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      in Soccer

      South America faces international fixture backlog of 21 games in just 10 months with risk of club vs country rows

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      THE action is taking place all over Europe, but there are no World Cup qualifiers taking place in South America at the moment.A suspension was forced by the coronavirus pandemic, which is especially severe in Brazil.
      International football has been suspended in South America because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemicCredit: AFP
      Chile and Bolivia managed to meet on Friday, and later today (Monday) there is a game between Ecuador and Bolivia – the first friendlies involving South American national teams since November 2019.
      There has been very little international football on this side of the Atlantic. But all that is about to change.
      Last year just four rounds of the marathon World Cup qualification campaign were completed. There is a lot to catch up on – and there is a Copa America scheduled for the middle of the year, at the same time as the Euros.
      At the moment, then, the calendar looks something like this. The next double header of World Cup qualifiers are set for early June, followed by the Copa America, split between Argentina and Colombia.
      Then there are more pairs of World Cup qualifiers in September, October and November, and then in January and March of next year.
      And somewhere in all that, there is the need to cram in the two rounds of qualifiers – including Brazil vs Argentina, – that should have been played at the moment.
      This will not be easy. In Europe some teams are able to cram three games into the Fifa date period. Distances are so vast in South America that this is a logistical headache.
      But working on the assumption that a way will be found to catch up with the fixture backlog, this points to a clear conclusion; there may have been very little international football in South America over the sixteen months, but there is plenty to come.
      South American countries like Uruguay and Brazil face a backlog of fixtures to catch-up on missed World Cup qualifying gamesCredit: Getty
      Inbetween the World Cup qualifiers, the likes of Sergio Aguero and Lionel Messi will be competing for the Copa AmericaCredit: AFP
      Between the start of June and the end of next March, there is a maximum (for the semi finalists of the Copa America) of 21 international games to be played – effectively half the number of a club season.
      That is an extraordinary amount, one which will surely give rise to howls of protest from the European clubs, where most of the big name South Americans make their living.
      The clubs will probably be putting pressure on their players to give the Copa America a miss – especially since the first phase is a huge trial of everyone’s patience.
      The invited teams, Australia and Qatar, have been forced to pull out. So there are ten sides divided into two groups of five, and a grand total of one team per group ends up eliminated.
      There are plenty of potential problems, then, even assuming that the fixtures can be completed. But that, too, may end up being an overly optimistic point of view.
      Australia have already pulled out of the this year’s Copa America due to the coronavirus pandemicCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      The pandemic is currently at its worst moment in Brazil, with over 3000 deaths per day. There are hopes that mass vaccination will help bring the situation under control, but this is likely to take some months.
      The rest of the continent fears infection, and as it stands both Peru and Colombia bar the entry of people and planes from Brazil.
      The administrators of South American football may well have to use all of their improvisational skills to make sure the continent can get through its fixture calendar and finish its World Cup qualification process in time for Qatar.
      Ex-Brazil star Adriano is living the good life as he hangs out with friends in his luxury £10k-a-month hotel room More

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      in Soccer

      The tragic story of ex-PSG star Jean-Pierre Adams, who has been in a coma for 39 years after a failed knee surgery

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      IT was meant to be a routine surgery.A minor knee operation, that would’ve left ex-footballer Jean-Pierre Adams out of action for a few months.
      Former French defender Jean-Pierre Adams underwent knee surgery in 1982, but after an anaesthetist’s error he slipped into a coma before the operationCredit: Getty
      However, a near lethal dose of anaesthetic before the procedure left the former French international in a coma.
      Some 39 years later, the defender is still in a long vegetative state – but will not be given up on by his long-suffering wife, Bernadette.
      THE BLACK ROCK
      Born in Dakar, Senegal in 1948, Adams moved to France aged ten and began his professional football career with Nimes in the 1970s.
      Before that he was hardened in the world of the non-league game, juggling a job working for a local rubber manufacturer, until scouts decided he was worth gambling on.
      Within a few seasons, Adams was a first team regular in the Gard helping his side challenge for the league title.
      Between 1972-73, the Crocodiles finished second in the First Division and reached the Coupe de France semi-finals – in what was a golden era for the club.
      Adams, christened ‘The Black Rock’, earned his first France call-up in 1972 and was sold to OGC Nice ahead of the 1973-74 season.
      The 5ft 10 in centre half would spend four years on the Cote d’Azur and play 144 games for the team.
      Nicknamed ‘The Black Rock’ Adams made his international debut for France in 1972Credit: AFP
      Adams in action in a friendly match against Portugal in 1975Credit: Getty
      DREAM PARTNERSHHIP
      During his career, Adams would earn 22 caps for Les Bleus.
      He was regularly paired with French legend Marius Tresor between 1972-76.
      France’s Romanian manager at the time Stefan Kovacs nicknamed the partnership ‘The Black Guard’, after an impressive display shutting out a strong Poland side.
      However, despite their defensive prowess this French side wasn’t as good going forward.
      It was a period of disenchantment for the national team, who failed to qualify for the European Championships in 1976.
      That year saw Adams’ last appearance for his country – in a friendly against Denmark.
      Adams lines up alongside France legend Marius Tresor, who he formed ‘The Black Guard’ withCredit: Getty
      From 1972-76 Adams played 22 games for his countryCredit: Getty
      A BIG CONTRACT
      At 29, Adams signed his last big contract in football with PSG.
      In two years in the French capital, he appeared 42 times, scoring twice, and cemented his name as one of the most important players in the club’s first decade of existence.
      The plaudits about his ability come from international team-mates, including iconic midfielder Henri Michel.
      Michel described Adams as a ‘force of nature, very strong, full of good will and determination’ to Paris United.
      After a brief spell at Division 2 side Mulhouse, he would end his career with amateurs FC Chalon at 33 playing with Polish striker Josef Klose, the father of German legend Miroslav.
      OPERATION HORROR
      Following a ligament rupture injury, Adams checked into the Édouard Herriot Hospital in Lyon in 1982.
      He was booked in for a routine surgery and expected to leave hospital in the following days.
      PSG fans fondly remember Jean-Pierre Adams during his time with the clubCredit: AFP
      However, it all went tragically wrong when an anaesthetist made a near-fatal error and gave Adams the wrong dose ahead of the op.
      The healthy athlete suffered a bronchospasm, which starved his brain of oxygen.
      Adams fell into a coma that he’s still in today, aged 73.
      In the 1990s, a court ruled that both the anaesthetist and trainee were given one-month suspended sentences, as well as a hefty fine.
      A WIFE’S VIGIL
      Loyal wife Bernadette Adams has remained by her husband’s bedside, caring for his needs.
      Bernadette Adams, pictured with Marius Tresor, hasn’t given up hope for her husbandCredit: Twitter
      Jean-Pierre is unable to communicate and express emotion, but he can still breathe, feel, eat and cough without the aid of medical equipment and lives at home near Nimes.
      “People on Facebook say he should be unplugged… But he is not plugged! I just don’t have the courage to stop giving him food and water,” Bernadette revealed.
      “He has a normal routine. He wakes up at 7, eats… He may be in a vegetative state, but he can hear and sit in a wheelchair.”
      EUTHANASIA
      The suggestion of putting her husband’s suffering to an end is not one Bernadette entertains.
      She is against euthanasia and refuses to give up on Jean-Pierre.
      Tresor admitted he doesn’t have the courage to visit his former team-mate and friendCredit: AFP

      But her stance isn’t one that former defensive partner Tresor agrees with. According to Paris United, Tresor hasn’t found the courage to visit his former team-mate since the awful incident.
      He said: “Even if Jean-Pierre woke up, he would not recognise anybody. So is it worth living like this?
      “If a similar thing happened to me, I told my wife not to keep me here.”
      Moise Kean shows off his super skill with training at PSG More

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      in Boxing

      Boxing star Dillian Whyte was shot twice, stabbed three times, and became a dad at 13 – but still achieved his dream

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      DILLIAN Whyte is gunning for rematch redemption when he fights Alexander Povetkin this Saturday in Gibraltar.The Bodysnatcher was stunned by the veteran Russian when he was knocked out in the fifth round of their first scrap in August.
      Dillian Whyte’s road to the glory has been anything but smoothCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Now he has his chance of revenge in what really is a career-defining bout on the ‘rock in the sea’.
      The plush surroundings are a long way from how far he has come.
      ‘The Body Snatcher’, as he is frighteningly nicknamed, grew up in the concrete jungle of Brixton as a self-confessed thug, where he had to use his fists to get himself out of bother.
      But that didn’t always work when guns and knives were brought to the fight.
      As a street kid, the 31-year-old British heavyweight boxer was shot twice and stabbed three times on the mean streets of South London, as gangs ran rife.
      And as soon as he became a teenager, Whyte’s life changed dramatically when he became a father for the first time.
      However, that hasn’t stopped the 6ft 4in brawler from succeeding in life – who recently saw his name cleared of any doping charges as he still targets a world championship title fight.
      Whyte was born in Jamaica in poverty, and his mum left the family home in Portland when he was just a toddler to find a job in London.

      The Body Snatcher Whyte was shot twice and stabbed three times before making it in the ringCredit: Action Images – Reuters
      Whyte’s mum left the boxer when he was two-years-old in Jamaica and moved to LondonCredit: Instagram

      “Man when I was growing up in Jamaica we suffered, suffered, suffered,” he told BBC Sport last year.
      “Some days we couldn’t eat, we’d go to bed hungry. She left me with people who didn’t take very good care of me.
      “They were taking the money my mum was sending and was telling me she wasn’t sending anything.”
      By the age of 12, Whyte and his brother Dean joined his mother in Brixton. But soon he was wayward, corrupted by the cruel, impoverished surroundings he was growing up in.
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      When Whyte was 12 he moved to Brixton to rejoin his mum
      He was stabbed three times, once sewing himself back together instead of heading to his local A&E at King’s College Hospital in Camberwell.
      Whyte was also shot twice after getting caught in a gang war in Clapham, and painfully had to remove a bullet from his leg because he didn’t want to bother his hard-working mum.
      “I took the bullet out and hid out,” Whyte told The Telegraph.
      “It was out of respect for my mum. I didn’t ever want to bring police to her house.
      “Doesn’t matter what I did or how bad I was, I showed respect for her. If I was ever injured, I couldn’t go to the hospital in case they alerted my mum, so I did what I had to do.”
      TIME INSIDE CHANGED EVERYTHING
      At school and growing up on an estate, Whyte was often asked to take on bullies, who he gladly put on their backsides in exchange for change and sandwiches.
      “I’ve always been a fighter,” Whyte told the Daily Mirror. “I’ve never had a choice. Growing up I had to fight to survive.
      “Kids used to pay me to fight bullies for them, I swear. At schools and around my estate. The bullies were older and bigger than me.
      “Sometimes they gave me food, it could be sandwiches or it could be money. I think £2 was the most I got and £2 was a lot back then. You could buy a hell of a lot of sweets for £2 back then.”
      A threat of spending life behind bars changed Whyte foreverCredit: Dave Pinegar – The Sun
      In his late teens, Whyte found himself in prison in Bristol awaiting trial and facing up to 20 years behind bars.
      An emotional visit from his mum and sister opened his eyes, and he hated seeing them upset.
      “My older brother died and she was saying she didn’t want to lose another son,’ Whyte told the Daily Mail.
      “As bad as I was, I never wanted to disappoint my mum.
      “When she came to the prison in Bristol, she said, ‘Son, we’ve been through so much in life’. I looked at my mum’s face and the tears rolling down her cheeks and I felt bad and I felt ashamed.”
      It made Whyte change his ways for the better.
      Whyte began life as a kickboxer training at Miguel’s GymCredit: PA:Press Association
      Whyte also competed in the MMA, flooring his only opponent Will Riva
      Whyte needed something to channel his anger and aggression growing up, and he found it in the discipline of boxing.
      It’s fair to say that Miguel’s Gym provided him with the platform to build another life for himself.
      “I didn’t do too well at school, to be honest, but boxing saved me and changed my life,” Whyte once said.
      “And it was going well, because I knew it was my best chance in life.”
      But originally, Whyte tried his hand at professional kickboxing. And he was a success too.
      He was a two-time British heavyweight kickboxing champion, claiming the BIKMA Super Heavyweight British Championship title, and was also a one-time European K1 champion.
      He ended his K1 career with an impressive record of 20 wins and just one loss, before turning to MMA.
      In 2008, he fought at the Ultimate Challenge MMA – defeating Mark Stroud with a hugely destructive left hook only 12 seconds into the first round.
      DADDY DAYCARE
      When he was just 13-years-old, Whyte became a father for the first time. He has since had two more children.
      But it was becoming a teenage dad that meant he had to grow up quick.
      “I was a dad at 13-years-old so I have been looking after kids and I had to rush my mental state, growing up a lot faster,” he told 1 News.

      “When you become a dad it changes everything, where most kids were running around I’m working two jobs and doing other things to get money to feed my children.

      “I’m trying to win these fights so my kids have a good life and make sure they don’t have to struggle the way I struggled.”
      At the age of 13 Whyte became a father for the first time. He has since had two more children

      In 2009, Dillian began a career in boxing at amateur level.
      And for his first fight, at the age of 20, he couldn’t have fought anyone tougher.
      Whyte squared off against future heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua, and in truth he battered him.
      Joshua was floored in one round, with his opponent on the front foot throughout their three-round fight. In the end, Whyte was the victor by unanimous decision.
      In another contest, he left another amateur opponent in a coma after knocking him out – thus earning his vicious ‘The Body Snatcher’ moniker.
      But Whyte’s amateur career was short-lived after a dispute with the ABA regarding his kickboxing background, and he was forced to turn pro in 2011.
      As an amateur, Whyte famously defeated Anthony Joshua
      Whyte, posing with Tyson Fury, also one put an opponent in a coma after knocking him out in a amateur fightCredit: Instagram
      In 2012, Whyte failed a drug test after his victory over Hungary’s Sandor Balogh.
      He tested positive for the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine (MHA), which he claimed he mistakingly took with a nutritional supplement called Jack3D, and was handed a two-year ban.
      Whyte appealed a year later, but the ban was upheld even though a tribunal accepted he didn’t knowingly take MHA.
      Despite a drugs ban in 2012, Whyte has got his career back on trackCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      “The supplement was described on the container as ‘an ultra-intense muscle supplement, giving strength, energy, power and endurance’,” Charles Flint QC, the chairman of the appeal tribunal, said in 2013.
      “It was plainly intended to be a performance-enhancing supplement which an athlete should only take after having taken great care to ensure that it does not contain a prohibited substance.
      “The athlete took no steps to make any proper enquiries of his manager or coach, any person with medical or anti-doping expertise, or the sports authorities, as to whether the supplement was safe to take.”
      Although that set him back, Whyte is now stronger than ever.
      From life experience alone, he’s certainly worth it.
      Dillian Whyte says he’s going for the knockout and isn’t considering a loss against Alexander Povetkin More

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      in Motorsport

      Bernie Ecclestone’s family tree, from baby son Ace’s half-sister Deborah, 66, to former F1 boss’ seven grandchildren

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      LAST summer, Bernie Ecclestone became a father for the fourth time at the grand old age of 89.The ex-Formula 1 boss and his third wife Fabiana, 45, welcomed baby Ace into their extravagant world in July 2020.
      Bernie Ecclestone became a father in 2020 at the age of 89Credit: Getty – Contributor
      The new arrival makes for a remarkable family tree – starting with Bernie at the top, his children and then his grandchildren.
      SunSport breaks it down for you, in full.
      BERNIE ECCLESTONE, 90
      The patriarch of the family, Bernie was born in Suffolk in 1930.
      Worth £2.5billion, Ecclestone had been associated with F1 since the 1950s – during the 1958 season he entered two Grand Prix races, but failed to qualify for either.
      In 1972 he became a team-owner, acquiring Brabham, which he ran for 15 years.
      Two years later, Ecclestone formed the Formula One Constructors Association, emerging as chief executive in 1978.
      In 2017, Bernie was removed from his position after the Formula One Group was taken over by Liberty Media.
      Not bad for the son of a fisherman, who left Dartford West Central Secondary School at 16 and first worked as an assistant in a chemical laboratory testing gas purity.
      Ecclestone shares a thought with Lewis HamiltonCredit: AP:Associated Press
      Niki Lauda, right, drove for Ecclestone’s Brabham racing teamCredit: Getty – Contributor
      IVY BAMFORD, FIRST WIVE
      Not much is known about Bernie’s early years, when he ran motorcycle shops and car dealerships.
      His first wife, a local girl called Ivy, was believed to be two years older than the businessman when they married in 1952.
      They welcomed daughter Deborah three years later, but the marriage fell to pieces and they drifted apart.
      It’s unknown if Ivy, who would be 91 today, is alive.
      SLAVICA RADIC, WIFE NO2
      Bernie married the 6ft 2in former Armani model Slavica in 1985, three years after they met at a promotional event at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza.
      Despite the height difference (Slavica stands a foot taller than Bernie), a language barrier, and an age gap of 28 years they remained married for 23 years.
      In 2009, she topped the Sunday Times’ Rich List in the “richest divorcees” category – getting a reported £740million settlement.
      They have two daughters, Tamara and Petra.
      Wife No2 Slavica Radic stands 6ft 2in tallCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Radic, the mother of Petra and Tamara Ecclestone, was a former Armani modelCredit: Getty Images
      In a divorce settlement Radic received a reported £740million payoutCredit: GC Images – Getty
      FABIANA FLOSI, WIFE NO3
      Not much is known about the 45-year-old Brazilian.
      But Bernie met Fabiana in 2009 at the World Motor Sport Council, marrying three years later in a private ceremony at their £23million Swiss chalet in Gstaad.
      She helps run his coffee plantation in Brazil, where their brand Celebrity Coffee is produced.
      In 2016, her mum Aparecida Schunk was kidnapped and a ransom of £28million was demanded.
      Nine days later, she was found safe.
      Last week, they welcomed their first son together, baby Ace.
      Bernie Ecclestone met Fabiana in 2009Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      45-year-old Fabiana hails from BrazilCredit: fabianaecclestone/Instagram
      Fabiana helps Bernie run his coffee plantation in South AmericaCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      DEBORAH, ELDEST DAUGHTER, 66
      Deborah has preferred to stay out of the limelight, despite her famous family connection.
      The only child from Bernie’s first marriage, she is said to have followed her dad into business.
      It is believed she has two children of her own.
      However, their names and ages are unknown.
      TAMARA, 37
      Bernie’s first child with Slavica, Tamara has dabbled with modelling, presenting and reality TV.
      For the 2009 F1 season, she presented motorsport coverage for Sky Sports Italia.
      In 2011 she starred in Tamara Ecclestone: Billion $$$ Girl on Channel 5 and then in ITVBe’s Tamara’s World in 2017.
      In-between, the brunette beauty appeared nude in Playboy magazine.
      Brunette beauty Tamara once appeared in Playboy magazineCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Bernie and Tamara share a tight bond
      Tamara Ecclestone lives with her family in a £70m West London homeCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      She has one daughter, Sophia, 6, from her seven year marriage to Jay Rutland.
      They live in a lavish £70million mansion, a stones throwaway from Kensington Palace.PETRA, 32
      Arguably the more famous of Bernie’s socialite daughters with Slavica, Petra is now based in Los Angeles.
      At 19, she launched menswear label FORM, which was sold in Harrods.

      Her personal life was splashed across the front pages after an acrimonious £5.5 billion divorce row with ex-husband James Stunt, who she split with in 2017.
      She was granted sole custody of their three children, Lavinia, 7, and twins James and Andrew, both 5.
      And last May, Petra gave birth to a baby girl with fiancé Sam Palmer, but has remained tight-lipped on her name, which gives Bernie seven grandchildren ALL younger than his latest child.
      Petra Ecclestone is now based in Los AngelesCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Petra had an acrimonious divorce from James Stunt in 2017Credit: twitter/Petra Stunt
      Petra has four children, giving Bernie seven grandchildren in totalCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      I want to be a dad again at 90 and I don’t need Viagra, says ex-F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone More

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      in Soccer

      Liverpool wonderkid Mateusz Musialowski, 17, is mesmerising Polish winger who scored 133 goals at youth level

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      LAST week, 12 academy players got the opportunity to train with Liverpool’s first team in front of Jurgen Klopp.One of those talents was the supremely gifted Polish youth star Mateusz Musialowski, 17, who has been turning heads since arriving on our shores.
      Lightning-quick Mateusz Musialowski, 17, is flying in Liverpool’s youth side since joining last yearCredit: Getty
      A winger who can play across the front three, Musialowski is lightning-quick and has dribbling skills he’s honed by watching countless clips of Lionel Messi running with the ball.
      Both were evidenced with an exceptional goal he recently scored against Newcastle in the U18 Premier League North.
      Newcastle’s defenders were unable to live with Musialowski, as he jinked past four players and hit an unstoppable shot in the corner.
      But he could’ve been turning out for Arsenal’s youth teams, after trialling with the Gunners.
      GUNNERS PIPPED
      Back in August, Liverpool moved fast to secure Musialowski’s signature.
      He had earned a glowing reputation in his homeland, where he starred at UKS SMS Lodz.
      In 88 matches the forward scored a staggering 133 goals, and Europe’s top clubs took note.
      Arsenal were the first British club to declare an interest, and they invited him to Hale End.
      However, their academy coaches were reportedly unsure whether to sign Musialowski, which opened up the door for Liverpool to swoop.
      Liverpool pipped Arsenal to secure Musialowski’s signatureCredit: Getty
      Musialowski arrived in Kirkby back in OctoberCredit: Instagram @mateuszmusialowski
      In Poland Musialowski scored 133 goals in 88 games at youth levelCredit: Instagram @mateuszmusialowski
      FLYING START
      Musialowski hasn’t wasted any time in settling in at Kirkby.
      Already, the flying wideman has seven goals to his name in 16 matches, the pick of the bunch was that mazy run followed by an emphatic finish against the Toon.
      There was an uncanny resemblance to the hero he wants to emulate about that strike.
      “I just ran with the ball,” Musialowski told Liverpool’s official website.
      “When I see the space, I just go for it. I have seen a lot of Lionel Messi goals like that, so I try to be like him and I want to repeat it!”
      Earlier this week, Musialowski followed his wonder goal up with two against Sutton United in a 6-0 rout in the FA Youth Cup.
      Recently, Musialowski scored twice in a FA Youth Cup win over Sutton UnitedCredit: Getty
      INTERNATIONAL BREAK
      With plenty of Liverpool stars away on international duty, some of the Reds promising youngsters have been drafted in to training sessions with the rest of the first team.
      But this isn’t a case of just making up the numbers. There’s a meticulous plan to including Musialowski and eleven others into drills with the likes of Fabinho and Alisson Becker, who reported to the AXA Training Centre after the Brazil World Cup qualifiers were postponed.
      Other first-teamers involved Naby Keita, James Milner, Nat Phillips and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ben Davies, Curtis Jones, Adrian, Rhys Williams and Neco Williams.
      “We use the time to give a proper impulse to our Academy process,” assistant manager Pep Lijnders said.
      “The best clubs in world football have something in common: a one-club mentality. Being split, you have nothing. That’s why it is so important for this club to be together.”
      Lijnders continued: “Everyone knows we believe in bringing and utilising the power of the youth. Jurgen and myself, we care so much about our talent, the inside pathway.
      Musialowski has seven goals this season in 16 youth gamesCredit: Getty
      This week, Musialowski was included in first team training sessionsCredit: Getty

      “It’s a special situation for such a club to create this week, so many talents together with Millie, Fabinho, Ox, Naby and Shaq.
      “Talent needs models, they need examples much more than criticism. It’s great to see when talent and experience come together.
      “The carrot is mightier than the stick, they say. They need to see our high values, our humbleness at the training ground.”
      Liverpool plan transfer raid on Sheff Utd for Sander Berge to replace Wijnaldum but face competition from Aston Villa More

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      in Soccer

      Real Madrid’s biggest transfer flops, as Eden Hazard continues to struggle including Kaka, Jovic and Woodgate

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      REAL MADRID are never shy when it comes to spending big.It seems every summer the LaLiga giants make a marquee signing, adding someone who’s normally thought of as one of the world’s best to a squad packed full of internationals.
      Eden Hazard has proven to be a Real Madrid since moving from ChelseaCredit: Reuters
      But, with the pressure of succeeding at one of the most successful clubs in the game and justifying a hefty price tag, sometimes failure follows.
      These blockbuster additions have (as of now in one case) failed to set the Bernabeu alight.
      They are the biggest transfer flops in Real Madrid’s illustrious history…
      EDEN HAZARD
      IT might seem unfair to say it – but it’s now almost two summers since Eden Hazard move to Los Blancos from Chelsea in a deal reportedly worth around £130million.
      Any settling-in period the world class Belgium playmaker may have needed, has surely since passed?
      Hazard’s biggest problem has been his fitness – with complaints about his weight.
      He’s also had plenty of niggling injuries, as well as battled Covid-19.
      But still, the 30-year-old should’ve managed more than four goals in 36 appearances in his time at the club so far.
      Will things get better? It’s hard to imagine they can get any worse.
      Hazard has had injury problems during his time in MadridCredit: Getty
      LUKA JOVIC
      AFTER starring for Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga and in the Europa League, many were convinced Jovic was the next football superstar.
      The Serbian striker had power and pace, as well as an eye for goal that saw Real pay £54m for his services.
      Something went wrong somewhere though for the 23-year-old.
      With Karim Benzema enjoying a renaissance, as well as favouritism from manager Zinedine Zidane, Jovic found his opportunities in the first team limited.
      And when he did play, that ruthless nature he did have in front of goal seemed to have left him, as well as his confidence.
      After two goals in 32 games, he was loaned back to Frankfurt in January. He’s not quite hit the heights he did previously in Germany.
      Luka Jovic cost Real Madrid £54million, but failed to deliver goalsCredit: Getty – Contributor
      KAKA
      IF ever there was a footballer that belonged on the stage at the Bernabeu, it was Kaka – as graceful a player the world has ever seen.
      For some reason, though, that elegance left him as soon as the former Ballon d’Or winner joined Real from AC Milan for a record-breaking £56m in 2009.
      In truth, the brilliant Brazilian was hindered by injuries. In 2010, he had surgery on a serious knee injury.
      With his mobility affected, the dynamic playmaker didn’t have as much of an influence as he did when he played in Serie A.
      Kaka left after four seasons, scoring 29 goals and providing 32 assists in 120 games across all competitions.
      Kaka didn’t hit the heights he set at AC Milan at the BernabeuCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      DANILO
      IN 2015, Real Madrid added Brazilian full-back Danilo to their ranks.
      The fee they paid Porto for the right-back was a staggering £31million, and they believed he would be the ‘next Dani Alves’.
      He rarely played in his first campaign, and bizarrely EVERY game he did ended in a defeat.
      In his second he scored two comical own goals, including one that saw Real eliminated from the Copa del Rey against Celta Vigo.
      Amazingly, despite his poor showings the club managed to get £26.5million back when they sold him to Manchester City… he flopped there too.
      Danilo was touted as the ‘next Dani Alves’ when Real Madrid splashed £31m on the BrazilianCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      ANTONIO CASSANO
      THE Spanish press were never kind to Italian star Cassano.
      They christened him ‘Gordito’, which translates as ‘little fat one’. And although it’s meant affectionately, the former Roma legend wasn’t well liked in Madrid.
      He was picked on for putting on weight, and there was an extraordinary claim he gained 14 kilos in seven months eating Nutella direct from the jar.
      And when boss Fabio Capello arrived at the club, the £22m signing fell out with his fellow countryman and was duly suspended.
      In two seasons, he played just 29 times and scored four goals.
      Like Hazard, Antonio Cassano was criticised for being overweightCredit: EPA
      JONATHAN WOODGATE
      THE English defender regularly features in polls for worst ever Real Madrid signing.
      And it just got off to the worst possible start for the former Leeds United player.
      Signed for £13m from Newcastle in 2004, Woodgate was on the sidelines for his entire first season.
      He finally made his debut a year later against Athletic Bilbao, and it couldn’t have been worse.
      Aside from a comical own goal, Woodgate was then sent off for two bookable offences.
      In 2006, Woodgate returned to England on loan at Middlesbrough. That deal was made permanent a year later.
      Jonathan Woodgate had the worst debut of a Real Madrid new signing, scoring an own goal and getting sent offCredit: Reuters

      WESLEY SNEIJDER
      ANOTHER huge talent, Sneijder would have a big hand in helping his country reach a World Cup final in 2010 later in his career.
      But, before that, there were his lost years in Madrid from 2004-2006.
      A £27m signing from Ajax, Sneijder was one of three Dutchman who joined the club that summer, along with Royston Drenthe and Arjen Robben.
      However, he didn’t pose as much swagger as he did in his early years at Ajax.
      After a disappointing second season, Sneijder was sold to Inter Milan, where he would win the Champions League.
      Wesley Sneijder was a world beater everywhere but Real MadridCredit: Action Images
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      Chelsea star Reece and Man Utd’s Lauren James become first brother and sister to play for England and are ‘living dream’

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      IN the case of the James clan, it’s very much about keeping it in the family.Last year, Reece and Lauren James made history when they became the first brother and sister to play for England.
      Reece and Lauren James have become professional footballers with the help of dad NigelCredit: Instagram / @rjames
      Lauren James followed in her brother’s footsteps when she was selected for EnglandCredit: Getty
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      It’s astounding that two talented footballers of the men’s and women’s game are even playing professionally, not to mention pulling on a Three Lions shirt and representing their country.
      But the London-born pair are living the dream. Part of their success is due to their incredible father, Nigel.
      A motorbike accident halted his promising career, after spells at Luton Town and Southampton.
      Nigel found his true calling through mentoring youngsters and later set up Nigel James Elite Coaching programme.
      It’s testament to him, his son and his daughter would eventually become pros.
      PARKLIFE
      Reece, 21, and Lauren, 19, grew up in London with football an ongoing backdrop in their lives.
      As well as a father with footballing aspirations, their elder brother Joshua was on the books of Fulham and Reading. Their mother Emma worked admirably for the NHS.
      If the three siblings weren’t kicking a ball against a wall, they would be down the park honing their skills.
      Often, their dad who would pass on his knowledge and put the three through training drills and exercises.
      Lauren and Reece have always shared a tight bond together
      The siblings grew up in London with football as their backdrop
      Dad Nigel coached Reece, Lauren and their brother Joshua in the local park
      “We grew up as a three,” Reece of Chelsea proudly told the Blues official website.
      “Obviously, Josh learned from my dad and then it just passed its way down. I started playing because my brother played, and my sister played because I played.
      “We all used to play every day together at the park and over time we all gradually got better. There was a field behind my house, with two pitches, and every day I’d be playing football, either in the field or in the street.”
      Lauren, a striker for Manchester United, echoes the sentiment that the beautiful game dominated their lives.
      “All I ever knew was football, football and football,” she told The Telegraph.
      “My brothers got me into football. Whether it was when Josh was at Fulham or when Reece was at the Chelsea academy, I was there kicking the ball against the fence.
      “I’ve always had a football and it has just taken me to where I am now.”
      PATHWAY TO SUCCESS
      Reece was an early bloomer when it came to his footballing talent.
      By the age of six he joined Chelsea’s impressive development academy, where he progressed through the ranks.
      James joined Chelsea’s youth set-up aged six
      James progressed through Chelsea’s youth teams and won a FA Youth CupCredit: Getty – Contributor
      However, it took him some time to find his best position. He started off as a striker, moved into midfield and then had to learn the art of defending.
      Once he cemented the right-back as his own, there was no stopping him. In the 2017-18 season, he appeared for England at U18, U19 and U20 level.
      A loan at Wigan Athletic the following campaign saw Reece named as their Player of the Year.
      Once he made his debut against Grimsby in the EFL Cup in 2019, scoring one and assisting two, he could no longer be ignored for a first team spot.
      Lauren might be slightly younger than Reece, but her achievements are just as impressive.
      At 13 she joined Arsenal, and because of her experience with playing with her brothers was encouraged to train with the boys’ team.
      Two years later, the prolific forward made her first team debut for the Gunners women’s team – beating Reece to the punch there.
      She created history in the process becoming the youngest player in Arsenal’s history male or female to make their bow for the club.
      In 2017, she moved to the newly reformed Manchester United women’s team to take on a new challenge in a city she never knew.
      In 2017, Lauren James joined Manchester United’s newly formed women’s teamCredit: Getty
      Since joining the Red Devils, James has thrived scoring 27 goals in 54 gamesCredit: Getty
      But that didn’t deter the brave teen, who scored 14 goals in 18 league games as the Red Devils won promotion from the Championship at the first time of asking to the Women’s Super League.
      BATTLING RACISM TOGETHER
      As is a sad indictment of our times, both Reece and Lauren have been targeted with online racist abuse.
      They are united in their efforts to encourage social media companies to do more with their platforms in stopping racism.
      “When we both get messages like that, we turn to each other and discuss it,” Reece said.
      “I think everyone agrees and knows that what’s happening with social media and racism is wrong. Everyone says they want to change, but not many things are changing.”
      MUTUAL RESPECT
      Although they share a competitive nature on the pitch, Reece and Lauren only have a mutual respect for each other’s achievements.
      But Lauren knew she had to emulate her brother by following his footsteps into the England squad.
      “We are not usually competitive,” she revealed.
      “When he got his senior England call-up, it was like, “Right, he got his, I’ve got to get mine now. That’s probably the only time and I laugh about it now.”
      Reece earned his first cap against Wales last October, while a month later Lauren received a senior national team call-up as part of a 29-player training camp at St George’s Park.
      Despite their careers mirroring one another, Reece is adamant they can’t be compared.
      Reece James has become a regular in the England squad since his first call-up last OctoberCredit: Marc Aspland – The Times
      His sister Lauren James celebrated an England call-up last NovemberCredit: Getty

      “I wouldn’t say there’s competition,” he said.
      “You know, she is my sister. Our games are the same, our professions are the same, but it’s still different. I play men’s football when she plays women’s football, you can’t compare them.”
      No. But you can applaud their success. They are, after all, living the dream.
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      Under-fire Newcastle boss Steve Bruce wrote three crime thriller books that became cult classics worth £200 on eBay

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      UNCOMPROMISING centre half, Manchester United legend and hard-nosed manager are normally phrases used to best describe Steve Bruce.But the under-fire Newcastle United manager is also a canny and prolific writer, penning three crime thriller books published between 1999 and 2000.
      In 1999, Newcastle United boss Steve Bruce flirted with the idea of becoming a writerCredit: PA:Press Association
      Bruce was managing Huddersfield Town, when he wrote the epic trilogy Striker! Sweeper! and Defender!
      The books, which Bruce himself called “A laughing stock”, are semi-autobiographical – the lead character is called Steve Barnes.
      And the plots and the literature itself may be laughable too.
      However, somehow they’ve become cult classics that have fetched up to £200 on eBay and Amazon, if you can find the rarities that is.
      The first novel, originally costing £12, was the 127-page Striker!
      Written in the first person, it puts you straight into the action of Barnes, manager of the fictitious Leddersford Town – a small, historic club aiming for Premier League promotion.
      Manchester United legend Bruce made the decision after hanging up his boots in 1998Credit: Getty Images – Getty

      It opens with Barnes finding young Irish striker Pat Duffy stabbed to death in the dressing room.
      The front cover depicts this scene beautifully, except for the fact that Duffy looks like a giant super-imposed on a football pitch.
      Suspected of murder, Barnes has to clear his name – so he inexplicably decides to launch his own investigation, somehow while juggling a football career.
      He’s faced with Irish mobsters, and also becomes a target for a sniper in the stands while managing his side in a top-of-the-table clash against Fulham in the book’s finale, neatly wrapped in four pages.
      Steve Bruce’s first novel was Striker!, written 20 years ago
      Weirdly, Bruce loves mentioning facts about Barnes’ car all the way through the story, even when he’s on a discreet follow.
      “I drive a Jaguar XJ8, 3.2, the sports version,” he writes.
      “It’s a very nice motor; 3.2 litre AJ-V8 all alloy engine. Classic colour interior theme, fluted leather seats, contrast colour keyed facia, figured walnut veneer.
      “As good a motor as you can hope to drive.
      “But not a car you’d choose when trying to follow a Ford saloon in a discreet manner…my registration, license and all other statutory details are fully up to date.”
      In the same year, Bruce also published Sweeper!Credit: Paragon Press Publishing
      Later, he writes: “I locked the car with central locking. The XJ8 has a full security system with ultrasonic intrusion sensing, radio frequency remote control, and engine immobiliser.
      “All necessary: this is a desirable motor.”
      The thriller has become an unlikely classic on Amazon.
      One tongue-in-cheek reviewer wrote: “This is a book so bad it is good, dare I say great. It’s bursting out its bindings with moral truths.”
      Another said: “That Bruce has spent so much of his life on the football pitch and not behind his typewriter should be a tragedy for literature.”
      The follow-up was Sweeper! – a tale that takes us through a web of intrigue featuring Yugoslavian warlords, lesbian prostitutes, Nazi-hunting spies and more.
      Defender! was published by Steve Bruce in March 2000
      Again, the murder plot centres around Leddersford Town, who must be the unluckiest club in the football world.
      One Amazon reviewer wrote of Sweeper!: “One cannot do justice to how effective and gripping Bruce’s writing style is.
      “He is truly a modern day Arthur Conan Doyle. Wow!”
      Their beloved groundsman, Sam Milton is murdered, so Barnes (again) takes it upon himself to solve the crime.
      More bizarre set plays follow, including a moment where Barnes is kidnapped by British Secret Service agents who ask him to go undercover.
      He refuses, saying that his country never wanted him and that he didn’t get international caps so he wouldn’t be suitable for the role.
      Of course, Bruce himself is one of the most decorated players to never get an England cap.
      Bruce’s books were all semi-autobiographicalCredit: PA:Press Association
      Despite a career littered with honours, Bruce never won a cap for EnglandCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Proving Barnes has still got it, he manages to take out a villain with a trusted slide tackle in Sweeper!
      The last book of the trilogy was Defender! again featuring Steve Barnes.
      Its only review on Amazon states: “Does for the English language what the Luftwaffe did to Coventry.”
      Derry-born writer Seamas O’Reilly, a self-confessed Bruce literary expert, heralded the series of books.
      He published a review of Striker! in 2015, and by the end of the year a copy was listed on eBay for £200.
      “I loved it. There was just so much mad stuff,” he told the BBC about reading Striker!
      “The book is filled with kidnappings, betrayal and suspense.
      “Near the finish, a sniper shoots a football out from under the foot of Steve Barnes as he’s standing in the technical area at the end of a game.”
      The trilogy of rare books have been known to fetch up to £200 on eBay and AmazonCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      In 1999, Bruce published three murder/mystery novelsCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Seamas called Sweeper! the “Magnus opus” but Defender! was “disappointing” and “incident-free.”
      “There are so many strange decisions made in the writing of these books, such as the way the world is constructed,” he continued.
      “So, for instance, there’s fake names that stand in for real places, like Leddersford for Huddersfield and Mulcaster for Manchester.
      “But, he also talks about Manchester United and mentions Alex Ferguson.
      “It’s like reading a Batman comic where he takes a train from Gotham to New York.”

      But Bruce has admitted he won’t be returning to writing anytime soonCredit: Reuters
      By the way @DFletcherSport cant keep it going any longer…. the old man did write the books 📚 great sleeping tablet!!!— Alex Bruce (@AlexBruce84) October 22, 2016

      Bruce actually called the novels “A laughing stock” and is concentrating on management nowCredit: Getty – Contributor
      At first, Bruce’s son Alex denied that his father had written them.
      However, he made a dramatic confession on Twitter later to BT Sport commentator Darren Fletcher.
      And back in 2016, when managing Aston Villa, Bruce revealed the books were absolutely genuine.
      “Have you read them?” he replied when asked by Sky Sports if there were anymore in the pipeline.
      “Go and read them and you’ll understand why.”
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