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F1 gossip column... Your view

EiffeltowerOur F1 expert is back with the second half of his weekly pitlane gossip.

After pondering the future of three up-and-coming stars, his attention now turns to the proposed new venue for a Grand Prix in Paris and Austrian hopes to earn a spot on the F1 calendar.

Read all the rumour right here and don't forget to add your views and gossip using the boxes below.


Wildbach the one

Morning everyone, an unlikely midweek post - but here you go, I fancy Wildbach to follow-up his Worcester win with victory at Sedgefield (3.30pm).

Apblog Tony McCoy rides the German trained six-year-old again and despite having to should 12st 5lb I think Christian Von Der Recke's hurdler is up to the task.

I'm going to have £20 win at the morning price of 11/4, but quick it won't last.

Good luck if you're having a bet today. Don't forget to post any comment or your observations from the turf - it's always good to hear from you all.

All-time record: Bets 74; Winners 23; Losers 50; Non-runners 1; Profit £788.29.

   

Time ticking for Ramos

Ramosblog“You don’t know what you’re doing” was the chant directed at manager Juande Ramos from the Spurs supporters during their 2-0 defeat at Portsmouth.

I don’t think the Spaniard needs his translator to understand that the Tottenham faithful are far from happy with events this season.

Let’s deal with the facts. Spurs are rooted at the bottom of the table and still without a league win this campaign, making it their worst start to a season for 53 years.

Ramos has won 21 of 50 games in charge (a 42% win record) which is slightly less than his predecessor Martin Jol (45.27%) who was shown the door almost 11 months ago because the Tottenham hierarchal wanted the club to move in a more positive direction.

The Carling Cup win seven months ago will probably give Ramos some extra breathing space. After all, the Spurs manager led the club to their first piece of silverware since 1999, thrashing bitter north-London rivals Arsenal along the way.

The 54-year-old also has proven success at Sevilla where he led the club to back-to-back Uefa Cups and the Copa del Rey while he was seemingly powerless when the club sold star assets Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane in the summer. But the manager is paid to win games – something he has struggled to do this season.

Some fans are blaming Director of Football Damien Comolli for the recent transfer activity at White Hart Lane. However, while Berbatov and Keane weren’t adequately replaced, the club has signed the likes of Luka Modric, David Bentley and Roman Pavlyuchenko and should be performing far better than their current league position.

So how long do you think Ramos deserves in the Spurs hot-seat? Should Spurs fans be panicking and looking for Doncaster on the map? Who do you blame for the club’s recent form? Leave your comments (keep it clean) in the boxes below.


Frascati Park strolls to victory

Morning everyone, another week another winner - thanks to the classy 'bumper horse' Frascati Park on Saturday at Market Rasen.

Backed into odds-on (10/11) from an opening 6/4 the Carl Llewellyn four-year-old proved too good for Son of Flicka - making it two in a row for us after Alphabetical's win at Uttoxeter.

Fontwellblog Of course lots of you will be looking forward to the weekend's action at Newmarket and of course the glitz that is the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Longchamp).

But I'll be casting my eyes over the declarations at Fontwell, Huntingdon, Kelso and Uttoxeter.

Have a good week if you're going racing and send in any whisphers or fancies for the racing week ahead. 

All-time record: Bets 74; Winners 23; Losers 50; Non-runners 1; Profit £788.29.


Let's all pile into Frascati Park

Afternoon everyone, hope you've had a good week in the sunshine.

It's going to be National Hunt action all the way now until at least the Grand National, so Saturday's selection is Frascati Park (Market Rasen 5.05pm). I'm going to have £40 win at the starting price.

CarlllewellynThe Carl Llewellyn-trained four-year-old powered away from its field when it made a winning start at the Lincolnshire course in July and was backed with confidence (11/4 into 7/4).

A trip to Galway resulted in a surprise reverse next time out at the hands of Caim Hill - a winner since - but I fully expect Frascati Park to bounce back.

Three races on the box from Market Rasen (Channel 4) make it an afternoon to look forward to - good luck if you're having a bet.

All-time record: Bets 73; Winners 22; Losers 50; Non-runners 1; Profit £751.93.


Worst ever tackles... Your view

EmanuelpogatetzThe horror tackle by Middlesbrough defender Emanuel Pogatetz on Manchester United youngster Rodrigo Possebon got us thinking of the worst in football history.

We've picked out ten of the shocking here, but there must be more. Using the boxes below, let us know your choice for the worst ever tackle.


From the Touchlines: Transfer gossip

Rossouw_24sept_pa_200Leicester may have had the perfect start to the season, winning three games out of three in the Guinness Premiership but already the Tigers are on the look-out for two big signings for next season.

First up is New Zealand wing/full-back Scott Hamilton, a former team-mate of Tiger Aaron Mauger at Canterbury Crusaders. The 28-year-old, who has two All Blacks caps, has already held talks with the money men at Welford Road over a new deal for next season. His current contract with the New Zealand Rugby Union expires at the end of the year.

The other big-name target is South African back-row forward Danie Rossouw. Rossouw is viewed as the perfect replacement for Leicester stalwart Martin Corry, who retires at the end of this season.

There is still uncertainty over whether Fijian flyer Rupeni Caucaunibuca will join the club. Caucau had been due in the midlands for talks over a possible deal - in fact, he was booked on a flight last Friday but failed to turn up at the airport.

Across the Channel in France, there's also uncertainty, this time at Toulon where rumours are growing that former All Black captain Tana Umaga is on the verge of being sacked as coach and replaced by Australian John Connolly. Also, star signing Sonny Bill Williams is said to be disillusioned at his move to union and wants to rip up his contract and head back to New Zealand and rugby league.

What do you make of these latest summer signings and have you got any rugby rumours of your own? Post your comments below...


F1 gossip column... Your view

LewishamiltonWhat a waste of time and money. Either the FIA have hidden behind a law or McLaren have just thrown away in excess of £100,000 (it is rumoured) on the most pointless ever appeal. Perhaps both.

Despite a law decreeing that drive-through penalties are 'not susceptible to appeal', McLaren still launched legal proceedings to reclaim Lewis Hamilton's lost points. Needless to say, it was deemed inadmissable.

It seems Formula 1, and particularly McLaren, cannot get enough of lawyers. Surely they should have got on with preparing for Singapore. After all, Lewis Hamilton still tops the standings despite this setback.

But the FIA also have a case to answer. The frantic debate on these pages and on websites, TV programmes and newspapers all over the world tend to support Lewis Hamilton and McLaren's opinion that this was not a black-and-white case. Have they bottled a decision?

What are your views on the McLaren hearing? Should they have bothered launching any appeal? Or have the FIA got it wrong?


F1 gossip column... Your view

FerrariOur F1 expert is back ahead of the eagely-anticipated, but controversial Singapore Grand Prix this weekend.

His gossip this week centres around a fresh attack on the new night race by Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo who is leading the fight to have it scrapped.

Other snippets involve the uncertain futures of three drivers. Check out his thoughts by clicking here and then enter your thoughts and rumours using the boxes below.


Your view: The worst refereeing blunders

Watfordreading150x200paTake a look at this picture. The ball doesn't look 'in' does it? That's because it's about two feet wide of the goalpost - a fact that linesman Nigel Bannister and referee Stuart Attwell failed to spot during Watford's Championship match with Reading last Saturday when they awarded a goal.

One of the most horrendous refereeing blunders of recent times would no doubt have had more weighty ramifications had it occurred in the hothouse of a high-profile Premier League match instead of the more moribund surroundings of Vicarage Road.

Sadly this is not an isolated case of temporary blindness from the men in black. Here at Orange we've trawled the history books for other maddening howlers, from the obscure to the most high-profile. Take a look at our selections right here.

Now we want your views. What's the worst refereeing blunder you've ever seen? Who is your most despised referee and why?