8,500 in the stadium, because

ABC only aired it hours later.

The USA were 2-1 behind with

seconds to go in the first period, but

equalised on the buzzer after a mistake

by star keeper Vladislav Tretiak, who

was promptly subbed. They took a 4-3

lead with 10 minutes remaining and

hung on for a famous victory that paved

the way to the gold medal. ABC decided

to show their next match live.

Also this week

1964 A cocky 22-year-old called

Cassius Clay is crowned world champ in

a surprise win over Sonny Liston. He is

later fined for his rant at the weigh-in:

“You’re a tramp. I’m gonna eat you up.”

1972 Alex Higgins becomes the

youngest world snooker champion at the

tender age of 22, on his first attempt.

At the time, the Hurricane was living

in an abandoned house in Blackburn.

2010 Sachin Tendulkar makes history

by making the first ever double-century

in an ODI, against South Africa.

Athis week in sporting history

1980the mirAcle on ice

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The USA hockey team beat their USSR counterparts during the Cold War. We take a look at some other occasions sport and politics have mixed throughout history...

moSCoW mUTiny 1980Just a few months after the hockey game (left), the UsA and 60 other countries announced their boycott of the 1980 summer olympics in moscow, in response to soviet troops occupying Afghanistan. the russians responded by boycotting the lA games in 1984, along with 15 of their allies. Albania and iran somehow ended up refusing to attend either olympics. we’re not quite sure how that happened.

The FooTbAll WAR el SAlvAdoR v hondURAS, 1969three games played against a backdrop of mass el salvadorean immigration into honduras were the spark that lit the fuse of this central American conflict. part of qualifying for the 1970 world cup, the games in June 1969 resulted in mass rioting and, after the third game, a suspension of all diplomatic ties between the two neighbouring nations. the so-called Football war would follow just a few weeks later.

SoUTh AFRiCA ShUnned 1964-1991perhaps the quintessential example of sport’s occasional power over politics, the boycott of south African athletes over the issue of apartheid began with the country’s exclusion from the 1964 olympics, and ended with the abolition of the segregation rules in June 1991. As the Un kept a roster of all sportspeople who competed in south Africa, pressure on the regime grew, and white south Africans named the sport boycott as the third most damaging consequence of apartheid in a 1977 survey. south Africa’s rugby world cup win in 1995 is also given a lot of credit for healing the wounds left by the policy, to the point where the country was able to succesfully host a football world cup in 2010 as a truly united nation.

what is it good for?

W hat’s the collective noun for a group of football legends?

The reason we ask is that a whole team (is that right?) of

them will be in town next week for the London Football

Legends Dinner and Awards, in support of the Willow Foundation

charity. Set up by Bob Wilson (pictured) and his wife Megs, the

foundation gives seriously ill 16 to 40-year-olds life-enhancing special

days. Sport is an official supporter of the event, which will be attended

by stars such as Ian Wright, Jimmy Greaves and Sir Trevor Brooking.

London Football Legends Dinner and Awards, Thursday February 28

at Park Plaza Riverbank, London. Tickets from £160 per person.

Visit willowfoundation.org.uk/FootballLegends

Radar

08 | February 22 2013 |

All

sp

ort

UK

/All

sp

ort

Bob Wilson: middle

name, Primrose

Don’t worry, it’s not

all about Guscott

With the Six Nations returning this

week after a well-earned break,

we’ve picked out three of the

best newly released rugby reads...

When rugby Was rugby

Full of iconic images from the Daily Mirror’s

rich photographic archive, When Rugby Was

Rugby offers a nostalgic trip down a very

muddy memory lane. From the sport’s

eponymous beginnings at Rugby School to the

rise of professionalism via the first organised

games of the 19th century – which were

seemingly played in Victorian prison garb –

this glossy coffee table book offers a

thorough if rose-tinted record of the

gentleman’s game. One thing’s for sure –

the kits are a lot more practical these days.

By Neil Palmer, £20 (Haynes)

calon: a journey to the

heart of Welsh rugby

Calon means heart in Welsh, and it’s a fitting

title – perhaps no other nation has taken

rugby to its heart more deeply than Wales.

Author Owen Sheers spent a year with the

young team that carries the hopes of that

nation, telling the tale in a beautifully written

book that covers the Grand Slam win of 2012.

By Owen Sheers, £14.99 (Faber and Faber)

125 years of the british & irish

lions: the official history

Updated ahead of the summer tour, this

weighty book covers the entire history of

rugby tours to the Antipodes, from 1888 to

the present day. We can’t think of a better

way to brush up on your Lions knowledge.

By Clem and Greg Thomas, £20 (Mainstream)

Scrumptious stories

Football legends

10 | February 22 2013 |

Radar Editor’s letter

Editor-in-chief

Simon Caney

@simoncaney

Sport magazine

Part of UTV Media plc

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Editor-in-chief: Simon Caney (7951)

Deputy editor: Tony Hodson (7954)

Art editor: John Mahood (7860)

Subeditor: Graham Willgoss (7431)

Senior writers: Sarah Shephard (7958),

Alex Reid (7915)

Staff writers: Mark Coughlan (7901),

Amit Katwala (7914)

Picture editor: Julian Wait (7961)

Digital designer: Chris Firth (7952)

Production manager: Tara Dixon (7963)

Contributors: Del Gentleman, Mark

Richardson, David Lawrenson

Commercial

Agency Sales Director: Iain Duffy (7991)

Business Director: Kevin O’Byrne (7832)

Advertising Managers: Steve Hare

(7930), Aaron Pinto del Rio (7918)

Sales Executive: Joe Grant (7904)

Distribution Manager: Sian George (7852)

Distribution Assistant: Makrum Dudgeon

Head of Online: Matt Davis (7825)

Head of Communications:

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Managing Director: Calum Macaulay

PA to Managing Director:

Sophia Koulle (7826)

Colour reproduction: Rival Colour Ltd

Printed by: Wyndeham Group Ltd

© UTV Media plc 2012

UTV Media plc takes no responsibility for

the content of advertisements placed in

Sport magazine

£1 where sold

Hearty thanks to: Garry Hayes,

Angela Acquaye

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O h, Arsenal. You do make life difficult for yourselves sometimes. And when Arsène Wenger gave that press conference this week,

it merely added fuel to the fire. I’ve said on this page before that I believe

the English game owes a great debt to

Wenger, and it’s sad to see him being vilified

and lampooned by so many – including

Arsenal’s own supporters.

Now, I’ve learned over the years that

Arsenal fans can be a sensitive bunch, but I

have a pal who has supported them since

Pat Rice was a plucky full-back, and who

can be relied upon to offer a rational view.

He didn’t let me down when I asked him.

And he made the very valid point that there

are only two possible outcomes for Arsenal

now: they either win a trophy soon or get a

new manager, and the latter does not

guarantee the former.

The thing that saddens him most is the

way the supporters have split. “Personally I

never want us to lose a throw-in, but I’ve

spoken to people who want us to lose so it

expedites change,“ he said. “I cannot fathom

that reasoning, I find it bewildering.“

The problem for Arsenal fans is that

their team’s performances this season have

been so dismally inconsistent. “The whole

situation, and any defence I may put up of

Arsène, is shot down by some execrable

performances this year,“ says my mate.

And, ultimately, the manager is accountable

for the results.

Wenger pushed the boat out to keep

Theo Walcott, but Arsenal really still need

Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie, too.

Whoever takes over needs to ensure

Arsenal are not a selling club; in Jack

Wilshere, they have the jewel in the crown of

English football, and he simply must stay.

But is this job now just a poisoned chalice?

This Sunday’s Capital One Cup final is a great story. Swansea, who have come up from the bottom tier to the Premier League, against Bradford City, who have done just the opposite. Too often our big Wembley finals become nothing more than an annoying inconvenience to the so-called big clubs, but this year the League Cup will genuinely mean something to both sets of players and supporters. I’ll root for the underdogs, but a Swansea win would be great for football too.

Whatever the circumstances

surrounding the tragic death of Reeva

Steenkamp last week, there was

something ghoulish about the way so

many news programmes chose to focus

on the damage done to Oscar Pistorius’

’brand’. Tiger Woods damaged his brand.

Lance Armstrong damaged his. In this

case, a young girl was killed, but it seems

that several people forgot that fact.

Arsenal’s two optionsWin something – quickly – or get a new manager. The Gunners are being backed into a corner

Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

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Back to the wall: will Arsenal be walking in a Wenger

wonderland much longer?

Reader comments of the week

After reading

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12 | February 22 2013 |

Radar Opinion

In the old days, a three-game week was not uncommon, primarily because

nobody had quite realised that this was too

much for our bodies to handle. The feeling of

waking up on a Wednesday morning, still feeling

horribly battered from the Sunday before and

knowing you had to play another big match that

evening, was gruesome – and anyone who claims

they loved it is fibbing. Except me: I loved it

because I was the best pro ever.

These days, though, the players are protected,

as much from themselves as from anybody else.

But back then, in the golden age of recklessness,

nobody was bothered, so we just got amongst it.

I recall with a horrid vividness sitting in the London

Irish changing rooms at what would normally have

been bedtime, mourning a massive loss in a game

we were surely due to win. And all the while

knowing we had to play Leicester that Saturday,

and that they hadn’t lost in a long, long time. These

were tough times and our boss, Francois Pienaar,

was three miles short of happy. We were told to be

at the clubhouse by 10am the next morning, and to

bring our match boots and gumshields.

We arrived feeling smashed to bits, having not

slept a wink and knowing that we were going to

be flogged. Pienaar stood up, looking livid and

strapped head to toe for training. “Last night

was disgraceful and we all need to take a good

look at ourselves,” he said. “We are going to do

just that. I want you all at the pub by midday –

they’ve got mirrors there, so we can have a

good look.” What a hero.

We did go to the pub, we did stay out until stupid

o’clock, and we did beat Leicester that Saturday,

against all the odds. But my aim here is not to

lament the past. Well, it is a little bit – we did have

a rare old time. No, all I want to do is ensure that

nobody writes off the wounded beast that is the

French team. You’ll hear Stuart Lancaster and his

charges repeating this sentiment right up until

kick-off on Saturday, but do not assume this is

merely a standard, media-trained one-liner.

Just ask the All Blacks, or the Australians, or

the English. Actually, ask anybody who has come

a cropper against this mob, and they will tell you

the same thing: nobody wants to face a French

team in a corner, because the weapons at their

disposal are as good as any on earth, should they

choose to use them.

But their romantic allure and mystique has

grown over generations because, simply, they

might be god awful too. When the All Blacks play,

we know that – bar the very occasional blip –

we will see excellence; when the Springboks play,

we know there will be brutality; and when the

Argentineans play, we know we will see passion

to bring tears to the eye. But with the French,

we have absolutely no idea. I think this is bloody

wonderful, and it’s why they’re my favourite team

to watch in the whole world.

@davidflatman

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Flats on Friday

Nowt so dangerous as Le Coq in a corner

I’m a very liberal man. Gay marriage? Fill your boots. Drugs? Legalise and tax

them. Immigration controls? Everybody round

to ours, because we’re having a party. The England

women’s cricket team… hang on a minute. You’ve gone

too far there.

What? There’s just been a World Cup, and the

cash-strapped BBC sent people out to India to cover it?

In stadia with so many empty seats that the spectators

amounted to witnesses? And the Australians won? And

none of them tested positive?

Well, there’s your story – and here’s me thinking that

American racing driver Danica Patrick is the only female

sport star really making a difference.

You might not have heard of her, but then you

probably haven’t heard of Anya Shrubsole – who, despite

almost lending her name to one of the best anagrams

ever, was the leading wicket-taker at the latest Women’s

World Get-Together Thing.

The difference is that, rather than peddling her trade

in a gender-specific event, and after posting a qualifying

lap with an average speed of 196.4mph, Patrick has just

become the first woman to take pole position for the

Daytona 500 – the most macho event in the most macho

sport in America. Beating the men at their own game,

you might say.

She has her detractors, of course. Robert ‘Robby’

Gordon, once alleged to have taken a four-mile shortcut

in an off-road event in Mexico, has previously refused to

race her on the grounds that she is too light. “Do the

math,” he said, confirming both his idiot status and the

fact that there is nothing more than a weight issue

between the best male and female drivers.

Three-time Daytona 500 winner Jeff Gordon,

however, is “proud to sit on the front row with her”.

Patrick, in her own words, just wants to “make some

more history”. Go Girl! As I believe they are fond of

saying in certain parts of the United States of America.

@BorrowsSPORT

Planks of the WeekLeeds United supporters (erm… Leeds United)

Arrive in Manchester for an FA Cup tie dressed like

they are on their way to an 1980s theme night while

shouting “we are Leeds!” – which, at best, is a bald

statement of the bleeding obvious – before looking for

United fans to fight. Wrong place. Proceed to chant

Don Revie’s name during the game, taking the whole

experience back a further decade. And then the idiots

take their shoes off. An anthropologist’s wet dream.

It’s like this…Bill Borrows

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14 | February 22 2013 |

Use your hands, man!Back in 1872, the Football Association ruled that only

goalkeepers were allowed to use their hands on the

field of play. Forty years later, the blasted killjoys

added another restriction, that goalies could handle

the ball only inside their penalty area. Unless David de

Gea knows something we don’t, that’s still the case

– and he could have simply caught this ball. Still, you

never know when these pesky rule changes may

come in. So better safe than sorry, eh? Mik

e H

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Frozen in time

| 15

David Haye

16 | February 22 2013 |

The waiTing

gameF

ormer world heavyweight champion

David Haye has a fitness DVD to sell.

He’s making a good job of it, too.

But he throws punches better. The

question is: which will he be doing

more of this year? Sport spoke to Haye – as well as

some of the biggest names in boxing – and found

a man in limbo. Haye is neither here nor there,

but somewhere in between.

No longer retired, but pinning his hopes of a return

to the ring on the decision of a 41-year-old to fight

a man almost 10 years his junior, Haye has backed

himself into a corner. He has fought his way out

of corners before, of course. Only, this time, there’s

no indication of when the bell for the next round

might ring.

The 41-year-old in question is Vitali

Volodymyrovych Klitschko, reigning WBC

heavyweight champion and one half of the world-

ruling heavyweight combo that is the Klitschko

brotherhood. He is the older sibling of Wladimir,

who beat Haye so conclusively in the heavyweight

unification fight for the WBA, WBO, IBF, IBO and

The Ring heavyweight titles in Hamburg in July 2011.

venomous battle with Chisora – this one taking place

inside the square circle and without the added

weaponry. In the intervening period, he’s eaten bugs

in the jungle for reality TV show I’m a Celebrity...

and released a fitness DVD encouraging viewers to

‘Box & Tone’ along with him.

He’s had to do some equally heavyweight

promotional work around said DVD in recent

weeks, which ostensibly is the reason we’re in the

whitewashed offices of television shopping channel

QVC to talk to him. He’s here to film three live slots

plugging ‘The Ultimate Fighting Fit Workout’ that

will be screened in between clips of the latest magic

carpet cleaners and ladies’ high-end fashions. It’s a far

cry from his natural habitat – and ours, too.

But how far away from the ring is he really?

Physically, Haye says he’s in relatively decent shape.

“I’ve been doing bits and pieces in the gym, staying

healthy so that, when the fight does get agreed, I’m

not a million miles away from where I need to be,”

he explains. Ah yes, the fight. The one Haye says he

was promised by Vitali and his manager Bernd

Boente before that press conference ‘altercation’

took place between him and Chisora.

It was a defeat that looked set to be Haye’s last

when he retired a few months later, on the very day

he turned 31. Issuing a lengthy statement announcing

the end of his career as a professional boxer, the

Hayemaker explained that it had been his intention

to retire on that date ever since he “first laced up a

pair of gloves as a skinny 10-year-old at the Fitzroy

Lodge Amateur Boxing Club in Lambeth”.

A glittering career was thus concluded. But coming

as it did, amid an onslaught of broken-toe jokes and

bottle-job allegations, it was an ending that was

always going to require a sequel. This is where Haye’s

story takes an unexpected twist. Having previously

decided Vitali was the only man who could bring

him redemption in the ring, a press conference brawl

with former British heavyweight champion Dereck

Chisora tempted Haye down a different path – one

strewn with smashed glass, steel cages and the kind

of violence even a boxing ring can’t contain.

Selling iTWhen Sport meets Haye, seven months have passed

since he emerged triumphant from another

| 17Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

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“It was the carrot of the Klitschko fight that got me

back in the ring against Chisora,” says Haye. “Boente

said: ‘If David fights Dereck, Vitali will fight the

winner.’ So I thought: ‘Okay, I can beat Chisora. About

two minutes after that, we had that mad scuffle and

it went viral – CNN, NBC, Fox News. I got more

coverage for beating someone up in a press

conference than for any of the fights I’ve ever had.

“I never thought I’d fight someone like Chisora

for a non-world title fight. I’m a world-title fighter –

I have been for many years now. But this was one of

those one-off occasions when it wasn’t about the title.

It was big news, and news means interest. Interest

means ticket sales, and ticket sales mean money.

All of that makes for a high-profile fight, and I’m

only in the game for high-profile fights.”

One-man shOwAnd yet, Haye is not in the game at all right now.

Having repeatedly insisted that Vitali is the only

opponent motivating enough to coax him back

into the ring, Haye has not only left the ball in

the Ukrainian’s court; he has effectively given him

permission to clear off and do as he damn well

pleases with it.

But ask Haye now what he thinks the chances are

of Vitali taking him on, and he says it’s not as distant

a dream as some believe it to be. “There’s not much

to sort,” he says. “We just need a date and a venue.

We agreed the financial terms and contractual terms

months ago, but then all of a sudden he fought a guy

called Manuel Charr last September who no one had

ever heard of.

“I’d said I was willing to fight on that date and he

said: ‘No, you fought Dereck instead.’ But Vitali said to

fight Dereck! He used that as an excuse not to fight

me. But it’s up to him – he does what he wants to do.

If he doesn’t want to do it, then he doesn’t want to

do it. He said he does, though. So hopefully he’s a

man of his word.”

Boxers are used to periods of inactivity between

fights. They relish the time to recover and repair

their bruised and battered bodies. But Haye is well

beyond that point now. If he still considers himself >

“BOente said: ‘if david fights dereck, vitali will

fight the winner.’ twO minutes after that, we had

that mad scuffle. i gOt mOre cOverage fOr Beating

sOmeOne up in a press cOnference than fOr any Of

the fights i’ve ever had”

Haye lands one on

Chisora in the latter’s

post-Klitschko press

conference in Munich

David Haye

18 | February 22 2013 | Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

to be a boxer (and his recent re-application for a

licence from the British Boxing Board of Control

suggests he clearly does), then he will surely have

reached the stage where the desire to train and rebuild

the mind and body that helped him win world titles

in two weight divisions is seeping back into his blood.

Is it making him twitchy to fight again, we wonder?

Haye offers a wry smile, insisting the frustration of

waiting for Klitschko is nothing he’s losing sleep over:

“If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be,” he says. “If not,

then I’ll survive. I won’t miss any meals because of it.”

The words come out easily enough – they usually do

with Haye – but you sense there’s little substance

behind them.

filling the boxing holeThose who know him best sense it, too. Elliot Worsell

– author of Making Haye and someone who has

become an integral part of Haye’s support team –

believes that while the boxer is privileged in having

made enough money to be able to enjoy life and keep

himself busy (he’s frequently jetting off to the warmer

climes of Dubai, Las Vegas and Miami), he is starting

to miss the fight game.

“He’s at the stage I expected him to get to

where he’s missing the training element and the

camaraderie of having people at the gym watching

him prepare for a fight,” says Worsell. “He doesn’t get

stopped in the street any more by people asking:

‘When are you fighting next?’ I can definitely sense

he misses that.”

The Guardian’s boxing writer, Kevin Mitchell,

believes Haye is simply a showman who’s craving a

stage. “I think he misses the attention, the limelight,

like all boxers do when they slip away at the end

of their career,” he says. “That’s what made Ricky

Hatton come back, whatever he says. The roar of the

crowd is a very strong pull, and so many have fallen

for it down the years. David is no different.”

But isn’t there more to it? Isn’t there also a desire to

get back to doing something he dedicated his life to

for 20 years? A passion for the sweet science that also

makes it hard to spend such a long time away from it?

“I love boxing,” says Haye. “I’ll always watch the big

fights when they’re on. In fact, I was in Vegas last

week to watch a fight. I love mixed martial arts, too

– any sort of combat, really. I’ll watch combat sports

all day long on YouTube – old boxing matches,

kickboxing, whatever it is. I love combat.”

Indeed, a few hours after we speak to Haye, Barry

McGuigan’s young charge Carl Frampton is boxing

for a European title in Belfast. It’s a fight Worsell says

would have been “way below David’s eyeline a couple

of months ago”. But on this day, Worsell’s phone rings

just as the undercard finishes and it’s Haye, asking

him what time the main event begins.

“He wanted to get home in time to watch it,” says

Worsell. “If you’d have said to me last year that David

Haye would be rushing home to watch Frampton box

for a European title, I would have laughed at you. But

suddenly he had a desire to watch a fight, and it didn’t

matter who it was or what was at stake – this wasn’t

Floyd Mayweather Jr against Manny Pacquiao. And

that told me he’s still in love with the game, otherwise

“i love boxing. i was in vegas last week to watch a fight. i love mixed martial arts, too – any sort of combat, really. i’ll watch it all day on youtube”he’d have been swanning off to a nightclub. So I took

positivity from that.

“There have been times in the past when David has

fallen out of love with the hard graft and the training

– that’s natural if you spend your whole life dedicated

to fighting. But, normally, those times are quickly

followed by him falling back in love with it even

harder than before, because he misses it and realises

how important it is to him. Boxing has defined who

he is. There’s been nothing else in his life besides

boxing. I don’t think you can ever truly fall out of

love with something that has defined you and made

you who you are.”

Worsell admits Haye was “fighting off demons for

months” after his defeat to Klitschko the younger in

Hamburg, but watched him come back to knock

Chisora out in style last summer. “He did things in

that fight, even after a year off, that he hadn’t shown

before in his career,” he says. “To me, that showed he’s

still improving and that’s one of the things that would

make it a bit sad if he never boxed again.”

Even Frank Warren – a man who, in his own

words, “never had a lot of time for Haye in the past”

– was impressed by the fighter he watched pummel

Chisora at Upton Park. “His love for the game was > Ma

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20 | February 22 2013 |

definitely still there,” says Warren. “And I was

surprised by the love he got from that crowd, too.

When they respond to you like that, it’s a bit like

a drug – you want more of it.”

Weighing up the optionsA boxing promoter and manager for more than three

decades, Warren is pragmatic on the likelihood of

seeing a Klitschko versus Haye mega-fight. While

some believe Haye’s bar-room-type brawl with

Chisora has forever soured relations with the

Klitschko camp, Warren maintains that the only

stopping point is cold, hard cash. “The Klitschkos are

looking for fights that will generate big income, so

providing David can get the guarantees he’d need

from UK television to make it work financially, I have

a feeling it could happen,” he says. “If not, he either

retires or looks to fight someone else.”

Neither of those options are particularly attractive

to Haye. He has already retired once, that’s true, but

not many people believed that Haye would really give

his illustrious career such a sloppy full stop as the

one he provided in Hamburg. And, if Worsell’s

romantic view of Haye’s relationship with boxing is

to be believed, the Hayemaker will surely find it

more difficult than he’s willing to admit to truly

turn his back on boxing.

So what of the second option? Haye versus British

heavyweight champ David Price or notorious

loudmouth Tyson Fury would have a huge domestic

appeal, according to Tristram Dixon, editor of Boxing

News. “There are plenty of people for Haye to fight,

if only he’d beat the drum,” he explains. “Fury is the

most viewed boxer in Britain – his link with Channel

Five means he gets an average of two million viewers

per fight, and that went up to near three million for

his bout with Chisora. With that kind of reach and

the pay-per-view platform that could be provided by

Channel Five’s partnership with Primetime, both

guys would make a lot of money from that fight.”

For now, Haye is adamant – it’s a Klitschko or

nobody: “Only Vitali. Wladimir has said he doesn’t

want to fight me, and that’s fair enough. He doesn’t

have to. He beat me fair and square. The way I see it,

though, if I beat Vitali and knock him out, I’m sure

Wladimir would change his tune about not wanting

to fight me.”

Dixon believes that, despite Haye’s words, he could

still find the motivation to glove up for Fury in the

same way he did for the Chisora bout. But former

world featherweight champ Barry McGuigan is

unconvinced. “He’s already been undisputed world

cruiserweight champion and won a heavyweight

world title, so he doesn’t really want to muck around,”

he says. “Haye feels he merits a direct shot at the

world title and, to my mind, he does.

“His performance against Wladimir was poor, but

he doesn’t need to go down the rungs of the ladder.

He’s still a young man and has the punching power to

knock anyone out, including the Klitschkos. I think it

would be a step back for him to box Fury or Price

– they need him more than he needs them.”

Haye’s appetite for boxing has been diluted, says

McGuigan, by all the shenanigans around it and

some of the characters involved. “I don’t think he’s

someone who gets up every morning thinking about

the game or bursting for the door to get to training,”

he says. “I don’t think he’s in love with boxing, which

is why he only wants the top man, or he’s going to

opt out. That doesn’t surprise me.”

Counting doWn the daysHaye’s single-minded approach is one that Worsell

is accustomed to seeing from the former world

champion. “He’s very stubborn and, if he wants to

achieve a certain goal – like beating Vitali – then

that’s all that’s in his mind,” he says. “But I’m more

and more sceptical over whether that fight will

happen. I’m not hopeful, and I think with each day

that passes David becomes even less hopeful.”

Should Klitschko bang a final nail into the coffin of

Haye’s hopes this year, Worsell believes that could be

exactly what the south Londoner needs: “If Vitali did

come out and officially retire, or even just say ‘I don’t

have any interest in fighting David’, then at least

there would be some closure. David would be able to

sit down and think: ‘How much do I really want to

box again? Am I prepared to box someone else and

go away and train like I used to for eight weeks, or

do I just not have it in me any more?’

“At the moment, because Vitali is dragging it out,

David can keep using the line that Vitali is all he’s

waiting for. He still has that up there as a kind of

dream. But we need it to be less of a dream and

more of a reality.

“At this point, I’d still be surprised if David was to

box someone other than a Klitschko. But, at the same

time, I’d be a lot less surprised than I would have

been last year.”

It would be no surprise at all for Warren, though.

The promoter manages Chisora and was responsible

for persuading Haye to grant a fight – and a hefty

payday – to someone he had frequently dismissed as

both “a moron” and “a loser, on every level”.

“I’m sure he never had any intention of fighting

Chisora until all the nonsense that happened at the

press conference,” admits Warren. “But people

change their minds. Everything that’s said at the time

is how it is, but circumstances change. He’s done very

well for himself. But, like most people, I’m sure he’d

like to earn more money, and what he does for a

living is boxing. So I believe he’ll fight again.”

Warren’s words ring true when Haye talks about

the direction his life has taken over the past 18

months. Ask him whether he regrets anything – from

the embarrassing ruck with Chisora to showering

naked in front of the world for reality TV – and he’s

adamant that he had reasons for doing it all.

“Every decision I made was on the spur of the

moment and that’s how I felt at the time,” he says.

“I don’t regret or want to change things – I never

look back. Have I changed? Every decision I’ve made

has changed me in some way – sent me down a >

“i don’t regret or Want to Change things – i never look baCk. every deCision i’ve made has Changed me in some Way – sent me doWn a different path”

Haye takes Chisora

on again, this time in

the ring, knocking

him out in five rounds

Feet up: Haye tweeted this

picture of himself watching

Frampton v Martinez from his

sofa earlier this month

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David Haye

22 | February 22 2013 | Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

different path, maybe one I wasn’t anticipating or

expecting. But everything happens for a reason, and

I’m in a good place. I’ve got this fitness DVD that

I’m happy with and I’m working on a range of

healthy supplements, trying to pass on some of the

knowledge that I’ve needed throughout my career.”

Timing iT righTToday, he talks of wanting to be in the health and

fitness industry – but in the past he’s also mentioned

Hollywood as being the his next destination. There’s

a definite sense that, as far as life after boxing goes,

he is yet to decide where he really belongs.

“He does get bored easily,” says Boxing News

editor Dixon. “But I don’t think he necessarily has

a long-term vision. We’ve heard the stories of him

wanting to be the first black James Bond and all that

stuff, but it won’t get his competitive juices flowing.

He’s applied for his boxing licence again, too.

So what’s he playing at if he doesn’t want to fight?”

As the days pass, says Dixon, Haye moves further

away from the skills, power and impeccable timing

that made him a world champion: “The clock doesn’t

stop ticking in boxing. Even though he’s still a young

guy for a heavyweight – and he’s not really got a high

mileage in terms of his number of fights – the longer

Haye leaves it, the harder it will be to come back in

terms of inactivity and getting meaningful fights.”

Worsell has his own worries about the impact

Haye’s time out of the ring would have on him,

should he fight on: “The timing issue is what I worry

about with him, because you only really get that from

fighting or sparring. And David famously never did

a lot of sparring throughout his career.

“Going into the Chisora fight was probably the

most sparring he’d ever done. He sparred like an

old-school fighter leading up to that, I think, because

he’d had so long out of the ring. He needed to feel

what it was like to be punched in the face and get

pushed around, because he knew it was going to be a

tough physical fight – so he had to be prepared for it.

“You can get your timing that way, but ideally you’d

be boxing three times a year and that timing would

just always be there. Being out of the ring for a year

and just hoping you can get that timing back is a risk.”

Long Live The hayemakerAs someone who has seen Haye burdened by the

empty agony of defeat and lifted by the wave of

euphoria after a victory, Worsell is as much in two

minds as the boxer on whether he wants to see him

fight again. “I wouldn’t be unhappy either way,” he

says. “Simply because he’s had that Chisora win.

If that fight had never happened, and he potentially

went out on that defeat to Wladimir, I’d have been

really disappointed and wanted him to box again.

The Chisora fight did provide a sort of closure to his

career in a way, if that is the way it’s meant to be.

“But if Klitschko is open to fighting David, I’d be

100 per cent behind him boxing again. If you’re

talking about other fighters not named Klitschko,

then I’m 50-50. If David suddenly found a thirst for

beating those guys, jumped into training camp with

gusto and was as inspired as I’ve ever seen him, then

absolutely – it would be great to see him fight those

guys. But if I sensed he was being drawn into it just

because he was fed up or wanted the money, then I’d

go the other way. I’d be really sad if it came to that.”

Haye is likely to remain undecided until he gets his

final answer from the Klitschko camp. Until then,

he’ll keep himself busy chasing the sun, making TV

appearances and crossing off days in his diary until

the fog that’s clouding his future clears. But he’s sure

he’s not yet ready to slip silently into obscurity.

“People love the Hayemaker or they hate the

Hayemaker,” says Haye. “But one way or another,

people feel passionate about the Hayemaker. And, for

me, that’s good. What I don’t want is for people to

think: ‘Oh, he’s a nice guy. I couldn’t care if he fights

or not, though. And I couldn’t care watching him.’

I’m not interested in being that guy. I’m interested

in getting people to feel one way or another.

“Since I went into the jungle, people have seen the

real me a bit more. So maybe if I get another fight, I

might not feel the need to hype it up like I used to.

Maybe I’ll just be me. That’ll be interesting.”

If there is to be another fight in Haye’s future, it

will be interesting to say the least – whoever is in

the opposite corner. And, if there isn’t, be prepared

for another PR onslaught... this time plugging

the Hayemaker range of protein bars and meal-

replacement shakes. Let’s hope Vitali fronts up,

then, for the good of us all.

Sarah Shephard @sarahsportmag

David Haye’s Box & Tone, the ultimate fighting fit workout DVD,

is available via qvcuk.com, priced £9.98, item number 400394 Jo

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Exper ience more at www.t- touch . com

TACTILE TECHNOLOGYchosen by Tony Parker – Professional Basketball Player

Touch the screen to get the ultimate multisport

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IN TOUCH WITH YOUR TIME

splitcompass lap

Goode IntentIons

| February 22 2013 | 25

Alex Goode

England arE on coursE for grand slam glory but, With francE in toWn tomorroW, full back alEx goodE tElls us thE mEn in WhitE arE kEEping thEir fEEt on thE ground

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How big was the win in Dublin for

this side?

“It was a great step in the right

direction for us, because we

pride ourselves on improving

each week as a group. Everyone

talks about the New Zealand

game and the Scotland game in

terms of how well we played, but

the win over Ireland showed the

character of the group in the

way we rallied when things

weren’t going well. People made

mistakes, obviously, but we

showed composure and took the

game by the scruff of the neck

when we went down to 14 men.

That’s a huge step forward for

this team.“

How important was that

10-minute period when you

were down to 14?

“It was big, because a lot

depends on how you react to

moments like that. We were very

good all day at getting behind

each other and getting a positive

outlook instilled when people

made mistakes. No one was

angry at James [Haskell, who

was yellow-carded]; we just got

on with it and said: ’What’s our

next job? Let’s go up the other

end and get something out of the

game.’ The way we responded is

a big turning point for this side.“

Is the way you responded also

a sign of this team’s ability to

self-manage?

“Yeah, a lot of people talk about

Robbo [Chris Robshaw] as

captain, and Owen [Farrell] as a

leader at fly half, but the whole

team was in a really good place.

No one was panicking, everyone

knew their role, everyone knew

what was expected of them.

We didn’t have to be told before

the game that we have to play in

their territory, or anything like

that. You’re good enough rugby

players already to know that,

when it gets wet like that, it’s

going to be tough. So you dig in

and fight hard for each other.

Everyone showed great work

rate and put pressure on them,

and all our decision-making was

very good. That was probably

the key to the victory.“

Did you expect a busy afternoon

when you woke up and saw the

weather?

“Yeah, it didn’t stop raining from

when I woke up. You know what

you’re in for, and then when

Ronan [O’Gara] came on, it was

always going to be even tougher.

It’s something I pride myself on,

though – the tactical cat and

mouse with the opposition 10

– and luckily Mike Brown on the

wing was fantastic. We really

dealt well with what Ireland

threw at us. I’m lucky enough to

have had Mike Catt put up

hundreds of spiral bombs and

kicks that are impossible to

catch, so I was used to them.“

How confident is this squad?

“Coming into the Six Nations,

there was a real spring in

everyone’s step – you could

tell everyone really wanted to >

24.8

26 | February 22 2013 |

Alex GoodeR

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be there. Training was a bit bubbly and

everyone was a bit more enthusiastic

because they’d wanted to get back in the

camp. That hasn’t changed. I wouldn’t say

there’s an arrogance, though. The moment

we get arrogant or get above ourselves –

or start thinking about games in the future

– is a bad time for the group, and that’s

when we’ll come unstuck. If we stay humble

and work hard for each other, as we have

been doing, we’re in the right place.“

France are next up tomorrow. Have you

seen their first two games?

“Yeah, I’ve seen their games. There’s nothing

more dangerous than a French side that’s

been written off, or that has nothing to play

for. They have quality – that doesn’t change

overnight – and if they take it to you, they

can be the best in the world. The key for us

is to make sure our defence is spot on.“

Defence and intensity seem to be the buzz

words around this squad. Is this a team

built on its defence?

“It’s something we pride ourselves on, yeah.

We get energy from our defence and the

way we do it – and we defend well – but it’s

not something we’ll rest on either. You’ve got

to keep working and make sure you’re

always at the top of your game. We have a

group of guys who want to work for each

other, which is a massive thing. And, when

we got opened up against Ireland, the way

the guys got back and scrambled was

fantastic. That was key in that first half.

Everyone in the group wants to work for

each other, and that makes a big difference.

We want to put down a marker that we’re the

most physical team in international rugby.“

“we want to put down a marker that we’re the most physical team in international rugby”

england’s starting XV against ireland had an average age of 24.8, with just one player (geoff parling) over the age of 27

You played a lot of rugby at fly half, but

seem to have settled at full back. Is that

your position now?

“Yeah, the transition’s been there for a while

now, and I’m very happy with it. People have

wondered if I’m going to go back to 10, but

I’ve always said that if I’m improving as a 15

and things are going well then there’s no

need for me to change. I love being a full

back, I love playing for England and I don’t

want any of that to change.“

People have talked about a new breed of full

back, with it becoming a second receiver

role. How much does your time at fly half

help you in that role?

“It gives you a different outlook, definitely,

but I wouldn’t say it was a new breed too

much – you get different types of full backs,

it’s as simple as that. There are wonderfully

gifted runners out there who break the line

all the time, and I’ve come from a different

background because I was a 10 – so [I have]

the kicking game, the organising, the first

receiver and second receiver stuff. All of

that’s not foreign to me, and it means that

Owen knows that if he gets caught up in a

ruck, or if he’s sorting something out, I can

help him out in the 10 slot. The more we get

that kind of understanding, the better it

will be for the team. At the end of the day,

though, a full back’s role is to take his high

balls, be secure at the back and come alive

in attack. I’m also there to beat people

and show my footwork and my strength.

That’s something I’ve worked on over

the past two years, in terms of my power

and my speed. That’s going really well,

so hopefully I’ll keep getting chances to

show that.“

Speaking of your speed, Saracens advisor

Richard Hill said of you: “He’s low slung and

the opposition think he’s slower than he is.“

What do you make of that?

“To be fair, I always said I wasn’t the quickest

as well. A lot of boys think I have this long

stride that looks really slow, so they say I’m

moving quicker than I look. It’s a compliment,

I guess! The key is that everything is done at

100mph at international level, and sometimes

you see the likes of Dan Carter, Berrick

Barnes – and Owen has really developed it –

changing their pace. It’s sometimes best not

to be going at 100mph, and to be in control

of your speed and of what you’re doing.

That’s something I learned as a 10 and is

something I can hopefully utilise more at full

back, where I get a bit more space and time.“

Finally, we must ask about the man in charge.

What does Stuart Lancaster bring to this

group that’s turned you into world-beaters?

“He’s just great at speaking to the guys on a

level. He lets us be creative and talk about

ideas ourselves, and that leads to us having

more responsibility and more trust in each

other on the field. Other than that, he’s very

big on instilling the right mixture of self-

belief and humility. He’ll tell us that we’re

better than our opponents, and can beat

anyone, but also that we have to get the

results to back it up. Stuart’s great at not

letting us think beyond the upcoming game,

and it’s something we’re thriving on.“

Mark Coughlan @coffers83

Alex Goode was speaking at the launch of the O2

Touch tour organised by the RFU and O2, proud

Partner of England Rugby, to get more people

involved in rugby. Visit www.rfu.com/O2Touch

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2013 Six Nations

As Stuart Lancaster’s men look to make it three wins out of three at Twickenham tomorrow, we take a look at how they’re shaping up

and analyse the task in hand...

EngLAndIf the long, flat Owen Farrell pass that led to Geoff

Parling’s try characterised England’s victory over

Scotland three weeks ago, then the same can be said

for the Courtney Lawes hit on Rob Kearney against

Ireland one week later. It was body-on-the-line rugby,

with a teammate just two steps away to get over the

ball and win the penalty.

This England side is being built on honesty, hard

work and a genuine sense of team spirit not often

seen beyond club rugby. Chris Robshaw embodies

that feeling, and his leadership will be important

again tomorrow, in the wake of what is likely to be

a French backlash.

England’s game is founded on doing the basics,

and letting the other team make the mistakes. The

key, then, is to start well against France and sap

them of any belief. A strong defensive display will be

important from the off, while the better weather

might mean a touch more ball-carrying in the back

row and more opportunity for creativity in the backs.

Expect to see the centres running clever lines in a

bid to open the French three-quarters up, but it is

England’s offloading game in the tight that will

cause the most problems. Get that right early on,

and France could leave London zero from three.

OnE TO wATchChris Ashton

Kept pretty quiet by the conditions

against Ireland, but Ashton (above)

has a spring back in his step. Dry

conditions could see him notching

his second try of the tournament.

FrAncEAs David Flatman explains on

page 12 of this very magazine,

there are few more dangerous

prospects in rugby than a

France team with nothing to

lose – and that’s exactly what

England face tomorrow. Coach Philippe Saint-

Andre welcomes the evergreen Vincent Clerc back

on the wing, which means moving Wesley Fofana

into the centres, but it’s up front and in the

half-backs where he needs a clearer game plan.

Watch France’s first two matches and it seems

unclear whether Frederic Michalak or François

Trinh-Duc (when he’s been on the field)

is running the back line, while too many

half-breaks aren’t being supported. The

French have looked out on their feet (not

to mention utterly disinterested) at

times this year, but Saint-Andre

has blamed tiredness for a lot of

the issues. A week without a

game might refresh his side,

while the unthinkable prospect

of the Wooden Spoon might

help motivate them. Start

well, and the strut could

return to this French team.

After that, anything can happen.

OnE TO wATch Louis Picamoles While all around

him have been losing their heads,

the big man has displayed a

combination of both power and

pace that caused problems for

Wales and Italy. England will need

to keep him quiet on Saturday.

Our prediction

England 22-16 France

5England have lost only one Six nations

encounter against France since 2006,

beating them in five of their six meetings

Saturday

Six NatioNS:

ENglaNd v FraNcE

twickENham

BBc oNE 5pm

England v FrancE

28 | February 22 2013 |

| February 22 2013 | 31

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Italy

The loss of Sergio Parisse to

suspension (for insulting a

referee in a French league

match) is a huge blow to Italy’s

chances of a second victory in

this season’s tournament, but

the France win proved this side

has more than one trick up its

sleeve. Much depends on how

they play tomorrow, however.

The temptation will be to return

to the ball-up-the-jumper game

that has seen them pick up wins

over the years, but they need to

back themselves against a Wales

team still some way short of its

best. Use their powerful backs

to puncture holes, then quick ball

to Luciano Orquera could cause

problems. The worry is that

negativity returns to their game

in Parisse’s absence.

One tO watch

Andrea Masi

The full back will need to counter

Welsh threats and keep Italy in

the right half of the field to do

some damage.

wales

Confidence is such a precious

commodity in elite sport, and

Wales have finally rediscovered

theirs after a first win in nine

games. Rob Howley’s decision to

stay loyal to his Parisian heroes

will help build that confidence,

but alarm bells will still be

ringing because Wales played

within themselves in France. One

moment of creativity from Dan

Biggar led to the match-winning

try, but now Wales need to find

more of them. The power game

they love to use is getting found

out, so a Plan B is required.

One tO watch

Andrew Coombs

Wales’ top tackler (21 tackles

and three turnovers) after two

rounds has been something of a

revelation. Coombs’ commitment

will be key to stopping Italy at

source and starving them of

possession.

Our prediction

Italy 12-26 wales

scOtland

Yet another of the Jekyll and

Hyde teams on display in this

year’s tournament, Scotland’s

performance in their 34-10

victory over the Italians had

coach Scott Johnson purring –

if a 50-year-old Aussie can purr,

that is. In a similar vein to Wasps

at Premiership level, Scotland

have such finishing potential in

their side that victory is built

on doing the simple things well

and letting the flyers finish.

A powerful display up front,

coupled with Greig Laidlaw

pulling the strings from nine, will

create open spaces – all Stuart

Hogg, Sean Maitland and Tim

Visser need is the ball coming

their way in them.

One tO watch

Greig Laidlaw

After so long at 10, Laidlaw is

loving life back at nine. The

27-year-old’s quick feet and

even quicker hands will be

crucial to his team’s attempts at

moving the Irish defence around.

Ireland

With an absentee list longer than

most sides’ bench, Ireland will

have a much-changed look about

them on Sunday; but captain

Jamie Heaslip remains and, after

the debacle in Dublin, things

can’t get any worse for the men

in green. The biggest frustration

against England was the failure

to do the basics and hold on to

the ball. With the dangermen

Scotland possess, the Irish know

that possession is king in

Edinburgh. Starve the Scots, and

the penalties will start coming.

That’s where a certain Ronan

O’Gara comes into his own.

One tO watch

Craig Gilroy

After two tight and nervy

affairs, the Ulster winger could

well enjoy the open spaces

Murrayfield can offer, while his

big tackling will be important

against Hogg and Visser.

Our prediction

Scotland 19-17 Ireland

Italy v wales

scotland v Ireland

Saturday

Six NatioNS:

italy v WaleS

Stadio olimpico, Rome

BBc oNe 2.30pm

Sunday

Six NatioNS:

ScotlaNd v iRelaNd

muRRayfield

BBc oNe 2pm

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| February 22 2013 | 33

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With the Capital One Cup final against Bradford City this weekend, Michu looks back on his move to Swansea and reflects on why he has been such a success in his first season in English football k

34 | February 22 2013 |

Michu

He wasn’t alone. While Ferguson was

busy breaking the Glazers’ piggy bank to

buy Robin van Persie, Swansea quietly spent

their summer securing the two signings that

would come to define their successful second

season in the Premier League. The first,

installing the great Michael Laudrup as

manager, sent a ripple of excitement through

the English game; the second, paying Rayo

Vallecano £2m for the little-known attacking

midfielder Miguel Perez Cuesta, barely

warranted a mention. Seven months on, a

player more commonly known as Michu is in

pretty much every fantasy team in the land –

and looking forward to making his first

appearance at the home of football.

“I’ve never played at Wembley, so I’m really

looking forward to that,“ he says. “We are

favourites, but Bradford have already beaten

three Premier League teams and we have only

one game against them – not home and away,

like we had against Chelsea, to get it right.

They are three categories below us, so we

are expected to win, but it will be difficult.

Maybe it will take extra time to do it.“

Humble beginningsThe respect Michu affords Sunday’s

opponents is born not out of the modern

footballer’s obligation to say the right thing,

but a natural humility fostered in his home

city of Oviedo. The 26-year-old was one of a

number of footballers – including Juan Mata

and Santi Cazorla – to offer financial support

to aid Real Oviedo’s battle for survival earlier

in the season, and speaks frankly about the

parlous state of the game in Spain.

“There is no money now in Spain,“ he says.

“When Rayo travelled to play Real Sociedad in

San Sebastian, the journey on back roads

took hours longer than it should have done

because the club couldn’t afford the

motorway tolls. All the people on the bus

were saying: ’This is crazy, where are we

going?’ If we’d known what was happening,

we’d have made a collection for the tolls.“

No surprise, then, that Swansea were

not forced to sell the family silver to buy a

Ahead of his side’s trip to the Liberty Stadium on the Sunday before Christmas, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was asked about the dangers posed by Swansea’s in-form forward. “He can play up front or drop into the middle, so he could give us a problem,” replied Fergie, speaking, of course, about Michu. “It was first-class business by Swansea to cherry-pick him. I’d never even heard of him.”

| 35

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player his manager now believes is worth

£30m. “Rayo had no money so they sent

a letter out saying I was available,“ Michu

reveals. “Swansea’s £2m was like a gift

from heaven.“

It’s a phrase many Swansea fans might

use in reference to their star man, who

signalled his arrival in south Wales with four

goals in his first three Premier League starts

– including a brace on his debut on the

opening day of the season. He now has 18 in

32 appearances in all competitions, his ability

to play as either attacking midfielder or

lone striker a precious commodity for his

manager in a league where time on the

ball comes at a high premium.

“It is important to have confidence in your

own ability, and I always thought I could do

well in England,“ says Michu. “Here the game

is up and down, box to box, and it is easier

for me to find space. There are plenty of

chances, and for an offensive midfielder

it is ideal.

“I have faith in my first touch, and that’s

essential over here because you have such

little time in the penalty area. A good touch

in the Premier League table. In typically

modest fashion, Michu is quick to deflect any

credit his manager’s way.

“The gaffer was one of my idols when I was

growing up,“ he says. “He was a truly great

player. As a coach, he allows us the freedom

to try things on the field. Yes, we have

responsibilities, but the attacking players

always have the licence to try a particular

skill – and, if we lose the ball, no problem.

I like that very much.“

The first picture Michu messaged his

older brother Hernan – who also played as

a midfielder for Real Oviedo but is now a

lawyer – from Swansea was one in which his

manager was stood with his arm around him.

It paints a picture of mutual respect, even

friendship, between player and manager,

Spaniard and Dane, forged in the former

mining heartland of south Wales.

Come Sunday evening, there is every

chance that the pair will have combined to

bring Swansea City the first major piece of

silverware in the club’s history. And that

would make the £2m man from Oviedo little

short of priceless.

BRADFORD CITY v SWANSEA CITY

SUNDAY 24TH FEBRUARY 2013, 4PM KICK OFF

WEMBLEY STADIUM

£7.00

OFFICIAL MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

gives you a great advantage – and playing in

a team like Swansea helps me because we

like to keep the ball.“

Feasting at the top tableSwansea’s ability to do just that is the legacy

of a footballing culture put in place by

Roberto Martinez and continued by Brendan

Rodgers. It is no surprise that Laudrup,

one of European football’s all-time greats,

espouses many of the same virtues as

his predecessors – but the Dane’s greater

experience as a player at the very top of the

game has perhaps instilled in him a more

practical edge.

Many wise judges have noted that his team

isn’t afraid to adopt a more direct approach

when necessary, and it’s hard to argue with

the results: Swansea have registered wins at

both Anfield and Stamford Bridge in the run

to the Capital One Cup final, while Michu

himself netted twice in a deserved 2-0 win at

the Emirates in December. The expected

victory on Sunday would earn the club a ticket

to play European football next term, while

they currently sit an entirely merited eighth

Quotes taken from

the Official Capital One

Cup Final programme.

To order your copy, visit

ProgrammeMaster.com

or call 08700 20 20 20

Sunday

Capital One Cup Final:

BradFOrd City v SwanSea City |

wemBley Stadium |

Sky SpOrtS 1 4pm

“It is important to have confidence in your own ability, and I always thought I could do well in England”

Pleased to Michu: scoring against Chelsea in the semi final (left); holding off Jamie Carragher at Liverpool in the fourth round (above); celebrating a draw with Man Utd (above, right) and scoring in the Swans’ win away at Arsenal

A Nahki of scoring“I don’t want to put any pressure on the lad,

because he’s only 22 and still learning,” says

Harrison of Bradford’s Bermuda international

Nakhi Wells. “But he can definitely go on to play

at a higher level.” The striker scored the first

goal of the semi final against Aston Villa, and

that’s far from a one-off. “He’s a goal-scorer:

14 in the league this season and another four

in cup competitions,“ says Harrison. “Give

him a chance at Wembley, and he’ll take it.”

Swans’ inexperienceHarrison is full of praise for Swansea City’s

rise through the football league. “They have

their own incredible story to match our own

this season,“ he says. “They’re a club that

have gone about things the right way, but we

shouldn’t forget that Swansea were where

we are now not too long ago [they were a

fourth-tier club as recently as 2005]. How

many times have Swansea played in front

of 80,000+ at Wembley? How many of their

players have won major trophies? As a club,

they’re as inexperienced as we are at playing

in a major final like this.”

Defensive options“Michu is Swansea’s dangerman,” says

Harrison. “[Manager] Phil Parkinson probably

won’t assign one player to mark him, but he

has a big decision to make in central defence.

Rory McArdle had, I think, played more

football than any player in the league this

season because of all our cup games. He

played 39 matches until getting injured

two weeks ago, and now we’re not sure if

he’ll be fit. Andrew Davies has only just

returned from a knee injury, but he’s been

excellent since then and Michael Nelson –

who we only got from Kilmarnock in January

– has been great.”

Momentum is with them“You just get a feeling about a cup run,” says

Harrison. “It isn’t just the results against

Arsenal and Aston Villa, as great as they

were. We went to extra time against Notts

County in the very first round. We were 2-0

down and going out with less than 10 minutes

to go against Burton Albion in the third round,

and we won that in extra time [scoring in the

84th and 90th minutes, then winning 3-2].

Players and fans go into this game thinking

anything’s possible, because we’ve seen it all.”

Divine intervention“We have the Dalai Lama on our side,” insists

Harrison. “For years, we’ve joked that he

supports Bradford because he wears claret

and amber robes. Last year, he was in

Yorkshire and a supporters’ group gave him

a shirt with his name on the back. Word got to

him that we’re in the final and his people sent

us a letter. I have a copy: ’On behalf of His

Holiness the Dalai Lama, may I offer you,

and indeed the whole team of players for

Bradford City, huge congratulations... if His

Holiness’ blessing has helped in any way

towards your wonderful efforts, I hope it

continues to bring good fortune.’”

They won’t want penalties“Say it’s 0-0 or level at the end of the game,”

says Harrison. “Swansea might get nervous,

because just look at our record on penalties

[see below]. Would I take penalties? I’d bite

your hand off if you offered me that now.”

36 | February 22 2013 |

Capital One Cup Final

Bradford City: upset specialistsSport spoke to Mike Harrison of The City Gent – the oldest football fanzine in Britain – who told us how Bradford City might spring a surprise on Sunday

Nine livesBradford City's ruN of peNalty shootout wiNs

stretChes BaCk over NiNe CoNseCutive matChes

Bradford 2-2 Notts County Football League Trophy October 2009 3-2 pens

Bradford 2-2 Port Vale Football League Trophy November 2009 5-4 pens

Bradford 0-0 Sheff Wed Football League Trophy August 2011 3-1 pens

Huddersfield 2-2 Bradford Football League Trophy October 2011 4-3 pens

Sheff Utd 1-1 Bradford Football League Trophy November 2011 6-5 pens

Hartlepool 0-0 Bradford Football League Trophy October 2012 3-2 pens

Wigan 0-0 Bradford League Cup October 2012 4-2 pens

Bradford 3-3 Northampton FA Cup November 2012 4-2 pens

Bradford 1-1 Arsenal League Cup December 2012 3-2 pens

Order copies of The City

Gent via thecitygent.

co.uk – the latest issue

is a League Cup final

special

Carl McHugh (on the ground) and teammates celebrate his goal in the first leg against Villa

Claret and amber:

the Dalai Lama sent the

club a letter wishing

them luck in the final

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Taking on The world

| February 22 2013 | 39

British World superBikes rider Johnny rea tells us Why, unlike most people, he can't Wait to get Back to Work

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World superBikes rider Johnny

rea is patiently explaining to

Sport why Valentino Rossi‘s job

is much easier than his. The

Northern Irishman is well placed to make

the comparison – he made the step up

from Superbikes to Grand Prix racing on

two occasions last year, filling the storied

leathers of the injured Casey Stoner at

San Marino and Aragon.

“Superbikes feels faster because it‘s

more raw and aggressive,” says the

26-year-old. “MotoGP bikes are fine-tuned

racing machines and, when you go full gas

on a GP, the mappings and the fuelling and

the electronics make it feel like you‘re riding

a scooter off the lights. If you tried to do

that on a Superbike, you‘d get high-sided to

the moon because it‘s a bit more raw.”

We spoke to Rea with him preparing

for a return to his day job – when the

FIM Superbike World Championship begins

anew in Australia this weekend.

How was your stint in MotoGP?

“It was good... but I feel like I didn‘t get a

fair crack, because I was bouncing from

Superbikes to MotoGP week on, week-off,

and the two bikes are completely different.

While I had a contract for Grand Prix, my

job was to race in the Superbike World

Championship, so I tried not to let the GP

thing distract me from that. At the same

time, I wanted to give a good account of

myself, because that‘s seen as the elite

class in the sport. I think I did a good job –

it was a good experience, but I just feel like

I needed more time to understand it. It‘s

certainly easier to ride, but to race and find

that extra second in MotoGP is much harder

than in Superbikes. I went straight in with a

seventh and an eighth, so I can‘t complain.”

Were you happy with your fifth-placed finish

in Superbikes last year?

“In the end, yes, but we expected to be more

competitive as a team. It was clear the

package wasn‘t as we expected. I would

have been happy with top three, but that got

away – so I feel like I didn‘t achieve my own

goals. But a massive dream of mine was to

win the Suzuka 8 Hours race, and I did.” >

40 | February 22 2013 |

"i'm 26 now – i've kind of lost that 'young rider' tag. i'm not the 18 year old waiting to go. i need to get my shit together and get it done"Are there any bike improvements this year?

“We‘re using completely new electronics this

year, different strategies – which already in

the pre-tests have proved to be a big step

forward. But the big thing we‘ve suffered

with is horsepower, top speed – especially

in the high-speed circuits. The guys tell me

we plan to have a completely new engine by

about Round 3, so there‘s a development

plan in place. We just have to wait for it to

happen. With these things, you can‘t just

click your fingers [and make it happen].

I wish I could. I can come home with fitness

testing and everything – I could see my gains

as an athlete month by month, but you know

when it‘s a big investment in motorcycles it‘s

hard just to demand parts to be here right

now. And that‘s the most frustrating thing.”

Last year was a pretty hectic one for you –

are you ready to get back to work?

“Yeah I had so much going on personally,

what with getting married, then the World

Superbikes and MotoGP. At the end of

the season, I didn‘t want to see another

motorbike forever. But as the weeks wore

on, I‘d done the whole off-season thing

seeing family and friends. I can‘t wait to get

back on the bike. We moved house as well

in the middle of it all – that‘s probably the

most stressful thing you can do. It‘s more

stressful than getting married, I tell you.“

How have you been spending your time?

“Just enjoying the new house and having

friends because it‘s such... it‘s not a selfish

sport, but you‘re on the road. You live out of

a suitcase. It‘s nice to come home and put

clothes in a wardrobe and watch the trashy

TV on weekends and do normal things.”

Do you get sick of the travelling? Casey

Stoner said similar things, and it turned out

to be a major factor in his retirement.

“Well I‘m still young enough to enjoy it, and

I haven‘t achieved my goals yet. I love the

sport and I love motorbikes. I wouldn‘t

compare myself to Casey – if my dream

got pulled from underneath me, you‘d catch

me at a local motocross race racing

competitively on a motorbike. It‘s what I was

brought up doing, it‘s all I know. I‘ve got no

hobbies like, er, fishing, or anything else I

wanna be doing.”

What do you have to prepare in advance

for the new season?

“Well, the things I‘m involved in my team

pretty much take care of. You obviously

know about the whole cycling uproar

with anti-doping and stuff, and the FIM

(International Motorcycling Federation)

is signed up to the World Anti Doping

Association‘s anti-doping code. It‘s really

strange, because I‘m on this whereabouts

system that means I have to detail exactly

where I‘ll be at a certain time every day for

three months. I have no idea where I‘ll be!

So it‘s a case of trying to book hotels and

find addresses for the next three months.

I‘m also constantly on the phone to the

workshop, checking up on what‘s happening,

studying a lot of races, making reports

on what we could do better.”

How do you prepare yourself mentally

for that long on the road?

“You can‘t, it‘s just experience. Every season,

you learn something different about what to

do better. I‘m quite OCD; yesterday I was in a

bit of a panic because I was packing my bag

for 10 weeks, and if you forget something it‘s

not like you‘re down the road. It‘s about

being prepared. When I first started, I was

really lucky to get an opportunity. But I was

15 years old, and the guys I worked with

were trailing me round like a son. When

you‘re 15, 16, and your parents aren‘t there

anymore, you grow up fast – you‘re away

hanging out with 30-year-old mechanics,

40-year-old team managers. I had a pretty

steep learning curve.”

What targets have you set yourself for

the 2013 season?

“As competitive as the championship is, and

being realistic after where we‘ve finished in

the past, we target the top three. For sure,

I‘ve got personal goals – I‘d love to win. But,

being realistic first, we have to crack the

top three. We‘ve finished fifth twice in a row,

so it‘s definitely possible. I‘ve proved I have

the speed and I can win races on any given

day. So I just need to put consistency

together and hopefully, come October this

year, we‘ll be laughing. I‘m 26 now – I‘ve kind

of lost that ‘young rider‘ tag. I‘m not the 18

year old who‘s waiting to go. I need to get

my shit together and get it done.”

Amit Katwala @amitkatwala

For the chance to spend a day riding with Jonathan

Rea at Donington Park Racing Circuit, and to push

yourself further than you thought was possible,

visit redbull.co.uk/getyourwingsGa

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go, go, go! The season-opener in Melbourne forms

something of an hors d‘oeuvres to the

rest of the season, with India‘s move

from March to November leaving a big

gap in the schedule after the first race.

Defending champion Max Biaggi ended

last season with something of a

whimper, winning it by just half a point

over Briton Tom Sykes in a thrilling last

round. Marco Melandri was in contention

for much of the campaign, but finished

just one of the last six races – retiring

for various reasons – to finish third

overall. Outside the top three, Rea is a

contender, as is 2011 champion and

Superbikes veteran Carlos Checa.

Februaryi

24 Phillip Island,

Australia

Aprili

14 Aragon,

Spain

28 Assen,

Netherlands

Mayi

12 Monza,

Italy

26 Donington,

Europe

Junei

9 Portimao,

Portugal

23 TBA

30 Imola,

Italy (30th)

Julyi

21 Moscow,

Russia

Augusti

4 Silverstone,

UK

Septemberi

1 Nürburgring,

Germany

29 Laguna Seca,

USA

Octoberi

6 Magny-Cours,

France

20 Jerez,

Spain

Novemberi

17 Buddh

International

Circuit,India

the schedule

Johnny Rea

42 | February 22 2013 | Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

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7 DaysFEB 22-FEB 28

HIGHLIGHTS

» Football: Premier League Preview» p44

» Horse Racing: Racing Plus Chase » p46

» Golf: Honda Classic » p48

» Tennis: Dubai Duty Free Championships » p50

» Boxing: David Price v Tony Thompson » p50OUR PICK OF THE ACTION FROM THE SPORTING WEEK AHEAD

Friday RuGBy LeaGue | WORLD CLuB CHaLLeNGe: LeeDS RHINOS v MeLBOuRNe STORM | HeaDINGLey | Sky SPORTS 1 8PM

English clubs have an excellent

record against Australian sides in

the World Club Challenge, having

won six out of the past 10. The

annual contest between the Super

League champions and their NRL

counterparts takes place on Friday

evening, when holders Leeds face

Melbourne Storm at Headingley.

Storm have 11 of their Grand

Final-winning team in a squad

featuring the likes of Cameron Smith,

Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk. Brett

Finch and Ryan Hoffman, who both

had spells at Wigan, are also

familiar with English conditions.

Leeds will miss injured prop Ryan

Bailey and could be without Zak

Hardaker after the full back

suffered a thumb injury in their win

over Salford last weekend. Hooker

Paul McShane (right), who went

over for two tries after coming off

the bench in that game, insists his

team need to “go up another level”

if they are to get the better of the

Storm, who beat them 18-10 in the

2010 staging of this fixture.

This could be the last Challenge

in its current format, however.

Officials are discussing including

more teams in a Champions

League-type format and holding

games in Australia.

The Super League continues on

Saturday, with St Helens at Bradford

and Hull FC hosting the unbeaten

Warrington (Sky Sports 1 5.45pm).

On Sunday, the London Broncos go

to Wigan looking for their first win

of the season, while Castleford host

Catalan Dragons. Wakefield Trinity

Wildcats entertain Huddersfield

Giants, and struggling Salford City

Reds are at home to Hull Kingston

Rovers (Sky Sports 3 6.30pm).

Rhinos’ revenge?

44 | February 22 2013 |

7 Days

SUNDAY MANCHESTER CITY v CHELSEA | ETIHAD STADIUM | SKY SPORTS 1 1.30PM

The last time these teams met, Stamford Bridge echoed

to a chorus of jeers and boos as Chelsea fans offered a

hostile welcome to Rafael Benitez, newly installed as the

Blues’ manager. It made for an odd atmosphere for a

football match, and the end result reflected the feeling of

apathy around the ground, with both teams settling for

the point that came with a goalless draw.

Sunday’s match comes three months after Benitez’s

arrival, but the Spaniard is still not sitting comfortably.

Even on Chelsea’s brightest days – and last week’s 4-0 win

over Brentford constitutes one of those – undercurrents

of darkness are never far away, with chants for Roberto di

Matteo ringing out towards the end of a goalless first half.

Benitez’s opposite number on Sunday afternoon is

not exactly reclining with his feet up either. Roberto

Mancini’s City side are without a win in their last three

league games, and are watching on as the title moves

further out of their reach. Better news is that Vincent

Kompany should be available after his recovery from

a calf injury – and Mancini has put a large amount of

expectation on the shoulders of Sergio Aguero after the

striker’s brace helped them to beat Leeds in the FA Cup,

promising the Argentinean can “spark them into life”.

With the strong possibility that Manchester United could

be 15 points clear by the time this match kicks off on

Sunday, Mancini will need to hope his wish comes true.

It’s easy to overlook, given recent

results, that Arsenal are unbeaten in

four league games and still within

touching distance of fourth place.

Their season will most likely live or

die by their league form, while Paul

Lambert has told his Aston Villa side

(admittedly for different reasons)

that the next 12 games must be

viewed as “12 cup finals”. Don’t expect

too much – these two have been

involved in more goalless draws than

any sides in Premier League history.

SATURDAY ARSENAL v ASTON VILLA

EMIRATES STADIUM | 3PM

The Baggies’ impressive win over

Liverpool last time out ended a run

of six games without a win in the

league, and will likely have left

manager Steve Clarke ruing the

interruption of FA Cup weekend.

Martin O’Neill will hope the break

has a positive impact on his side, by

contrast – they are without a win in

three and have managed only one

goal (a penalty) in those three

games. If the Baggies bag one, the

points might well be theirs.

SATURDAY WEST BROM v SUNDERLAND

THE HAWTHORNS | 3PM

West London takes on Manchester this weekend, with Chelsea playing the current champions and QPR taking on their probable replacements

Premier League

Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

SATURDAY NORWICH v EVERTON | CARROW ROAD | 3PM

| 45

Martin Jol paid Stoke a backhanded

compliment after watching his side

beaten 1-0 at the Britannia earlier

this season, saying: “They bully

teams... it is their style and I admire

their style. It’s almost a rugby team.”

Tony Pulis will be keeping Jol’s

comment under his perma-fixed

baseball cap, ready to pull out as

soon as the two sides met again.

Expect much Pulis leaping

whenever a Fulham player makes

the slightest contact, then.

SATURDAY QPR v MAN UTD | LOFTUS ROAD | 3PM SATURDAY READING v WIGAN | MADEJSKI STADIUM | 3PM

It was an unhappy return for Alain

Pardeu to his former club when

these sides met at St Mary’s, with

Saints easing to a 2-0 win. The

Magpies have won just four times in

the league since that defeat last

November, but two of those have

come in their last three: an away

triumph at Aston Villa and a Moussa

Sissoko-inspired win over Chelsea.

More of the same is required against

a Saints side fresh from their own

belief-imbuing win over Man City.

SUNDAY NEWCASTLE v SOUTHAMPTON

ST JAMES’ PARK | 1.30PM

It seems unlikely that Andre Villas-Boas will risk putting Jermain Defoe back

in his striker-starved Tottenham side so soon after the 30-year-old damaged

ankle ligaments earlier this month, meaning the buck is likely to stop with

Gareth Bale (again) on Monday night.

The Welsh wonder has notched 17 goals in all club competitions this season

(prior to Spurs’ Europa League second leg tie against Lyon this week), taking

some of the heat off Emmanuel “half-a-season-and-I’m-done” Adebayor.

The Hammers, fresh from a winter break in Dubai, will look to get back to

winning ways after their defeat to Aston Villa last time out, when the east

Londoners failed to find the goals they needed despite throwing everything

they had at Villa in a frantic end to the second half. Job one will be not giving

away any free-kicks within 40 yards of goal, or they risk another Bale beauty

flying straight into the top corner.

MONDAY WEST HAM v TOTTENHAM | UPTON PARK | SKY SPORTS 1 8PM

The Canaries’ winless streak in

the league is up to nine ahead of

Everton’s visit this weekend.

Manager Chris Hughton must be

scratching his head at how such

a dire run of form hasn’t left the

Canaries wallowing in the relegation

zone. Everton will still be smarting

from allowing Oldham back into

their FA Cup tie last weekend – a

result David Moyes won’t have let his

players get away with lightly. They’ll

be keen to make amends here.

Harry Redknapp and his QPR side

are fresh off a return flight from

Dubai, refreshed and ready to

throw a spanner in the works of

United’s bid to win the title. The Rs

manager will hope all that sun and

sand has washed their previous

league outing from his players’

minds. A 4-1 trouncing by Swansea

will not instil much confidence for

the arrival of the champions elect,

who are unbeaten in the league since

losing to Norwich in November.

A Jordi Gomez hat-trick handed

Wigan three points when these

sides met at the DW, but Royals boss

Brian McDermott felt robbed after

having a penalty appeal turned

down. With the two sides now

comprising two-thirds of the

relegation zone, this match has

become a six-pointer that neither

manager will want to lose – and, with

Reading having lost only three times

at home this season, they’ll be

confident of avoiding defeat.

P W D L F A Pts

PReMieR LeAgUe TAbLe

Excluding

penalties, John

Terry is the top

scoring defender

in Premier

League history,

with 29 goals29

Man Utd 26 21 2 3 62 31 65

Man City 26 15 8 3 48 24 53

Chelsea 26 14 7 5 55 28 49

Tottenham 26 14 6 6 44 30 48

Arsenal 26 12 8 6 50 29 44

Everton 26 10 12 4 40 32 42

Liverpool 27 10 9 8 49 34 39

Swansea 27 9 10 8 38 34 37

West Brom 26 11 4 11 36 35 37

Stoke 26 7 12 7 26 31 33

West Ham 26 8 6 12 29 38 30

Fulham 26 7 8 11 36 42 29

Sunderland 26 7 8 11 28 34 29

Norwich 26 6 11 9 25 40 29

Southampton 26 6 9 11 36 45 27

Newcastle 26 7 6 13 34 46 27

Aston Villa 26 5 9 12 25 50 24

Reading 26 5 8 13 33 48 23

Wigan 26 5 6 15 30 51 21

QPR 26 2 11 13 19 41 17

1

2

3

4

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13

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19

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SATURDAY FULHAM v STOKE | CRAVEN COTTAGE

SKY SPORTS 2 12.45PM

46 | February 22 2013 | Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

7 Days

SATURDAY Horse racing | racing Plus cHase | KemPton | cHannel 4 & racing uK 3.50Pm

Galloping greyThe imminent Cheltenham Festival looms

large over the world of jumps racing right

now, but not every horse in training is

heading for Prestbury Park next month.

One almost certain to skip the four-day

meeting is the striking grey Nacarat, who

instead heads to Kempton on Saturday

for the defence of his Racing Plus

Chase crown.

The race often marks the transition from

winter to spring in the National Hunt

season, and Tom George’s 12-year-old

loves the sun on his back at the Surrey

track – in four runs in this race, he has

registered two wins (2009 and 2012),

with second and third-placed finishes

in between.

He is very much a veteran these

days, and won’t find it easy to

dominate a field featuring

improving Grand National

entry Wyck Hill, the

enigmatic but classy

What A Friend and last

year’s second Hector’s

Choice. But Nacarat is a

bold, front-running beast

– should they let him have his

own way, a hat-trick is not

out of the question.

TUESDAY Football | coPa del rey semi Final second leg: barcelona v real madrid | nou camP | sKy sPorts 1 8Pm

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The Champions League might be

taking a week off, but you still have

the chance to see European giants in

action next Tuesday. For that is when

Jose Mourinho takes his gallery of

struggling excellence to face their

fierce rivals for the first of two

Clásicos in the space of a few days.

While they’re 16 points adrift in La

Liga, in which they play Barcelona

next Saturday (March 2), the Copa

del Rey is up for grabs – and a place in

the final is at stake in this second leg.

The first ended 1-1 after goals from

Cesc Fabregas and French defender

Raphaël Varane, who impressed with

his muzzling of Leo Messi. There are

doubts, though, over dodgy keeper

Diego Lopez in the Real goal, while

Barcelona are flying again after a lull.

Expect a tie fit for a king.

Kings of Spain

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48 | February 22 2013 | Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

7 Days

MONDAY > Snooker | Haikou World open | Haikou Venue, Hainan iSland, CHina | BritiSH euroSport 2 6.30am

Strait-laced and staunchly

traditional snooker joined the

very modern video viral trend that

is the Harlem Shake when it staged

its own impromptu boogie – led by

announcer Rob Walker (who else?)

– prior to Stephen Maguire’s

semi final against Judd Trump at

the Welsh Open last week.

Maguire (above), clearly inspired,

won that tie 6-4, and then ended

his five-year wait for a ranking title

with a dramatic 9-8 win over Stuart

Bingham in Sunday’s final.

And the game continues its

Barry Hearn-led drive into the

modern era when it returns to

Haikou for the second time on

Monday for the World Open –

formerly the Grand Prix, until its

first journey east last year.

Maguire and Trump are on

different sides of the draw but, if

they are to meet again in China,

The Ace will have to overcome

either world number one Mark

Selby, Neil Robertson or Graeme

Dott. The ‘Livewire’, on the other

hand, will likely face holder Mark

Allen in the quarters and one

from Bingham, Ding Junhui, Mark

Williams and John Higgins in the

semis – if he gets that far.

Matches are best of nine up to

and including the quarters, with

the semis best of 11 and the final

best of 19 for the £85,000 prize.

Proceedings begin early Monday,

with a wildcard round featuring

Nigel ‘00-147’ Bond. Tune in to find

out if he makes it to the main draw

and celebrates with a vodka Martini.

Beating the Trap

Shaken, not stirred

THURSDAY > GolF | Honda ClaSSiC | pGa national, Florida

SkY SportS 3 8pm

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It ain’t over till it’s over at the Honda

Classic. Anyone leading going into the

closing holes at the PGA National in

Florida knows they’re entering possibly

the toughest stretch on the tour.

Holes 15, 16 and 17 are known as the

Bear Trap – the course was designed by

‘Golden Bear’ Jack Nicklaus – and, on

the face of it, two par-3s under 200

yards and a 434-yard par-4 should hold

no fears. But every year this trio wrecks

cards. There is water everywhere... and

where there’s not water, there’s sand.

Somehow, Rory McIlroy (below)

played the Bear Trap in three under last

year, on his way to victory by two shots

from Tiger Woods – who closed with

a blistering 62 that included an eagle

down the 604-yard par-5.

All eyes will again be on the Ulsterman,

who will be keen to prove that those

new Nike clubs do actually work. But

expect big things from Lee Westwood

too, whose last round here was a 63.

Competition

We’ve teamed up with Kinetica Sports and Ben Youngs to give away some great-

tasting protein and nutrition products

and a T-shirt signed by the England rugby man.

We’re giving away 10 sets of Ben’s picks from

the Kinetica Sports range (1 x kilo Whey, 12 x

Milk Pro bars and exclusive T-shirt). Answer

the question below and you could win this stuff.

Whey Protein Kinetica’s own

formulation boosts lean

muscle growth by increasing amino acid levels

before and after exercise, and improves

nitrogen retention. Ben says: “Kinetica

Chocolate Whey protein is delicious (and

effective!) – I take it in the crucial 20-minute

window post-training.”

Milk Pro Chocolate Orange and Toffee

flavours provide a super-

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protein after training for Leicester at Oval

Park, or on the way to the next fixture.”

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FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN, JUST ANSWER

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How many appearances has Ben Youngs made

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50 | February 22 2013 | Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

7 Days

MONDAY > TENNIS | DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS | AVIATION CLUB TENNIS CENTRE, DUBAI | SKY SPORTS 2 10AM

Two men – Roger Federer and Novak

Djokovic – have won eight of the past 10

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships,

so there is a reasonable chance that they

might fight out the final this year, too.

With no Andy Murray or Rafa Nadal in

the field, the major threat to that dominant

Djokovic-Federer axis comes from the likes of

Tomas Berdych, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Juan

Martín del Potro – winner of the ABN Amro

World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam

last Sunday.

The Dubai tournament is one of the

ATP 500 Series, but is also an important

‘warm-up’ event for one of the most

prestigious non-Grand Slam meets of the

season: the BNP Paribas Open at Indian

Wells, which begins on March 4.

Djokovic should prevail in Dubai. But, as

we know, Federer still cannot be written off...

SAturDAY BOxINg | DAVID PRICE v TONY THOMPSON | ECHO ARENA, LIVERPOOL | BOxNATION 7.30PM

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Britain’s David Price is the scourge

of boxing’s pensioners. Last year,

the British heavyweight champ

blasted out a 40-year-old Audley

Harrison, followed by then 45-year-

old Matt Skelton. Presumably after

confirming that 64-year-old George

Foreman was definitely retired, he’s

now taking on the 41-year-old

American Tony Thompson. Don’t

be misled, however, by how many

birthdays ‘Tony the Tiger’ has had:

the two-time world title challenger

represents a step up for the

29-year-old Price.

The 6ft 8ins Scouser has admitted

to being less than fully motivated by

the Skelton challenge, but his juices

are flowing for this one. A latecomer

to the sport, Thompson has lost only

three times in 39 fights – two of

those defeats coming against the

world’s best heavyweight, Wladimir

Klitschko. Thompson lasted into the

11th round when he first fought

Klitschko in 2008, although he was

less resistant last year when he was

stopped in six. He may be sliding

slightly, but he has experience at the

top level and can pose problems with

his long southpaw jab. If Thompson

can survive Price’s early power, we

might see Price’s qualities examined

for the first time as a professional.

A-Force returns

Also on Saturday, ghosts of boxing’s

past gather for a heavyweight

PrizeFighter, including former

winners Martin Rogan and that man

Audley Harrison (Sky Sports 1, 8pm).

They offer erratic entertainment in

the tournament format, but interest

falls on Tom Stalker’s pro debut.

The British Olympic team captain

failed to win a medal at London 2012,

but has a rich amateur pedigree.

Opponent Kristian Laight has just

the 139 career losses and can expect

a 140th on Saturday.

Two-horse race?

Price check

Completely free everyFriday.

iPad edition on Newsstand now

The UK’s top sport magazine The biggest interviews The best previews

Talking to your family about cancer can be really tough. But a chat with one of our experts on the Macmillan Support Line can help you find the words you need. So you and your family can face the future, together.

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52 | February 22 2013 | Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

Sony Xperia Z

About 855,000 phones are dropped

down toilets in Britain each year, so

it’s about time someone came out

with a waterproof smartphone. Sony

are the ones to do it, with the Xperia Z.

It’s big – so large that it might not

even fit down some toilets – with

a super-high-res five-inch screen.

But, like the Samsung Galaxy SIII,

its slim build means it won’t feel too

unwieldy unless you have really tiny

hands. It’s also futureproof, as well as

waterproof, with 4G and contactless

technology. And it’s out on Thursday.

From £34/mth | three.co.uk

Oregon Scientific ATC Chameleon

Action Camera

Those camouflaging lizards are remarkable

not only for their costume changes, but

also for the ability to move their eyes

independently – it’s that trait that gives

this tiny action camera its name. Dual lenses

move separately for two unique perspectives

on whatever you happen to be recording, and

a waterproof case (sold separately) means

there’s no limit to where that could be.

£170 | oregonscientific.com

Fujifilm FinePix XP60

Rugged, waterproof and available in a range

of fluorescent hues, this is the camera we

imagine Bear Grylls would use if he decided

to inject a touch of colour into his muddy life.

It’s shock, freeze and sand-proof, and has

advanced features including panoramas

and 3D effect images. It might not help you

survive in the wilderness, but whoever found

your frozen corpse would have a fine-looking

record of what had happened to you.

£160 | argos.co.uk

EXTrA TimEMaking the most of your time and money

P60

Lara Croft is

back – with a

bear – in the

Tomb Raider

reboot

Splash and grab

Gadgets

ion Water rocker Floating Speaker

This is the perfect swimming pool or

bathtime companion. It bobs along by your

side like a high-tech duckling – but instead of

incessantly quacking and trying to eat your

bread, it’ll stream music from your phone,

MP3 player or any other device you plug into

the wireless transmitter up to 100 feet away,

or from the built-in FM radio. If they can give

a similar treatment to the television, we might

never leave the water.

£60 | johnlewis.com

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54 | February 22 2013 | Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

Don’t Be A Slope DoDger

et Kit With the ski season hitting its peak, the powder is the place to be. Snow+Rock equipment buyer Phil Gordon picks out a selection of the best skis available at snowandrock.com

K2 AMp Charger

One of our best-

selling piste-

focused rocker skis,

its ‘Speed Rocker’

gives you greater

agility with its

slightly elevated tip

and increased tip

length – ensuring

perfect carved

turns. Triaxial

braiding around the

wood core keeps

the ski torsionally

strong so you can

charge the piste

with confidence.

£405.99, with

binding

White Doctor Ft8

Snowsports

innovator Eric

Bobrowicz believed

there was a market

for real skis for real

skiers at a real price.

He’s just released

his fifth White

Doctor collection,

now available in

the UK. The FT 8 is

80mm under foot

and has a flat

square tail for

strong edge grip

and contact

throughout the

arc of the turn.

£429.99, ski only

Volkl Katana

The Katana

features a top-end

wood core and

vertical sidewall

construction, with

two sheets of

titanium. Its 112mm

underfoot with a

low profile Full

Rocker gives the

Katana a platform

for big landings

while maintaining

manoeuvrability,

making this one of

the most versatile

super-fat skis on

the market.

£619.99, ski only

Head rev 80

pro SW

The new Head Rev

is a universal ski for

all conditions, no

matter what the

quality of snow or

skill of the skier

– and no question

of freeriding versus

carving aspirations.

Thanks to Era 3.0

– a combination of

technology, shape,

and geometry – it is

easier to ski in any

kind of terrain, so

now everyone can

be a better skier.

£515, with binding

Salomon

BBr 8.0

Designed to give

new experiences to

a variety of skiers,

the patented ‘V’

shape, oversized

tip and rocker

construction allow

this ski to carve

beautifully on piste,

float and glide in

fresh snow and still

leave you confident

when the snow is

variable or hard

pack. This is a true

go-anywhere

all-mountain ski.

£425, ski only

rossignol

pursuit 16

A full camber ski

with mindblowing

carve potential on

any piste in any

snow condition. It’s

vibration-free at

speed, thanks to

the way in which

basalt, aramid and

titanal fibres are

woven together,

and the IPS H

structure ensures

all of your energy is

transmitted into the

turning edges for

precision control.

£525, with binding

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56 | February 22 2013 | Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

Bulldog Original DeodorantLoaded with “only the best natural ingredients to

deliver all-day protection against underarm odour”,

says Bulldog. And, when we asked the hairy beast to

back up his claims, he drooled, rolled over and told

us his deodorant is enriched with eight essential oils

including patchouli, lemon, bergamot and lime.

Those limes, incidentally, are from Peru and Mexico

“for extra zing”. It also features aloe vera extract,

the soothing properties of which hydrate skin, and

it’s free from parabens and sodium laureth sulfate.

Good dog.

£4.99, 50ml | meetthebulldog.com

Natio For Men

Another with a big tick

in the natural ingredients

column. Lavender

cleanses the underarm

skin, while benzoin and

lemon uplift and purify,

says Natio. We’re pretty

sure that doesn’t mean

you’ll be walking around

with your hands in the air

(like you just don’t care).

£6.40, 100ml |

tesco.com

L’Oréal Men Expert

Carbon Protect 4 in 1

L’Oréal’s Non-Stop Dry

technology prevents

sweat and odours, and

ensures a feeling of

dryness and comfort.

Its ‘4 in 1’ formula also

takes care of bacteria

and helps prevent yellow

stains. But not on your

tighty-whiteys.

£2.69, 50ml |

boots.com

Right Guard

Extreme Invisible

An invisible, powder-free

deodorant that protects

clothes, says Right

Guard, against the three

most common types of

underarm stain: white,

oily and yellow. If your

Sweat Bingo card has

a cross on all three, for

god’s sake pick one up.

£2.29, 50ml |

uk.rightguard.com

Nivea Men 48h

Stress Protect

Protects against effects

of ‘stress sweating’. Sweat

triggered by stress, says

Nivea, has a rapid onset

and smells worse than

that brought on by heat

or exercise, making it

harder to control. Lasts

for 48 hours, too. Kudos

if you can go that long

without a breakdown.

£2.03, 50ml | boots.com

Bluebeards Revenge

Sounds like it’s out of

Brian Fantana’s cupboard

in Anchorman, but

Bluebeards not only uses

the natural anti-microbial

properties of silver to

neutralise odour; it also

has a moral compass

strong enough to include

a male cancer awareness

campaign on its box.

£3, 50ml | bluebeards-

revenge.co.uk

ROLL wIth It

Et Grooming Take your time with our pick of roll-on deodorants and anti-perspirants

– in case the choice out there is all too much for you to take

58 | February 22 2013 |

Extra time Tillie Thompson

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| 59

Palle Hansen

60 | February 22 2013 | Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

Gears of War: Judgment

Thick-necked beefcakes Cole

and Baird are the focus once

again, and the task of stopping

the Locust the only way they

know how – by using bloody

great guns. The big difference

this time is that Judgment is a

prequel, meaning this origins

story brings the series full circle

after the disappointment that

was Gears of War 3.

Released March 22

SimCity

The simple title of the latest

entry in Maxis’ city-building sim

should give you an idea of what

the studio hopes to achieve:

a return to the accessible

gameplay that made the series

such a success. Control a region

that delivers true multi-city

scale, play a single city or up to

16 cities at once. Now’s the time

to flex your mayoral muscles.

Released March 5

Tomb RaiderAnother outing for Lara Croft – but

trust us when we say this isn’t like

you’ve seen her before. This reboot of

the franchise reintroduces her more

as a desperate survivor than a steely

heroine. This is Lara’s origins story:

what made her the adventurer we all

know and love in an epic yarn that

switches out previous games’ pyramids

and pistols for an emotionally charged

fight for survival that would make Bear

Grylls quiver in his hiking boots. Set

on a South Pacific island, the odds

are stacked against a shipwrecked

Miss Croft as she negotiates her way

past man and beast with a free-aim

third-person shooter mechanic. Tomb

Raider promises to be a return to form

for this series. It’s visually stunning,

intense, touching and – in a year when

bow-toting protagonists are the action

game innovation de jour – this is one

adventure you’re really going to want

to get your hands on.

Released March 5

Bioshock:

Infinite

While a

return to the

underwater

dystopia of

Rapture is

sadly not on the

cards for the upcoming first-

person shooter Bioshock Infinite,

many hallmarks of the Irrational

Games series are present and

correct. Adrenaline-fuelled

action and razor-sharp gunplay

carry along the game’s twisted

plot at a rattling pace, with the

flying city of Columbia providing

the perfect backdrop for a game

peppered with some of the most

fearsome enemies you’ll ever

face. Set in 1912, you assume the

role of former Pinkerton agent

Booker DeWitt, sent to Columbia

to rescue Elizabeth, imprisoned

since childhood. Irrationally good.

Released March 26

LaRa BeGInS

eT Games Our favourite action heroine gets her own origins story in the new Tomb Raider,

and there’s plenty more to shoot at with our pick of the latest releases

God of War: ascension

Set a decade before the original

God of War, Ascension follows

anti-hero Kratos as he attempts

to atone for his past sins and

break free of the chains Ares has

placed upon him. Expect eye-

wateringly violent gameplay and

a much-needed emotional story,

plus multiplayer in which you

can take on your mates in

a bloody battle to the death.

Released March 15

Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2

The original Sniper: Ghost

Warrior was nothing to write

home about. That hasn’t stopped

developer City Interactive taking

another shot (yup) at greatness

though, with a combat system

that revolves around stealth,

hand-to-hand assassination

and – naturally – sniping.

There’s hope but, for now,

colour us dubious.

Released March 12

In association with

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