This is the second time that Terry has been stripped of his title as captain for off-pitch reasons. In this case Terry faces charges for his alleged racist remarks against Queens Park Rangers player Anton Ferdinand, the trial for which has now been scheduled for the 9th July so as not to interfere with this summer’s European Championships.

Because the Euro 2012 takes place a week before the trial date it is possible that Terry could captain the national side during the championship. However, Anti-racist campaigners have displayed disapproval of allowing a man accused of racism to lead his country a sporting event. Piara Power, executive director of Football Against Racism in Europe said that ”The seriousness of the allegations mean that he can’t lead the nation. The FA must do the right thing.”

England manager, Fabio Capello, who is currently out of the country and will be returning to watch a Premier League game tomorrow, had selected Terry for the matches against Spain and Sweden last November despite the allegations.

Since the criminal charge was announced in December 2011, Terry has consistently denied that he ever racially abused the QPR defender saying that “I will fight tooth and nail to prove my innocence. I have campaigned against racism and believe there is no place for it in society.”

Terry was first stripped of his England captaincy by Capello when it was revealed that the defender was having an affair with his team mate and friend Wayne Bridges’s wife. Capello felt it was best for the squad that he not lead them as captain.

Source: The Guardian

Warnock, who was appointed in March 2010 and won 33 of his 84 matches while in charge, has guided the West London club back to the Premier League for the first time in 15 years last season.

QPR owner, Malaysian Tony Fernandes commented in a club statement that the board felt it was the right time to make a serious change as recent poor form has seen the team slip down the table. Fernandes continued to say that “Neil Warnock has acted with honesty, professionalism and integrity throughout his time at the club and I would personally like to thank him for his significant contribution to Queens Park Rangers over the last 22 months.”

Philip Beard, Chief executive, told Sky Sports television that staying in the Premier League was key to the club’s ambitions and that they would move as quickly as possible to appoint a new manager.

In total, QPR have only won four of their 20 League matches with only one victory at Loftus Road, when they beat Chelsea 1-0 in October.

QPR said assistant manager Mick Jones and first team coach Keith Curle had left with Warnock.

Source: Supersport

This is particularly upsetting for Mancini who has lost players Yaya and Kolo Touré who will be reporting to the Africa Cup of Nations tomorrow, when the Ivory Coast reneged on an agreement previously made with the club to delay the brothers’ preparations by 24 hours. With Mario Balotelli having been ruled out with an ankle injury, Gareth Barry suspended and Edin Dzeko receiving treatment for a knee problem, the richest club in the world are struggling to fill their substitutes’ bench for the FA Cup.

As a result Mancini is looking for at least one new signing, needing three, but he has since been informed that the club will not be providing the necessary money to do so due to reported losses of £200 million in the last financial year. At first, Mancini believed that the club would be willing to sign new players if others were sold but unfortunately that is not the case.

Mancini has commented that ”For Sunday, we have 17 players and I don’t think we will fill the bench. In January – and I said this two months ago – we could have a big problem.” At the moment, Man City have only one striker, Sergio Agüero – if the club manage to sell Carlos Tevez – and two midfielders, James Milner and Nigel de Jong.

Mancini’s complaints about depleted resources are unlikely to find any sympathy at United, where Sir Alex Ferguson was missing 15 players through injury or illness at one stage in the Christmas period.

Source: The Guardian

BBC trio Martin Brundle, David Coulthard and Eddie Jordan didn’t hold back in their criticism of the McLaren car during their season review for the public broadcaster.

“I watched the [McLaren] out on track a week ago and it’s a mess,” Brundle said.

“It didn’t slow down. It didn’t turn in. It couldn’t get the power down. Lewis [Hamilton] looked absolutely at sea in the thing. Clearly they have a fundamental issue.”

Coulthard added: “If your car doesn’t run quick straight out of the blocks then it is a problem. By the time you sort it out everyone will have brought their second and third upgrades along.”

McLaren’s decision to use a different designer every year came under attack from former team boss Jordan.

“I have a real problem with McLaren over this whole concept,” Jordan said.

“Where is the thought process? Where is the evolution? Adrian Newey [Red Bull's chief technical officer] doesn’t do things like that. No major, winning team currently uses that system. I don’t get it.

“Both of the drivers are very unhappy. It probably needs a whole new car at this early stage.

“McLaren have done this now too often. This was all very fine in David’s era when there was a test team, test drivers, a whole support act behind you.

“That is why McLaren and Ferrari were always strong. I’m sorry, that is no longer possible and they are suffering as a result.”

Source: planetf1.com

Pic: zimbio.com

The penalty and 32nd-minute dismissal of Liverpool’s captain enabled United to cruise through to a fourth-round away game with League Two (third division) Southampton and spoil the comeback of Dalglish, who replaced Roy Hodgson on Saturday.

Holders Chelsea progressed with a 7-0 thrashing of Ipswich Town at Stamford Bridge and will visit Everton, while Tottenham Hotspur beat League One (third division) Charlton Athletic 3-0 and Manchester City were held 2-2 at Leicester City.

The match at Old Trafford was already the stand-out tie of the third round but the return of Dalglish added extra spice.

However, all the hopes pinned by Liverpool fans on “King Kenny” lasted about 30 seconds as recalled centre back Daniel Agger tripped Dimitar Berbatov and Giggs rammed home the penalty.

The 9 000 travelling fans continued to give noisy support and helped produce a terrific atmosphere but they were silenced again when Gerrard was shown a straight red card for a studs-up challenge on fellow England midfielder Michael Carrick.

Johnny Evans smacked a header against a post just before halftime, Javier Hernandez nodded inches wide just after and both men went close during a mad scramble on the hour as United searched for the second.

The 11-times winners could not find it but Liverpool were unable to muster any threat.

“I think the most important thing for us was that we got a great deal of effort and commitment,” Dalglish told reporters.

“They had enthusiasm and endeavour for the cause, which was helped and matched by the supporters who came along here. If we get everyone pulling in the one direction we are going to have a good chance of improving things.

“The two decisions are important factors in the game, added Dalglish, who said he disagreed with both.

“But it’s fantastic to be back.”

United boss Alex Ferguson told MUTV: “It was a sensible performance. We didn’t do anything stupid and against the 10 men we worked the ball about and came through easily enough.”

Carlo Ancelotti, another manager under pressure, will have been delighted to have seen his struggling Chelsea side notch their biggest Cup win for more than a century against managerless Ipswich, who sacked Roy Keane last week.

Two goals in two minutes just after the half-hour by Salomon Kalou and Daniel Sturridge, with a neat backheel, got things moving and a Carlos Edwards own goal made it 3-0 at halftime.

Nicolas Anelka, a second for Sturridge then another two in two minutes for Frank Lampard completed the thrashing.

Spurs went ahead against Charlton four minutes into the second half through 19-year-old debutant Andros Townsend.

Jermain Defoe then cut through the visiting defence twice in three minutes to earn a fourth-round trip to Fulham.

Leicester shocked City by taking a first-minute lead through debutant centre back Sol Bamba. James Milner levelled after 23 minutes and Carlos Tevez closed out a rip-roaring first half by flicking in City’s second.

Leicester deservedly equalised after 64 minutes when Andy King cashed in on a blunder by Joe Hart.

The winners will travel to League One Notts County, who knocked out Premier League Sunderland on Saturday.

Source + Pic: supersport.co.za

But London rivals Fulham and Tottenham – managed by Harry Redknapp, who masterminded Portsmouth’s FA Cup triumph in 2008 – will have to replay after a goalless draw at Craven Cottage.

French forward Piquionne scored twice in three second-half minutes for Portsmouth, forcing the ball home from close range and then, in the 70th minute, after being played in by Jamie O’Hara, beating Joe Hart when one-on-one with the goalkeeper to the delight of the Fratton Park faithful.

“You can break many things but you cannot break our spirit,” said Portsmouth manager Avram Grant.

“The spirit of the players and fans was high. Other people maybe thought we would break but nobody can break our spirit.

Portsmouth, bottom of English football’s top flight and facing the prospect of all but certain relegation, are currently in administration and their estimated debts of £76 million could yet see the club go out of business. “There are some moments in your life you always remember and this is one of them,” said Grant.

“This club deserves more than anyone to be at Wembley because the players and fans are victims of things done by others. I will say it again and again until someone listens.”

Birmingham, on a day when world football governing body Fifa again ruled out goal-line technology, thought they’d scored through Liam Ridgewell’s close-range header with 10 minutes left.

Replays showed the ball had crossed the line but the officials did not let the ‘goal’ stand and Portsmouth were on their way to Wembley for the semifinals.

Asked if City had scored, Portsmouth and England goalkeeper David James replied: “Not as far as I am aware.

“Maybe we can debate that on the way home but we won 2-0 as far as the score goes and I think we deserved it,” he added.

However, City manager Alex McLeish said: “I just don’t know how it could have been disallowed. It was not as though it was a close call. The whole of the ball was over the line.

“For an hour I thought we were the better side, our build-up was composed and we looked in control,” he added.

“But we did not make enough chances up front and when we did, we did not take them.”

Sunday’s last eight ties see Premier League title-chasers Chelsea up against Stoke whilst second-tier Reading, the lowest ranked club left in the FA Cup, are at home to League Cup finalists Aston Villa.

Source + Pic: supersport.co.za

England striker Defoe missed a host of good chances but still managed to come up trumps for the Premier League side with strikes in the 37th and 73rd minutes before putting the result beyond all doubt in the fourth minute of stoppage time to take his tally for the season to 22 goals.

Luciano Becchio had equalised for Leeds on the stroke of half-time as Simon Grayson’s League One side threatened to pull off another shock in front of a partisan home crowd.

But Defoe secured a trip for Tottenham to top-flight rivals Bolton in the last 16 and kill-off the Cup dreams of Leeds, who had knocked Manchester United at Old Trafford out of the competition in stunning style in the previous round.

Redknapp made three changes from the side held to a draw by Birmingham last weekend, recalling Jermaine Jenas, Sebastien Bassong and Niko Kranjcar to his starting line-up.

Ledley King was rested and both Wilson Palacios and Luka Modric dropped to the bench.

This was a game Redknapp was desperate to win, given it represented his side’s last realistic chance to win some silverware this season.

They arrived at Elland Road in confident mood as well, having lost just one of their last 10 games in all competitions.

Yet his starting line-up proved just how much Redknapp respected Leeds, despite their being 42 league places separating the two clubs.

He knew to his cost from the first tie at White Hart Lane, which ended in a 2-2 draw, just what Grayson’s men were capable of.

But it was Tottenham who dominated the first half and they would have been home and hosed before the interval had it not been for some woeful finishing from Defoe.

He could have had a hat-trick but continued to let Leeds off the hook.

Defoe pounced on a weak back header from Andrew Hughes in the first minute but fluffed his shot badly.

He then pounced on a clever chest down from Peter Crouch only to see his instant strike fly inches wide.

Worse was to follow from Defoe, who found himself clean through on goal thanks to Jermaine Jenas’s hopeful pass in the 24th minute but with just Casper Ankergren to beat he was unable to get the better of the Danish goalkeeper.

Leeds’ luck ran out in the 37th minute when Defoe latched onto David Bentley’s cross and turned sharply, only for his shot to slice luckily beyond Ankergren and into the top corner.

But Leeds, whose resilience was a feature of their Cup run, hauled themselves level when Heurelho Gomes could only palm Jermaine Beckford’s instant volley straight into the path of Becchio, who shot into an open goal.

Redknapp’s men continued to pile the pressure on Leeds, however, with Defoe blazing just over the crossbar and Crouch wasting Niko Kranjcar’s cross when it seemed easier to score.

Ankergren was also in fine form and produced another stunning save to tip over Michael Dawson’s glancing header just before the hour mark before doing the same to a powerful drive from the impressive Bentley as Leeds hung on.

But he was powerless to prevent Bentley’s cross from finding Defoe in the 73rd minute and this time the forward made no mistake before adding a third in stoppage time.

Source + Pic: supersport.co.za

Manchester United, humbled by League One Leeds, and Liverpool, shocked by Reading, both perished in the third round and Arsene Wenger’s much-changed side were condemned to an equally chastening defeat at the Britannia Stadium.

After claiming that Arsenal remain vulnerable to physical opponents, Fuller underlined his pre-match jibe by heading the hosts into the lead after 70 seconds.

The Gunners defence, including debutant Sol Campbell, failed to deal with Rory Delap’s trademark long-throw and Fuller nipped in front of hesitant goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski to head home from close-range.

Wenger’s team drew level in the 42nd minute when Denilson’s shot trickled past Thomas Sorensen after deflecting off two Stoke defenders.

But Fuller, who had scored twice against Arsenal last season, proved a thorn in their side yet again in the 78th minute.

Mamady Sidibe crossed from the right and Jamaican international Fuller escaped Campbell’s attentions to head past Fabianski.

Dean Whitehead ensured Arsenal would suffer their first defeat in 10 matches when he turned in Matthew Etherington’s cross with four minutes to play.

Wenger insisted he had no regrets about his team selection as Arsenal have so many key league games coming soon. “I wanted to win this game and I don’t regret the team I picked, I did not have much choice,” he said.

“If you look at our schedule it’s simply that you cannot always play with the same eleven.

“If you rotate and you don’t win it’s your fault. I can only stand up and say that’s the team that I picked.” In the day’s other game, Manchester City eased into the last 16 with a 4-2 win over Championship strugglers Scunthorpe at Glanford Park.

City’s under-strength side took the lead in the third minute when Bulgaria midfielder Martin Petrov smashed a blistering strike past Joe Murphy.

The underdogs hit back in the 29th minute when Paul Hayes took advantage of a debatable offside decision to volley home.

Nedem Onouha restored City’s lead in first half stoppage time with a low strike after Stephen Ireland’s delicate chipped pass opened up the Scunthorpe defence.

Brazilian defender Sylvinho seemed to have put City in complete control when he launched a fabulous long-range effort past Murphy in the 57th minute.

Scunthorpe refused to go quietly and City’s young defender Dedryck Boyata gave them hope in the 69th minute when he deflected Cliff Byrne’s shot into his own net.

Any hopes of a replay were extinguished in the 84th minute when Robinho ran onto Petrov’s pass and shot into the roof of the net to mark what could be the unsettled Brazilian’s final appearance for City.

Source + Pic: supersport.co.za

Guus Hiddinck

Blues interim boss Hiddink resumes his role as Russia coach on a full-time basis in June but he will always be fondly remembered at Stamford Bridge after leading Chelsea to their first trophy for two years.

Everton had made the perfect start when Louis Saha struck after just 25 seconds to claim the fastest goal in FA Cup final history.

But Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba headed Chelsea level midway through the first half before Lampard’s long-range effort sealed his club’s fifth FA Cup success and ensured Hiddink would leave on a high.

It was also a memorable day for Chelsea defender Ashley Cole, who became the first player for more than 100 years to earn five FA Cup winners’ medals.

For Drogba it meant a welcome high after having been lambasted following his outburst when Chelsea were knocked out of the Champions League by Barcelona.

“I am really delighted,” gasped Drogba.

“It took a lot of effort. We needed to win a trophy this season. We just had to believe in our expectations. Guus Hiddink has transformed us.”

Lampard said that his trbute when he scored was for his mother, who died last year.

“We showed a lot of character and dominated the match after half time,” said Lampard.

“The winning goal tribute was how my father (Frank senior) celebrated when he scored a rare goal. My mother would have appreciated it.”

While Chelsea celebrated their first silverware of the post-Jose Mourinho era, Everton were left with the nagging sense of an opportunity missed.

It is over 20 years since Everton were last a major force in English football but this season has offered renewed hope that a club often forced to play second fiddle to local rivals Liverpool can finally emerge from the shadows.

Even so, Toffees boss David Moyes knew they needed a victory in a major showpiece to confirm their return as an elite side.

Moyes’s decision to start with Saha instead of midfielder Jack Rodwell underlined his determination to take the game to Chelsea and he was rewarded for his boldness after only 25 seconds.

When Steven Pienaar lofted a cross into the penalty area, John Obi Mikel could only loop a header towards Marouane Fellaini. The Belgian flicked back across to Saha and his superb volley flashed past Petr Cech at his near post.

In the blink of an eye, Saha, who missed out on playing in four FA Cup finals over the last ten years, had scored the final’s quickest ever goal, beating the previous record of 30 seconds set by Aston Villa’s Bob Chatt in 1895.

Chelsea had been caught cold. It was as if they had been distracted after waking to accusations from former player Claude Makelele about Blues captain John Terry’s role in Mourinho’s departure.

Whatever part Terry played in Mourinho’s exit, Chelsea had rarely been the same until Hiddink arrived in February to breathe new life into a stagnating squad.

Displaying the resilience which is the hallmark of all Hiddink’s teams, Chelsea muscled their way into the match. And once again it was Drogba, their most powerful presence, who was Chelsea’s man for the big occasion.

Florent Malouda was causing no end of problems for Everton down the left wing and, in the 21st minute, Tony Hibbert granted the winger space to whip over a cross that Drogba, out-jumping Joleon Lescott, headed past Tony Howard for his fifth goal in five FA and League Cup finals.

That was the signal for Everton to retreat into their shell.

With Lampard and Michael Essien dominating midfield, Chelsea took control.

They should have reached half time in front but Cole blazed over after his incisive run exposed Hibbert again.

Moyes responded by hauling off Hibbert at the interval, with Lars Jacobsen sent on for the right-back.

Despite the sweltering heat, both teams tried to play at a high tempo and Moyes’s men began to rediscover their rhythm.

Tim Cahill, the first Australian to play in two FA Cup finals, was pushed further forward and tested Cech with an ambitious effort.

Then Saha narrowly cleared the crossbar with a bullet header from Leighton Baines’s cross.

But Chelsea can never be counted out when Lampard is in the team. In the 72nd minute, the England midfielder cut inside Phil Neville to work space for a swerving shot that Howard could only help into the net.

Teams

Chelsea: 1-Petr Cech; 17-Jose Bosingwa, 26-John Terry (captain), 33-Alex, 3-Ashley Cole; 5-Michael Essien (13-Michael Ballack 62), 12-John Obi Mikel, 8-Frank Lampard; 15-Florent Malouda, 11-Didier Drogba, 39-Nicolas Anelka.

Everton: 24-Tim Howard; 2-Tony Hibbert (15-Lars Jacobsen 46), 4-Joseph Yobo, 5-Joleon Lescott, 3-Leighton Baines; 18-Phil Neville (captain), 17-Tim Cahill, 21-Leon Osman (32-Dan Gosling 84), 20-Steven Pienaar; 25-Marouane Fellaini, 9-Louis Saha (14-James Vaughan 78).

Source: supersport.co.za