90th MINUTE
NOT KEANE TO SAY "CHEESE"
ENGLAND - Roy Keane had a reputation as a footballer for being a tough guy on the pitch. That reputation continued off the pitch as well, as he is not the happiest or most approachable of people. Because of this, it is rare for fans to take pictures with Keane, so Peter Crouch decided to create a collection. Crouch asked those few lucky fans to submit their photos alongside stories of what the Irishman said to the fans while getting their pictures. The former England international took the pictures and made an exhibit with them at the Gosport Gallery, named the ‘Sixteenth Chapel’ a play on words of the famous Sistine Chapel using Keane’s number.
UNFAIR MANAGEMENT
ENGLAND - Raheem Sterling spoke up against the lack of opportunities for black players in management and the lack of representation at the highest level of the sport. During an interview with BBC, the England forward pointed out the difference between black players and white players when trying to get into management. He brought up the example of Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Sol Campbell and Ashley Cole. All four of them enjoyed successful careers and even represented England on the international stage. All four of them have also received their coaching badges in order to coach at the highest level. However, the opportunities they were offered differed. While Gerrard and Lampard were given top jobs at Rangers and Derby County respectively, with the little to no experience that they had, Campbell was offered a position at fourth division side Macclesfield and Ashley Cole has not yet gotten a chance to manage. Former Aston Villa and Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke also spoke up about the lack of opportunities, explaining how not even a reference from Sir Alex Ferguson could get him an interview. Lampard on the other hand, got his first job at Derby with some help from Harry Redknapp, who called the club’s owners on Lampard’s behalf.
BY THE NUMBERS
Rostov FC goalkeeper, Denis Popov, made a Russian Premier League record 15 saves in one match, including a penalty, earning him a Man of the Match award. Despite his 15 saves, Rostov went on to lose the match 10-1.
Bayern Munich rising star Alphonso Davies broke a Bundesliga speed record with a sprint of 36.51 km/h or 22.7mph.
MESSI IS BETTER
WORLD - The Messi versus Ronaldo debate has been a long and passionate one, splitting football fans all over the world. Fueled by their rivalry in chasing Ballon d’ors and by playing on rival teams against each other, it is no surprise that both men have gained millions of adoring fanboys. While these debates go back and forth between humans, and will likely continue do so long after they retire, a supercomputer has entered the discussion to bring an end to the important question, who is better? Professors at KU Leuven university and data experts at SciSports have developed a formula to answer that all important question. The model took a number of actions into consideration, including shots, passes, dribbles and tackles and calculated a value. The data entered into the model for the two players was from the 2013/14 season up until Ronaldo’s final season in LaLiga. After crunching the numbers, the computer determined that Lionel Messi is the better player. It’s doubtful that this result will end the debate, especially when there are questions in regards to the data looked at, but at least we know where computers lie.
BAD BALOTELLI
Mario Balotelli’s relationship with Brescia has broken down completely. So much so, that his contract could be terminated by annoyed club owner Massimo Cellino, just one year into his threeyear deal, after failing to turn up to training. The club have sent a letter to their lawyers to determine whether or not Balotelli’s contract can in fact be terminated.
