The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| Gallagher reveals Ferguson’s cheeky tactics Posted: 06 Feb 2014 02:48 PM PST Ferguson was renowned for trying to exert pressure on referees during his long reign as United manager and could often be seen pointing at his watch, hinting that there should be a long period of stoppage time towards the end of games when United needed a goal. The Scot, who retired at the end of last season, wrote in his autobiography that the gesture was intended to create tension for the opposition, but Gallagher has revealed there was more to Ferguson's cheeky tactics than that. Gallagher, who refereed in the English top-flight from 1992 to 2007, recalled a match at Old Trafford in 1997 when United faced Middlesbrough in a game they desperately needed to win during a tense battle with Arsenal for the title. "I remember going to Old Trafford at the end of the season. Manchester United had three games that week and I was given the game on the bank holiday Monday," Gallagher told Sportlobster TV. "It was chucking it down with rain and Fergie pulled me aside and said 'do me a favour, call the game off'. "I asked why and he said 'There's nowhere else to fit this game in and the Premier League will have to extend the season. We'll have a better chance of winning the match and we'll win the league at Old Trafford'. "At half time United were losing and the pitch was like a swimming pool. As we came off he said 'I know we're 3-1 down but please call it off, we could do with a hand here'. "They managed to pull it back to 3-3 and in the last minute Dennis Irwin ran into the box and went down in front of the Stretford End and I only gave a goal kick. "At full time Fergie sprinted across the pitch and shouted at me furiously. My wife said, 'Fergie had a right go at you about that penalty didn't he'. I told her he hadn't mentioned the penalty. "She asked why he came tearing across the pitch at me then. The truth is he ran over and asked me if I was going out to dinner that night. I said 'no' and he asked 'why are we leaving so early then?'." Ferguson's ability to squeeze every last second out of officials when his side were losing has since been highlighted. With United trailing at Old Trafford under their former boss, an average of 79 seconds extra was played in stoppage-time. However, this compares to just 40 seconds extra under his successor David Moyes. – AFP, February 7, 2014. |
| Sizzling Swede Chopra takes early control at Pebble Beach Posted: 06 Feb 2014 02:40 PM PST Chopra picked up shots at the 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th after setting off on the back nine at Monterey Peninsula Country Club, one of three venues being used for this week's PGA Tour event. The 40-year-old, a double winner on the PGA Tour who has missed the cut in his first three starts on the circuit this season, then parred the 17th and 18th to reach the turn in six-under 31. That left Chopra two ahead of Australian world number 10 Jason Day and Americans Dustin Johnson and Robert Streb. Day, also playing at Monterey Peninsula, had completed nine holes while Johnson had finished 11 and Streb nine. Long-hitting Johnson, Pebble Beach National Pro-Am champion in 2009 and 2010, played Spyglass Hill and Streb the hosting Pebble Beach Golf Links. Tournament favourite and four-times winner Phil Mickelson was one under after four holes on the Shore Course at Monterey Peninsula. Yesterday's opening round was certain to spill over into today after heavy rain on the picturesque Monterey Peninsula had forced play to be suspended for just under three hours earlier in the day. With puddles of water forming on many of the greens, the action was halted after just 39 minutes of play before resuming at 1930 GMT (3.30am today MYT). Because of the forecast for poor weather, officials had already implemented 'lift, clean and place' for the players during the first round. Conditions today are expected to be better with just a 20% chance of showers but more rain has been forecast for both tomorrow and Sunday. – Reuters, February 7, 2014. |
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