The Ruhr Valley is where Jose Mourinho ended his education to become Chelsea manager – winning the European Cup in this stadium four years ago with Porto to secure his contract at Stamford Bridge – but it is also where his successor Avram Grant started.
Celtic’s chances of escaping the Champions League group stage will be seriously damaged if they do not beat Benfica tonight but their manager Gordon Strachan is also looking at his side’s progress over the longer term.
MORNINGTON trainer Pat Carey had the greatest thrill of his training career when Arapaho Miss gave him his first Group I win in the $1 million VRC Oaks at Flemington.
Carey started training in 1989 after a long apprenticeship with Melbourne Cup-winning trainer John Meagher before he moved to Singapore where he is one of the leading trainers.
“John had two horses when I started with him. I learned a lot during that time and he deserves a lot of credit,” Carey said.
Pele believes that the way David Beckham was introduced to the US audience was ‘very, very bad’ because he was introduced as ‘a scorer of goals.’
But Beckham is not the only problem he sees for MLS as he also believes that the current salary cap is hurting the game.
Pele believes MLS players’ salaries need to be raised to the level of American football or baseball players. He also wants the lifting of restrictions on player movements, which are designed to stop wealthy teams from amassing the best players.
A possible candidate for “Fight of the Year” was one of many like rumblings heard around the ring crowd of 6,000 spectators, as veteran super contender Sakio Bika, raised his arms in victory, following a 2:18 TKO victory in the 8th round over Jaidon Codrington. 
November 6, 2007 Los Angeles, California (Contender Arena)–
Serena Williams
MADRID, Spain – Serena Williams retired with a left knee injury after one set Wednesday and defending champion Justine Henin advanced to the semifinals at the Sony Ericsson Championships.
Ana Ivanovic moved closer to the final four by knocking out Daniela Hantuchova with a 6-2, 7-6 (9) win in red group play.
Manager Terry Francona wants Mike Lowell to remain with Boston. So does re-signed pitcher Curt Schilling, who’s used his personal blog to stump for the World Series MVP’s return.
World champions South Africa have named a 26-man squad with just two men who did not make the World Cup for their two-match tour of England and Wales.
But Percy Montgomery, Os du Randt, Bob Skinstad, Butch James, Gary Botha, Ashwin Willemse, BJ Botha, Jean de Villiers and Pierre Spies are missing.
