Swansea boss Michael Laudrup has revealed he ignored overtures from several “big clubs” during the summer to stay at the Liberty Stadium. Press Association The Swans’ fine Barclays Premier League showing and Capital One Cup success last season served to enhance Laudrup’s reputation and spark speculation that he could be set to leave the club. However, the Dane insists he never considered walking away. Laudrup, currently in Holland with his squad for a pre-season training camp, told www.walesonline.co.uk: “Yes, there were clubs – a couple of big ones as well – who wanted me, but it never became anything more than that.” He added: “As I said and confirmed many times, I wanted to stay and I told players the same when they asked me before they extended their contracts. I don’t want to run away from that. “It’s normal after a season we which was good for everybody that there is a lot of interest and eyes on all of us, domestically and internationally. “But it never went further than that and I didn’t have to speak to anyone because I want to stay here.” read more

Roared on by a sell-out crowd, Glasgow scored a come-back bonus point 32-10 win after they had trailed 10-6 to Ulster at half-time. Glasgow were slow into things from the restart but following a wonderful individual try from full-back Stuart Hogg after 56 minutes, three more followed in a 12 minute period through Richie Vernon and a couple from Finn Russell, who converted all three. Ulster kicked off in bright sunshine but Ian Humphreys was deceived by the gusting wind and the ball failed to go 10 metres. Glasgow took the advantage to camp in the visitors’ 22 and went ahead in the fifth minute with a penalty from Russell. However it was the last time in the half that Ulster failed to harness the wind at their backs. With Glasgow put on the back foot they conceded half a dozen penalties between the 24th and 29th minutes, the last one seeing lock Jonny Gray dispatched to the sin bin. The Glasgow defence now cracked and Ulster’s pack drove over from a close-in line out with captain and flanker Chris Henry awarded the try, converted by Humphreys. It then became Ulster’s turn to foul fall of referee Ian Davies with four penalties awarded, the final one allowing Russell to claw back three points. However Glasgow then offended at the restart with Humphreys landing the penalty that stretched the visitor’s lead at the break to 10-6. Among a number of blood injuries Ulster lock Franco van der Merwe suffered a serious one, replaced in the 19th minute by Iain Henderson. By the restart the wind had fallen away and Glasgow were making little of things until Hogg stepped in with a wonder try in the 55th minute to give them the lead. A long pass from Russell found him just over half way. He accelerated to the Ulster 22, chipped perfectly, gathered and scored in the corner. Not to be out-done Russell produced his own try from the same category brushing off several Ulster tackles to score by the posts and then to convert. Now rocking Ulster had prop Andrew Warwick, playing his first game since January, sin-binned in the 64th minute. Six minutes later Russell made it a brace, side stepping over after huge Glasgow pressure and converting. Two minutes later Glasgow had the all-important bonus point when centre Vernon broke a tackle on the Ulster 22 to score with Russell adding the extras. With both sides having already qualified for the play-offs, the outcome means the two teams meet again in Glasgow With a powerful wind behind them Ulster had the better of the first half scoring a maul-over try through flanker Chris Henry, converted by stand-off Ian Humphreys, who added a penalty. Press Association read more

Spanish sports newspaper Marca claim Valencia and City has been reached an agreement for the transfer of Otamendi to the Blues outfit for a reported 45million euros – but the Premier League club are yet to comment The 27-year-old, who is also a reported target of City’s Manchester rivals United, is under contract with the Spanish club until June 2019 but intends to leave Valencia this summer. When asked about Otamendi’s exclusion from the squad for Wednesday’s match at the Mestalla stadium, Nuno told the Spanish press: “I understand and it’s logical that you want to ask me about Otamendi’s situation as he is in the news. “But I ask to respect this press conference as there is nothing more important that tomorrow’s game against Monaco. “For a few days now we have prepared for this game without the option of using Otamendi and tomorrow’s game is crucial for us. “We have confidence in those that are here. “Once everything is resolved, we will make decisions and the club will announce everything.” Otamendi joined Valencia last summer from FC Porto and scored six goals in 25 league appearances to help Los Che finish fourth in La Liga this past season. The highly-rated centre-back was also a member of the Argentina team that finished runners-up to Chile in the Copa America last month. Valencia are hoping to return to play in the Champions League group stages after a two-year absence. Valencia coach Nuno has dropped Nicolas Otamendi for Wednesday’s Champions League play-off first leg against Monaco amid reports the Argentinian defender is on the verge of joining Manchester City. Press Association read more

Bio Town report wins award – October 11, 2014 Fenceviewer Staff The avid bicyclist and owner of Acadia Realty Group rode 50 miles around Deer Isle and asked a few friends for donations to support the new center, which had just opened its doors.“We were so grateful,” said Executive Director Michael Reisman. “That got us talking about the following year.”This is placeholder textThis is placeholder textShelton’s initial $300 donation sparked a new annual tradition in which anyone in the community can participate. In the past decade, the Ride for Life has generated $120,000 to support the center’s services.Reisman said some 100 bicyclists participate each year, an effort that usually generates around $20,000.This year’s 10th annual ride, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 13, will be held on the Blue Hill Peninsula. Starting in Surry, riders of all ages and levels will start either an 8-mile, 20-mile, 50-mile or 100-mile course. As in past years, comfort stations offering water, fruit and other snacks will adorn each route.Participants as young as 8 years old participate in the 8-mile ride, which Reisman considers a “family event.” A cookout and entertainment will be held after the rides for participants and volunteers.“The event has continued to grow over the years,” Reisman said. “It all started with Steve.”In September 2004 — a month before the Beth Wright Center opened — Shelton had completed his own bike ride for the third straight year, initially as a way to honor an unrelated cause.It began three years prior on Sept. 11, 2001, when Shelton, who was president of Display Concepts in Trenton at the time, decided to skip work and enjoy the nice weather. He drove to Deer Isle and biked 28 miles around the island.“I was playing hooky,” he said. “It was just a beautiful day.”Shelton got back in his car around 9:30 a.m. and refrained from turning on the radio. Instead he played CDs on his way back to Ellsworth.“I was just listening to music, enjoying life,” Shelton said. “I had no idea.”He learned soon after that two planes had struck the World Trade Center in New York City that morning. The tragic news struck a chord with Shelton. He began thinking of a way to help.“It was such a beautiful day, but such a terrible day for them,” Shelton said. “So I started a fundraiser.”Shelton collaborated with others to organize yard sales in which proceeds would go to the fire departments who responded to the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers.Shelton’s efforts raised $15,000. He then headed to New York City to hand-deliver the check.“I went there to give all this money, and they wouldn’t let me,” Shelton said. “They wouldn’t let me anywhere near a fire station.”Shelton was referred to a Red Cross center, which he was told accepted donations.“I walked in and said, ‘We worked really hard to raise $15,000, and we want to give it to somebody,’” Shelton said. “They said, ‘Throw it over there.’”Without even a ‘thank you’ in response, the less than grateful reaction did not sit well with Shelton.“What do you mean, ‘Throw it over there?’” he thought. “’It’s $15,000!’”He recalled seeing boxes upon boxes of cash and checks — donations from others inspired by disaster to give back. Shelton never heard from the organization again, nor does he know how the money was used.“So I didn’t like fundraising for a big cause anymore,” he said. “But I continued to do the ride.”For the next two years, Shelton biked the same loop on Deer Isle to remember 9/11 victims. When the Beth Wright Center opened, he saw a new opportunity to make a difference.Shelton had lost his mother to lung cancer when she was just 56 years old. He also had friends who had lost loved ones to cancer.“I think it’s a great cause, and I’m glad people support it,” Shelton said. “Also, I know where the money is going.”The proceeds from the annual rides support the free programs offered by the center, which include monthly support groups, informative lectures, exercise and stress reduction classes, knitting and sewing gatherings as well as an extensive cancer resource library and connections to transportation, housing and financial assistance.Shelton has not participated in the ride in recent years, but he plans to this September in honor of the center’s 10th anniversary.“We’d like to honor Steve for starting the ride,” Reisman said. “Raising that kind of money for the center is pretty excellent.”To register or volunteer for the ride, call 664-0339 or go online to www.bethwrightrideforlife.kintera.org. Schoodic Grange hosting sale – October 30, 2014 Latest Posts Latest posts by Fenceviewer Staff (see all) Fitness trainer is now cancer-exercise expert – October 12, 2014 Owner of Acadia Realty Group, Steve Shelton, works at his desk inside his office on Main Street in Ellsworth. Shelton started the Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center’s Ride for Life 10 years ago, and he intends to participate in the ride coming up Saturday, September 13.ELLSWORTH — Ten years ago, Steve Shelton walked into the Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center and handed over a check for $300. read more

LONDON: Former Liverpool and Chelsea forward Daniel Sturridge has expressed his desire to return to the English Premier League.Sturridge, 30, has been without a club since March, when he ended his contract with Turkey’s Trabzonspor after being banned for four months by the English Football Association (FA) for breaching its betting rules. “We have options around the world, but I’m an English player and I’ve always loved playing in the Premier League,” Sturridge, who also had stints at Manchester City and West Bromwich Albion, told Sky Sports. “I believe I’ve got a lot to give to the Premier League and I would say that’s my first choice. I do feel I have unfinished business so I would like to go back and play there. I’m open to playing in other leagues… but to come back to England and give my best would be a huge option for me,” he said. Sturridge, who has laid his hands on the Premier League once and the Champions League twice, feels his experience with top clubs will help him for the next chapter of his career. “I’d like to think I’m one of the better options for the teams. I’m a free agent and I’ve played for a lot of top clubs around the world. I’m just ready to help a team be successful and to be a big part of their plans,” he said. IANS Also Watch: #Newsmakers: Sizal Agarwal, 112 Rank Holder, UPSC 2019 with Oineetom Ojah read more

IN the second weekend of the Youth Basketball Guyana (YBG) National Schools Basketball Festival (NSBF), blowouts were the order of the day in the three matches played. The first game featured Marian Academy taking on St Stanislaus College in a U-14 matchup, with Marian being the clear favourites from the outset.Packed with four national players, Marian Academy stormed their way to a 38-12 win. Jahleel Young and Jether Harris led the way with 9 points apiece and were supported by Joshua Brazao with 6. For St Stanislaus it was Nicholas Nemas with 4 points leading the way in a losing effort.The second game saw an U-19 matchup between Linden Technical Institute and JC Chandisingh with LTI dominating 51-26.For the LTI side it was Tahquille Johnson who led the way with 13 points. Akinn Wilson and Daniel Lee offered support with 10 and 9 apiece. For JC it was Osafo Profitt who was the lone fighter with 12 points.The final game of the day proved to be a good game with Plaisance Secondary not backing down to the oversized Georgetown Technical Institute (GTI), who were the eventual winners 53-41. For the East Coast side, coaching decisions proved to be the ultimate letdown.For GTI national guard Nathan Saul led the way with 21 points with Malcolm Dondol turning in 9 points for help. On the Plaisance side, Terrence Daniels, despite being injured, hit 3 three-pointers on his way to 15 points.The grit of Plaisance kept them in the game up to the 4th minute mark in the 4th quarter. However, Saul would not be denied as he led his team home while throwing down two dunks in the process.The tournament continues today at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall from 16:00hrs and is sponsored by Banks DIH, Beharry Group of Companies and Digicel. read more

Associated Press Watford players Andre Gray, Nathaniel Chalobah and Domingos Quina were left out of the squad for the team’s Premier League game against Southampton on Sunday.A post on the club’s Twitter account said all three players were omitted by manager Nigel Pearson “to ensure the health and safety of all players, staff and officials at today’s game”.A newspaper report claimed striker Gray had hosted a party at his house for around 20 people on Friday.___More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports June 28, 2020 The Latest: Italy’s women’s ski team reports 3 positives The federation says that one of the coaches has been hospitalized with a mild fever. The others have no symptoms but are being quarantined.The federation did not name those who tested positive.While other sections of the national team will continue training, the World Cup team will return home.Italy’s team features reigning overall World Cup champion Federica Brignone, whose mother recovered after being hospitalized with the virus, and Olympic downhill gold medalist Sofia Goggia.___ Share This StoryFacebookTwitteremailPrintLinkedinRedditThe Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___The Italian Winter Sports federation says that three members of the women’s ski team — two coaches and one athlete — have tested positive for the coronavirus while training on the Stelvio glacier. read more

Women’s volleyball libero Taylor Whittingham was named Pac-12 Conference Defensive Player of the Week for her play during Oct. 12-18, as announced by the conference on Monday.Her play on defense helped the No. 1 Women of Troy notch their 20th win of the season and stay undefeated, as Whittingham and the team defeated two ranked Pac-12 opponents over the weekend in Arizona and Arizona State.The 5-foot-8-inch junior was everywhere on the court for the No. 1-ranked Women of Troy over the weekend, posting back-to-back season highs and collecting 53 digs in eight total sets to lead USC (20-0) to wins over No. 10 Arizona State and No. 14 Arizona.This honor marks the      second-career Pac-12 weekly honor for the Rancho Santa Margarita, California native and the second defensive accolade for USC this season. Whittingham joins seniors Samantha Bricio and Alicia Ogoms as USC’s weekly award winners this year.An AVCA All-American honorable mention just a year ago, Whittingham currently leads the Pac-12 with 4.90 digs per set and has logged 338 digs on the season. Against the Sun Devils, Whittingham recorded a then-season high of 26 digs and seven assists from the libero spot. Two days later, she tallied a new season-high of 27 digs against the Wildcats. The two matches saw Whittingham produce her fourth and fifth matches this season over the 20-dig mark, accounting for an impressive 6.62 digs per set, while only recording one reception error all weekend. She also produced a 35 percent dig-to-kill ratio                                                (9-of-26) against the Sun Devils and was 14-of-20 (70 percent) pass-to-kill in USC’s match against Arizona. For her career, Whittingham is now just 49 digs away from reaching 1,000 digs.Thanks to the junior’s outstanding defense, USC nabbed all 64 first place votes in this week’s AVCA Division I Coaches Poll and remains at No. 1 for the third straight week. USC is a perfect 20-0 on the season (8-0 Pac-12) and joins Kansas as the two lone undefeated teams in the nation.The Women of Troy will now gear up for a trip to the Pacific Northwest this weekend, facing off against Oregon State on Friday at 8 p.m. and then              No. 25-ranked Oregon on Sunday at 1 p.m. Both matches will be broadcast live on the Pac-12 networks. read more

Facebook Twitter Google+ Syracuse’s summer only lasted two months, partly because Claire Webb wanted the team to get a “jumpstart” on the season.   Some players, like Webb, usually return to SU around July, but never as early as in 2019. And never with this many teammates. Returning early isn’t required or pressured, Webb said, but last season’s shortcomings — like a 1-5 record in the Atlantic Coast Conference — inspired urgency.  Webb and other seniors led captains’ practices, team building exercises, and “culture meetings” in early July, more than a month before their official preseason began. As a freshman, Webb went through those pre-preseason drills along with about half the team. As a senior, she led nearly the whole roster.  “It wasn’t really even a question for most people whether or not they wanted to come back for the summer,” Webb said. AdvertisementThis is placeholder textIn her first three seasons at SU, Webb appeared in every game, even playing with a facemask after suffering a broken nose in 2016. Her reliability and calming presence in the back led head coach Ange Bradley to once call her “Steady Eddie” and a “workhorse.”  But now, Webb has missed all four of the Orange’s games in 2019, due to a hand injury. As Syracuse (3-1) looks to recover from missing the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2007, the preseason All-ACC back will be the designated “one voice” who speaks in huddles and in chaotic moments once she returns.  “I’m usually pretty steady,” Webb said. “I’m never really super high or super low … It’s kind of something I’ve always had. It’s kind of my personality.”  Karleigh Merritt-Henry | Digital Design EditorWebb remembers watching the upperclassmen’s leadership tactics intently as a freshman. One of her biggest goals for the summer practice sessions in 2019 was to help integrate the incoming freshmen into the program, like they had done for her.  “She really gives it her all, and that’s something that I’ve been trying to work on,” freshman back Olivia Graham said. “That every play, every little practice scrimmage, every shot, is something that you need to put your full effort into, so when it comes down to game time, it’s easy.”  Though Webb has remained calm, she said she’s changed dramatically in other since freshman year, becoming more direct and comfortable in confrontation. Before this season, Webb was appointed to the “leadership group” along with junior Carolin Hoffmann, junior Claire Cooke, sophomore Laura Graziosi and senior Stephanie Harris. In their first season without three-time All-American back Roos Weers, Webb has described herself as the “calming, driving force” that Syracuse needs.  When Webb’s on the field, she’s adept at distributing the ball from the back and maintaining possession, said Harris. “She’s always low, she’s always stuck to the ball,” Harris said.  But through the first four games of 2019, an injury to her left hand suffered in the preseason has limited Webb to just being a voice from the sidelines. For the first time in her college career, Webb can’t steady her team in tense late-game situations or defend penalty corners. In Syracuse’s home opener against Lafayette, a 3-2 double overtime win, Webb stood for the whole game, right behind Bradley, shouting out instructions and encouragement to the backline. When Hoffmann exited the game with a green card, Webb handed her a water bottle.  “It’s definitely a different role than I’m used to, but it’s something that I’m embracing,” Webb said. “I try to lead off the field as much as on the field.”  Amy Nakamura | Co-Digital EditorThe Orange read “Wolfpack” — written by former US soccer forward Abby Wambach — over the summer. Bradley said the book focused on the value of leading no matter your position or role.  Syracuse can’t afford to have the Exton, Pennsylvania native leading from the bench for much longer. The Orange’s defense allowed two penalty corner goals in a 2-1 loss to Cornell, who won just one Ivy League game in 2018. Syracuse’s defense has relied on Harris, as well as underclassmen SJ Quigley and Graham. After the loss to Cornell, the team stretched silently in a circle, as Webb consoled some of her teammates quietly. In four games without Webb this year, its defense has allowed 1.67 goals per game, a decrease from last year’s 2.19 goals-against average. With Webb back in the fold, that number could drop even more. She injured her hand during preseason, and said she hopes to be back in mid-September. Webb and many within the team point toward inexperience as one of the main reasons why the Orange underachieved last year. Now, with about seven underclassmen in the starting lineup, SU could still use a jolt of experience — that “one voice” — as it heads toward conference play on Sept. 20.   “I think she just leads by example, honestly,” Harris said. “She’ll just do it, and people follow her.” Comments Published on September 10, 2019 at 10:05 pm Contact Danny: dremerma@syr.edu | @DannyEmerman read more

Tipperary’s senior football challenge game, due to be played this evening in Dr Morris Park against UCD will not go ahead.It’s due to the weather conditions, with Tipp under a status yellow wind, ice and snow warning.The Premier open their league campaign against Cork on Saturday the 27th of January, where Staying in Division 2 is the priority of the Tipp senior footballers this year. They were promoted from Division 3 last season – despite having a shaky start to the competition.Tipp selector Paul Fitzgerald says they want to keep moving up the ladder. read more