Van Commenee sweats on Radcliffe and Idowu fitness... and admits he nearly ditched triple jumper

UK Athletics head coach Charles van Commenee admitted on Wednesday he considered leaving Phillips Idowu out of Great Britain's Olympic team.
Van Commenee has not spoken with the injury-hit triple jumper for more than a year and confessed he has pondered drastic action during the stand-off.
He said: 'It is undermining the proper governance of the sport. I don't see it as undermining me but I can see other people may see it that way. 

Fit in time? Phillips Idowu (centre) opted to stay in London to receive treatment on a hip injury rather than travel to Monte Gordo

'I have only one sanction - not to enter him on the team.
'I thought about it because this situation is not good for athletics but I have decided not to play that card because of him.
'I can see the point of having that sanction in place. The question was, "Do I sacrifice a potential gold medal for a transparent policy that makes the sport run better in the future?".
'I decided to have sympathy with the athlete and give him a chance to fulfil his dream.'
Mystery surrounds the extent of Idowu's injury, which affects him from his knee to his hip.

Medal hope: Idowu - if fit- stands a real chance of winning gold for Team GB in triple jump

Hit or miss: Idowu faces a races against time to be fit in time for the Games

The British Olympic Association publicly requested to see Idowu's medical records on Tuesday, an act which drew anger from the 33-year-old, who has not competed since June and has skipped a Team GB training camp in Portugal.

Van Commenee also revealed at Team GB's holding camp in Monte Gordo that he is still uncertain about the fitness of Paula Radcliffe, the marathon world record-holder who has been struggling with injuries of her own.

'Phillips is obviously a big concern but Paula is always a concern,' said the chief coach.

'Paula is Paula. Will she be fit? Can we flip a coin?'

Van Commenee also admitted that even Idowu's personal coach, Aston Moore, who is employed by UK Athletics, does not know the state of his recovery.
'Aston doesn't know where he is in his recovery,' he said. 'Not in the last week.

Sanctions: UK Athletics head coach Charles van Commenee, pictured with Dwayne Chambers (right), has said he will not exclude Idowu from the Games

'It is remarkable. He (Aston) is here. He has a job to do here. Phillips has gone his own route since Eugene (where he was injured on June 2).

'Phillips decided not to join this camp. It is not a mutual decision with his coach.

'So I don't know where he is with the injury. I would have preferred him to be here.

'I would have preferred it, like I would every athlete, and every other athlete is here. But at the same time if he believes that this is the best way to fulfil his dream I will accept that.'

Will he be there? Idowu has featured in numerous advertising campaigns ahead of the Games

Van Commenee, who appeared to be enjoying a more cordial relationship with Dwain Chambers, added: 'I have a mix of frustration and sympathy (for Idowu); frustration because he is not here which would be the best possible place, but sympathy because he is not in the best possible position himself.'

Van Commenee's claim came on the day when the BOA showed their muscle by de-selecting one of the team's athletes, marathon runner Dave Webb.

Webb was picked on the basis of his performance at last year's World Championships but has failed to prove his fitness.

Yamile Aldama, Tiffany Porter and Greg Rutherford, who were struggling with injuries at the time of the Diamond League meet at Crystal Palace this month, are now fully fit.

But there are new concerns over javelin thrower Goldie Sayers and hurdler Andy Pozzi, who are having treatment in Portugal.

50/50: Paula Radcliffe could finally win a gold medal at the Olympic Games in London

Gyan breaks £100k Sunderland charity promise... despite earning £10m

Asamoah Gyan has reneged on his agreement to pay a substantial donation to Sunderland's Foundation charity despite earning more than £10million tax free in the last year.
The former African footballer of the year, and Sunderland’s record signing, was allowed to join UAE club Al-Ain in a £200,000-a-week tax-free deal at the beginning of last season.
As part of the lucrative move, Gyan agreed to make a sizeable donation to the club’s own community scheme which has ploughed millions into the region through education and football programmes for the last nine years.

On the move: Asamoah Gyan joined UAE club Al-Ain from Sunderland last season

Sportsmail has learnt that Gyan, whose total earnings in the last year will top £10.4million, has failed to pay the donation, believed to be in the region of £100,000.
A club spokesperson confirmed: 'The donation has not been received to date, however we are hopeful that this is merely an oversight on the part of Asamoah and his representatives.

 

'The Foundation does a tremendous amount of work with young people in the North East region and a donation of this kind will help to fund some fantastic programmes and support youngsters from some of the most vulnerable areas of society.'
There were few tears at the Stadium of Light when the disruptive Gyan swiftly negotiated his exit a year ago. But his decision to quit the Wearside club, and the Barclays Premier League, still stunned then chairman Niall Quinn and manager Steve Bruce.
Quinn said in a club statement: 'Steve Bruce, our owner and the board all found the football decision that Asamoah wished to make baffling but I, as chairman, with everyone’s full support, decided that this deal was in the best interests of our football club.'

Nice little earner: Gyan's total earnings in the last year will top £10.4million

The former chairman, still a Foundation patron, also emphasised that part of that deal included the donation from Gyan to the club’s own foundation charity.
The Ghana international has now joined Al-Ain permanently after scoring 22 goals in 18 games last season. The whole transfer eventually clawing back most of the £13million Sunderland paid for his 10 goals in 34 appearances.
Martin O’Neill’s number one priority this summer is to find a prolific goalscoring replacement for Gyan, who, like Darren Bent, was bought and sold by Bruce.

Rodgers suffers first defeat after Liverpool's youngsters are taught lesson by Roma

Brendan Rodgers suffered his first defeat as Liverpool manager after they were beaten 2-1 by their old Italian rivals Roma in Boston.
Liverpool have enjoyed great success against the Italians down the years, beating them in a European Cup final in the Eternal City in 1984, knocking them out of the UEFA Cup in 2001 en route to winning the trophy, as well as recording a crucial Champions League success in 2002.

Crowded out: Liverpool's Joe Cole

Clearly the stakes were not so high here in Boston but for Rodgers, whose side will begin their Europa League campaign next week in either Belarus or Macedonia, this was an important workout and another opportunity for those on the fringes to impress Rodgers.
The Irishman, however, was left feeling slightly disappointed as second half goals from Michael Bradley and Alessandro Florenzi proving good enough to give Roma victory. Charlie Adam scored Liverpool's late consolation.
With Fenway Park, the iconic home of the Boston Red Sox baseball team, providing a spectacular backdrop – there was a 37,169 capacity crowd and tickets for the game were commanding prices of $1500 – the occasion and match were a step up on last Saturday's 1-1 draw with FC Toronto.
There was also a higher profile presence in the crowd – aside from John W Henry and Tom Werner, the men behind Fenway Sports Group, the Liverpool-mad Daniel Craig, aka James Bond, made a flying visit to see his team in action.

Spectacle: Francesco Totti takes a free kick for Roma

Roma enjoyed the better start and Dani Osvaldo, their Argentine striker, was a particular nuisance. He gave Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel some uncomfortable moments, with one twisting run ending with a shot being dragged just wide.
Gradually, however, Liverpool began to find a rhythm and they created the best chances of the opening 45 minutes. Joe Cole was a particularly prominent figure and he could have gone into the break having scored twice.
His first chance came when Alberto Aquilani, a player who made his name with Roma, hoisted a perfect ball into his path but Cole, after showing neat control, got his angles slightly wrong, which meant his lob land on top of the net.

Out to impress: Liverpool's Jonjo Shelvey (left) and Joe Cole (right)

Moments later Cole scurried into Roma's area after holding off a challenge but, again, the former England international was left frustrated as his attempted shot was parried by Roma keeper Marten Stekelenberg. 
Sandwiched in between those attempts was a good effort from Jonjo Shelvey.
With Rodgers making the inevitable raft of changes during the interval, Liverpool struggled to stay in the ascendance after the re-start and mistakes started to creep into the game and it came as no surprise when Roma profited from some slack defensive play to take the lead on 63 minutes.

As Liverpool's defenders stood and watched, Erik Lamela rolled a ball in between Danny Wilson and Daniel Agger, which allowed USA international Bradley to crack a well-place drive past Brad Jones, much to the delight of the significant number of Roma fans in the stands.
Five minutes later, Roma had doubled their advantage and Lamela was again involved. This time his powerful shot was parried by Jones but Alessandro Florenzi was on hand to gleefully smash in the rebound from eight yards.
If some of the defending would have failed to impress Rodgers, he would at least have taken some solace from the way Liverpool responded and Adam gave hope they might salvage a draw when he swept in impressively from 20 yards on 80 minutes but it was not to be.

On the run: Roma's Rodrigo Taddei

Big fans: Liverpool legends Robbie Fowler and Ian Rush with James Bond star Daniel Craig

Roma's Nicolas Lopez (R) keeps the ball away from Liverpool's Jose Enrique

Sao Paulo vice-president says United's Moura move can be revived

Revival: Manchester United's bid for Moura can be resurrected, says Lopes

Sao Paulo vice-president Joao Paulo de Jesus Lopes still believes an agreement can be reached with Manchester United for Lucas Moura.
Moura's agent Wagner Ribeiro suggested there was little chance of the 19-year-old joining United this summer as the Red Devils had fallen short in their bid for the Brazilian youngster.
However, Lopes insists the door is not closed to Barclays Premier League outfit, telling Radio Estadao ESPN: 'I don't rule out the possibility that in the future there are some sort of negotiations, because we received Manchester [United] with great courtesy and left open the possibility of more talks.

Teenage kicks: Moura is representing Brazil at the London 2012 Olympics

'Manchester [United] came to us and their approach was serious. Other teams expressed an interest for Lucas, but only through the media in their countries.'

 

Lopes did warn, though, that Lucas, who is currently in England with the Brazil Olympic squad, is happy to remain at home-town club Sao Paulo.
'The player has expressed his intention to remain at Sao Paulo, and is a very important player in our squad. He wants to stay because he is very young,' he added.

Great Britain 1 New Zealand 0: Houghton's strike kick starts the Games

After a 116-year wait to see the first British women’s football team in the modern Olympic Games, it was little wonder Steph Houghton wasn’t quite sure what to do with herself when she scored her country’s first goal. Remember the name because it will be a trivia question for years to come.

After the left back’s 64th-minute free-kick sneaked into the bottom left-hand corner, Houghton sprinted off on a dizzying, bewildered run towards to the halfway line, where her relieved team-mates finally caught up.

Match-winner: Steph Houghton celebrates scoring the winner with GB team-mate Ifeoma Dieke

This, after all, was sporting history being made: the first goal scored by the first British women’s Olympic football team on the first day of a home Games. It doesn’t really get any sweeter than that.
‘I was really, really pleased but I didn’t know what to do,’ said Houghton. ‘I was just glad to celebrate with my team.
‘I think I was trying to head towards the bench but then everybody was a bit tired so I had to slow down. I’ve already had a bit of banter off the girls for running away too fast.
‘It’s definitely the highlight of my career, without a shadow of doubt.’
This match certainly needed Houghton’s injection of skill and energy. Great Britain were much  better than in last Friday’s  uninspiring 0-0 draw against Sweden but again started poorly; slightly overawed, perhaps, by the circumstances and certainly stunned by the oppressive heat.
Gaetane Thiney actually scored the first goal of London 2012 in France’s 4-2 defeat by the USA, in a match that kicked off an hour later than Britain’s Group E game against New Zealand.

Back of the net: New Zealand goalkeeper Jenny Bindon (centre) fails to stop Stephanie Houghton's free-kick

The attendance for GB’s game — 24,549 at the Millennium Stadium — was also well down on the estimate of 40,000 suggested before kick-off; a figure head coach Hope Powell had said she would be ‘disappointed’ not to reach.
The sections of seating behind both goals were completely empty and the fixture did not, as had been expected, break the record for an international women’s match in the UK. That will come, however, on July 31, in Britain’s final group game against Brazil at Wembley.
These athletes, remember, are used to playing in front of a few hundred friends and family, not having thousands of strangers in red, white and blue cheering them on. This is still considerable progress, albeit more of a tiptoe than the brave strides some may have wanted. As Powell pointed out, it was still impossible to ‘ignore the occasion’ of this game after Anita Asante kicked off a new era for Britain’s female footballers when she slipped the ball to Kelly Smith at 4pm yesterday.
‘They’re history-makers,’ said Powell. ‘That will never change. They’re part of the first GB  women’s team ever. I said to the girls it’s an opportunity to showcase their talent. Embrace it.

Heads you lose: Stephanie Houghton (top left) fights for the ball with New Zealand's defence

‘Steph is the first female footballer to score for Team GB. She’s made history. She was in shock and didn’t know what to do. Steph has been really unlucky in the past. She suffered major injuries before the World Cup in 2007 and the Euros in 2009. She has worked really hard to get back into condition and is now one of the fittest players.
‘Maybe the occasion got to us, but the most important thing is we scored a goal and managed to win.’
Britain, however, will need to improve quickly if they are to be considered serious medal contenders. New Zealand, ranked 23rd in the world, offered little beyond  athleticism and strength and had no response when the hosts clicked  after an anxious first 20 minutes.
Great Britain, in their all-white second strip with faded grey detail and with nine English players in the starting line-up, looked more like an England XI. The BOA even put out a press release heralding ‘England women on their way’.
It was also an English player, Houghton, who ignited this match when she curled a right-foot free-kick inches wide midway through the first half. Britain offered plenty of width against New Zealand’s midfield three but little product.

Over the bar: Amber Hearn of New Zealand shoots at goal at the Millennium Stadium

Marauding right back Alex Scott, who worked tirelessly on the overlap, saw two shots whistle wide and Eniola Aluko put Kim Little through in first-half stoppage time, only for the Scotland striker to try and find Karen Carney rather than shooting herself.
Britain’s star striker Kelly Smith was too often forced to receive the ball with her back to goal, but made more impact in a No 10 role after Ellen White replaced Little at half-time. Smith played a sensational through-ball to her Arsenal team-mate after 62 minutes, but White dallied and Ali Riley cleared.
Alex Scott then drew the foul from which Houghton scored  Britain’s historic goal. Asante ran over the ball and the defender stroked it past Jenny Bindon.
Even then Britain nearly blew it, as a mix-up between Alex Scott and Dieke allowed Sarah Gregorius a clear run at goal. The striker, however, directed a right-foot shot straight into the hands of goalkeeper Karen Bardsley.
This piece of British sporting history just about merited its happy ending.

Hot ticket: Fans enjoy the Olympic atmosphere at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff

No way past? Jill Scott (left) attempts to send in a cross past New Zealand's Katie Hoyle

In the stands: FIFA president Sepp Blatter was in town watching the big Olympic kick-off

Go GB! Fans arrive before the Group E match at the Millennium Stadium on Wednesday

I'm going nowhere! Lampard ready to open talks about deal to end career at Chelsea

Frank Lampard has revealed he is ready to start negotiating a new contract that will keep him a Chelsea player for the rest of his career.

The 34-year-old is in the final 12 months of his current Stamford Bridge deal, sparking suggestions he could become the next Blues stalwart to leave following Didier Drogba’s summer exit.

Lampard has been constantly linked with a move to America, with LA Galaxy mooted as possible destination. But the England midfielder said: ‘I’m ready to sit down and talk to Chelsea whenever they want to.

‘I’ve had a great time playing for Chelsea and I hope I can prolong it. In an ideal world I’d finish here and keep giving what I have given over the past ten years. Though, I wouldn’t want to fade away as a player and be here without performing or producing. I want to always be at a level I know I can play at and give a lot when I play.

No balls up: Frank Lampard has welcomed Chelsea's new transfer policy for younger players

‘I certainly feel I’ve got more than a year left in me. I feel I’ve got a few more years in terms of top football. I’m fit enough and fresh enough. 

‘My legs are fine and with experience you can bring something else to the team in terms of off the pitch, helping the young players coming through. 

‘I’d love to do that. Chelsea will always be my club regardless of what happens now in terms of my playing days.’
But Lampard acknowledges he may have to wait before the club come knocking with the offer of fresh terms.

‘There’s not a timeline for the talks, I’m not that pushed at the moment. It’s not the same as when you’re 25. Then they come to you or you knock the door down with a couple of years to go to extend it. When you get into your 30s you accept it’s not that way any more. And it’s not a problem.’

Still got the legs: Lampard says he has much to offer Chelsea

Meanwhile, Lampard has spoken of his anguish at missing England’s Euro 2012 campaign through injury. The midfielder was forced to miss the tournament after pulling a thigh in the build up.

‘It was a huge disappointment at the time. I was devastated, having come off the back of our huge Champions League win,’ said the veteran.

‘I was bouncing when I joined up with the squad and really looking forward to the Euros and playing a part, whatever that was going to be.

‘I got injured on the second day but looking back now it means I’ve had a good old rest which is something I don’t normally get. But personally it was frustrating watching the tournament and frustrating seeing us get knocked out.  

Missing out: Lampard was aggrieved not to be a part of Euro 2012

‘But maybe it was something in the bank for me in terms of resting my legs through the summer. I’m very keen to continue playing for England. I’m just not a person who wants to retire at an early age.  

‘If I don’t play for England any more it’s either because they don’t want me and they don’t pick me or the fact that I can’t give what I want to give in an England shirt.

And I don’t feel that yet. The minute I do then I’ll go. There’s no ego of trying to hang around for caps. I’ve got 90 so 100 is there. 

New era: Marko Marin and Eden Hazard are two of the new crop joining Lampard at Chelsea

‘But I wouldn’t want to be there as a charity case and they’re rolling me out just to get to a hundred. There’s a great group of players who have won 100 caps and of course that’s something you strive for when you get towards that figure.  

‘But I’m very proud of what I’ve done with England. I’ve played 90 games and if I didn’t play another one I’d still be very proud.’

Oscar deal done as Chelsea seal £25m move for Brazil starlet

The 20-year-old joins the European champions in a deal worth £25million.
He is part of Brazil's squad for London 2012 and played in the 2-0 warm-up victory over Team GB last Friday.
Doubts had been cast over his move to Stamford Bridge after the Brazil international said he would not to allow the transfer distract him from trying to win Olympic gold
Oscar has been the subject of intense speculation linking him with a move to Stamford Bridge all summer.

Done deal: Chelsea have completed the signing of Brazilian Oscar

 

He underwent a medical before starring for Brazil against Team GB.
Oscar joined Internacional from Sao Paulo in 2009 and last summer scored a hat-trick in the Under 20 World Cup final as Brazil beat Portugal.
Oscar, full name Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Junior, is a product of the Sao Paulo youth set up.
He left the capital for Internacional in December 2010 and has played at every level of international football from Under 15 to Under 20.
His Brazil debut arrived in September last year when he came on as a substitute in a 0-0 draw with Argentina, and he has scored once in six caps.
Capable of playing as an attacking midfielder or winger, he is viewed as one of his country's most exciting talents.
Meanwhile, Frank Lampard admits Chelsea face a period of adjustment to the influx of new recruits but is excited about the coming season.

Back in action: Chelsea are currently on tour in America

Eden Hazard and Marko Marin have already joined the Champions League winners.
Lampard, who is on Chelsea's tour to America, believes Chelsea will benefit from the increased competition for places.
'We proved to be a great team and a great unit in the second half of last season,' he told the club's official website.
'This year maybe we are slightly different because we have more new young players coming in.
'There might not be the settled togetherness that we had on the pitch at that side because we had been together a long time.
'But there is an excitement about our team as well and that's probably the main difference.
'Everyone is trying to impress, and you never lose that in pre-season, there's not one manager I've met yet who will close the door on any player.
'We have to perform at a high level to stay in the team because of the quality of the squad we have.'

Great Britain 1 New Zealand 0: GB girls kick off Olympics in style with Cardiff victory

Stephanie Houghton gave Great Britain Olympic lift-off in Cardiff with the only goal against New Zealand.
In front of a record international crowd in the UK for a women's game, the 24-year-old curled home a superb second-half free-kick to give the home side a win that puts them on track for a place in the last eight of the 12-team competition.
Of almost equal importance, it maintained the feel-good factor sweeping around the country ahead of Friday's opening ceremony.

Match-winner: Steph Houghton celebrates scoring the winner with GB team-mate Ifeoma Dieke

For Durham-born Houghton it was fitting reward for the courage she showed to battle back from the disappointment of missing both the 2007 World Cup and 2009 European Championship through injury.
Even at last year's World Cup, her contribution was limited to just 39 minutes of the quarter-final defeat to France.
Watching from the stands, FIFA president Sepp Blatter must have been impressed at the cool manner of Houghton's finish, which secured a deserved win for Hope Powell's players, who take on Cameroon at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

Back of the net: New Zealand goalkeeper Jenny Bindon (centre) fails to stop Stephanie Houghton's free-kick

Having complained so often at the lack of wider exposure her players have received down the years, Powell could hardly moan at the immense expectation that went with being the very first event of London 2012.
The enormity seemed to seep through though and, for 15 minutes, Team GB found themselves on the back foot against a New Zealand side that extended their hosts' defensive capabilities, with Hannah Wilkinson a particular danger.
That opening period was halfway through before Powell's side managed their first effort on goal, a curling Houghton free-kick which was pushed away by Jenny Bindon.

Heads you lose: Stephanie Houghton (top left) fights for the ball with New Zealand's defence

It was a foretaste of what was to come.
It was also the trigger for a more cohesive attacking display, with the supporters - large enough in number but swamped by the sheer size of the arena - right behind their team for all the debate about whether there should actually be a GB presence on the football pitch at these Games.
There was even a ripple of 'GB' around the stadium, although it came from the voices of school-age fans who will care little for the politics that overshadows a concept where reservations run deeper than Scottish duo Kim Little and Ifeoma Dieke opting not to sing God Save The Queen.

Over the bar: Amber Hearn of New Zealand shoots at goal at the Millennium Stadium

With Arsenal full-back Alex Scott starting to make her presence felt with regular forays forward from right-back, Great Britain began to get on top.
Scott failed to make the most of a decent chance after she had skipped into the box and Anita Asante was also off target with a couple of headers.
Asante went closest to breaking the deadlock with a move that took place almost in slow motion as Eniola Aluko's cross dropped to the far post.

Hot ticket: Fans enjoy the Olympic atmosphere at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff

There seemed little conviction in Asante's header. The direction was good though, with Bindon out of position and thankfully for New Zealand the post came to her rescue.
Great Britain continued to create chances following the introduction of Ellen White at half-time.
Jill Scott seemed to duck under Houghton's cross as Bindon somehow pushed it behind, then Scott had a goalbound effort blocked by Ali Riley.

No way past? Jill Scott (left) attempts to send in a cross past New Zealand's Katie Hoyle

When White lacked the pace to race away from the New Zealand defence, allowing Riley to block, it added to the hosts' frustrations and brought a fear their superiority was not going to be rewarded.
To the Cardiff crowd's delight, however, in the 64th minute Houghton kept her nerve with a 25-yard free-kick as she curled expertly into the bottom corner, with Bindon nowhere.

In the stands: FIFA president Sepp Blatter was in town watching the big Olympic kick-off

The cheers of delight were almost equalled by those of relief when a ridiculous mix-up between Scott and Dieke sent Sarah Gregorious clean through.
Gregorious panicked though, and rolled a pitiful attempt straight to Karen Bardsley.

Go GB! Fans arrive before the Group E match at the Millennium Stadium on Wednesday

The Linkoping goalkeeper was called on again nine minutes from time, when she tipped an Amber Hearn shot over.
GB were not to be denied though as they secured a win that will be acknowledged far beyond the Welsh capital.