Pochettino appointed as Spurs manager
LONDON: Tottenham has hired Mauricio Pochettino as the club’s manager with a five-year contract. The former Argentina defender makes the move from fellow Premier League team Southampton. Pochettino replaces Tim Sherwood, who was fired on May 13 after just five months in the job following Tottenham’s sixth-place finish in the league. The 42-year-old Pochettino developed a strong reputation for playing an attacking brand of soccer in his 18 months at Southampton, which he joined from Spanish side Espanyol. Southampton finished eighth in the standings this season, with its highest Premier League points total of 56. Pochettino is the eighth permanent manager appointed in Spurs chairman Daniel Levy’s 13 years at the club. (AP)
Spain’s Costa out for 15 days with injury
MADRID: A doctor treating Diego Costa for a hamstring injury said the striker has a muscle tear that needs to be reassessed in 15 days, raising doubts about his chances of making Spain’s World Cup squad. Pedro Guillen of the Cemtro clinic told the Cadena Cope radio station on Tuesday that the 25-year-old Brazil-born player had a “grade one tear to the femoral biceps of his right leg,” and would need 15 days convalescence before his injury could be re-evaluated. “Costa is still carrying the injury, a micro-tear,” said Guillen, who examined the forward. Spain’s opener in Brazil is June 13 against the Netherlands. The injury rules Costa out of Spain’s pre-World Cup friendly matches against Bolivia and El Salvador. Coach Vicente del Bosque said Sunday the players in his 23-man squad would need to be fit by June 2 – the FIFA deadline for squad lists. (AP)
Accident rules boxer Dinesh out of CWG
New Delhi: Asian Games silver-medallist boxer Dinesh Kumar was ruled out of the Commonwealth Games on Tuesday after suffering injuries in a road accident near Patiala. Dinesh, who was picked in the 91kg category, is currently admitted in hospital and is expected to take at least a couple of months to recover from his injuries. “Dinesh is ruled out of the Commonwealth Games. He will take not less than two months to even return to the ring,” a source told PTI from Patiala. “Nothing has been decided on his replacement as yet. A decision on that would be taken later,” he added. Dinesh suffered the accident on Sunday when the vehicle he was travelling in collided with a truck near Samana. After the accident the boxer was admitted to a private hospital in Patiala. (PTI)
Rs 40 lakh prize for Uber Cup team
New Delhi: The Badminton Association of India (BAI) on Tuesday announced a cash reward of Rs.40 lakh for the women’s team that created history by winning the maiden bronze medal in the just concluded Uber Cup. It was the first podium finish by India in the prestigious biennial event by qualifying for the semifinals where they lost to silver medallists Japan. China defended their title successfully by clinching the gold on Saturday. “The women’s team has made us proud with the way they played last week. The BAI is providing the best facilities to the players to perform on the international stage and the cash prize is just a part of our commitment towards the players,” BAI president Akhilesh Das Gupta said. The chief architects of India’s performance – captain Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa – will receive cash rewards of Rs.5 lakh each while the remaining amount will be distributed among the other players and staff members. The BAI also announced a separate Rs 10 lakh reward for chief coach Pullela Gopichand for being honoured with the Padma Bhushan earlier in the year by the Indian government. Meanwhile, Das Gupta also rubbished reports about the possible appointment of Danish legend Morten Frost as the coach of the Indian team adding that he had full faith in former All-England champion Gopichand. “Gopichand has been doing a fantastic job as head coach and we have full faith in his abilities to take India ahead on the international scene. The BAI is only looking for a specialised doubles coach which has been a weak link for the country in team events,” said the president. “However, we haven’t zeroed down on any specific names for the same. Whosoever is appointed, will be working directly under head coach Gopichand.” (IANS)