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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2014

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OSLO: Italy’s goalkeeper (left), Norway’s striker Joshua King and Italy’s defender Andrea Ranocchia and vie for the ball during the UEFA Euro 2016 Group H qualifying football match Norway vs Italy on September 9, 2014 in Oslo. — AFP Italy tame toothless Norway 2-0 Great start for Italy’s Conte despite familiar problems

ROME: Italy’s new coach could widely criticized for his performances at the swing between strong and fragile.” Conte has pulled out of the Norway game. Described as “omnipresent” by the Italian not be happier with the ways things have gone in World Cup when Italy staggered out at the group quickly implemented the 3-5-2 system he used Italy said he would stay with the squad and media, Lotito was seen on the touchline dur- his first two games in charge although the usual stage, that he would have to work hard to regain during his three years at Juventus, where his travel to Oslo for Tuesday’s match, while Juve ing training and there were reports that he problems have been rumbling away in the back- his place in the team. team won three successive titles. demanded he return to them for treatment even entered the changing room at one point. ground. Conte’s first two games have produced “Mario will have seen the match and it’s true which he eventually did. “We will need to use Lotito said that as a member of the FIGC’s two wins, both with convincing performances, that he’s a great player,” Bonucci told Rai Sport. “If Conte rants this experience to handle these situations bet- executive committee, he was not breaking any and suggested that Italy do have some good he does what the boss asks he could become a He has also brought his famous work ethic, ter next time, both on the part of ourselves rules and could go where he wanted. “I am a young players after all. reference point, but he has to come to under- making the players train twice a day, although and on that of Juventus,” said Conte before the Federal counselor, I am part of the presidential Debutant forward Simone Zaza, who started stand that if he wants to became an important Bonucci said there was much more to Conte than Norway game. “But I am here to unite and not board and can propose reforms, so there is the year on the bench at relegation-threatened member of the team, he has to run and make his famous rants and throwing bottles of water to divide. This is just an incident where there nothing in the rules preventing me from stay- Sassuolo, has been the pick of the crop, suggest- sacrifices. “The problem is he needs to under- against the dressing room wall. “He puts a lot of have been misunderstandings but it ends ing with the national team and going wherev- ing Italy are better off without the histrionics of stand that to play for the national team, you have emphasis on tactics, everyone knows what they there.” There have also been reports that the er I want,” he said. Midfielder Mario Balotelli, who was not in Conte’s squad. to all work together, run together and move con- have to do,” said Bonucci. But things rarely go players are unhappy at the presence of contro- said: “I prefer to have as few people as possible Zaza won a penalty in last Thursday’s 2-0 friendly stantly. “We never had a problem with him, but smoothly where Italy are concerned and there versial Lazio president Claudio Lotito, a key around the team, they have told me that’s fair win over the Netherlands and scored in Tuesday’s we know his character, we have tried to help him, has also been plenty of bickering behind the supporter of new Italian Football Federation that some federal councilors are there, but 2-0 victory away to Norway in a Euro 2016 qualifi- we have spoken to him during the World Cup, scenes. A row blew up between the Italian tech- (FIGC) president Carlo Tavecchio, in the team there are 21 one of them and I hope they don’t er. Defender Leonardo Bonucci warned Balotelli, but his character is his Achilles heel, it makes him nical staff and Juventus last week when defender camp. all come at the same time.” — Reuters Wife defends disgraced Rice after brutal video United announce BALTIMORE: The wife of disgraced LIFE! What don’t you all get. If your a record $698.8 NFL star Ray Rice defended her embat- intentions were to hurt us, embarrass tled husband Tuesday, saying their us, make us feel alone, take all happi- lives were ruined by the release of a ness away, you’ve succeeded on so video showing him savagely knocking many levels. “Just know we will contin- million revenue her out. Rice was fired by the Baltimore ue to grow & show the world what real Ravens and hit with an indefinite sus- love is!” Even with his wife’s support, LONDON: Despite their on-pitch travails well with Manchester United and he has pension by the league after a new Rice was in disgraced exile and his last season, Manchester United yesterday an impressive track record of success video released Monday by celebrity career prospects dim. “I don’t think he announced a 19 percent rise in annual rev- throughout his career, winning league website TMZ showed him punching will play another NFL game,” New enue to a record £433.2 million ($698.8 titles with every club he has managed.” his then-fiancee in the face and knock- England Patriots owner Robert Kraft million, 539.6 million euros). United floun- Partly due to their non-participation in the ing her unconscious. But Janay Rice told CBS. “I’d be shocked if some team dered in their first season after the retire- Champions League, United expect their said Tuesday in an Instagram posting picked him up.” ment of long-serving manager Alex income to fall to between £385 million and that the extreme public attention was Ferguson, finishing seventh in the Premier £395 million over the course of the current adding to her misery. Rice return possible League and sacking his successor, David season. “I woke up this morning feeling like But Goodell told CBS that Rice, a Moyes, but they continued to thrive com- But they invested around £150 million I had a horrible nightmare, feeling like running back who helped the Ravens Janay Rice with her husband mercially. The club reported a 49 percent on new players during the close-season I’m mourning the death of my closest win last year’s Super Bowl, could make this.” The video brought home the bru- and toughened punishments for increase in sponsorship revenue-helped by transfer window, including a British-record friend,” she wrote. “But to have to a comeback. “I don’t rule that out,” tality of Rice’s assault and, in its after- domestic violence, including a six- a blockbuster £750 million 10-year deal £59.7 million swoop for Argentina interna- math Tuesday, Nike dropped its game ban for first incidents and poten- accept the fact that it’s reality is a Goodell said. “But he would have to with Adidas-and recorded a profit of £23.9 tional winger Angel di Maria. The figures nightmare in itself. “No one knows the make sure that we are fully confident endorsement contract with Rice and tial life bans for repeat offenders. EA Sports said it would remove him Goodell said the league tried to million. released yesterday also revealed that pain that the media and unwanted that he is addressing this issue clearly. “We are very proud of the results United paid out £5.2 million in compensa- (opinions) from the public has caused He has paid a price for the actions that from the player pool of its NFL video obtain all video evidence but had not achieved in fiscal year 2014 as we once tion to former Everton manager Moyes, my family.” The Ravens were to pay he’s already taken.” Rice, who in July game. seen the punch video until Monday. Rice $10 million over the next three called his actions “inexcusable”, was to Rice jerseys were pulled from the “We had not seen any videotape of again generated record revenues,” said who was dismissed in April, and some years while the league, which had only have returned from the original ban NFL’s online store. The Ravens what occurred in the elevator,” Goodell executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward in a members of his coaching staff. United are banned from two games based on pri- Friday, a day after the Ravens faced announced they would allow fans to said. “We assumed there was a video. statement. without a win after three or evidence, now requires any team rival Pittsburgh. “I have to be strong exchange Rice jerseys for those of We asked for a video. We asked for any- “With Louis van Gaal at the helm as games this season and were knocked out wishing to hire him to obtain approval for my wife. She is so strong,” Rice told another player. TMZ previously thing that was pertinent but we were manager, and the recent signing of some of the League Cup following a 4-0 loss to from NFL commissioner Roger ESPN by phone. revealed a video of Rice dragging his never granted that opportunity. “What of the world’s leading players to further third-tier Milton Keynes Dons. But they Goodell. “We are in good spirits. We have a unconscious future bride off an eleva- we saw on the first videotape was trou- strengthen our squad, we are very excited could hand debuts to new signings “To take something away from the lot of people praying for us, and we tor at the now-closed Revel casino in bling. But what we saw yesterday was about the future and believe it’s the start Radamel Falcao, Luke Shaw, Marcos Rojo man I love that he has worked his ass will continue to support each other. “I Atlantic City, prompting a two-game extremely clear, is extremely graphic, of a new chapter in the club’s history. and Daley Blind in Sunday’s home game off for all his life just to gain ratings is have to be there for (Janay) and my ban roundly criticized as insufficient. and it was sickening. And that’s why we “Louis’s footballing philosophy fits very with Queens Park Rangers — AFP horrific,” Janay Rice said. “THIS IS OUR family right now and work through Goodell later admitted he had erred took the action we took.” — AFP