Mayweather, McGregor England to face trade verbal jabs, Kiwis in women’s countdown begins World Cup final

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LONDON: This is a Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014 file photo of England’s Wayne Rooney, right, as he controls the ball in front of Slovenia’s Branko Ilic, during their Euro 2016 Group E qualifying soccer match at Wembley Stadium, London. England striker Wayne Rooney announced his immediate retirement from international football yesterday. — AP Rooney calls time on England despite recall

LONDON: England’s record goalscorer Wayne “It was great that Gareth Southgate called me Everton win trophies. He had alluded to his prior- been part of a successful England tournament proved to be Rooney’s final appearance for his Rooney announced yesterday he is retiring from this week to tell me he wanted me back in the ities in a post-match interview on Sky Sports on side,” said Rooney, whose four goals in Euro 2004 country. Figures from English football were quick international football with immediate effect after England squad for the upcoming matches. I real- Monday after he matched Alan Shearer in scor- propelled England to the quarter-finals before to pay tribute to the star. manager Gareth Southgate tried to recall him to ly appreciated that,” said Rooney in a statement ing 200 Premier League goals-made sweeter as it their hopes were extinguished when he broke a “Congratulations to @WayneRooney on a the squad. sent to Press Association Sport. “Having already came against Manchester United’s local rivals bone against Portugal. magnificent international career. A player’s play- The 31-year-old-scorer of 53 goals in 119 thought long and hard, I told Gareth that I had Manchester City. “Leaving Manchester United “Hopefully the exciting players Gareth is er,” said Lineker on Twitter. Greg Clarke, chairman appearances for his country-told Southgate of now decided to retire for good from internation- was a tough call but I know I made the right bringing through can take that ambition further of English football’s governing body the Football his decision during a phone conversation on al football. decision in coming home to Everton,” said and I hope everyone will get behind the team. Association (FA), said Rooney had earned the Tuesday. Southgate had phoned Rooney-who “It is a really tough decision and one I have Rooney. “Now I want to focus all my energies on “One day the dream will come true and I look for- right to be termed a “legend”. had lost both the captaincy and eventually his discussed with my family, my manager at helping them be successful.” ward to being there as a fan-or in any capacity.” “Today marks the end of an era in internation- place in the squad under Jose Mourinho at Everton (Ronald Koeman) and those closest to Rooney passed Bobby Charlton as England’s al football,” said Clarke. “Wayne Rooney is an icon Manchester United last season-to congratulate me. “Playing for England has always been special ‘ICON OF HIS GENERATION’ all-time top scorer against Switzerland in of his generation and an undoubted legend of him on his early season performances for new to me. Every time I was selected as a player or Another former England great, Gary Lineker September 2015. But despite being within the game.” Former England captain Terry Butcher club Everton. captain was a real privilege and I thank everyone said earlier on Wednesday that Rooney had been touching distance of Peter Shilton’s record of 125 said Rooney had taken the right decision. “You Rooney has looked rejuvenated and happy- who helped me. unlucky to be the only world-class player in caps for England, he opted against chasing yet do know as an international player when you scoring in both their Premier League matches so “But I believe now is the time to bow out.” many England sides that struggled to make an another international milestone. have reached the point of no return,” Butcher far-since he re-signed for the club that nurtured Rooney, England’s most capped outfield player, impression on either the world or European Captaining England to a 3-0 World Cup quali- told the BBC. “Sometimes you want to jump his talent as a teenager before he left for United. said his sole purpose now in football is to ensure stage. “One of my very few regrets is not to have fying win over rivals Scotland last November before you are pushed.” — AFP Soul-searching Schooling De Villiers quits as snaps up butterfly gold S Africa ODI skipper JOHANNESBURG: Star batsman AB de Villiers quit as KUALA LUMPUR: Olympic champion year’s Commonwealth Games in the Gold South Africa one-day international (ODI) skipper yester- Joseph Schooling said he was searching for Coast and the Asian Games in Jakarta, with day, but committed to representing his country in all inspiration to get his career back on track as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics approaching the three cricket formats. “Faf du Plessis has proved to be he swam to Southeast Asian Games victory horizon. “Coming in to this meet it wasn’t an outstanding captain of the Twenty20 and Test in the 100m butterfly yesterday. The really all about times, it was about the effort teams,” he said in a statement. Singaporean, who won the event at last that I can give and mentoring the young “Bearing this in mind, I have informed Cricket South year’s Olympics but dropped down to kids and just being a good role model for Africa that I would like to step down as ODI captain. “It bronze at the world championships in July, them,” he said. has been an honour to lead the team for the past six said he needed a “different mindset” to “So I’m pleased with the time, it’s not the years, but it is now time for someone else to take the chart his path forward. best time but I’m happy with the effort that I ODI side forward. Schooling won in 51.38sec, a new Games gave.” Schooling is spearheading a strong “Whoever is chosen as the new ODI captain will record but well outside his Asian mark of meet for Singapore, which Quah Ting Wen have my complete support.” De Villiers rejected media 50.39 from the Rio Olympics, when he continued when she won the women’s 100m claims that he was cherry-picking when to play for stunned his idol Michael Phelps. Asked freestyle in a tournament-record 55.74, and South Africa and putting himself before the team. “That is simply not true. That has never been true. whether he had shaken off the complacency then added gold in the 50m butterfly. Playing for South Africa is, and will always be, the great- that he blamed for his disappointing show- Singapore’s Quah Zheng Wen, Ting Wen’s est privilege of my life,” he said. He missed the recent 3- ing at the Budapest worlds, Schooling brother, won the men’s 200m backstroke in a 1 Test series defeat in England. De Villiers said mental laughed and shook his head. new Games mark of 2:00.09, and Singapore and physical tiredness and raising a young family had “It’s something that I’m going to have to also clinched the women’s 4x200m freestyle forced him to take a temporary international break. “I go back and reassess and head into the new in a tournament record of 8:10.41. Malaysia’s really do feel refreshed and revived,” said the 33-year- year with a different mindset,” the 22-year- Welson Sim won the men’s 200m freestyle in old. “I want to get back on the field and today assured old said. “Right now I’m here to support my 1:47.79, another new Games mark, adding to the national selectors that I will be available for selec- country, to support my team, and I’m not the hosts’ table-topping gold-medal haul tion in all three formats of the game during the coming really too worried about what’s going to which stood at 40 after Tuesday’s events. season. happen next year. “I feel like I can do a lot Earlier on a busy day four, home gymnast “There is plenty of hard work ahead in the nets and I better and this is a good test of my focus and Farah Ann Abdul Hadi-criticised by some must prepare properly, but I will be ready to play, if how I can step up, not only for myself but for Malaysians for wearing a “revealing” leotard required, from the middle of October. “If I am lucky my team.” Schooling, blowing hard after his when she competed in 2015 — won floor enough to be selected, I cannot guarantee runs and race, said he was feeling the pace halfway exercise gold. Malaysia’s Jackie Wong hurled catches. through the meet, with three gold medals in a Games-record 65.90m to win the men’s Nobody can do that. “But what I can absolutely the bag. After winning nine titles at the 2015 hammer, and the hosts also picked up victo- guarantee is 100 percent commitment to the Proteas in SEA Games, he is targeting six in Kuala ry in women’s trio bowling. every format of the game, as and when required. “That Lumpur. Vietnam’s Le Tu Chinh won the 200m in was my promise when I made my debut in 2004, and 23.32 to complete the women’s sprint dou- that is my promise today.” South Africa host KUALA LUMPUR: Singapore’s Joseph Schooling waves before the Men’s 100M Bangladesh, India and Australia during the 2017-2018 ‘NOT THE BEST TIME’ ble, while Anthony Beram secured the men’s Butterfly Swimming final of the 29th South East Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, season. —AFP Longer-term, Schooling is sizing up next 200m title for the Philippines. — AFP Malaysia, yesterday. — AP