Everton midfielder Jack Rodwell says he wanted David Beckham to be picked for Great Britain's Olympic football squad.
Beckham, 37, failed to make manager Stuart Pearce's final 18-man squad.
"Everyone in the squad would learn from David Beckham. He is a legend," Rodwell, 21, told BBC Radio 5 live .
Rodwell, who may miss out himself because of injury, added: "I think everyone is a bit surprised but the manager obviously has his reasons. I'd like to have seen him in the squad."
"Stuart Pearce is sure to feel a weight of criticism for his treatment of the enduringly popular Beckham for such a global event and many will believe his absence will damage the tournament.
"On purely football grounds, however, it is a decision based on sound logic."
Former England captain Beckham made Pearce's shortlist of 35 players but will not be one of three permitted players over the age of 23 picked to compete in the Olympics.
Pearce, who watched Beckham play for Los Angeles Galaxy in the United States last week, picked Manchester City defender Micah Richards ahead of him.
Richards has been included alongside Manchester United midfielder Ryan Giggs and Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy as the three over-age players.
Former Wales midfielder Robbie Savage backed the inclusion of his countrymen Giggs and Bellamy, but criticised Beckham's omission.
"It's appalling. He helped Great Britain get the Olympics," said Savage.
"To have him on the shortlist and string him along, effectively, is quite poor.
"He deserves more respect - he's been a fantastic ambassador for British football and has put the name of Britain across the world. With David Beckham in the Olympic squad, they would have had more of a chance."
Beckham, who signed a new two-year deal with American Major League Socccer (MLS) side LA Galaxy in January, was part of the Olympic flame handover ceremony in May, bringing it to Britain for the torch relay.
World Cup 1998 - Beckham off as England go out
He played a major role as a sporting ambassador when London won the 2012 bid, and made no secret of his desire to captain Team GB.
But former England midfielder Peter Reid backed Pearce's decision to exclude Beckham, who played 115 times for England.
"I'm surmising Stuart Pearce has picked the three [overage] players to give him the best chance of winning the gold medal," he said.
"From a pure football point of view, I tend to agree with the manager. David is playing in the MLS, which isn't the highest level of football.
"Ryan Giggs has more class on the football pitch than David Beckham, in my opinion."
Beckham had widely been expected to be selected, but ex-Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp said Pearce was prepared to take criticism for his decision.
Redknapp told The Sun : "There is no doubt Stuart will have upset a few in high places. They would have loved to see Becks in there. I am surprised and sad that he isn't.
"Stuart can kiss goodbye to a knighthood but credit for being brave. He is the manager and should be allowed to pick who he wants."
Former England striker Rodney Marsh said Pearce was in a no-win situation.
"He's always been football first and team first, and that's the way he played the game," said the ex-Manchester City player.
"David Beckham has made it difficult for everybody because he has been public about how much he wants to play. It's made it hard for Stuart Pearce and in my eyes, he's more of a man for making that decision."
The British Olympic Association expects to receive the final 18-man squad from the Football Association by early next week.
Team GB were drawn in Group A at London 2012 alongside Senegal, Uruguay and United Arab Emirates.
They begin their Olympic campaign against Senegal at Old Trafford on 26 July before facing the UAE at Wembley on 29 July, and Uruguay at the Millennium Stadium on 1 August.
Each squad must contain 15 players born after 1 January 1989.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Leeds hope a defeat of London Broncos could be springboard for cup - The Guardian
For the second consecutive season, Leeds have travelled south to the Twickenham Stoop with a Challenge Cup tie against Wigan on their minds. But the Rhinos coach, Brian McDermott, hopes that rather than being distracted, as they were last August in slumping to a 32-22 defeat by Harlequins seven days before the cup final, this time the lure of a return to Wembley will help to focus the stuttering Super League champions.
Leeds remain outsiders for the cup semi‑final against Wigan at the Galpharm Stadium next Saturday, but not quite as rank as they were after 50-8 humiliation by the holders at Headingley on 1 June.
Wigan have lost Thomas Leuluai, their influential New Zealand scrum-half who was injured playing for the Exiles against England, and the Rhinos have managed a couple of home wins, against Wakefield and Castleford, to climb back into the top eight of the Super League table. The game on Saturday against a London Broncos team who are joint bottom after a wretched campaign should allow Leeds to extend their winning run to three matches. And a further victory at home to Hull next Friday night would at least give them some momentum before trying to stop the Wigan juggernaut.
"We want to be hitting that semi-final in form," McDermott said before a final training session in the unusual surroundings of Eton College on Friday afternoon, a return favour from David Cameron's old school after the Rhinos captain, Kevin Sinfield, addressed its Sports Society this year. "We're excited about what we're capable of, and we're heading in the right direction. But we're still doing too many things wrong to run around really excited."
Jamie Peacock will be missing, as he was at the Stoop last year, with the knee problem that played a part in his decision to retire from international rugby earlier this week. He would never say so publicly, but winning at Wembley is surely the priority for Peacock and the rest of the Rhinos this season, none of them having done so before.
Recent history, not least that of Wigan last season, would suggest that lasting the pace until October to retain their Super League title will be a tall order for a team whose winter training schedules were devised to reach an initial peak in February with the memorable World Club Challenge win against Manly. Whereas Leeds have won four of the last five Super League Grand Finals at Old Trafford, they have not won the cup since the last final at the old Wembley in 1999, a strikingly long time between drinks that McDermott and the players would love to end – especially after consecutive defeats at the new Wembley by Wigan and Warrington in 2010.
The Broncos have a much more limited goal for the remaining third of a season that promised so much following the reversion to their old nickname after six years as Harlequins – avoiding the wooden spoon. With only three wins from 18 fixtures, it is only a better – or slightly less grim – points difference that is keeping them above Widnes, who have a very winnable home game against Castleford on Monday night.
There was one small chink of light for the London club on Tuesday night at Headingley where Omari Caro, a 21-year-old wing from Hammersmith, won a length of the field sprint to be crowned rugby league's fastest man, to the delight of Martin Offiah – a man who would have held the title for years had the contest been running, and is now Caro's agent.
He is not included in the Broncos' squad to face Leeds but seven southerners are, with Dan Sarginson and Kieran Dixon, two products of the long-running development programme in Hemel Hempstead, now established Super League regulars, to show that not even this season has been wholly wasted for the London club.
Hull face Huddersfield in the only Super League game on Sunday, and will give a debut to Liam Watts, the gifted but occasionally wayward young forward who has joined them from Hull KR – although it would not be strictly true to say that he has swapped red and white for black and white, as Hull will be wearing a one-off camouflage kit to mark the weekend of Armed Forces Day.
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Shareholders back Tesco pay plans - The Guardian
Nearly 97% of shareholder votes were made in favour of the retail giant's remuneration report at its annual general meeting in Cardiff, despite claims its pay policy had the potential to be "wholly excessive".
Questions over pay had been raised ahead of the meeting by shareholder body Pirc, in spite of Tesco chief executive Philip Clarke's decision to forgo a £372,000 bonus in the wake of the group's first profits warning in more than 20 years.
But Tesco came under pressure over its US venture Fresh & Easy, which has failed to turn a profit since launching in 2007. Change to Win (CtW) - an investor group that works with US union-sponsored pension funds - has demanded an urgent evaluation of the division.
It wanted a committee of non-executive directors to review the future of Fresh & Easy, although its calls were discounted by Tesco on the basis of a vested interest.
Speaking after the meeting, Michael Zucker of CtW said: "We have seen Tesco pull out of Japan. How much time can they continue to lose money in the US before they have to do the same there? What people want is greater transparency."
Tesco stood by its US business, with Mr Clarke saying Fresh & Easy had posted reduced losses for the first time and that the company was on a "path to sustainability". But one investor said: "Vision is not enough, execution is the key."
Around 200 shareholders turned out to Tesco's AGM, which was held this year in Cardiff's City Hall.
The group was in the spotlight over its pay plans and performance before the AGM, with Pirc claiming that combined pay - including historic awards that vested and were exercised in the year - exceeded 300% of executives' salaries. And while Mr Clarke waived his bonus, the group's annual report revealed he still earned a £1.6 million salary in the last financial year.
But Tesco chairman Sir Richard Broadbent said: "How businesses reward its executives has been a prominent issue. However, our shop floor employees shared a £110 million bonus, this was the same figure as the previous year and recognised their outstanding work during a challenging time."
Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2012, All Rights Reserved.
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Sussex charity highlights life-threatening illness - The Argus.co.uk
Sussex charity highlights life-threatening illness
10:10am Friday 29th June 2012 in News
A national screening campaign is urgently needed to stop the rise in the number of babies born with a life-threatening infection.
The warning was made in a report into infant death and disability carried out by Sussex charity Group B Strep Support.
The charity was joined by MPs and medics from around the country at the official launch of the report at the House of Commons.
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is the most common cause of life-threatening infection in newborn babies, causing death and disability.
The UK National Screening Committee is currently considering the evidence for testing all pregnant women for GBS as part of their routine care.
Routine testing
The report, put together by charity chief executive Jane Plumb, shows the current system of using “risk factors” to identify who to offer preventative medicine to is failing to halt the increase in reported cases.
In countries that have introduced routine testing of pregnant women with preventative medicine given to carriers, there have been dramatic falls in numbers.
Mrs Plumb and her husband Robert, from Lindfield, near Haywards Heath, started Group B Strep Support in 1996 after their second son, Theo, died.
She said: “The continued rise in early onset GBS infection in babies clearly demonstrates that the current system is failing.
“The evidence from across the globe in favour of introducing routine testing is compelling and I hope and believe that the National Screening Committee will reach the same conclusion and recommend that routine testing is introduced across the UK.”
A recent survey has shown that women in the UK would welcome the opportunity to be tested for GBS in the later stages of pregnancy.
They would also accept intravenous antibiotics during labour to reduce the chance of their newborn baby being infected with GBS and the potentially devastating consequences.
To add your name and back the campaign, go to www.gbss.org.uk/epetition.
Source: www.theargus.co.uk
Police improve in tackling anti-social behaviour - crawleyobserver.co.uk
SUSSEX Police has made progress in the way it tackles anti-social behaviour, a report has found.
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) launched a review into how police are dealing with anti-social behaviour across the country at the end of last year and its findings were released on Thursday (June 21).
The report comes two years after Sussex Police was rated ‘poor’ for solving crime.
In March 2010, the Observer reported how the HMIC had found the force needed to improve on how it addressed complaints about anti-social behaviour.
Two years on, the HMIC says Sussex Police has made progress in dealing with anti-social behaviour and particularly commended the force for its increased victim satisfaction.
But it found more had to be done to identify vulnerable or repeat victims.
Deputy Chief Constable Giles York said: “We welcome the independent review of our practices. Tackling anti-social behaviour is a priority for Sussex Police. We will not dismiss anything that is reported to us. If it affects the life of the person reporting it, then it matters to us and together with partners we will tackle it.
“The findings of the inspectors mirror the findings of our own internal reviews. The inspectorate looked at two dates at the end of 2011 and a date in February this year and found significant improvements. Since then we have enhanced our service further.
“A set of questions for call-takers helps them to identify repeat and vulnerable victims, risk assessments are made and our neighbourhood teams work closer than ever with partners in a joint approach to tackle anti-social behaviour.
“However, we cannot afford to be complacent. We accept that we need to be more consistent in identifying vulnerable or repeat victims. Our journey has seen us make improvements, which we will continue to do through constant reviews of our service.”
Sussex Police was one of the first forces in the country to trial a new process of tackling anti-social behaviour.
The report found the force asked ‘pertinent’ questions to find out about the behaviour and the effect it is having on the person or community. It conducts a ‘professional’ assessment of the risk to people, and ‘takes action quickly’ to protect the most vulnerable or most likely to suffer physical harm.
The report also found Sussex Police keeps in touch with victims and works with partner agencies to deal with anti-social behaviour on the streets and around people’s homes.
HM Inspector of Constabulary for the Eastern Region Zoe Billingham said: “Anti-social behaviour is a blight that can wreck lives and communities. Our review shows that Sussex Police has made progress in how it tackles the problem, and that victim satisfaction is increasing and in line with the average for England and Wales. The force should be commended for this – especially as it comes against the backdrop of significant budget cuts across the service.”
The force is aiming to save £50million by 2015. Last month the Observer reported how forced retirement was axed and plans were laid out for a ‘modest recruitment’ of 30 officers after meeting savings targets for this year.
It also meant the number of posts having to be cut by 2015 has fallen.
Email to a friend
Print this pageSource: www.crawleyobserver.co.uk
No comments:
Post a Comment