Rio’s downtown Chances of window on past Pak-India of Olympic17 city series18 slim WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015

Much-changed Japan seeks shock No 2 at World Cup Page 16

Kuwait SC win football Super Cup

KUWAIT: Kuwait SC were crowned winners of the eighth Coutinho added a second goal for Kuwait from an expert edition of the football Super Cup late on Monday after com- pass by Khaled Ajab. Hussein Hakem made Qadsiya’s mis- fortably overcoming Qadsiya 3-1. Fahd Al-Ansari scored for sion even harder when he scored the final goal in the 57th- Qadsiya first in the seventh minute from a neat pass by minute, a carbon-copy of Salem’s shot in the first half. This Ghanaian professional Rashid Sumaila. Kuwait equalized in has been Kuwait SC’s third title since start of the annual the 29th-minute thanks to Hussein Salem’s long shot from competition. The game was held at the Peace and Friendship outside the box. Brazilian midfielder Rogerio de Assis Silva Stadium, home ground of Kazma SC. — KUNA Ferguson eyed Guardiola as successor

LONDON: Alex Ferguson lined up Pep family he wanted to retire in May. “It Pay Power Guardiola as his potential successor at became apparent that Jose Mourinho had To maintain his authority over the team, Manchester United but the Spanish coach given his word to Roman Abramovich that Ferguson says that when Wayne Rooney’s didn’t call him before taking the Bayern he would return to Chelsea, and that Carlo salary was increased in 2010 he told the Munich job. In his new book “Leading,” Ancelotti would succeed him at Real Glazers that it was not fair the striker Ferguson said the club “established that sev- Madrid,” Ferguson wrote. “We also knew earned twice as much as the manager. “We eral very desirable candidates were unavail- Juergen Klopp was happy at Borussia just agreed that no player should be paid able” before David Moyes was hired in 2013 Dortmund, and would be signing a new more than me,” Ferguson wrote. “I suspect for an unsuccessful 11-month spell in contract. Meantime, Louis van Gaal had most football managers get paid less - charge. After Guardiola left Barcelona in undertaken to lead the Dutch attempt to sometimes far less - than their star players.” mid-2012, Ferguson had dinner with the win the 2014 World Cup.” former Barcelona coach in New York but, as Van Gaal did eventually take charge at Becks Eclipsed his own retirement was not on the agenda Old Trafford after the World Cup, replacing Ferguson says only four players during yet, there was no “direct proposal” for the Moyes after the Scot failed to qualify United his reign at Old Trafford were “world class” - Spaniard to one day take over at United. for the Champions League with a squad Eric Cantona, Ryan Giggs, Cristiano “I asked Pep to phone me before he that had won the Premier League by 11 Ronaldo and Paul Scholes. One glaring accepted an offer from another club but he points in Ferguson’s final season. “There omission is one of his biggest stars: David didn’t and wound up joining Bayern Munich were some who wanted me to return to the Beckham. But Ferguson says he isn’t trying in July 2013,” Ferguson writes in the book, sidelines,” Ferguson reflects on the firing of to “demean” other great players by listing which was published on Tuesday and co- Moyes, who was recommended for the job that elite quartet. authored with Michael Moritz. Although by his fellow Scot. “But I was not tempted Ferguson publicly announced the end of his for a moment.” Lucky Escape? near 27-year reign as United manager in Ferguson is frustrated that there remains Ferguson reveals that in 2010 he “briefly Alex Ferguson May 2013, he had decided in Dec 2012 to criticism of the squad he left behind, with flirted” with the idea of signing Mario retire after his wife’s sister died. Guardiola United having spent around $500 million on Balotelli before the maverick Italy striker Premier League last year but was a flop at at United: media briefings. Promoting the announced in Jan 2013 that he would take new players since. “You would have thought joined Manchester City that year. “The Liverpool, which has loaned him back to book on Monday, Ferguson said in an on- over at Bayern for the next season. that I had left 11 corpses on the steps of a feedback I got confirmed it was too big a Milan this season. stage interview in London: “One of my The succession process behind the funeral,” he wrote. “It’s hilarious.” Here is a risk,” Ferguson wrote. “It was a godsend.” In retirement Ferguson keeps himself hobbies now is to watch press conferences. scenes at Old Trafford began in March 2013 look at other highlights in the book, which Balotelli lasted three years at City before entertained by watching the one thing he You can kill yourself in a press conference when Ferguson informed the owning Glazer is published by Hodder and Stoughton: joining AC Milan. He returned to the sought to avoid while winning 38 trophies ... it’s an important part of the job.” — AP Bringing ‘sexy’ back for badminton fans SINGAPORE: Badminton’s bid to make women players wear skirts may more money... we have to think about how the sport is presented and have been ill-advised, but the sport is again seeking a “sexy” new indeed how the players present themselves,” he said. image to bring in fans and revenue. Even in China, where badminton Leed said China has 250 million people playing badminton. It also has mass participation and world-beating stars, its visibility dims in the has a stable of athletes which has dominated for years, winning all five glare of more glamorous rivals like NBA basketball, football and tennis. Olympic titles in London in 2012. But even with home-grown stars like Now everything is on the table as badminton looks to capitalize on its multiple world and Olympic champion Lin Dan, badminton’s answer to wide appeal and gain a profile that will bring sponsors running and Roger Federer, Chinese fans are still more likely to tune into the NBA or turn its players into millionaires. the English Premier League on TV. “Without question it’s a top sport in New scoring, new advertising and even new shuttlecocks and court terms of participation and activity at the professional level, it just does- colours are being considered as badminton looks to shed its staid n’t get the commercial recognition,” Leed said. “Tennis is doing an image and stand out in the digital age. Owen Leed, who heads the amazing things globally, not just in China, and we’re struggling to Badminton World Federation’s (BWF) new commercial division created break through this almost invisible radar that’s holding us back. “It’s an last year, said the sport needs cachet if it is to compete. “That’s one of easy sport to take part in, and when you look at modern players the challenges we have - how do we make the sport more glamorous they’re like ninjas.” in terms of the sport itself being sexier, without that being a naughty One of the major issues is technical - people increasingly watch word?” he told AFP at last week’s Sports Matters industry conference in sports on the move, but a fast-moving shuttlecock is almost impossi- Singapore. “That could cross everything from how we run our events in ble to see on a smartphone screen. Different colour shuttlecocks and future to how we present on television to how we profile our stars.” courts, and clever use of slow-motion footage, could all be part of the answer, Leed said. “We’re looking at everything from virtual graphics to Skirting the Issue all sorts of things that we might do to present the sport. Like scoring Leed preferred not to discuss the infamous move to gain popularity systems, (to) make the games shorter, sharper, potentially,” he said. by making women players wear skirts, which was finally shelved in “Competitively, we have a scoring system that works but also needs to SYDNEY: A picture taken on May 25, 2015 shows India’s badminton player Saina 2012 following howls of protest. But he said the players’ appearance evolve. We have fantastic challenges,” added Leed. “Everyone knows Nehwal (left), currently world number 1, posing for pictures in front of the iconic was “all part of the picture” and would also be in focus as the sport what badminton is, to whether you play in your garden in the UK in Opera House with world number 2 Lin Dan (center) of China and Australia’s attempts to modernize. “As a sport we’re still quite conservative and if summer, to whether you play professionally in the Asian environment Gronya Somerville. — AFP we want to grow the sport for the players to have an ability to earn or global environment.” — AFP