Talent Scout: Hiroshi Kiyotake

There are few commodities as sought after or as valuable as young talent in the modern game. The resulting scramble for potential and promise has since gone global in recent years, with clubs now pouring increasingly vast amounts of resources into developing regions, hoping to strike gold before their rivals.
Yet while extending their scouting networks and building soccer schools is giving clubs a foot hold in potential hotbeds such as America and Africa, the once maligned Asian market is now catching the eye, as more and more European outfits profit after testing the water.
The hunt is now on for the next Asian star, who could follow in the footsteps of Arsenal's Japanese High school starlet Ryo Miyaichi, Bolton's stylish South Korea winger Lee Chung-Young, and Dortmund's Bundesliga Champion Shinji Kagawa. Interested clubs need look no further than Hiroshi Kiyotake.
Kiyotake is 21-year-old attacking midfielder, and the current star of the J-League season, having replaced Kagawa in the Cerezo Osaka team following his move to Dortmund last summer. Technically excellent and with a consistently good first touch, Hiroshi has superb intelligence, not only in his awareness of space and runs into the box, but vitally, pass selection.
He's already earned three caps for the Japanese national team, and should have earned enough by next year to qualify outright for a United Kingdom work permit. At present, Kiyotake is also part of a strong batch of players at Under-22 level, regarded by many as a group who will finally wipe out the Asian football stereotype of poor technical level and questionable physique.
At 21, Kiyotake has done the majority of his physical development. He's five foot eight inches tall, and while isn't muscular or aggressive, his low centre of gravity, awareness of play, good pace and inspiring heart make him a good match in 50:50 battles and help get him out of difficult situations.
The only question marks come over Kiyotake's adaptability to play on the wing, which shouldn't be an issue, and his ruthlessness in front of goal. The Oita-born prospect has good accuracy in short and long range shooting, but lacks a little killer instinct when in the box.
He needs some some polishing, but this gem looks destined for Europe in the next 12 months.

Europe lose the plot to let Creamer inspire great American fightback

Rarely has a 4 - 3 scoreline to the underdog felt so anti-climactic. Despite holding the lead over the mighty Americans after the first day of the Solheim Cup, Alison Nicholas found herself in the unusual position of having to ensure her European team's spirits remained high last night.
In all truth, the home team should have built a commanding lead at Killeen Castle, Co Meath. The morning foursomes were tied 2-2, when Europe should have edged clear and for most of the afternoon fourballs the scoreboard was covered in blue. But the visitors rallied and showed the composure which has helped them win the last three Solheims.
With an hour of play left Europe were up in all four games; when the final putt dropped the US had only lost two of them. Nobody suffered in this US fightback as much as the great hope of British women's golf. Poor Melissa Reid. In the opening session, the 24-year-old and her countrywoman Karen Stupples were one-up with two to play against Paula Creamer and Brittany Lincicome – and lost. And in the afternoon this grim fate repeated herself as Reid and Laura Davies lost the last two holes to Creamer and Morgan Pressel.
In fairness, there was little the English pair could do in the latter case as Creamer and Pressel both holed long putts on the 17th and 18th respectively. Reid had the chance to gain the half on the final green, but her 12-footer agonisingly lipped out. The anguish on her face said it all. "From blue to oblivion," as Mickey Walker, the former Europe captain, put it.
Christina Kim gave the resurrection its vocal presence. "Come on!" bellowed the ultra-passionate American, punching her fist as she left the 16th green. Kim and the rookie Ryann O'Toole had been two-down with three to play against Sandra Gal and Scotland's Catriona Matthew. But Kim's birdie gave O'Toole the impetus to birdie the 17th and in the event Matthew and Gal were relieved to escape with the half.
As the darkness dropped, there was still one game left out on the course. And important it might prove. Suzann Pettersen, the world No 2, and her Swedish compatriot Anna Nordqvist battled hard to secure their two-hole victory. That ensured Europe would go into this morning's foursomes with the lead. That was crucial. Goodness knows how deflated they would have been if they could only boast parity.
Meanwhile, at the Austrian Open in Tulln, Tom Lewis's second day as a professional was far more enjoyable than his first. The 20-year-old from Welwyn Garden City, who shot to fame in July when his 65 set a new low mark for an amateur at the Open, put a mediocre 74 behind him to post a two-under par 70. At level par, Lewis comfortably made the cut and will set his sights on a big cheque in his quest to win the ?200,000 he needs by the end of the season to earn his Tour card. The lead is held by a group on seven-under, including the Englishman Robert Coles.
At the Tour Championship at East Lake, Atlanta, Australian Adam Scott birdied the last two holes for a second consecutive day to break one stroke clear of a tightly bunched leaderboard. Scott calmly rolled in putts from seven and 10 feet respectively at the 17th and the last to cap a sparkling five-under-par 65.
South Korean K J Choi was alone in second after a 65 while Australian Jason Day (67) and British world No 1 Luke Donald (68) were a further stroke back at six under. First-round leader Keegan Bradley hit a disappointing 71 while Justin Rose produced a 75.

Winter sun

Summer is almost over, but there are plenty of holiday options out there to brighten up the colder months of the year
Look at the leaves. You don't need a meteorologist to tell you that summer is on the way out, and we're in the throes of an early autumn. The probable upshot of a long, cold winter thereafter may excite winter-sports enthusiasts hoping for snow at close quarters, but for most of us the outlook at home is hardly heartening on the weather front. So the prospect of escaping for some winter sun elsewhere becomes all the more alluring. And booking right now will provide more than an emotional lift.
The usual rules apply. If you don't have to travel over Christmas and New Year, then don't. Half-terms (beginning 24 October and 13 February at most schools) are also worth avoiding, particularly for short-haul trips. Even outside the main holiday times, prices are rising above last year's levels.
"After a lousy summer in Britain, bookings into early next year are already looking strong," says Joanna Edmunds, managing director of luxury operator Kuoni. And the top demand at this high end of the market? The Maldives is the perennial favourite, says Ms Edmunds, with an increasing demand (and similarly robust prices) for Thailand and for all-inclusives in the Caribbean. Bookings to Dubai and Oman are also proving strong despite the recent uprisings elsewhere in the Middle East. On the other hand, Egypt is offering exceptional value as it carefully prices its way back from the tourist downturn after events earlier in the year.
Andy Washington, the UK managing director of online agency Expedia, said that currently Sharm el Sheikh is probably at its best: "Prices are low and tourists are receiving a particularly warm welcome."
When and where
Most winter sun destinations offer optimum conditions at different periods. Here's where to be, when.
October
Mauritius: the heat of the southern summer hasn't yet hit hard and this very green Indian Ocean island is at its driest. Expect temperatures of about 25C and about eight hours of sunshine a day.
November
Cape Verde: the main rains in this tropical archipelago in the Atlantic, formerly a Portuguese colony, usually peter out by the end of October, and November sees an average nine hours of sunshine a day, air temperatures of about 28C and sea temperatures of 24C.
December
Miami: December is the coolest month to be in this southern city. Not that temperatures are low – you're almost guaranteed daily highs of around 27C beneath clear, blue skies.
January
Thailand: "midwinter" here should mean clear skies. Januaryis the driest and least humid month of the year. While 28C may be chilly by Thai standards, you'll bask blissfully.
February
Antigua: this is when the sunniest of the Caribbean's Leeward islands is at its driest and calmest. Expect temperatures of about 27C, soothed by gentle westerly breezes.
March
Maldives: while temperatures remain a fairly consistent 28C throughout the year, precipitation varies dramatically: during periods in June, July and August, you may feel marooned on a rain-lashed island. March is the peak of the dry season with clear and calm seas.
Short-haul packages
The well-established winter-sun destinations within easy reach are principally sold by the big package operators, who, thanks to economies of scale, can offer the best prices. The Canary Islands, about a four-hour flight away, remain the UK's most popular winter sun spot even though the weather can be cool and wet in November and December. But the larger islands – Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote – offer cultural options as well as a poolside experience.
Egypt's Red Sea coast is five hours away and provides anything from world-class snorkelling and diving to the chance to ride a quad bike through the desert.
The Gambia, six hours distant, is a more nuanced destination, with excellent beaches, a captivating capital – Banjul – and some fascinating wildlife.
Some of the best deals we found this week range from self-catering to affordable luxury and all-inclusive accommodation. One week in Gran Canaria for ?254 per person (based on two sharing, as are all prices listed) for a departure on 24 November is offered by Direct Holidays (0844 879 8173; directholidays.co.uk), which is a brand of Thomas Cook. The price for this trip to the island more or less in the centre of the Canary Islands archipelago includes flights from Manchester and self-catering accommodation in the Babalu holiday apartments close to the beach at Puerto Rico. Monarch (0871 423 8568; monarch.co.uk), meanwhile, was offering one week B&B at the four-star Mexicana Sharm Resort at Sharm El Sheikh for ?328 per person including flights from Gatwick on 27 November.
Gulf gambits
The increase in air links and an ever-expanding range of hotels have put Dubai and the other Emirates as well as Oman and Qatar firmly on the winter-sun tourist map. Given flight times of around seven hours from the UK, the region is increasingly seen as ideal short-break territory, particularly at the top end of the market.
If you've yearned to stay at one of the really ritzy Dubai hotels but have shuddered at the expense, now is a good time to go. Upscale operator Seasons (01244 202 082; seasons.co.uk), for example, is offering some special deals for travel before Christmas: you'll get five nights at the Ritz Carlton for the cost of four, so you pay ?1,250 per person (including flights from Heathrow and accommodation with breakfast). Five nights at super-luxury Atlantis Dubai is only slightly pricier at ?1,350.
In Oman, Kuoni (01306 747002; kuoni.co.uk) offers five very stylish nights at Six Senses Hideaway Zighy Bay for ?1,636 per person for an early December departure (costs, by contrast, rise to ?4,137 per person in late December). The price includes Emirates flights from Gatwick to Dubai, with car transfers to Oman, and accommodation with breakfast in a pool villa.
The 82-villa resort opened in 2008, and is tucked away on the spectacular Musandam Peninsula in the north of the country. This detached fragment of Oman juts into the Gulf and is notable for astonishing fjords, historic forts and sense of calm. Rain is almost unheard-of, and this is an ideal place to be in the depths of early December or late January, when prices are low and the temperature benign.
Asian outlook
There are good deals on offer in Thailand, which is heavily dependent on the British market. Hayes & Jarvis (0844 855 4488; hayesandjarvis.com), for example, is offering a ?710 trip to Pattaya with accommodation at the generously comfortable Green Park Resort, for departures in early October. The price – little more than a plane ticket alone – includes Qatar Airways flights from Heathrow to Bangkok via Doha and transfers as well as 10 nights' room-only accommodation. Bear in mind, though, that Pattaya is unlikely to suit those seeking a calming escape. Lonely Planet's Thailand's Islands and Beaches guide describes it as "a testosterone-fuelled testament to holiday hedonism".
Richly diverse Malaysia, slightly further south, has seen the number of flights reduced, but its long beaches, lush interior landscapes and striking mix of cultures have perennial appeal. Travelbag (0871 703 4240; travelbag.co.uk) has a 10-night, ?899 trip to the island of Penang for departures between October and March (avoiding peak times between the October half-term and 10 December to 7 January, 2012). The cost includes flights from Heathrow via Kuala Lumpur and accommodation at the beachside Golden Sands Resort by Shangri-La, a sleek four-star which is glorying in a recent revamp.
To get somewhat off the beaten track, head to the Philippines, which boasts some of the best beaches in the world and whose 7,000 islands are becoming more accessible thanks to improvements in internal transport.
Until 6 November, Trailfinders (0845 050 5892; trailfinders.com) is offering a one-week, ?949, trip to the Boracay Regency Beach Resort set by powder-white sands at much-lauded Boracay island about 200 miles south of the capital. The cost covers Cathay Pacific flights from Heathrow to Manila via Hong Kong and onward air transport as well as accommodation with breakfast.
American beauties
Expedia reports that the US has been proving an especially strong market this year. "The exchange rate has helped, coupled with some very good deals," said the online travel company's spokesman Andy Washington. Expedia claims to have sold 10 per cent more seats to California for November 2011 than it did for the same month last year.
For American winter sun head to Las Vegas or Phoenix, which claim golden status as two of the sunniest places on the planet. Or follow the "snowbirds" from the northern US states to Miami which, over the next few months, offers dazzingly blue skies and all-day sun at pleasant temperatures of around 27C.
Expedia (0330 123 1235; expedia.co.uk) can arrange a week at the luxury Angler's Boutique Resort near Ocean Drive at South Beach from ?982 per person based on departures in March and including flights from Heathrow.
Beyond the beach scene, March is particularly lively, with the Miami International Film Festival running 2-11 March and Miami Beach Fashion Week 21-24 March.
Meanwhile, take a bow San Diego. Offering surfing, whale-watching, extensive retail therapy and much more, the Californian city has been restored to the BA route network. For sunshine and low humidity the optimum time to visit is between November and March.
Even though the British Airways Holidays (0844 493 0758; ba.com) autumn sale has now ended, prices have nudged up only slightly: a five-night holiday at the lush Mission Valley Resort costs only ?541 per person for a 10 November departure, including flights as well as room-only accommodation; there are other departure dates in November and early December.
Christmas value
Spending Christmas or New Year in the sun is top of most people's wish list – which is why costs to the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean soar at this time. Even so, some options are considerably cheaper than others. At the moment there is still availability, so book soon.
Virgin Holidays (0844 573 0088; virginholidays.co.uk) offers a week's break in Antigua leaving Gatwick on Virgin Atlantic on 21 December and staying at waterside Halcyon Cove for ?1,618 per person, on a room-only basis.
Alternatively, head to Havana on the same day with Virgin Holidays (again on Virgin Atlantic from Gatwick) and you'll pay ?1,583 per person for a week-long stay (with breakfast included) at the iconic Hotel Nacional de Cuba. The price includes premium economy outbound (but the cheap seats home).
Over in the Indian Ocean, Kuoni (01306 747008; kuoni.co.uk) has an attractive offer for Christmas in the Maldives from ?2,042 per person for one week at the five-star Kurumba. This was the first of the archipelago's private island resorts, and is still one of the finest. The price includes accommodation with breakfast, flights from Heathrow and transfers.
Sri Lanka, further east in the Indian Ocean, presents good value at the moment. Christmas here, arranged through Kuoni, costs ?1,708 per person for eight all-inclusive nights at Club Bentota on the south west coast. The price includes SriLankan Airlines flights from Heathrow and is valid for departures before 22 December.
Action and adventure
Should the prospect of days lazing on the beach sound too indolent, East Africa and Central America present sunshine along with some good, if costly, "surf and turf" options – land-based activity combined with time beside the sea.
Journey Latin America (020-8747 8315; journeylatinamerica.co.uk), for instance, suggests a nine-night, tailor-made venture in Belize from ?2,041 per person. Based at the lush Mountain Pine Ridge forest reserve and then on the island of Ambergris Caye, you hike, explore Mayan ruins, take mountain bike rides, dive, and go cave canoeing and snorkelling.
The price is valid from October to March 2012, with higher rates during the peak festive season. It includes Continental Airlines flights from Heathrow via Houston, all transfers, mid-range accommodation, most activities and some meals.
For more natural wonders make for Tanzania, where you can enjoy watching lion, giraffe, zebra, hippo and more in the Selous Game Reserve. Then hop on a propeller plane which will take you directly to the white-sand beaches and turquoise waters of Zanzibar.
Conditions are usually near-perfect between about November and February. Expert Africa (020-8232 9777; expertafrica.com) offers a four-night safari at Lake Manze Camp followed by five nights at castaway-stylish Mchanga Beach Lodge for ?2,502 including non-stop BA flights from Heathrow to Dar es Salaam, transfers, safari trips, accommodation and all meals in the Selous Game Reserve.
This tailor-made package is available for departures between 1 November to 15 December, and again between 10 January and 29 February, excluding the peak Christmas period.

The Business Matrix: Saturday 24 September 2011

LME mulls offers for the company
The London Metal Exchange, the top global market for industrial metals such as copper and zinc, is considering offers for the company. The exchange, one of the last to operate a system of “open outcry” pit trading, is owned by the trading houses and banks that use it. The LME accounts for 80 per cent of metal future contracts traded globally.
KPMG to look into rogue UBS trades
Accountancy firm KPMG is set to conduct an independent regulatory investigation into alleged rogue trades that have cost Swiss bank UBS $2.3bn (?1.5bn). The FSA City watchdog said the remit and timelines for the inquiry – on behalf of the FSA and its Swiss counterpart Finma – and paid for by UBS – have yet to be thrashed out.
Collins Stewart warns on profits
Collins Stewart Hawkpoint has warned that stock market turbulence is likely to hit its profits this year. Shares in the stock broker fell nearly 9 per cent and its house broker cut its profits forecast for the company by a third. But the group said that overall it had performed well and that it had reduced its exposure to turbulent markets.
UK households pay down credit
Britons paid off ?100m more than they borrowed on credit cards, loans and overdrafts last month, suggesting that the desire to borrow is still constrained by the economic outlook. The British Bankers’ Association said the same mood was evident in the mortgage market where net lending was ?700m, below the average for the first half.
Poland tries to support currency
The Polish central bank was forced to intervene in the foreign exchange markets yesterday to drive up the zloty, which had hit 27-month lows against the euro as investors fled riskier assets. Currency traders said South Korea, Russia and India had also been trying to support their currencies amid the market turmoil.
New Arla dairy for Buckinghamshire
Around 700 new jobs are to be created after the Danish dairy co-operative Arla got the go-ahead to build what it calls the world’s largest zero-carbon dairy. Arla Foods wants to create the ?150m project at a site in Buckinghamshire, which it says will be able to package up to 1.3bn litres of fresh milk a year.
BA buys Heathrow slots from BMI
British Airways has bought six take-off and landing slots at Heathrow from British Midland International. The deal, which is for an undisclosed sum, will increase owner International Consolidated Airlines’ share of the slots at the airport to 45 per cent. BA will use the Heathrow slots from late October.
EasyJet’s Stelios changes direction
EasyJet’s founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou has dropped his call for an investor meeting to vote on ousting an easyJet board member, just a day after landing a ?72m dividend payout from the no-frills airline. The director Sir Stelios objected to had backed a large order for new aircraft just weeks before a profits warning.
SSE ditches bid for nuclear power
Scottish and Southern (SSE), the UK’s second-biggest energy generator, has abandoned its quest to develop nuclear power in favour of producing more electricity from renewable energy sources such as wind farms and bio-mass plants. The move is a blow to government plans to ramp up nuclear generation.
Centrica in ?175m First Choice buy
British Gas owner Centrica has bought the Texas-based energy retailer First Choice Power for ?175m cash as it looks to expand in the US. The deal is set to strengthen Centrica’s position as the third largest energy retailer in Texas and boost its number of customers in the state to more than 830,000.

Lennon: I wouldn't swap with Rangers

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Neil Lennon: 'We are in Europe and all the competitions and that's where you want to be at the minute'
Neil Lennon, the Celtic manager, insists he would not swap positions with his Rangers counterpart Ally McCoist despite his side trailing by four points in the Scottish Premier League following last Sunday's 4-2 defeat at Ibrox.
But then Rangers, who were knocked out of the Champions League and Europa League in the qualifiers, were knocked out of the League Cup by Falkirk in midweek.
"We are in Europe and all the competitions and that's where you want to be at the minute," said Lennon.

British Cheese Week: Causing a stink in a town near you

It's British Cheese Week this week from 24 September to 2nd October. To celebrate, Emily Jupp shares some little-known facts about cheese.
* We're hard-wired to like cheese. It contains tryptophan, an amino acid that makes us feel content. In addition, the fat it includes makes our brains produce extra dopamine, which makes us happy. If consumed in small amounts, cheese can be beneficial to your health; it contains important minerals and around seven times the amount of calcium as milk
* 98 per cent of British households buy cheddar as their cheese of choice
* There are over 700 different varieties of British cheese
* Despite old wives’ tales to the contrary, it actually acts as a sleep aid. "It won't give you nightmares. We did a study that de-bunked that story a few years ago,” says Nigel White, secretary of the British Cheese Board. “In fact, if you have some cheese about an hour before going to be bed it will probably help you have a good night's sleep because the tryptophan helps you relax"
* The Cornish Yarg, a tangy cornish cheese got it's name from its maker, whose last name is Gray. He needed a 'Cornish-sounding name' and realised that his last name spelled backwards fitted the bill
* Cheddar is named after the Cheddar Gorge caves in Somerset
* Every spring, locals in the village of Stilton, Peterborough, race down a hill rolling Stilton shaped wheels.
Events are taking place throughout the week. Some participants in Cheese Week include:
Cardiff Castle
Daily Bread Ltd
The National Trust
Neal's Yard
Paxton and Whitfield
The British Cheese Board has released an app to help people discover new cheeses. Find it here: www.britishcheese.com

Jones times his recovery perfectly to lay injury jinx to rest

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Ryan Jones must have feared the worst when a calf injury threatened to rule him out of another World Cup
Ryan Jones has suffered more than his fare share of injustice with injuries but, for once, his body's sense of timing has worked for the good of Wales. The 30-year-old former captain is fit to make his World Cup debut against Namibia on Monday, breaking a jinx that has blighted an otherwise glittering career.
Jones, a British Lion in 2005 between two Grand Slams, was left emotionally scarred at missing the World Cup two years later following shoulder surgery. He is still reluctant to talk in depth about it.
In 2009 the curse struck again when a head injury, suffered with Wales, was not fully diagnosed and he was duly sent back home by the Lions with his feet barely on South African soil. So the Ospreys back row could be forgiven for feeling an impending sense of doom when a calf strain flared up last month ahead of the World Cup.
But having missed Wales' warm-up schedule as well as their opening two games in New Zealand, Jones makes a timely return in New Plymouth to soften the significant blow of losing the outstanding Dan Lydiate for the immediate future.
Having retained a team in successive games for the first time in his reign, Warren Gatland has made 11 changes against the Pool D whipping boys, having mixed and matched a blend of the vastly experienced and those still wet behind the ears at Stadium Taranaki.
Jones is among six players appearing for the first time at a World Cup, including 21-year-old Tavis Knoyle and the even younger Scott Williams, who was still an amateur with Whitland just two years ago.
Yet Wales also recall 230 caps of experience in Jones, Gethin Jenkins and Stephen Jones, who will become the most decorated Wales player on his 101st appearance, while Jamie Roberts, Shane Williams and Adam Jones are rested. Lee Byrne, another to miss out in 2007, returns for the injured James Hook.
Gatland said: "On the back of two intensely physical matches, we have made changes. We know Namibia will be hurting after their [87-0] loss to South Africa but we need to take that next step towards qualification from this incredibly tough group."
Wales: L Byrne; L Halfpenny, J Davies, S Williams, A Brew; S Jones, T Knoyle; G Jenkins, L Burns, C Mitchell, B Davies, A W Jones, R Jones, T Faletau, S Warburton (capt). Replacements K Owens, R Bevington, L Charteris, A Powell, L Williams, R Preistland, G North.

Open Jaw: 'Liverpool has a rich maritime history'

Cruise wars - Southampton has almost 70 per cent of the cruise market and is due to build its fifth terminal. Liverpool has one terminal that is practically derelict and situated in a scrap yard, and less than 1 per cent of the cruise market. They also have the new landing stage that they wish to convert into one that is able to have cruises start and finish there.
Due to these poor facilities Liverpool is losing services and failing to attract new ones even though the city is now one of our leading tourist attractions. Improved services from Liverpool would help the cruise business to grow in Britain rather than take existing services from Southampton.
"DJT1million"
The Liverpool waterfront is a stunning World Heritage site, and much of the tourism so vital to the city's economy these days is linked to its maritime history: the home of both Cunard and White Star, a major port for European emigrants to North America, etc. It is madness not to capitalise on all that.
"Kate 89"
Tips on cruises
I cruised on Princess Cruises in February and opted out of the daily service charge per passenger on the last night. It was readily accepted by the staff, and took just a couple of minutes. Anecdotal evidence suggests many other passengers, who had cruised before, opted out earlier.
Phil
BA Miles
Having seen the piece about the move to Avios, I thought I ought to do something sharpish about spending the BA miles I've accumulated. Off I go to BA's website to book some tickets to Bordeaux for next year's family summer holiday. I tried a fortnight beginning 4 August – no availability; 11 August – no availability. OK, when have they got seats? Change of approach to flexible dates. The best I can manage is 2 to 4 August. Some holiday. However, if I am prepared to stump up the cash for my flights there's availability for the whole month. Toulouse, Nice, Malaga, Genoa, all a very similar story. A more sceptical man than me might suggest that BA don't want me to use my BA miles...
Stuart Miles
Travel post 9/11
Evil acts cannot be met with evil acts. Bringing together peoples in respect and understanding, by air – or by other means – is the real way forward for the world.
Rev. Michael Franklin
48 Hours in Bilbao
So piqued was my interest in Bilbao by this article that I immediately started making enquiries. Sadly, I was thwarted. Brittany Ferries does not carry foot passengers on its Portsmouth to Bilbao route; I declined the offer of travelling as a foot passenger on the Portsmouth to Santander route. It seems bizarre that the ferries have a versatility that allows any number of car passengers to be accommodated, but cannot tolerate a few foot passengers.
Jim Moody
Brittany Ferries says: "We do offer a foot-passenger service from Portsmouth to Bilbao, but space is limited. Call 0871 244 1400 to book"
Dunedin railway station
"Sadly no trains arrive these days," you say about the fine station in New Zealand's South Island.
On the contrary, during the summer months between October and April there are six arrivals and departures on most days on the Tairei Gorge Railway and the Palmerston Seasider.
Also, if you are lucky, special steam and diesel trains trundle in carrying well-heeled tourists from the US.
Martin Thomas
Smile please
We had two breaks this summer: a week in Lisbon and a week on the Causeway Coast of Northern Ireland. In Lisbon, people in shops, restaurants, and those we stopped to ask directions, were generally fairly grumpy. In Northern Ireland, people could not have been more welcoming. We're trying to work out why this might have been: was it related to the state of the economy, or just big city vs small town? Shortly, we are off to Paris for a few days to do some more research.
Bryan Cadman

'Fixer' Ranieri answers crisis call from Inter

New coach starts work with 'squad of champions' at a low ebb but the 'Tinkerman' is looking up the table
Claudio Ranieri yesterday declared he had taken over "a squad of champions" with his appointment at Internazionale.
Should they live up to this boast his new charges would fill a surprising, even embarrassing gap in the CV of the much-travelled coach.
'The Tinkerman', as the 59-year-old Roman was known in his time at Stamford Bridge, has already coached two of Italy's biggest clubs in Juventus and Roma, he also managed Roman Abramovich's Chelsea and Valencia either side of their La Liga triumphs in 2002 and 2004. Yet despite several top three finishes he has never won a league title himself, excluding Serie B with Fiorentina in 1994.
He remains, nevertheless, one of the coaches most likely to be called by a club president in need of a experienced hand. "Everyone has their own image, mine is obviously fixer," he said. "I'm happy to be here even though it was a surprise."
Ranieri's previous job was as coach of his hometown club. Appointed in September 2009 with the team struggling he took them into second place by the end of the season behind an Inter team then managed by Jose Mourinho – the man who replaced Ranieri at Chelsea. He struggled to match the heightened expectations the following season and was fired in February of this year.
If that seems harsh it is par for the course in Serie A. Ranieri owe his latest opportunity to the quickfire dismissal of Gian Piero Gasparini who lasted only five matches at Inter having been appointed in the summer.
He was himself the third man who had attempted to fill Mourinho's shoes, Rafael Benitez and Leonardo having been sacked last season after Mourinho followed his treble-winning season by decamping to Real Madrid.
Gasparini was the third coach sacked in Serie A this season after Roberto Donadoni at Cagliari (without a ball being kicked) and Stefano Pioli at Palermo.
Inter are regarded as an old team. The captain, Javier Zanetti is 38 and most of their key players are in their thirties. Ranieri, however, said: "I don't think Inter's players are worn out or finished.
"There have been injuries and bad luck but now we need to restore confidence by taking points.
"I want to see the Inter that I confronted when I was Roma coach," Ranieri added. "A year-and-a-half ago these boys were champions and I believe in their ability to come back from adversity.
"We've tripped up but now we need to get up and fight from the first to the last. I want to see that never-say-die, tight-knit group again. We need to win because the players are used to it. It's now up to us to get back among the pack. We are low in the table but the others are not too many points away."
Inter have one point from three league games but are only one point behind Milan and Roma. However, Juventus are joint-leaders with seven points.
Ranieri's first match is against Bologna this afternoon. For this he will be without Wesley Sneijder whose apparent disaffection after a summer expecting to move to manchester is one problem Ranieri has to deal with.
On Tuesday Inter face a tricky match in Russia against CSKA Moscow. Having lost their first match at home to Trabzonspor Ranieri needs to use all his experience to fix matters quickly.
Tinkerman's Travels
In a 24-year career, spanning 11 clubs in three countries, Claudio Ranieri has won surprisingly few honours.
*1987-1988 Campania Puteolana
*1988-1991 Cagliari (promotion Serie C, Serie B)
*1991-1993 Napoli
*1993-1997 Fiorentina (champions, Serie B; Italian Cup)
*1997-1999 Valencia (King's Cup)
*1999-2000 Atletico Madrid
*2000-2004 Chelsea
*2004-2005 Valencia (Uefa Super Cup)
*2007 Parma
*2007-2009 Juventus
*2009-2011 Roma
*2011 Internazionale

The 50 best video games

Trigger fingers at the ready... Michael Plant rates the latest releases
This week's panel:
Guy Cocker is editor of gaming website GameSpot UK (uk.gamespot.com);
Caleb Cox writes about games and gadgets for top tech website Reg Hardware (http://www.reghardware.com/);
Rob Hearn is editor of mobile and handheld gaming website Pocket Gamer (http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/)
Click here or click the image on the right to launch our guide.
Leave your comments and suggestions below

The 10 best-selling games

1. Dead Island
2. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine
3. Resistance 3
4. Driver San Francisco
5. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
6. Zumba Fitness
7. LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: the Video Game
8. Rugby World Cup 2011
9. LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
10. Cars 2

Neil Warnock: Believe it or not refs are human beings too – we've just had some over for a cup of tea and a video

A referee visited the training ground on Wednesday.
Obviously I made sure there were no garlic, crucifixes or mirrors anywhere, I wanted him to feel at home. Seriously, I know that to listen to some people you would think that I have a dartboard at home with a ref's picture on it, but in actual fact I have a lot of respect for our officials. Every time I see a European game I'm reminded how good they are.
I believe the secret of good relations between refs and players is communication, so it was good to have Peter Walton, the Premier League ref, and Keren Barratt, a former ref who became an assessor and now manages the select group officials, come round before training. We gave them the red carpet treatment – well, a cup of tea. Then they set up a video in the canteen and had all the staff and the players in.
They played us a number of incidents and explained why the referee did what he did. The lads all perked up when Joey Barton appeared in a couple of clips from the Newcastle-Arsenal game. He tried to explain what he was doing but he knows he was no angel.
The main thrust was trying to save players from getting into trouble through their own stupidity. For example, Peter was refereeing Everton-West Ham last season when Frédéric Piquionne, who was already booked, celebrated a goal by running into the crowd. Peter had no choice but to book him, it's a Fifa directive. In the remaining five minutes Everton equalised. Think what an extra two points, and the confidence of a win at a place like Goodison, would have done for West Ham's relegation battle.
The players were also told that if they raise their hands above someone's neck it'll probably be a red card, and the consequences of getting into mass confrontations. It was about having respect for the game. I told the players, if they get a needless card, or into a mass confrontation and the club gets fined, they will be the ones paying the fine.
Peter and Keren also explained some new rules, regulations and interpretations which are in force this season. For instance, I've never seen it happen, but if the ball bursts during a penalty the kick will now be retaken. Previously it was a drop ball.
The lads were able to ask a few questions too. It was a good session. It helped the players realise the officials are human too, they haven't got smoke coming out of their ears or anything.
Without doubt there's a better relationship between players, managers and referees now. I thought a few years ago it was a them-and-us situation and there was a massive dividing line. I don't feel that now.
2. Late rumpus denied lads their due for brilliant display
There are times when I can understand players being upset. Take last week's match at Wolves. We're in the last minute, with the game dead, when there's a bad tackle by Karl Henry on Joey by the corner flag. Yet no free-kick is given. Then it all kicks off.
Subsequently all anyone in the press wants to talk about is the last 45 seconds, which if the linesman or ref had spotted the foul would never have taken place. That was the only disappointment about the match, that the team did not get the recognition it deserved after such a great performance. Unless you are one of the top clubs you just don't get the opportunity to be three-up with three minutes left and actually enjoy the moment.
Last Saturday must have seen a few pools coupons bust with all the promoted teams winning. If you remember, in last week's column I said once ourselves, Norwich and Swansea start scoring goals confidence would rise. With all three getting good victories, players, staff and fans at each club will have received a massive boost and will now hope survival is a realistic proposition.
We've had to wait an extra day to try and build on last week's result as we play tomorrow against Aston Villa. It will be strange this morning, getting up and going into training while most teams are playing. I suppose managers and players get used to that in the Premier League. The other big scheduling change with being promoted is that we have eight fewer league games. We've really appreciated the extra time on the training ground, having brought in so many new players late in the transfer window, and the results were there to see at Molineux with one of the best away performances I can remember from one of my sides, especially against what is, make no mistake, a good side.
3. Bad news on Kieron but Jamie is like a new signing
It was great to see Owen Hargreaves score in midweek. It takes a certain type of lad to get over the injuries he's had and bounce back. The same night Steven Gerrard and Stuart Holden returned, which were massive pluses for their clubs. They are players who have a major influence on results.
In our own camp we had two different pieces of injury news this week. On the down side the injury Kieron Dyer suffered in the opening game is going to take longer than we thought. Like Hargreaves he seems to have had so much bad luck over the recent seasons but I'm still convinced he'll have an important part to play for us.
The good news was Jamie Mackie was given the go-ahead to join in training; he immediately told me he would be available for tomorrow. That might be optimistic, having been out since January. But watching him train over the last six weeks I wouldn't put it past him to be involved sooner rather than later. As Kenny Dalglish said about Gerrard, it will be like a new signing.
4. I can pick out a top for Amy – when she's marked my card
I gave my Freedom Pass some exercise on Thursday: bus, train and Underground. We've not been into London much this season, I've been so busy, so it was nice just to sit in Covent Garden listening to this wonderful lady sing and having lunch with Sharon. Then we went shopping for Amy. Her favourite shop at present is Jack Wills. I picked a top out. Sharon went, "Oh no, she'll like this one". I have to say Amy is now of an age when she doesn't always like what mum chooses, and it turned out I made the right choice. Only later did I admit Amy had already pointed the top out to me.
5. Sorry to bore you, but new diet has stopped me snoring
You may be getting bored about me going on about my diet by now, but I have to report a new development which is good news for all wives with overweight husbands. My snoring is notorious, so much so William and Amy used to count the seconds between whistles – and film themselves doing it so they could show me. Sharon now reports I have lost so much weight I am no longer snoring.
6. How 'Football Focus' made Will and Amy lost for words
Make sure you watch Football Focus if you want a laugh before heading to a match today. Someone there obviously reads this column because they asked if they could film the family on our bikes. I agreed to do it Sunday, which proved good timing because not only was the weather good, I was, as you can imagine, feeling 10-foot high after the result at Molineux.
The kids had talked about what they would say if asked a question. But when Damian Johnson did ask them they could hardly utter a word. That is the beauty about kids, when you want them to be quiet they can't be, and vice versa.
I had to have a word with William this week. I thought he'd be eagerly awaiting the new series of Match Attax, the football cards, as QPR are included for the first time. But when I spoke to him about it he said sadly there was something new to collect, Match Stars. They are little moving action figures that look like Rooney, Van Persie, Messi etc, but they are only doing Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Barcelona so far. We aren't big enough. I said to him, "Just give us a season or two will you? We were in the Championship last year."
Stop Press: The new cards are in and William and I opened a few packs over breakfast yesterday. We got five QPR players so I took them into training to show the lads. As Tommy Smith, Heidar Helguson, Ali Faurlin and Paddy Kenny came over to see how many stars they were [each player is graded] I told them: "We've arrived now."

Forget glory days as Villa transition means cuts, says McLeish

 GETTY IMAGES
Alex McLeish who has overseen a solid start to the league campaign, is asking fans to remain patient with the side
The Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish claims his team are in a period of transition and has called for patience ahead of Sunday's Premier League match at QPR.
The Scot made it clear after his appointment in June that he was under instructions from Villa owner Randy Lerner to reduce the wage bill, and the likes of Ashley Young, Stewart Downing, Nigel Reo-Coker, John Carew, Brad Friedel and Luke Young have all left the club over the summer.
McLeish is not complaining and knew the parameters he would have to work within, but needs time to make his mark after an unbeaten start to the campaign was ended by Bolton in the Carling Cup.
He said: "Is the club in transition? I don't think there is any doubt about that when you see the players that have left. Randy Lerner is definitely trying to reduce the wages. We've been open about that, just like other clubs have. We want to live according to our means so of course there is going to be a transitional period.
"It's not going to be the Aston Villa of 1982 [when they won the European Cup] or the giddy heights of a couple of years ago [under Martin O'Neill]. We've got to be patient. There has got to be patience."
McLeish added: "It is tough for fans because they want to see their team being the best and winning games easily every week. But we know how competitive this league is and you see topsy-turvy results you wouldn't expect."
Putting Villa's start to the campaign – seven points from five games – in perspective, McLeish said: "It's not been the worst start. We could have done with another couple of three-pointers in games but we've got to keep believing in ourselves.
"It would be doubtful if we win the league this season but you can look at the league in different phases. If you play really well the first six games, does that mean you are going to have a bad spell? Who knows what the season is going to bring?"
McLeish has recalled rookie striker Andreas Weimann from a loan spell at Watford because Darren Bent (groin) and Emile Heskey (hamstring) are ruled out of the trip to Loftus Road. He said: "I'm short of players and it only takes an injury or two to a couple of your forwards and, all of a sudden, you've only got one or two left."
On-loan Spurs midfielder Jermaine Jenas is rated 50-50 to recover in time from a thigh injury.

Wilshere out for rest of year with injury in further blow to Wenger

Jack Wilshere is facing an uphill battle to play for Arsenal again this year after the club announced last night that the player will undergo surgery on his right ankle on Monday. The 19-year-old has been wearing a protective boot since aggravating the injury in pre-season but the stress fracture has not responded to normal procedures. Arsenal said last night that Wilshere, who had initially hoped to avoid having to undergo surgery, is now expected to be out “for a period of months”. In a statement, Arsenal said: “Scans this week have revealed that the fracture has not responded positively during this period. Throughout Jack's injury, the club has been guided by the continuous advice of several world-renowned specialists. The information attained this week has led to the conclusion that surgery is now required to gain an optimal response. “Wilshere is now expected to be out for a period of months. Following surgery these timescales will become more specific.” They added: "We have given Jack time to heal naturally which is important wherever possible with a young player. The latest scans show surgery is needed. Everyone at the club wishes Jack a speedy recovery." In the aftermath of the announcement, Wilshere tweeted that he hoped to return to action “around Christmas time”. He added: “Been in a boot for a month and the bone is not responding. I will have surgery on my right ankle on Monday with the two best surgeons around.” A key member of Fabio Capello’s England team, Wilshere will play no further part in the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign and will miss the November friendly against Spain – which is pencilled in providing England have qualified by then. Wenger insisted that Wilshere be withdrawn from the Under-21s European championships in June, warning that the player was “in the red zone” when it came to his potential for injury. The problem first emerged when he played for England in the Euro 2012 qualifier against Switzerland at Wembley in June. Wilshere went on holiday after that game. When he returned he went on the club’s pre-season tour of Asia and Germany and felt the injury again during the first of two games in the Emirates Cup. In the second match on 31 July, he came off early against the New York Red Bulls and has not played since. Earlier this month,

Scott Sinclair: 'There was never a time I thought I'd made it at Chelsea'

Scott Sinclair tells James Corrigan why he was happy to take a pay cut for a chance at Swansea. Today the winger returns to the Bridge

So much for that ever-more popular generalisation of the young highly-paid footballer who does not need to know the price ofanything, so therefore appreciates the value of nothing.

Scott Sinclair is the living, playing proof that not all of that "Baby Bentley" brigade prioritise who they think are above what they think they could be.

Eighteen months ago, the then 21-year-old had a decision to make. Stay at Chelsea on first-team squad wages, play in the Carling Cup and have the odd five minutes in the Premier League. Or leave the brighter lights of west London for the ever so slightly duller shine of Swansea, 200 miles down the M4, and take a pay cut to appear in the Championship. Sinclair chose the latter. He didn't quite trade in the Bentley for a banger, but still...

"Some people may think it was a gamble," he told The Independent this week as he reflected on a financial hit thought to be somewhere in the region of ?200,000. "But I had no doubts. I knew it would pay off."

Stamford Bridge could very well witness the spoils of his punt when he returns with Swansea today. Sinclair has not been back since he left and admits to inking a ring around this game when the fixtures were published. Granted, he is genuinely looking forward to seeing and playing against some old friends. But he would not be human, and certainly not a competitive young man, if there wasn't a degree of "just look what you could have had" this afternoon.

"Do I believe I got a fair crack at the whip there? No, not completely," said Sinclair. "I had five or 10 minutes here and there and people say I had the chance to prove myself in that time. But I think you need a run of games and I suppose with world-class players there that wasn't going to happen. Also, I played under five managers there and that didn't help."

There is a new man at the helm now, however, who as a ridiculously precocious 33-year-old should acknowledge the benefits of youth being given its head. And with the elevation of Daniel Sturridge into the striking line, Andre Villas-Boas has at least shown a willingness to bleed and breed. Doesn't Sinclair look at the opportunity being presented to his friend and regret being so hasty? "Would I have got a chance at Chelsea under Villas-Boas?" said Sinclair. "It depends what you mean by chance. To me, 10 minutes here and there is not a chance – a chance is playing week in, week out. They have some great quality youngsters but it's very difficult for them to get in."

Sinclair understands the conundrum. A manager who lives – and, at Chelsea, usually dies – on the results, is not about to drop a top international to afford a kid his opportunity. But then, if this is the case, why buy up so much young talent in the first place? Just to play them in the reserves, or send out on loan? Or maybe to provide a back-up, just in case. Yet how are they supposed to develop in the shadows?

Sinclair is surely a head-scratching example of this anomaly – signed and whisked off to wonderland as a 16-year-old. "It was any young boy's dream," he recalled. "At Bristol Rovers you don't expect Chelsea scouts to be coming down and signing you. They were exciting times."

First came the youth team coached by a certain Brendan Rodgers, who was have to such an influence in his life-changing, perhaps career-defining, decision; and within 18 months he was making his debut in the first team.

Sinclair credits the rise to Rodgers. "Brendan was magnificent with the young players at Chelsea," he said. "He saw it as his job to fast-track them into the first team. With me, I'd come from Rovers as a striker, but he sat me down and told me, 'Scott it's best for you to become a winger'. 'Why?' I asked him. 'Because you've got Didier Drogba in front of you.' He pushed me out on the wing, I started scoring goals and I made my debut pretty quickly."

Sinclair was a teenager and the big time was beckoning. Indeed, the Premier League was beckoning. "Yeah, it was great when I was 18 and making my debut in the Premier League and learning under [Jose] Mourinho.

"But there was never a time I thought I'd cracked it at Chelsea. Not once. It was like a brick wall in front of me. And the frustrations... that's why I had so many loans. Because I couldn't deal with playing reserve football."

In four seasons, Sinclair went out on six different loans, to six different clubs. It must have been a gruelling, often lonely, set of experiences, but, as he said, it was preferable to the alternative. "In the Championship you're playing for three points every Saturday," said Sinclair. "The result's everything. In the reserves, there's people coming back from injuries and the tempo's not as high. Some players just don't want to be there."

Sinclair was evidently one of them. So he donned the green shirt of Plymouth, the hoops of Queen's Park Rangers, the red of Charlton, followed by the stripes of Crystal Palace, the blue of Birmingham City and the blue and white of Wigan.

Never mind blue being the colour, for Sinclair it was the entire rainbow. In between these spells, the majority of which were successful, Sinclair returned to his home club for the very odd guest slot. This included a start against Manchester United in the Premier League, as well as three minutes against Southend in the third round of the FA Cup, which earned him a place on the podium after the final. Not quite Paul Allen at Wembley with West Ham as a 17-year-old. "You don't feel a part of it unless you've played a proper part in it," said Sinclair.

"And you didn't really feel a part of it at the loan clubs, either, as you knew, whatever happened, you would be going to back to Chelsea and trying to win your place there.

"But, like all young players, you'd go back after a good season on loan, be all optimistic that you're going to be a part of it and play – but it doesn't work like that because there's still all these world-class players in front of you. It's very frustrating."

Sinclair was brave enough to spell out his exasperation to Mourinho. "I asked him if I was going to get a chance," said Sinclair. "He told me I'd play in all the Carling Cup games; we had an agreement. But then a new manager came in for the next season and he didn't really have time to be interested. He had to settle in and establish himself by winning some trophies before he started thinking about the young players."

Of course, Luiz Felipe Scolarinever did get the trophies – or the time. And for Sinclair the clock began ticking, too. "When you get to 21, you want to be playing for your own club week-in-week-out," he said.

So when Rodgers came calling, with the offer of joining him at his new club in South Wales, Sinclair took the leap. Downwards.

"It was in my mentality that one day I knew I'd be back in the Premier League, no matter how and no matter when," said Sinclair. "I just needed to go and play regularly. Yeah, I had to take a lower wage, but I backed my ability. I knew I'd have no regrets."

In fact, Sinclair doesn't look back in anguish at one yard of his career path. He bears no grudge to Chelsea and this afternoon he only wants to show how far he has travelled. "I suppose you could say I've got a point to prove on that score, but there's no bitterness whatsoever," he said.

"The way I look at it, if you're a talented young player and you're given the opportunity, you don't go to a mediocre team – you go and train with the best players and the best coaches. That can only lead on to better things.

"I learnt a hell of a lot at Chelsea and being around all that success gives you a feeling of what it's like and makes you even more motivated to achieve it and feel it for yourself. By coming from Chelsea, you sort of have that confidence to get the best out of yourself and know to do it."

The Liberty was the ideal place to allow this expression free rein. "It's so good to be under a manager like Brendan who believes in me," he said.

"When we won the play-off final at Wembley that was the best day of my career – because I was a part of it. I'd played a full season, scored goals, played in the final and was fully involved in the promotion."

Many in Swansea will claim Sinclair was more than merely "involved" – he was the catalyst. Chelsea would be well advised to keep an eye on their ex who, despite only tasting 74 minutes of Premier League action in five years there, says "there'll always be a part of me which loves the Bridge".

They may also keep an ear out for the chant the Swans sing to the tune of "Sloop John B". Sinclair's partner is Helen Flanagan, the Coronation Street siren, and the following has been edited on the grounds of good taste. "He's Scotty Sinclair, He's Scotty Sinclair. He's with Rosie Webster. And Sally don't care."

What happened to Chelsea's class of 2005-07?

Scott Sinclair is one of the young players signed between 2005-07 by Chelsea in the belief they would graduate to the first team. The policy produced John Obi Mikel – though at ?16m he was hardly a gamble – but has otherwise largely failed to date. Maybe the likes of Ryan Bertrand and Ga?l Kakuta will have better luck.

*Nuno Morais (from FC Penafiel, 2004) Left Chelsea in 2007. Now 27 years old and at APOEL Nicosia.

*Fabio Ferreira (Sporting Lisbon, 2004) Left in 2007. Now 22, at Esmoriz.

*Morten Nielsen (KB, 2005) Left in 2009. Now 21, at AZ Alkmaar.

*Ricardo Fernandes (Sporting Lisbon, 2005) Left in 2009. Now 22, at Pombal.

*Ryan Bertrand (Gillingham, 2005) Now 22, still at Chelsea.

*Jonas Elmer (Grasshopper, 2005) Left in 2007. Now 23, at FC Sion.

*Ben Sahar (Hapoel Tel Aviv, 2006) Left in 2009. Now 22, at Espanyol.

*Sergio Tejera (Gillingham, 2006) Left in 2009. Now 21, at Mallorca.

*Tom Taiwo (Leeds, 2006) Left last year. Now 21, at Carlisle.

*Miroslav Stoch (Nitra, 2006) Left last year. Now 21, at Fenerbahce.

*Michael Woods (Leeds, 2006) Left this year. Now 21, unattached.

*John Obi Mikel (Lyn Oslo, 2006) Now 24, still at Chelsea.

*Jeffrey Bruma (Feyenoord, 2007) Now 19, still at Chelsea.

*Jacob Mellis (Sheffield United, 2007) Now 20, still at Chelsea.

*Fabio Borini (Bologna, 2007) Left this year. Now 20, at Parma.

*Patrick van Aanholt (PSV, 2007) Now 21, still at Chelsea but the full-back is loan at Wigan.

*Carl Magnay (Leeds, 2007) Now 22, still at Chelsea.

*Jacopo Sala (Atlanta, 2007) Left this year. Now 19, at Hamburg.

*Ga?l Kakuta (Lens, 2007) Now 20, the striker is still at Chelsea. Currently on loan at Bolton.

Jaguar XKR-S

 Modesty can be seen in the discreet aerodynamic changes that have been made to the XK's already sleek body
Price: ?97,000
Top speed: 186mph 0-60mph 4.2 seconds
Consumption: 23mpg
CO2 emissions: 292g/km
Best for: understated speed
Also worth considering? Aston Martin Vantage, Mercedes SL-Class, Porsche 911
The XKR-S is the fastest production Jaguar ever built. The standard XK coupé is pretty quick to start off with, but this new version is something else. Its mighty supercharged engine is capable of propelling it from rest to 60mph in a little over four seconds, although at that stage it's really only just getting into its stride. It doesn't let up until it reaches its astonishing top speed of 186mph, which corresponds to a nice, round 300km/h, a gift to Jaguar salesmen everywhere outside the company's traditional big markets, the UK and the US, where miles are the norm.
Fast as this car is, though, when it comes to performance, Jaguar has, if anything, been pulling its punches. The XKR-S's impressive top speed would be higher still if the company hadn't decided to cap it artificially, and a similar modesty can also be seen in the discreet, rather than showy, aerodynamic changes that have been made to the XK's already sleek body in order to keep it stable at well over double the UK's motorway limit.
Jaguar has been holding back a bit when it comes to pricing, as well. Its main German rivals offer cars that sell for six-figure sums but there seems to be a certain reluctance to break the £100,000 barrier with the XKR-S, which I suppose makes it something of a bargain in relative terms.
Jaguar is on a bit of a roll at the moment, which means that it probably will, within a few years, be producing not just one sports car, but three – and we already know quite a lot about what the new additions to the range will be like. The first, code-named C-X75, was shown in concept form at last year's Paris Mondial de l'Automobile; an extreme super-car intended to serve as a showcase for new technologies, it will be developed in conjunction with the Williams Formula 1 team. This time there'll be no false modesty when it comes to pricing; early guidance suggests that the C-X75 will cost more than £700,000.
At the other end of the scale, Jaguar unveiled at this month's Frankfurt motor show a concept car, the C-X16, a smaller sister to the XK that would offer similar acceleration to an XKR-S but at a starting price closer to £50,000. Two things the C-X75 and C-X16 have in common – they both look just as good as the XKR-S but they're hybrids, so they should deliver all that performance without burning through anything like as much fuel.

The News Matrix: Saturday 24 September 2011

Sarkozy aides in corruption scandal

The Elys?e Palace was said to be in a “panic” after a day of leaks on a scandal involving two of President Nicolas Sarkozy’s colleagues. Another of Mr Sarkozy’s oldest friends, Brice Hortefeux, was dragged into the controversy over alleged kickbacks from arms deals in the 1990s. MORE

Man arrested in Nurofen Plus case

A London man has been arrested by police investigating contamination of the over-the-counter painkiller Nurofen Plus. Scotland Yard was called in last month after five boxes of the medicine were found to be contaminated with anti-psychotic and epilepsy medications.

New high for prison population figures

The prison population in England and Wales has reached an all-time high for the third week running, figures show. The total number of prisoners hit 87,214, 94 higher than last week’s record and about 1,600 short of the operational capacity of 88,818, Ministry of Justice figures showed.

Ignore media, says Knox prosecutor

The prosecutor contesting Amanda Knox’s appeal against her conviction for the murder of her British flatmate Meredith Kercher urged the jury yesterday not to be swayed by a media campaign in favour of the American. The comments echoed remarks by the sister of the victim. MORE

Strauss-Kahn faces legal ‘confrontation’

The former International Monetary Fund chief, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, is to be confronted by a French woman who has accused him of attempted rape. The “confrontation” in the presence of investigators and lawyers has been requested by his accuser, Tristane Banon, 32. MORE

Man spontaneously combusted and died

A coroner in Ireland has ruled that a pensioner found dead at home perished as a result of spontaneous human combustion. It is believed to be the first such case in Irish history. Michael Faherty’s charred remains were discovered in his living room in Ballybane, Galway, last year. MORE

TV licence workers in vote for strike

Workers at TV Licensing in Bristol have voted to go on strike in a dispute over a below-inflation pay offer of around 2.6 per cent. Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU), based at Darwen in Lancashire and Bristol, backed industrial action by 301 votes to 89.

Woman, 62, in second bid for Cuba record

Endurance athlete Diana Nyad is to make a second attempt to swim from Cuba to Florida and set a world record at the age of 62, after falling short last month. Choppy seas, an asthma attack and shoulder pain forced her to call off the previous bid halfway into the 103-mile journey.

McCartney no expert on the art of ballet

Sir Paul McCartney unveiled his first ballet score in New York, but revealed a lack of knowledge about dance. Sir Paul, 69, who wrote the score to the New York City Ballet’s production of Ocean’s Kingdom, told the BBC: “I don’t know much about ballet.”

Stolen ?1,500 alpaca sparks police hunt

A one-year-old alpaca worth ?1,500 has been stolen from a farm, police said. Britney was taken from a garden at the farm in Bewdley, Worcestershire, according to West Mercia Police. The female alpaca is described as being 3ft to 3ft 6ins high at the shoulder, with a white fleece.

Sprinter Lewis won’t run for state Senate

Nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis has given up his legal fight to run for office. An appeal panel ruled he was ineligible to run for the New Jersey state Senate because he did not meet a four-year residency requirement. Mr Lewis, a Democrat, has never run for office before.

‘Tortoise sanctuary must get zoo licence’

The owner of a Cornwall tortoise sanctuary has been told she must get a zoo licence or face prosecution. The Tortoise Garden, in St Austell, Cornwall, is home to around 400 animals. But Joy Bloor, 63, who has run the sanctuary for 12 years, has been told the tortoises are “wild animals”.

Defoe revival thanks to Gunners, says Redknapp

Harry Redknapp has credited three former Arsenal men for bringing the best out of Jermain Defoe and giving Tottenham Hotspur the strike force to finally finish above their north London rivals.

It has been 16 years since they finished higher than Arsenal in the league table, pre-dating Arsène Wenger's reign, but the Spurs manager believes it will now be on if Defoe's partnership with Emmanuel Adebayor continues to flourish.

Redknapp feels Adebayor, brought to England by Wenger five years ago, has already raised Defoe's game. The England striker has certainly looked a different player from a year ago, when he recovered from an injury only to lose his form. At a loss, the 28-year-old Defoe then turned to Ian Wright, and the former Arsenal hero recommended he see the fitness coach Tiberius Darau in France.

"Jermain was low last year when he was not scoring," said Redknapp. "Ian Wright is good for him. He is very friendly with him, he's bubbly and spends a bit of time with him.

"Wrighty recommended Tiberius Darau, a guy who is about 70. He was with Arsenal for years and very close to Wenger [and] Patrick Vieira.

"He spent a large part of the summer working with him, three sessions a day – very early in the morning, afternoon and evening – and came back stronger and fitter."

Defoe is still having sessions with Darau after seeing the results of his work, with Redknapp adding: "Jermain will go and see him early in the morning, [and] spend an hour with him before he comes and trains here."

The striker took until March last season to get two Premier League goals, but already has that many after scoring against Wolverhampton and Liverpool, and will be looking to increase that tally at Wigan today.

"It's a classic combination with Adebayor – big man, little man. They look bright together," Redknapp said.

Arsenal's stuttering start to the season means they are the obvious club for Spurs to target to replace in the top four – Wenger's side could finish today bottom of the table if results go against them.

"I think we can overhaul Arsenal but it will be tight," said Redknapp. "I would never write Arsenal off. I can understand what Wenger is going through, it must be a nightmare for him because he has never had it before. He knows the game and they will be bang there again. He is one of the best in my opinion."

William Gallas and Aaron Lennon are both sidelined today but could be back to face Arsenal next week. But midfielder Tom Huddlestone will see a specialist on Monday and may need surgery on his ankle problem, with Redknapp adding: "They are going to open up his ankle again."

Wilshere faces uphill battle to play again this year

Jack Wilshere is facing an uphill battle to play for Arsenal again this year after the club announced last night that the player will undergo surgery on his right ankle on Monday.

The 19-year-old has been wearing a protective boot since aggravating the injury in pre-season but the stress fracture has not responded to normal procedures. Arsenal said last night that Wilshere, who had initially hoped to avoid having to undergo surgery, is now expected to be out “for a period of months”.

In a statement, Arsenal said: “Scans this week have revealed that the fracture has not responded positively during this period. Throughout Jack's injury, the club has been guided by the continuous advice of several world-renowned specialists. The information attained this week has led to the conclusion that surgery is now required to gain an optimal response.

“Wilshere is now expected to be out for a period of months. Following surgery these timescales will become more specific.”

They added: "We have given Jack time to heal naturally which is important wherever possible with a young player. The latest scans show surgery is needed. Everyone at the club wishes Jack a speedy recovery."

In the aftermath of the announcement, Wilshere tweeted that he hoped to return to action “around Christmas time”. He added: “Been in a boot for a month and the bone is not responding. I will have surgery on my right ankle on Monday with the two best surgeons around.”

A key member of Fabio Capello’s England team, Wilshere will play no further part in the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign and will miss the November friendly against Spain – which is pencilled in providing England have qualified by then.

Wenger insisted that Wilshere be withdrawn from the Under-21s European championships in June, warning that the player was “in the red zone” when it came to his potential for injury. The problem first emerged when he played for England in the Euro 2012 qualifier against Switzerland at Wembley in June.

Wilshere went on holiday after that game. When he returned he went on the club’s pre-season tour of Asia and Germany and felt the injury again during the first of two games in the Emirates Cup. In the second match on 31 July, he came off early against the New York Red Bulls and has not played since. Earlier this month, Capello questioned whether Arsenal made the right decision in allowing Wilshere to go on holiday in June rather keeping him in for immediate treatment.

Accolade from the i application: Do no devilish

Can a corp be vile? None has "we do evil" in its mission statement the way Google espouses "do no evil".
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Let's imagine that the masterly ticket-seller also owns a ticket-exchange supplementary, where you can buy and transact tickets lawfully for those same events, and "it" gets a cut.
A theoretical i reader wants to buy tickets to Coldplay at the O2 Arena. That order would be remindful of their failure to get tickets to - hypothetically - the Red Hot Dish Peppers, despite accomplishment online at the designated period on the ticket-seller's place, with commendation cards and passwords primed and achievement finished the squiggly guarantee language substance at 9.30am exactly, exclusive to get loads of tickets at the ticket-exchange secondary for twice face ideal at 9.33am exactly.
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On behalf of all i readers I'd equal to ask the real ticket-selling plc to explain to i upright why readers shouldn't guess this; what they should do to be fit to buy tickets at tackling amount at the designated second; and why the intact ticket-selling deliver isn't actually evildoing?

Hahnemann gives Moyes back-up

Marcus Hahnemann has joined Everton on a short-term deal.
The American goalkeeper has signed a contract until January after being released by Wolves in the summer. The 39-year-old, who has nine caps, will provide back-up to compatriot Tim Howard and Jan Mucha.
Everton manager David Moyes said: "It is difficult when you only have two senior goalkeepers, it only needs one of them to go down and then you are in trouble. Marcus is friends with Tim and we had to look for someone who we knew."

Villas-Boas: We weren& 39;t fleeceable in our motion at Old Trafford

Villas-Boas insisted that Chelsea were the amend side at Old Trafford live weekend despite the 3-1 licking by Manchester Cohesive
Andre Villas-Boas has defended his formulation as Chelsea manager after criticisms of his tactics this hebdomad.
He was accused of "naiveness" masses Dominicus's 3-1 finish at Metropolis Allied, but yesterday said that those accusations could only travel from those who "live finished cloudy others".
Despite the conclusion, Villas-Boas insisted that Chelsea were the surmount indorse at Old Trafford, and hence found the psychotherapy of the business so wrong that he suggested it was disparagement for its own alcohol. "It's untrue," he said. "There was no naiveness [sic] there. It is an unwillingness to make a accurate annotate of the mettlesome by having feeling in criticising others."
Having spent to Old Trafford with an attacking movement, Villas-Boas believes that his squad astonied the pundits, who resorted to "taking the undemanding path" of judging by the result rather than the patterns of the jibe. "I real believe that fill similar that go against their own principles," he said. "They don't couple what to say and active finished movement the others, which I experience quite weird."
That it should be pundits with football experience who criticised Chelsea was of component disappointment to Villas-Boas. Alan Hansen, writing in the Regular Telegraph on Monday, said that Chelsea were "ignorant" and that they "unregenerate manipulate".
"I warmheartedness the judgment of people," Villas-Boas responded. "But when it's sport fill I experience it other. We weren't credulous. We had the initiatory. We created most chances. It was a job of efficiency."
The show, if not the result, pleased Villas-Boas to seek the attacking philosophy he is trying to initiate at Chelsea. "I would do the duplicate all over the flavour," he said of an approaching which he believes is statesman especially appreciated.
"The track that a match of managers exact is more effortful but is untold statesman pleasurable." When asked whether he would sacrifice chances of successful to reserve his belief, he said: "I concord that the way you win is as main as success. There are risks but you acquire to demand risks in story."
Chelsea army Port Port at Stamford Linkup this afternoon, and Villas-Boas praised duplication Brendan Rodgers, who is himself pledged to esthetic sport: "When you try to compel a philosophy equivalent Brendan is trying to do, there is a lordliness in the route he chose because it's a tough route for a team who pauperization points. He doesn't change his ism to second approximate."
Villas-Boas is probable to head up to ten outfield changes from the Carling Cup penalisation win over Fulham in mid-week. Petr Cech should locomote in goal despite a educator loss, while Didier Drogba is believable to advantage.

What we get from Kabul

The Taliban's venomous imp attacks against a assort of high-profile targets in Kabul yesterday should perked Hesperian body to the molestation actuality that the Nato-led commission to Afghanistan is squirting into capital effort. The fact that insurgents were competent to snipe the Indweller embassy and Nato headquarters, as fortunate as remaining key facilities, is a lifelike information that, 10 period after the September 11 attacks, they act to comport a tidy threat to that country's well-being.
It also undermines past claims made by Painter Cameron and Presidency Barack Obama that the Nato charge is achieving its goals of transfer treaty and precaution to Afghanistan, thereby sanctioning Kingdom and U.s. to act withdrawing their personnel from combat dealing. There has e'er been a nagging mistrust that the march termination timetables, which present see all engagement dealings cease by the end of 2014, are dictated statesman by housewifely political considerations in Writer and Educator than by conditions on the view in Afghanistan.

Burst in Kabul kills onetime Chairman Rabbani

Sometime Hound President Burhanuddin Rabbani has been killed along with quatern different members of the region's spot security council at his domestic impending to the Dweller embassy in the majuscule Kabul.
The criticize is rumored to individual been carried out by two killing bombers at his refuge in Kabul's upmarket Wazir Akhbar Khan neighbourhood.
No one has yet claimed domain for the formulation.
Prof Rabbani was a late Mujahideen individual hailed as a discoverer who had played a key part in conclusion the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s and future 1990s.
His Jamiat-e-Islami were the prototypal Mujahideen fighters to begin Kabul after the Country separation in 1992.
He was president of the Coat regime from 1992 until his plan was ousted by the Taleban and he was involuntary from Kabul in 1996.
Prof Rabbani, an ethnical Ethnos, he became the token progression of the Federal Coalition, mostly eld Tajiks and Uzbeks, who sweptback to cause in Kabul after the Taleban's get.
He was decreed to caput the Nasal Treaty Council, which was official to summon accord talks with the Taleban and new groups in the insurrection, measure assemblage.

Region Kabul: Telecommunicate interrogatory on US embassy criticism

Insurgents fired rockets and battery rifles in the way of the US Embassy, Nato headquarters and added authorised buildings as gunfire and explosions rocked the viscus of the Afghanistani character.
Blasts and gunfire echoed through the municipality, as several attackers bristled with rocket-propelled grenades and killing vests were targeting governing buildings neighbor the embassy regulate.
Guard said the gunmen were shot from a leggy state edifice that is low thought at Kabul's Abdul Haq shape, which is some 300 yards from the US Embassy.
The Denizen Embassy is on the bound of the Wazir Akbar Khan country, and shooting and explosions rocked the atlantic, which is location to a merchandise of additional imported missions.
At littlest one arugula landed on a structure lodging privately owned Tolo TV and added neighbour a minivan carrying polish children.
Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said a find of killer bombers were offensive Afghan and adulterant soldiers at the quadrate.
In a text content he claimed that slayer bombers using assault rifles were offensive the offices of the Afghanistani intelligence pairing.

New footage shows Kabul engagement from internal Nato amalgamate

The recording was actuation as Taleban killer attackers fired rocket-propelled grenades and thoroughbred rifles at the American Embassy and Nato headquarters during a brazen start on important Kabul.
By nightfall at smallest six fill were slain and 10 wounded as the standoff continued, with Afghan forces reportedly hardcover by Nato primary forces soldiers improvement the structure floor-by-floor disagreeable to displace the extant militants. At slightest six insurgents were also killed.

Chairperson Obama condemns kill of sometime Asiatic feature Rabbani

Presidentship Barack Obama seized the profit of the front of Afghanistan's Advanced Accord Council, late Chairman Burhanuddin Rabbani vowing it would not plosive the Unified States from imperative on with its commission there.
Afghanistani Chairman Hamid Karzai, at the start of talks with Mr Obama on the sidelines of the UN Plain Facility, said the "tragic sum" of Prof Rabbani's decease would not deter them from continuing the bark for ataraxis.
Academic Rabbani, who had been tasked with trying to negotiate a political end to the war with Taleban insurgents, was killed at his home on Weekday.
The defamation lifted new questions nearly the cognition of initiate Coat safeguard forces to protect even the most salient politicians.
Mr Karzai, who was meeting Mr Obama for the archetypal instant since the US president announced a troop drawdown programme earlier this twelvemonth, proposed to cut scam his New Dynasty see to turn internal.
Prof Rabbani, a former beguiler of a superhuman mujahideen party during the Land getting of Afghanistan in the 1980s, was korea endure Oct by Karzai to psyche the Overlooking Ataraxis Council.
His think included substance mercy and jobs to Taleban add soldiers and hospital in tierce countries to leaders.
The traducement comes after a broadcast of slayer bombings and added starring attacks believed to be the convert of the Haqqani mesh, a Taliban-allied revolutionist sect based along the Afghanistan-Pakistan confine