Manchester United defender and veteran footballer Rio Ferdinand has been left out of the 2012 England Euro squad. According to England’s new manager Roy Hodgson, Ferdinand was omitted from the squad for ‘footballing reasons’ and nothing else.

Ferdinand’s absence was revealed when Hodgson made the official 23-man team announcement on Wednesday that includes Ferdinand’s teammates Wayne Rooney, Ashley Young and Danny Welbeck.

However, Chelsea captain John Terry was selected for the team despite facing alleged racist charges against QPR player Anton Ferdinand who happens to be Rio’s brother. Terry, who denies the charges, will be facing them in court in July.

Hodgson said that: ”I selected John Terry for footballing reasons and I left out Rio Ferdinand for footballing reasons. I’ve spoken to both of them of course. I had to do that. In the last couple of days I’ve spoken to both of them and explained to them why I’ve come to the decision.”

Although Hodgson acknowledges that some people will be raising their eyebrows at the selection that was made between Ferdinand and Terry he stands firmly by it and will have to live with it no matter what the outcomes.

See below for the 2012 England Euro squad:

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Man City), Rob Green (West Ham), John Ruddy (Norwich)

Defenders: Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Phil Jones (Man United), John Terry (Chelsea), Joleon Lescott (Man City), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Leighton Baines (Everton)

Midfielders: Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Stewart Downing (Liverpool), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Gareth Barry (Man City), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Scott Parker (Tottenham), Ashley Young (Man United), James Milner (Man City)

Forwards: Wayne Rooney (Man United), Danny Welbeck (Man United), Andy Carroll (Liverpool), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Standby: Jack Butland (Birmingham), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Adam Johnson (Manchester City), Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea).

Source: Daily Mail; Super Sport

35 year-old Malaga Dutch striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy has retired from professional football on Monday, that ends a great career that includes playing for Championship winning teams Manchester United and Real Madrid.

He played for five seasons with Manchester United, winning the English league twice and four seasons with Real Madrid that included two La Liga titles.

Van NistelRooy told the press at a conference that ”Yesterday I played my last match as a professional. I think the moment has come for me to stop playing football – I have reached my physical limit.’

He also added that “there could be no better way to say goodbye than this, in a euphoric moment for the club.” Van Nistelrooy is referring to the club’s achievement of winning a place in next year’s Champion’s League.

“I am proud to have won collective and individual titles, but my greatest satisfaction was to be able to work day after day, year after year.”

During his 20 year career, Van Nistelrooy was crowned top scorer in three countries – The Netherlands, England and Spain.

He moved to Malaga last year after a two-season stint with Hamburg.

Van Nistelrooy also said that ”I feel happy that I am the one taking this decision. I would like to thank Malaga, the technical and medical staff for an unforgettable year.

Source: Super Sport

If you won’t believe it until you see it, watch it in the video below:

Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba who has been showing signs of improvement since he suffered from cardiac arrest in March, will reportedly be fitted with a defibrillator and be allowed to return to training soon.

The heart device will be fitted to prevent future problems for the footballer with a view to return to the playing field. The 24-year old was resuscitated and rushed to hospital following a sudden cardiac arrest during an FA Cup tie at White Hart Lane.

During his recovery at the London Chest Hospital, Muamba began showing signs of improvement over time with Trotters boss Owen Coyle revealing last week that the midfielder is walking again.

The defibrillator will be inserted during a minor operational procedure in the hope that the device will offer him extra security should the troubles return especially crucial if he returns to the game full-time.

The surgery is said to involve the device being fitted underneath the skin, usually near the armpit, so as not to become obtrusive.

Muamba is set to return to his home in the north-west this week with Bolton having been told that he can resume training soon after.

Source: Goal.com

Chukuru was chosen from a shortlist of finalists including Ebee the bee, Zanzi the African wild dog and Katzi the Serval. In the list, Chukuru was described as the mascot that “will also raise global awareness about rhino poaching in South Africa.” It’s no surprise then, in light of recent events, that he was selected.

Chukuru made his debut on Wednesday in Newtown, Johannesburg, at the launch of the team’s new kit. The new green and yellow kit was modelled by athletes including swimmers Natalie du Toit and Cameron van der Burgh, track runner Oscar Pistorius, long jumper Kgotso Mokoena, football player Amanda Dlamini and wheelchair basketballer Marius Papenfus.

“It’s vitally important that our athletes feel not only comfortable and at home in their kit but also extremely proud and honoured whenever they wear it, be it in competition or out of competition,” says SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) CEO, Tubby Reddy. “The mere pride and feel-good factor of the wearing of the national kit should serve to up their performance by a few levels.”

But, it was just one of a dozen items designed for Team SA by Chinese manufacturing company Erke, including casual shirts, polo shirts, three-quarter pants, tracksuits, official takkies and rain gear for those drizzly London skies.

And here’s hoping they work, because Erke’s contract with the team extends to the 2016 Games.

And, while (Sascoc) president Gideon Sam conceded that when it came to fashion you can’t please everybody, he hoped the uniform would help the team “focus on what they’re there for – giving their all for their country and winning medals”.

Sam also said that “I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, our athletes are central to everything we do. Without them there would be nothing so it’s only obvious that we want them to love what they’ll be wearing.”

The 2012 London Olympic Games kicks off with the opening ceremony on the 27th July, followed by the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games on the 29th August.

Source: The South African

Barcelona manager Pep Guardialo has saluted his team, hailing them ‘awesome’  for securing a fifth successive UEFA Champion’s League semi-final.

The achievement came after Barcelona’s victory over AC Milan on Tuesday that saw a final score of 3-1.

After the victory Guardiola commented that “These players are awesome because they have shown the world the way they have to compete. We are so glad to be there and I am so happy to be their coach.”

Lionel Messi scored two goals from the penalty spot to become the youngest player to score more than 50 goals in Europe’s premier league competition. Messi now holds a prestigious record as he equalled former Milan striker Jose Altafini’s record of 14 goals in one season of European football’s top club competition.

Antonio Nocerino had given Milan hope of causing an upset when he put the team ahead on away goals with his leveller in the 32nd minute, but despite Barca not being at their flowing best they remain on course to defend the trophy they lifted at Wembley in May last year.

However, Guardiola admits that “I don’t think we are the favourites, Bayern Munich are there, Real Madrid are there.”

Guardiola also commented on now tough it is to remain consistent as a trophy winning club over time saying ”We have won two Champions Leagues in the last three years and we have reached the semi-finals five times in a row, so we have been very successful for this club.

“The most difficult thing in sport is to be consistent. You can win once or twice, but over many years to win the title is very tough.”

Barcelona will face the winners of Chelsea’s quarter final match against Benfica.

Source: Sky Sports

Ernie Els says he has only himself to blame after he failed to qualify for the first Major of the year.

For the first time in nearly two decades, the Big Easy will not be driving down Magnolia Lane when the Masters starts at Augusta on Thursday.

Els said on his website that “Obviously I’m disappointed to not be in this year’s Masters. Since I’ve been a professional at this level I’ve always played Augusta National and enjoyed it. To be honest, it’ll be quite a weird feeling not being there.”

After slipping out of the top 50 world rankings, Els needed to win the Shell Houston Open on the PGA tour last week in order to take the last spot in this year’s maiden Major championship. Earlier in the year, Els did mention that he would attempt to qualify for the Masters but a poor performance during the 2011 season has left him unqualified.

Els reveals that ”It’s not going to change my life. It’s just one of those things. I’ll be back there next year.”

While the Masters committee can send invitations to players that they would like to see at the tournament, including those that did not strictly qualify, Els was unfortunately not a recipient.

“It is an invitational event and they have their reasons to invite somebody or not,” says Els. “So, yes, it’s a little bit sad that an 18-year streak has come to an end, but I have only myself to blame.”

The World Golf Hall of Fame member came closest to winning at Augusta in 2004, when American Phil Mickelson bagged his maiden Major with a putt on the 72nd hole that just managed to trickle in to deny Els a play-off shot at the Green Jacket.

Since that loss, Els has not had a top-15 finish at the event.

“It’s only the first week of April,” says Els “and I have a long season ahead of me with lots of great tournaments to look forward to.”

Source: Supersport

If you have ever listened to defender Carragher in an interview, you’ll agree that the impersonation is spot-on.

Watch the interview in the video below:

Source: Sport24

A student who mocked Bolton Wanderers player Fabrice Muamba, on Twitter, when he collapsed during a FA Cup match from a cardiac arrest was jailed on Tuesday for inciting racial hatred on the social network.

21 year-old Swansea University undergraduate, Liam Stacey, provoked anger from other Twitter users who were offended by his insensitive comments at the time that Muamba lay on the field after his sudden collapse. Among them were fellow Premier League players and former soccer player Stan Collymore.

Police were then inundated with complaints and forwarded his posts by disgusted fellow users which started with ‘LOL [laugh out loud]. **** Muamba. He’s dead!!!’

Stacey was soon tracked down my police and arrested. Last week he admitted inciting racial hatred when he appeared at Swansea Magistrates’ Court and was jailed for 56 days at the same court.

Prosecutor Lisa Jones also described in court some of the other racist tweets Stacey directed at other Twitter users, some of whom were black men, who took issue with his original tweet about Muamba. Stacey branded people who criticised him on Twitter as “wogs” and told one to “go pick some cotton”.

The court also heard that at the time of his arrest, Stacey admitted that he had been drunk at the time of the incident having drunk eight pints of beer.

District Judge John Charles told him that “In my view there is no alternative to an immediate prison sentence.” Stacey broke down as he was taken away in handcuffs to a holding cell beneath the court.

Stacey could also be thrown off his biology degree course after his fellow students launched a campaign to have him kicked out, a petition which now has more than 200 signatures.

Muamba’s condition is improving and he is said to be walking around, watching television and eating.

Source: Daily Mail

McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton needed less than an hour of the first free practice session for the Malaysian Grand Prix on Friday to show that he will be the man to beat in this weekend’s race.

The 2008 world champion raced to the finish achieving the fastest time of the 90-minute session that took place just south of Kuala Lampur clocking one minute, 38.021 seconds to beat the rest of the contenders by more than half a second.

As Red Bull and Ferrari struggled for pace, Hamilton topped the time sheets again in a marginally slower time with McLaren and Mercedes primed to battle it out for pole.

Hamilton told reporters that “The car’s been quite good. Made some set-up changes which I’m much happier with and now just focusing on the long run pace. I didn’t get too many laps but its definitely working – it feels good at the moment.”

World champion, Sebastian Vettel for Red Bull Racing was second fastest with a time of 1:38.535, just ahead of the Mercedes pair Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher, who were separated by just 13 hundreths of a second.

However, Vettel complained over the team radio that his Red Bull “was all over the place” as he could only set the 10th fastest time, more than a second behind Hamilton.

The drivers used the opportunity from both sessions to gauge tyre degradation around the demanding Sepang circuit and with times slowing by around a second after 10 laps, pit stop strategy for Sunday’s race will be a key factor in determining the eventual winner.

Hamilton continued, “With this track obviously you’ve got two very long straights so overtaking is probably a little bit more possible than in the last race but still, starting from the front is a much better position to be in and so that’s what I’m going for.”

Source: Supersport