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Home , Emilio Izaguirre, Grant Hanley, Jackie McNamara, Shane Duffy

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SUNDAY, MARCH 8, 2015 SPORTS John Terry, the last of England’s football legends?

PARIS: England is running short of leg- fide megastars still at the top who meet his 18th for the only club he has played By some measures, this already has club’s Stamford Bridge stadium. ends. Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard the dictionary definition of a legend: “A for, and possibly even beyond that. been one of Terry’s best Chelsea seasons. Kurt Zouma, signed a year ago from both qualify. But this person having a special place in popular To prevent the onset of complacency, Already the highest-scoring defender in French club Saint-Etienne, is a fabulous season looks like being their last. The all- opinion for their striking qualities or to keep them motivated and “to make club history, Terry added another six in defensive prospect, quick-thinking, cool time record goal-getter for Chelsea and deeds.” them feel the past doesn’t play a role and 36 games before the trip to West Ham, under pressure, and able to play in front the Liverpool captain both head for Remarkably for a player his age, John it’s all about the present and tomorrow,” including Chelsea’s opener in its 2-0 tri- of the defense as well as in it. swan songs from Terry still ticks that box. There are few Chelsea offers older players take-it or umph over Tottenham in the League Cup But Zouma is only 20. He will learn July. Paul Scholes, one of the top names more unappealing characters in the leave-it one-year deals, even to those of final on Sunday. from another season under the most suc- on Manchester United’s official list of English game than Chelsea’s captain. Terry’s stature, who agreed to such a con- Unlike with other players more reliant cessful captain in Chelsea history, just as “legends,” by virtue of his 718 appear- Legendary deeds - Terry has won titles tract for this season, Mourinho on raw speed, age hasn’t seriously erod- the younger Terry did in his early club ances and 155 goals for the club in two galore at Chelsea - don’t automatically explained. ed skills that have long made Terry one days under Marcel Desailly and Frank decades of success under , also make someone likable or even “If they don’t accept they are not of the world’s best defenders. He still Leboeuf, 1998 World Cup winners with has recycled himself as a sharp TV pun- admirable. The racist insult Terry directed ready for the challenge, and we wouldn’t foresees danger and quickly reads the France. And once Terry, Lampard, Gerrard dit, surprising for a player so taciturn and at a black player, Ferdinand’s brother want them. John accepted the first chal- game and remains the tough guy willing and other giants are gone, who will be private before his retirement in 2013. Anton, in 2011 and repeated boorish off- lenge last year, accepted this season to put himself in harm’s way, as he England’s legends in future? Former England captain and Scholes’ field behavior are indelible stains. already. That is a guarantee the fire is famously did when kicked unconscious The Premier League was more ex-teammate Rio Ferdinand, now 36, is But credit where credit is due. there,” the manager said. “If the fire is diving for a header in Chelsea’s League English, with greater use of home play- winding down at Queens Park Rangers, Convincing Jose Mourinho, a manager there, this (next) contract will not be the Cup final win against Arsenal in 2007. ers, when Terry started for Chelsea in in the bottom reaches of the Premier with no qualms about discarding players last contract he signs.” But it is Terry’s on-field management 1998. Wayne Rooney is on course for leg- League as age blunts the elegant pace who don’t meet his exacting standards, Such a public vote of confidence for a that Mourinho most needs, marshalling endary status, with Bobby Charlton’s that graced his 12 years at the top with that he is still indispensable to Chelsea’s central defender who will turn 35 in and stiffening the defense that allows scoring records for England and United. Which leaves who? future is an achievement. Before Chelsea December signals that Mourinho is Chelsea’s fearsome attack to roam for- Manchester United in his sights. One consequence of allowing so crossed London to West Ham on determined not to make manager ward. Terry’s partner at the back, Gary But English players with such stature, many foreign imports to crowd out Wednesday night, looking to increase its Arsene Wenger’s mistake at London rival Cahill, still doesn’t provide the same you- experience and achievements look an homegrown players is that the Premier Premier League lead over Manchester Arsenal, building teams top-heavy with shall-not-pass bulldog presence as increasingly rare breed in a league rely- League now has just a handful, and City to eight points, Mourinho said he young talent but wobblingly short of a Chelsea’s “captain, leader, legend,” to ing ever more on foreigners for “striking arguably not even that, of English bona- will keep Terry next season, which will be seasoned spine of leadership. quote the banner hung by fans at the qualities or deeds.”—AP

Strength in depth can help Celtic’s Cup ambitions

GLASGOW: Scott Brown insists the made because we’ve lost a couple of strength of the Celtic squad can help fire games,” McNamara said. “There’s no better them to victory against Dundee United in opportunity than a quarter final at home to their quarter-final clash yes- Celtic.” Celtic are waiting on news of terday. defender Adam Matthews, who twisted his The Hoops face United at Tannadice just ankle in the midweek defeat to St four days after slipping to a 1-0 defeat to St Johnstone, while striker John Guidetti, Kris Johnstone - their first domestic defeat of Commons and all face late 2015. Ronny Deila’s side will have to do fitness tests. —AFP without Gary Mackay-Steven and , who have made a sensational start to their Celtic careers since joining from Dundee United on transfer deadline day. The pair are cup-tied against their for- Matches on TV mer employees, but Celtic captain Brown (Local Timings) says the squad is strong enough to cope without them as the giants con- England FA Cup tinue their quest for a domestic treble. “We have a big enough squad and we Liverpool v Blackburn Rovers 19:00 have people in the squad who would prob- beIN SPORTS 11 HD ably get a game for most teams, so it shows we’ve got a Spanish League good squad and they will be wanting their Granada v Malaga 0:00 chance to get a game,” he said. beIN SPORTS 2 HD “It’s going to be hard. We have played beIN SPORTS 14 HD more games than anyone in the Scottish Barcelona v Rayo Vallecano 14:00 Premiership but we have a bigger squad beIN SPORTS 2 HD than anyone else and we will use it wisely. beIN SPORTS 12 HD “Every game is important for us. It was beIN SPORTS 14 HD LONDON: Liverpool’s English midfielder Raheem Sterling has an unsuccessful shot during the English Premier League football match in this file the exact same last season and we were Sociedad v Espanyol 19:00 photo. —AFP disappointed to go out the cups so early. beIN SPORTS 2 HD “It was a learning curve on Wednesday Villarreal v Celta 21:00 night, and it shows it’s not all easy street for beIN SPORTS 9 HD beIN SPORTS 14 HD Rodgers wants silver us, that we are going to win every game from now until the end of the season.” beIN SPORTS 2 HD Atletico v Valencia 23:00 EARLY EXITS beIN SPORTS 2 HD Despite the weakened state of tradition- beIN SPORTS 13 HD finish against Rovers al rivals Rangers, currently languishing in beIN SPORTS 1 the second tier, the Hoops have struggled in cup competitions in the past three sea- Italian Calcio League LONDON: Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers penalties in the League Cup final and then losing 2- ries for the Lancashire club, who are currently 10th sons, winning just one of the previous six Cesena v Citta 14:30 has challenged his players to turn their scintillating 1 to Chelsea in the FA Cup final. in the Championship. It was there, in May 1995, domestic cup trophies up for grabs. beIN SPORTS 3 HD current form into silverware ahead of today’s FA Rodgers succeeded Kenny Dalglish less than a that a team bankrolled by late former owner Jack Celtic made early exits in both cup com- Empoli v Genoa 17:00 Cup quarter-final at home to second-tier Blackburn month after that loss to Chelsea and having Walker pipped Manchester United to the Premier petitions to Morton and Aberdeen last sea- beIN SPORTS 2 HD Rovers. After a poor start to the campaign, steered Liverpool to the brink of last season’s League title despite a nerve-jangling 2-1 loss to son and Brown says his side are determined Chievo Verona v AS Roma 17:00 Liverpool have rediscovered their swagger in 2015, league title, his shrewd mid-season adjustments- Liverpool on the season’s final day. Five years later, to make amends. beIN SPORTS 3 HD winning seven of their last eight Premier League notably the introduction of a 3-4-2-1 formation- on their last visit to Anfield in the FA Cup, “We want to win every game. Udinese Calcio v Torino 17:00 games to revitalise their push for Champions have got the club back on the trophy trail. Blackburn pulled off a shock 1-0 win courtesy of a Wednesday was a slight hiccup and we beIN SPORTS 7 HD League qualification. Only Wolfsburg, who have With Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham coolly taken late goal by Welsh striker Nathan were lucky enough it was in the league,” Napoli v Inter 22:45 taken 16 points from a possible 18, can rival Hotspur among the teams to have fallen by the Blake. Blackburn have already seen off two Premier Brown said. “It’s about your character and beIN SPORTS 3 HD Liverpool’s return of 23 points from a possible 27 wayside already and with only one of Manchester League sides in this season’s competition-Swansea how you bounce back. We are strong beIN SPORTS 14 HD since the turn of the year in Europe’s top five United and Arsenal guaranteed to make the semi- City and Stoke City-and Bowyer is relishing the enough in that dressing room to bounce beIN Sports Max 4 leagues and with a Wembley semi-final within finals, Liverpool’s fans could be forgiven for think- prospect of pitting himself against Liverpool. back from anything.” touching distance, Rodgers wants his side to make ing the stars are aligning for their team. “It’s David versus Goliath,” said the Blackburn United have been handed a boost German Bundesliga their form count. Underpinning the club’s quest for an eighth FA Cup manager. “Nobody’s giving us a chance outside of “The first year here was about integration,” he is the desire to give Steven Gerrard a glorious send- our dressing room. “I think they’re the most impres- ahead of the Celtic tie with the news that FC Koln v Eintracht 17:30 told his pre-match press conference. “The second- off in the final, which falls on his 35th birthday, sive team in the Premier League at the moment forward Nadir Ciftci is available to face the beIN SPORTS 4 HD year objective was to get in the Champions before his departure for the Los Angeles Galaxy. and the football that they’re playing is fantastic. Scottish champions after he won his appeal SC Paderborn v Bayer 19:30 League. This season I felt we had the depth to chal- Obviously full credit to the manager for the way he against a two-match suspension following beIN SPORTS 4 HD his clash with Inverness defender Gary lenge for trophies. “If we can arrive in the top four ‘DAVID VERSUS GOLIATH’ changed his formation. Warren last week. French League and win a trophy, that will be success for us this The Liverpool captain has missed Liverpool’s “We’ve studied the videos, we’ve come up with season.” last six games with a hamstring problem, but a game plan, and we’ve worked with the players on United manager Jackie McNamara, Saint Etienne v Lorient 16:00 Rodgers has yet to lift a trophy in his two and a returned to training this week and could be in con- it. We’ll go and take the challenge to Liverpool.” whose side are without a win in their previ- beIN SPORTS 5 HD half years at Anfield and it is three years since tention to feature against Gary Bowyer’s Blackburn. Blackburn’s hopes of an upset have been beset by ous four matches, says his players are look- beIN SPORTS 13 HD Liverpool last won something. Liverpool are unbeaten at Anfield since injuries, however. Josh King, who scored a hat-trick ing forward to the match. beIN SPORTS 1 HD They visited Wembley twice in the space of November 8 and Blackburn have not won there in against Stoke, is sidelined along with , It will be the first of three meetings Guingamp v Lille 19:00 three months in 2012, beating Cardiff City on 11 visits, but it is a ground that holds fond memo- , Alex Baptiste and .—AFP between the sides in three weeks, with the beIN SPORTS 9 HD pair due to clash in the Scottish League beIN SPORTS 13 HD Cup final and league duty “It’s a great beIN SPORTS 1 HD chance to bounce back. A lot has been India’s Saina storms into final BIRMINGHAM: Saina Nehwal, the logical advantage each time she said. “Saina has improved a lot in champion from China, whom she world number three from India, got her nose in front. the last couple of months, but this had never before beaten in a com- Waratahs too good for Reds overcame another significant barri- It was nevertheless the mental has given me confidence that I can pleted match. But Nehwal had er when she reached the final of side which, as so often for her, was improve.” Nehwal was due for a been at her best, even better than BRISBANE: Defending champions New They lost hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau to the All-England championships for the biggest part of the struggle. “It’s final against the winner of Carolina against Sun. Now she needed a South Wales Waratahs carved out an error- the sin bin in the 57th minute for taking the first time in seven appearances. a big hurdle because many people Marin, the world champion from different mentality, Nehwal reck- strewn 23-5 win over fierce Australian out the legs of a rival lineout jumper, but Already the first woman from think I should get to the final any- Spain, and Tai Tzu Ying, the seventh oned. “I shall try to think of it Super Rugby rivals Queensland Reds in the Waratahs looked more likely to score. her country to win a Super Series way - and that I should win every seeded Taiwanese player, against tomorrow as just another super Brisbane yesterday. Scrum-half Nick Phipps put down Rob title, as well as the first Indian to tournament I play,” Nehwal said. “I either of whom she might be Series event. If I start thinking that In a game that was hardly a good adver- Horne’s pass with the try-line beckoning win an Olympic medal at bad- like that, but it’s not easy. So I just regarded as the favourite. this is an All-England final I am tisement for the southern hemisphere before winger Peter Betham scored a run- minton, Nehwal now earned herself watched Shah Rukh Khan films and She admitted she hadn’t even going to play, it’s pressure,” she provincial series, both sides committed a away try from his own quarter-line with 13 a famous day at the legendary cen- tried to play my best. expected to reach the semis said. Then she added: “If I win I will welter of passing and handling errors in a minutes left. tury-old tournament by overcom- The moments when it became because she had been confronted get a card from my father; other- derby that never reached any great The Waratahs threatened to post a ing the surprise survivor from clear that Nehwal was likely to suc- by Wang Yihan, the former world wise not.” —AFP heights. The Waratahs scored two tries to record winning margin over the Reds, but China, Sun Yu, 21-13, 21-13. ceed happened in the second half one and should have crossed for more only were unable to add to their tally despite She did so because her move- of each game. She reached 17-13 in for the final pass to go to ground. plenty of possession. Reds winger Lachie ment, even though she was feeling the first after a long rally which she It was the Sydneysiders’ second win in Turner was taken from the field with his a little sluggish, was significantly finished with a brilliant clip to the three games, while the injury-hit Reds neck in a brace after colliding with better than in previous years, net from a none-too-easy position, slipped to their third defeat in four outings Waratahs backrower Dave Dennis, but gave because her game has developed and later won seven points in a row and trail at the bottom of the Australian the thumbs up as he made his way to the wider options, and because she has from 14-13 in the second game Conference. sidelines. learned to handle better the relent- with a mixture of attack and Fly-half Bernard Foley finished with 18 The Reds finally scored in the final less pressure of Indian national defence, with overheads and at the points from a try, two conversions and minute when lock Marco Kotze crashed expectations. net, as Sun began to flag. three penalties. A couple of Foley penalties over. Skipper Dennis was not enthused by Despite these improvements The 21-year-old from Dalian had gave the Waratahs the early advantage and the Waratahs performance. “The most she started both games indifferent- nevertheless shown she has consid- the number 10 finished off a nice break pleasing thing was that we kept trying to ly against a tall opponent capable erable potential, both with her per- from Matt Carraro in the 25th minute. play our attacking game, but we turned of covering wide areas of court eco- formance in this defeat and during Former Wallaby James O’Connor, play- over a lot of ball which isn’t good enough,” nomically. Nehwal was 2-7 and 7-10 two victories previously, against ing for the Reds this season, missed both he said. down in the first game and 6-9 and Ratchanok lntanon, the former his penalty kicks as the Waratahs went to “We kept it physical and to get four 9-11 down in the second. world champion, and Li Xuerui, the halftime leading 13-0. points up here is really good.” Reds counter- She responded by “picking up” Olympic champion. The Waratahs physicality dominated the part James Slipper said: “We knew they as many shuttles as she could, by “Playing the semi-final at the All- Reds and they went further ahead with were going to come out very physical and focusing and battling hard, and by England is an honour, and next another Foley penalty minutes after the they did that and we were inconsistent capitalising on an evident psycho- time I shall try to do better,” Sun resumption. tonight, which was disappointing.—AFP Saina Nehwal