FA takes no action over Manchester derby tunnel row

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After clashes between players in the wake of the Manchester derby, the FA has confirmed no “formal action” will be taken against the clubs

No formal action will be taken by the Football Association (FA) over an incident in the tunnel following Manchester City’s Premier League win at Manchester United.

Players and staff from both sides reportedly clashed after City’s 2-1 derby victory at Old Trafford earlier this month.

Referee Michael Oliver did not witness the incident and did not file a report, leaving the FA to investigate the skirmish, which allegedly began when United manager Jose Mourinho approached the City dressing room to complain about music being played loudly.

“Following a review of the evidence provided by the clubs and independent eyewitnesses, the FA will be taking no formal action,” an FA statement released on Thursday said.

Both clubs had been asked for their observations and were granted additional time to respond to the governing body.

Separately, Mourinho was asked to explain comments he made to the media in the build-up to the derby, when the Portuguese appeared to accuse City of gamesmanship, saying: “A little bit of wind and they fall.”

Following the December 10 derby – which City won thanks to goals from David Silva and Nicolas Otamendi to move 11 points clear of United in the Premier League table – Mourinho explained his part in the incident.

“The only thing I can say is it was just a question of diversity; diversity in behaviours, diversity in education,” Mourinho, who was reportedly splashed with milk during the fracas, told reporters when asked about the alleged flashpoint. “Nothing more than that. That’s all I’m going to say.”

In response to Mourinho’s complaint, City coach Pep Guardiola insisted his players had not set out to rile their neighbours following the victory.

“Our intention was not that [to upset United]. Our intention was to celebrate inside the locker room our happiness, because we were happy,” he said.

“If people can’t understand that then I am sorry. We were so happy, we won a derby and wanted to celebrate in the locker room.

“If in that we offend Man United – not just one player, not Jose, not the players – Man United, I apologise.”

After clashes between players in the wake of the Manchester derby, the FA has confirmed no “formal action” will be taken against the clubs

No formal action will be taken by the Football Association (FA) over an incident in the tunnel following Manchester City’s Premier League win at Manchester United.

Players and staff from both sides reportedly clashed after City’s 2-1 derby victory at Old Trafford earlier this month.

Referee Michael Oliver did not witness the incident and did not file a report, leaving the FA to investigate the skirmish, which allegedly began when United manager Jose Mourinho approached the City dressing room to complain about music being played loudly.

“Following a review of the evidence provided by the clubs and independent eyewitnesses, the FA will be taking no formal action,” an FA statement released on Thursday said.

Both clubs had been asked for their observations and were granted additional time to respond to the governing body.

Separately, Mourinho was asked to explain comments he made to the media in the build-up to the derby, when the Portuguese appeared to accuse City of gamesmanship, saying: “A little bit of wind and they fall.”

Following the December 10 derby – which City won thanks to goals from David Silva and Nicolas Otamendi to move 11 points clear of United in the Premier League table – Mourinho explained his part in the incident.

“The only thing I can say is it was just a question of diversity; diversity in behaviours, diversity in education,” Mourinho, who was reportedly splashed with milk during the fracas, told reporters when asked about the alleged flashpoint. “Nothing more than that. That’s all I’m going to say.”

In response to Mourinho’s complaint, City coach Pep Guardiola insisted his players had not set out to rile their neighbours following the victory.

“Our intention was not that [to upset United]. Our intention was to celebrate inside the locker room our happiness, because we were happy,” he said.

“If people can’t understand that then I am sorry. We were so happy, we won a derby and wanted to celebrate in the locker room.

“If in that we offend Man United – not just one player, not Jose, not the players – Man United, I apologise.”

Manchester United yob smiles as he’s jailed for kicking Raheem Sterling four times and hurling racial slurs at City winger before match

A Manchester United hooligan smiled as he was jailed for kicking Manchester City star Raheem Sterling in an “appalling and unprovoked” racist attack before a match.

Karl Anderson, 29, was sentenced to 16 weeks after he pleaded guilty to racially aggravated common assault at Manchester and Salford Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

The court heard he had kicked and shouted racial abuse at the 23-year-old outside City’s training ground on Clayton Lane, Manchester, ahead of Saturday’s Premier League game against Tottenham.

The court was shown CCTV of Anderson, who has a history of football-related violence, driving his van alongside Sterling’s vehicle as the player waited to enter the training ground on Saturday.

Both men then got out of their vehicles and Anderson walked towards Sterling.

Carl Miles, prosecuting, said Anderson, who had been in the vehicle with his partner, began shouting racial abuse at Sterling and called him “you black Scouse c***”.

He said Anderson also told the footballer: “I hope your mother and child wake up dead in the morning you n*****.”

Miles said: “He sets out kicking Mr Sterling to the legs on four occasions.

“The court heard Sterling’s left hamstring was sore after the attack but he did not suffer serious injuries.

In a victim personal statement, which was read to the court, the footballer said he had been “completely shocked” by the incident.

He said: “I didn’t think this type of behaviour still happened in this country in this day and age.”

Sentencing, chairman of the bench Diana Webb-Hobson said: “This was an entirely unprovoked attack. You stopped your car and you got out.

“The personal statement was very moving, we find injury was sustained.” Your previous record was appalling, you don’t seem to learn anything, do you?”

The court heard Anderson had 25 previous convictions for 37 offences, including throwing a flare at a police officer during a football match.

Miles said he was subject to a football-related violence banning order which prevented him from attending certain matches.

He said: “He is now finding alternative ways to express violence and aggression, all relating to football.”

John Black, defending, said Anderson, of Woodward Street in Ancoats, Manchester, had lost his temper with Sterling after his girlfriend asked him to ask him for an autograph.

He said: “He apologises through me to Mr Sterling for his actions.”He said the defendant could not explain his actions and “bitterly” regretted them.

Anderson was given a five-year banning order preventing him from attending Old Trafford after he was involved in trouble at an Ancoats pub before United’s FA Cup third round tie against Sheffield United in January 2016.

Antoine Griezmann ‘tapping up’ scandal as Atletico Madrid report Barcelona to FIFA over alleged illegal transfer approach

Atletico Madrid have reported Barcelona to FIFA over an alleged illegal approach of striker Antoine Griezmann.

The Catalans’ pursuit of the French forward has become increasingly public, with director Guillermo Amor admitting in a recent interview that contact had been made with the player.

And that has stung Atleti into action as the Rojiblancos bid to hold on to their star man.

“If Bartomeu met with Griezmann’s family as the newspapers say, then there may well have been an approach,” Amor said.

Atletico told Reuters: “Atletico Madrid have presented a complaint about Barcelona for repeated contact between Barcelona, the player and his people.

“Griezmann has a long contract and this cannot be permitted, while the club also considers it could affect the competition [La Liga] in which Barcelona are currently top and Atletico are second.

Manchester United are also interested in trying to lure Griezmann to Old Trafford, but it is Barca who are seemingly in the box seat in the race for the 26-year-old.

Former Manchester United midfielder Liam Miller is ‘determined and battling hard’ to beat cancer

Former Premier League footballer Liam Miller is “determined” to beat cancer.

John Hartson, who played alongside Miller at Celtic, provided an update on the 36-year-old’s battle with the disease after speaking to him on the phone.

Last month, messages of support flooded in for Miller after it emerged he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Now, Hartson, who played with Miller between 2001 and 2004 before the midfielder left Celtic for Manchester United, has told how the ex-Ireland international is “battling hard”.

On Twitter, he wrote: “Just off the phone to Liam Miller.. he has a big fight on his hands, and is feeling determined and battling hard through this horrible period of his life.”

“We send him our prayers and strength, and hope that Liam can get back to a normal way of life.”

 

LeBron James Sends Message of ‘Equality’ With Black and White Sneakers

LeBron James made a statement when the Cleveland Cavaliers played the Washington Wizards in Washington, D.C. on Sunday by wearing one black sneaker and one white Nike sneaker – each with the word “Equality” stitched on the heel in gold lettering — during the first half. The NBA star was forthcoming about his motives when speaking to reporters after the game.

“Obviously we know where we are right now, and we know who’s at the helm here,” James said. “Us as Americans, no matter the skin color, no matter the race, no matter who you are, I think we all have to understand that having equal rights and being able to stand for something and speak for something and keeping the conversation going [is important].”

James wore two black sneakers emblazoned with the word “Equality” in Cleveland’s season-opener against the Boston Celtics to “keep the conversation going.” He posted a picture of them on Instagram after the game with the caption “Together we will persevere through all adversity, negativity and turn it into happiness and love! #LiveLaughLove #striveforgreatness?”

James has been openly critical of Donald Trump in the past. He called Trump a “bum” on Twitter before the season began when defending Stephen Curry and his decision to not visit the White House, telling POTUS “going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!” It ended up being the seventh-most retweeted tweet of 2017. James then spoke about Trump at length at media day, saying “he doesn’t understand the power that he has,” and that he wasn’t going to let him use sports as a platform to divide people.

“I’ve been very outspoken and well-spoken about the situation that is going on at the helm here,” James continued on Sunday. “We’re never going to let one person dictate us, as Americans, how beautiful and how powerful we are as a people. Equality is all about understanding our rights, understanding what we stand for and how powerful we are as men and as women, black or white or hispanic — it doesn’t matter your race, whatever the case may be. This is a beautiful country, and we’re never going to let one person dictate how beautiful and how powerful we are.”

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LeBron James: Keeping a billion-dollar body in shape

Everyone knows about LeBron James and his fanatical workouts, but not many people know about the guy entrusted with keeping his billion-dollar body in shape.

Mike Mancias would like to keep it that way.
The Cleveland Cavaliers’ athletic trainer has been working closely with the NBA’s four-time MVP and global icon ever since he joined the team 14 years ago.
Along with overseeing drills, Mancias’ duties encompass everything from keeping tabs on James’ diet, to preparing his recovery fluids, to flushing out lactic acid from his body after big games.
Over the years, Mancias has become inseparable from James, who once dubbed him “one of the best trainers in the world.” He has shadowed him during All-Star breaks, Olympic duties and, crucially, his grueling offseason workouts.
“He’s family, and so it goes beyond basketball and beyond anything on the hardwood,” Mancias, 40, tells CNN of their relationship. “He trusts me and I trust him, so it’s all good.”

Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith (L) gets his hand checked by trainer Mike Mancias in practice during the 2016 NBA Finals.

Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith (L) gets his hand checked by trainer Mike Mancias in practice during the 2016 NBA Finals.

Communication is key

Mancias, who completed degrees in health education and kinesiology before being certified as an athletic trainer, is primarily employed by the Cavaliers with responsibilities towards the entire roster — a point he repeats often during this rare interview.
But the fact that he works with James outside of club duties can be a tricky situation for all parties if mishandled — especially given the enormous stakes involved.
“I think the number one thing is communication,” he explains.

‘Everyone wants individual attention’

Not so long ago, the concept of a player hiring a workout guru was reserved for superstars like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, both who worked with Tim Grover as their personal trainers.
Mancias, in fact, got his start as a summer intern for Grover, who was hired by Jordan to get the then-38-year-old in shape for his comeback from retirement with the Washington Wizards.
At that point in Jordan’s career, the familiarity and trust he had established with Grover during his six-title run with the Chicago Bulls — which encompassed a brief switch to professional baseball and the death of his father — led him to seek assistance outside of the Wizards organization.
“He was there through the ups and downs,” Mancias says of Grover, who was not available for an interview for this article.
“A lot of times players feel like, ‘Hey I’m an individual, I’m not your property, I can do what I want,’ so they feel comfortable with someone, that’s fine,” he explains. “That someone just has to be great at communicating, that’s the bottom line.
“I think all teams, to be honest with you, would prefer that players stick to their own strength coaches or athletic trainers, but we’re in a day and age where every player on the bench can hire a personal trainer for the summer basically to be on call 24/7.
“It’s a lot easier, and there is a comfort level as well when you have your own guy,” he adds. “Everyone wants individual attention, individual care, and I don’t blame them.”
Mancias would know.
When James famously bolted from Cleveland to Miami in 2010 there was no immediate opening for Mancias on the Heat’s staff, and in the interim he worked directly with the player on the superstar’s payroll.
Nervous of being seen as a distraction, Mancias called the Heat’s head athletic trainer once he became aware of the move.
“I’m not here to be a sideshow,” he said. The gesture was appreciated, and the Heat hired Mancias the following season.
“Things went really smoothly because we all communicated, and I was on the same page,” he recalls. “It was about winning championships for him, not for me.”

Perhaps the man who started the trend. Former Manchester United midfielder David Beckham was one of the first high-profile footballers to make tattoos a fashion statement. His first was in 1999 to mark the birth of his first child, Brooklyn. The 42-year-old is reported to now have more than 40 tattoos.

Photos: The most eye-catching tattoos in sport
 
After James and the Heat earned two titles in Miami, he returned to Cleveland in 2015. Mancias, of course, went with him and the Cavs welcomed him with open arms.
A season later James would lead the Cleveland to its first championship in 52 years in a seven-game Finals classic against the Golden State Warriors.
James completed the most statistically dominant performance in Finals history, posting series highs in points, rebounds, assists, steals, block and minutes played, with Mancias overseeing his intricate recovery process between games.
During flights after particularly grueling games, Mancias has reportedly used a combination of an electro-stimulation machine, air-pumped compression sleeves, and manual soft tissue massage to quicken James’ recovery process.
The routine is sandwiched between a pre-flight ice-bath and, once James’ has gotten some sleep, a post-flight stationary bike spin.

A throwback in the Instagram era

Unlike Grover, who has authored a series of books, patented his own system and is available for speaking engagements, Mancias says he keeps a low profile “out of respect to my coworkers and the other athletic trainers who work hard as well.”
“It’s not about me,” he explains. “I’m a chef at a restaurant, I don’t own my own restaurant.”
It’s also a way of preserving the unwavering trust between him and the NBA’s No. 1 superstar. Simply put, Mancias is loath to draw attention to himself based on James’ achievements.
In the era of social media, he is nothing short of a throwback.
Although James regularly posts clips of his workouts to his 34 million followers on Instagram — provoking good-natured ribbing from his NBA cohorts — Mancias doesn’t appear in them, is not on Instagram, and rarely tweets.
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