WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013 SPORTS

Fluminense fire Luxemburgo Hull fans to fight Rookie to replace Perez

SAO PAULO: Fluminense fired coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo on Monday after a name change LONDON: McLaren are set to replace Mexican Sergio Perez with Danish rookie nine-game winless run left the Rio club in danger of becoming the first league LONDON: Angry Hull City fans are hoping the Football Association will Kevin Magnussen for next season, media reports said on Monday. champions to be relegated the following season. Fluminense have lost has four block any attempt by chairman Assem Allam to change the name of the Sources close to the Formula One team indicated the reports were accurate. of their last five games and patience with former Real Madrid boss 109-year-old club to Hull Tigers. A McLaren spokesman said no deal had been signed with any driver for 2014, Luxemburgo has ran out. The 74-year-old Egypt-born businessman, who arrived in Hull as a other than 2009 world champion Jenson Button. Magnussen, 21, is the son of “President Peter Siemsen decided that coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo will no 29-year-old student in 1968, changed the name of the club’s holding former McLaren and Stewart grand prix driver Jan Magnussen and won the longer remain as manager of Fluminense,” the club said in a statement on their company from Hull City Association Football Club to Hull City Tigers in Formula Renault 3.5 series this year. website. “Having been informed of the decision by the president, Vanderlei August. Now in a move, deeply unpopular with fans, Allam, who res- The BBC and autosport.com websites both reported McLaren had decided Luxemburgo leaves the team this Monday, Nov. 11. Fluminense thanks the cued the club from the brink of bankruptcy and has invested around to give Magnussen the drive. Team principal Martin Whitmarsh earlier told coach and his backroom staff for their hard work.” 35.0 million pounds ($55.90 million) in it, wants to change the name of reporters that talks were still ongoing for the second seat at the former cham- The club, who won the Brazilian league last year for the second the Premier League club itself. pionship-winning team. time in three seasons, later announced Dorival Junior would However, Hull fans’ group City Til We Die hope that could lead to an “There has been a lot of honest feedback both ways, which is replace Luxemburgo until the end of the year. The former coach intervention by the FA who have to approve any name change. best done in private not in public. We’ll see in the future,” he of Santos, Internacional and Flamengo, who was fired by Rio A statement on its website (www.ambernectar.org) reads: “Our said ahead of this weekend’s US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas. neighbours Vasco da Gama earlier this season, would start work group has already had extensive contact with key figures at the FA, and If Magnussen is confirmed in the seat, he will be McLaren’s on Tuesday, the club said. Junior will be Fluminense’s third we anticipate they will take a dim view... of this announcement. “We first rookie driver since Britain’s Lewis Hamilton made a sensa- manager of the year and his first match in charge will be remain puzzled that Dr Allam cannot distinguish between the name of tional debut in 2007. He won the title the following season. Thursday’s home game against bottom club Nautico at his holding company and the football name of the club he owns. “Until Last month Whitmarsh described Magnussen, who is a the Maracana stadium. Fluminense are third from he registers a new name with the Football Association, the club remains McLaren development driver, as “pretty special” and “lightning bottom on 36 points from 33 games, a point from Hull City AFC. His belief that we are already called Hull City Tigers, a quick”. Perez joined McLaren from Sauber at the end of last safety with five games left to play. The bottom four name ripe for shortening, is therefore spectacularly ill-judged and erro- season after Hamilton left for Mercedes and has strug- teams are relegated. —Reuters neous.—Reuters gled with an uncompetitive car. —Reuters Hirscher faces Olympic, World Cup challenges

VIENNA: When the pressure rises, Marcel failed to finish just as many times. Hirscher is in his element. Following his “I have no other choice than to give successful defense of the overall World 100 percent. I have to ski at full throttle,” Cup ski title last season, the Austrian Hirscher said, adding that he’s been faces an even bigger challenge - not just working hard with his team on altering retaining the overall championship but his slalom technique in order to lower the also winning Olympic gold in Sochi. risk of straddling a gate and skiing out. Hirscher bears the weight of expecta- Besides being part of the federation’s tions from a ski-mad nation after the national squad, Hirscher has been build- Austrian men failed to win any medal at ing his own support crew, including a the 2010 Vancouver Games. coach, a service man, a physician, a press The 24-year-old takes additional moti- officer, and most notably his father vation from that pressure, a situation he Ferdinand, who, just like his Dutch moth- compares to a rather scary scene. “If er Sylvia, used to work as a skiing instruc- you’re standing in front of a big, big, tor. Austria coach Mathias Berthold is huge wall, and you have no opportunity wary of putting too much pressure on to climb up there, and then behind you, Hirscher’s shoulders. there are a hundred crazy dogs who want “Marcel had two stunning seasons,” to eat you up, then you have to go for Berthold said. “You can always do better your life,” he said. but you have to be realistic. Too many In 2012, Hirscher became the first expectations will kill you, will slow you Austrian since Benjamin Raich six years down. What has been doesn’t count any- earlier to win the largest crystal globe for more. If you want to develop more, you the season’s best allround skier. have to get rid of the past and work here Patrice Bergeron in action in this file photo. By winning back-to-back overall titles, and now. I think Marcel has unbelievable Hirscher has proven he knows how to qualities to do just that.” handle pressure. Still, that doesn’t guar- Hirscher won the slalom and took sil- Bruins stop Lightning antee him anything for the new cam- ver in giant slalom at the world champi- paign. onships in Schladming this year for his “It’s possible but it will be really first individual medals at major champi- BOSTON: Patrice Bergeron and made 23 saves for Tampa Bay, that caromed off the skate of Loui play, Tampa Bay defenseman tough,” Hirscher said about adding a third onships. He placed fourth in GS at the Daniel Paille scored 20 seconds which had a four-game winning Eriksson. Sami Salo also appeared to hurt championship. “I am not thinking about 2009 worlds, and fourth in GS again and apart a few minutes after Tampa streak snapped. They made it 2-0 when Paille his right leg and had trouble this. I am not sure if it’s me or Ted (Ligety) fifth in slalom at the Olympics the next Bay star Steven Stamkos was tak- The Bruins jumped ahead with broke in down the right wing, making it to the bench. He was or Alexis (Pinturault) or Aksel (Lund year. He missed the 2011 worlds with a en off the ice on a stretcher with a just under 3 minutes left in the shifted to his backhand and briefly assisted by one of the ref- Svindal), maybe Ivica (Kostelic). So many broken left foot, an injury that, oddly broken right leg as the Boston period when Bergeron scored off slipped a shot past Lindback erees on the ice and didn’t return good guys ... I will try to ski as good as enough, helped to boost his career. Bruins beat the Lightning 3-0 on the rebound of Torey Krug’s shot inside the right post. During the in the third period. —AP last year but if it doesn’t work, what can I “That was the most dramatic experi- Monday. do? I am not a machine.” ence in my career,” said Hirscher, who Stamkos was hurt with 7:11 to Hirscher finished third in last month’s then learned to take nothing for granted. play in the second period after NHL results/standings season-opening giant slalom, which was “I was destroyed when I was lying on the entering the day level with Western Conference Eastern Conference dominated by Ligety, but he will start as couch in front of the TV and watching my Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby as the Pacific Division Atlantic Division the favorite in Sunday’s slalom in Levi, teammates race at the worlds. I’ve learnt NHL’s leading scorer. Stamkos got W L OTL GF GA PTS Tampa Bay 12 5 0 54 42 24 Finland. a lot. It’s weird you learn more from your tied up with Boston defenseman Boston 11 5 1 48 30 23 Anaheim 15 3 1 66 45 31 “Ted showed all of us that he can be losses than from your victories.” Dougie Hamilton and crashed Toronto 11 6 0 51 40 22 on the podium as well in slalom,” Hirscher Off the slopes, Hirscher aims to stay into the right post. Phoenix 12 4 2 60 56 26 Detroit 9 5 4 45 48 22 said of the American, who makes no grounded in the face of increased interest His left skate appeared to hit San Jose 10 2 5 63 41 25 Montreal 9 8 1 48 40 19 secret of his attempt to challenge the from fans - his Facebook page has been the post first before his right leg Vancouver 11 7 2 54 54 24 Ottawa 7 6 4 53 51 18 Austrian for the overall title. “He tested a liked more than 237,000 times - and Los Angeles 11 6 0 50 41 22 Florida 3 11 4 37 64 10 crashed into it around the shin Buffalo 3 15 1 33 61 7 Calgary 6 9 2 47 61 14 lot from what I heard, and I am sure he media. area. He tried to get up twice Metropolitan Division will be much faster in slalom than last Hirscher lost his national sportsman of before going down to the ice in Edmonton 4 13 2 48 75 10 Pittsburgh 11 6 0 50 40 22 season.” the year award to Bayern Munich’s David pain, grabbing his leg just above Central Division Washington 9 8 1 57 52 19 Hirscher has won 10 of his 18 career Alaba last week but he was voted the ankle. Colorado 14 2 0 54 28 28 NY Rangers 9 8 0 39 46 18 titles in skiing’s most technically demand- Austria’s coolest athlete in an online poll Tuukka Rask stopped 28 shots Chicago 12 2 4 66 49 28 Carolina 6 7 4 32 48 16 New Jersey 5 7 5 35 44 15 ing discipline. He landed on the podium recently. for his 18th career shutout and St. Louis 11 2 2 52 34 24 in all nine World Cup races last season “I always find it difficult to judge second this season. Jarome Iginla NY Islanders 6 9 3 51 60 15 Minnesota 10 4 4 48 40 24 Columbus 6 10 0 41 46 12 and won four of them. myself,” Hirscher said. “I am not someone added an empty-net goal with 59 Nashville 8 7 2 37 54 18 Philadelphia 5 10 1 26 44 11 Because of that consistency, Hirscher who is watching his own pictures five seconds left. Dallas 8 7 2 46 52 18 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the stand- regarded last season as a major improve- times a day. I am Marcel, if people like Anders Lindback, playing just Winnipeg 8 9 2 50 55 18 ings and are not included in the loss column (L). ment despite one less slalom victory than me, that’s cool. It they don’t, that’s fine as his fifth game of the season, the season before. In all-or-nothing style, well. I’ll always try to stay close to who I Hirscher won five races in 2011-12 but am. —AP Myers and Fernandez win Rookie of the Year awards

NEW YORK: Outfielder Wil Myers of the “It means a lot to get this award,” he said. two writers representing each league city. Tampa Bay Rays was named American League Fernandez, also one of the finalists for the Iglesias, who batted .303 with three home Rookie of the Year, while Miami Marlins pitch- National League Cy Young Award, placed first runs and 29 RBIs dividing his 2013 season er Jose Fernandez took the National League on 26 of 30 ballots cast. He was the only play- between Boston and Detroit, finished second honors when the awards were announced by er listed on every ballot and became the first in the voting with five first-place votes. Major League Baseball on Monday. Cuban-born player to win the National Receiving one first-place vote apiece were The 22-year-old Myers, acquired before the League award. Tony Oliva (1964) of the Twins pitchers Archer (9-7, 3.22 ERA) and Dan Straily season in a trade with the Royals for pitching and Jose Canseco (1986) of the A’s were (10-8, 3.96 ERA) of the Oakland Athletics. ace James Shields, lived up to expectations in Cuban-born winners in the American League. Myers said he had many areas to improve Tampa by batting .293 with 13 home runs and Cuban-born Puig was runner-up, receiving on in the offseason. “I definitely want to go 53 runs batted in after being called up in mid- the other four first-place votes. Myers was list- out and try to be one of the best players in season. Myers, who joined the Rays in June ed first on 23 of the 30 ballots submitted by the game,” Myers said. —Reuters and helped them claim a wild card berth in the playoffs, finished ahead of Detroit Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias and Rays starting pitcher Chris Archer in the Baseball Writers’ Ogier wary of Welsh finale Association of America voting. CARDIFF: Sebastien Ogier may have having to worry about the championship,” “I thought I did well,” Myers told reporters already been crowned world champion said the Volkswagen driver. “It’s a rally in a conference call. “I was able to go out and but the Frenchman is not getting his where anything can happen and it’s very help the team. I thought I was put in some hopes up ahead of the season-ending easy to make a mistake.” pretty big spots as a rookie. As far as my sea- Wales Rally GB starting today. Meanwhile this year’s Wales Rally GB is son went, there’s a lot of things that can “It’s not my favorite event-I have had a set to witness the return of Robert Kubica improve, but I thought I did pretty well for my lot of accidents there,” said the 29-year-old, to top-flight motorsport. The 29-year-old first year.” Tampa Bay were going at little bet- who has raced a course renowned for its Pole had to abandon a promising Formula ter than .500 before calling up Myers in mid- forest stages on five occasions but has yet One career after suffering a life-threaten- June and posted a 56-38 record after his to post a top-ten finish. ing accident in a minor rally in Italy in arrival. The hard-throwing Fernandez won NL “The stages are really nice but very diffi- 2011, in which he suffered compound frac- Rookie honours over Dodgers outfielder Yasiel cult to judge with varying grip levels, and tures to his right elbow, shoulder and leg, Puig and Cardinals right-handed pitcher then there’s the weather. But now with and almost had to have his hand amputat- Shelby Miller. more experience, I’m hoping to secure a ed. Kubica won the second-tier World Rally The 21-year-old posted a 12-6 record and good result this year.” Championship 2 in his debut season in his 2.19 earned run average was second in the Ogier won last month’s rally of Spain-his Spain last month. He said competing in National League to Dodgers ace Clayton eighth win in 12 races this season after Wales would be a “great opportunity and a Kershaw’s 1.83. making sure of the title the round before in huge challenge”. The right-hander, who left his native Cuba his native France. But Kubica will be alongside a new co- five years ago, made an unexpected jump And Ogier said he hoped the fact he no driver for this event with Maciek Baran, from Class A of the minor leagues to the longer had to worry about the title would who has partnered him throughout his Marlins to start the season and made the help him improve his poor record in Wales. debut season in WRC 2,replaced by most of it. “I am very happy to do this rally without Michele Ferrara. —AFP Marcel Hirscher “This is out of this world,” said Fernandez.