Singapore's first Premier League recruit must first do national service
The first Singaporean footballer to sign a professional contract with an English Premier League club has been denied the chance to defer mandatory military service. Benjamin Davis, 17, who has a two-year deal with Fulham, had applied to defer from national service (NS). Authorities said that he did not "meet the criteria for deferment". But Davis's father said it was "unrealistic" that he would be expected to take two years out of football. All Singaporean men over 18 have to serve in either the armed forces, the police or the civil defence force for two years as part of their NS requirements. Benjamin turns 18 this November. "As all male Singaporeans liable for full-time NS put aside personal pursuits to dutifully enlist... it would not be fair to approve applications for deferment for individuals to pursue their own careers and development," said the Ministry of Defence in a statement. "In sports, deferments are granted only to those who represent Singapore in international competitions like the Olympic Games and are potential medal winners for Singapore." Reality Check: Which countries have military service? National service: What's your view? Benjamin joined Fulham on a two-year scholarship last year. He signed a professional contract this month, becoming the first Singaporean to do so with a top-level English club. He currently plays for Fulham's Under-18 team. The Premier League has a strong following in Singapore and many in the city state are unhappy with the decision over Davis.
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2018-07-19 02:00:00
Wembley Stadium sale plan ridiculous says Gary Neville
Plans to sell Wembley Stadium for
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2018-07-19 02:00:00
Wayne Rooney: DC United striker on Everton, Man Utd, England & MLS
Wayne Rooney left Everton for DC United because he did not want to "hang around and be a dead weight". The former England captain, 32, said he would not have moved to the United States if his wife and children were not going to join him. Rooney, who signed a three-and-a-half-year contract, said he remained hungry for success and wanted to win trophies. He left Everton in June after scoring 208 goals in 491 Premier League appearances over 16 years. In a wide-ranging interview, Rooney spoke to BBC Sport about his decision to leave England, whether Manchester United can challenge Manchester City, England's World Cup campaign and his coaching ambitions. Why Rooney is a true Premier League great DC United debut ends in a win for Rooney 'Everton were happy to let me go' Rooney rejoined Everton from United for an undisclosed fee in July 2017, 13 years after leaving the Merseyside club. He finished the season with 10 goals in 31 league appearances, but did not score in the final 15 of those games after being moved into midfield under Sam Allardyce. The Toffees missed out on qualifying for Europe, ending the campaign in eighth spot. Allardyce was sacked at the end of the season and replaced by Marco Silva. There was no transfer fee involved when he joined DC United but it is understood the Major League Soccer club agreed a compensation package with the Toffees. "Everton made it clear if there was an offer there, they would be happy for me to go," said Rooney, who made his DC United debut on Saturday. "I understand they have brought a new manager in, got new staff, they obviously want to bring in players that manager wants. "I am sure it will release money for the new players who come in. I am sure that was in their thinking. "I said to them if that is what you want, I am not going to hang round and be a dead weight. I will go somewhere else and play."
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2018-07-19 02:00:00
Eden Hazard: New Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri wants to improve forward
New Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri says he wants to keep Eden Hazard at the club and "improve" the Belgium forward. Hazard, who has been linked with Real Madrid, said last weekend "it might be time to discover something different" after six years at Stamford Bridge. Sarri, speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, described Hazard as "one of the top two or three European players". The former Napoli boss said: "Hazard is a very high-level player. I hope that I will manage to improve him." Hazard says it 'might be time for something different' 'I'd give it all for Chelsea glory - Sarri A visionary former banker loved by Guardiola - who is Sarri? Zola named assistant to Sarri at Chelsea Roberto Martinez, the Belgium manager, told Spanish radio recently that Hazard should consider leaving Chelsea to further his career. The forward, for his part, responded to the Real Madrid reports by telling journalists last Saturday: "You know my preferred destination. "I can decide if I want to stay or go but Chelsea will make the final decision - if they want to let me go." Sarri said he wanted to meet Hazard, who is away on holiday after representing Belgium at the World Cup. "I would like to have fun during the week with him. This would mean very good results and mean we would have been very competitive during the season," added the 59-year-old Italian. Asked if he planned to phone Hazard - or any other player linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge - Sarri added: "A telephone call without looking them in the eye would not give me any certainty. "I'd like to meet them face to face. I would also like a player to come on the [training] pitch four or five days to have a clear idea." Sarri suggested that England defender Gary Cahill has a future at Stamford Bridge, despite reports that the new manager is looking at signing centre-back Daniele Rugani from Juventus. On Cahill, Sarri said: "I think he can still give us a lot." 'I am bored by the transfer market' Sarri said he was one of the few managers who was "bored" by the transfer market and that his aim was to inject "fun" into his squad. "I feel more a pitch manager than a general manager," he added. "I think that I am one of the few managers who is bored by the transfer market. I don't want to talk about the transfer market and I am not interested in it." Sarri conducted most of his news conference in Italian although he is able to speak English. He said: "I have to say sorry to everybody because my English is not so good. I don't want to say anything wrong. I hope I will be able to do it [speak English] in a few weeks." Sarri added: "I need to have fun in order to do well. My goal is to have fun while I am here. "The club have asked me to build a season where we have to be competitive in all competitions and in order to do that we must get to March and April in all competitions."
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2018-07-19 02:00:00
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain: Liverpool midfielder to miss most of 2018-19 season
Liverpool and England midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is expected to miss the majority of the 2018-19 season, says Reds manager Jurgen Klopp. The 24-year-old has not played since injuring a knee during the Champions League semi-final with Roma in April. "It feels like now is an appropriate time to tell people that for Ox, this season will be about focusing on recovery and rehab," Klopp said. "We have known this from pretty much the day after he got the injury." Oxlade-Chamberlain missed the World Cup after damaging his knee ligaments tackling Roma's Aleksandar Kolarov at Anfield on 24 April. Capped 32 times, he moved to Anfield from Arsenal last summer for
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2018-07-19 02:00:00
Alisson: Liverpool offer for Brazil goalkeeper accepted by Roma
Liverpool have agreed a fee of about
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2018-07-19 02:00:00
Gianfranco Zola: Former Chelsea striker appointed Maurizio Sarri's assistant
Former Chelsea and Italy striker Gianfranco Zola has returned to Stamford Bridge as assistant to new manager Maurizio Sarri. As a player, Zola helped the club win two FA Cups, one Uefa Cup Winners' Cup, one Uefa Super Cup and one League Cup between 1996-2003. "For me it is an amazing thing. I am pleased to be here," said Zola. Zola, who resigned as Birmingham City manager in April 2017, has joined Chelsea's pre-season tour of Australia. 'I want to improve Hazard, says new Chelsea boss Sarri Fellow Italian Sarri, 59, was appointed Blues boss last week after fellow compatriot Antonio Conte was sacked despite winning the Premier League title in 2016-17 and FA Cup in 2017-18. "It would be great to be successful with Maurizio and for the club and I will give my best, as I did in the past as a player," added Zola, 52. "I am very much looking forward to the challenge in general. I would love us to start well and we are all very excited to start this new adventure." Zola made 312 league and cup appearances for Chelsea, scoring 80 times. He has managed West Ham United, Watford and Italian side Cagliari. Zola signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Birmingham in December 2016 but quit four months later after a poor run of form.
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2018-07-19 02:00:00
Giuseppe Rossi: Ex-Manchester United forward on his injury nightmare
Giuseppe Rossi has been injured for a quarter of his 14-year career as a footballer. Now 31, the former Manchester United striker is rehabilitating from his fifth major knee injury, and third involving his anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL). It has taken its toll on the Italy international, but his determination to play is as strong as ever. "When I sit back and think about it, I get annoyed and you start going around in circles in your head," he told BBC Sport. "Every injury has its own story - it took something away, if it's a World Cup, the European Cup, or a big transfer. "But the dream doesn't stop and I am here today living the dream that I have always wanted to and keep trying to gain what I lost." Rossi, a free agent after his contract with Genoa expired at the end of the season, said his "passion" for football - his "little baby" - has helped him through his darkest days. And he opened up about playing alongside his idol Ryan Giggs, and the lessons he learned from legendary former United boss Sir Alex Ferguson. 'I love the game too much to quit' Rossi says he has "kinda lost count" of the knee surgeries - "maybe four? Or five?" - that have blighted his career since he left Old Trafford in 2007. Ferguson did not want him to leave for Villarreal in a
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2018-07-19 02:00:00
Everton launch
Everton have launched a
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2018-07-17 02:00:00
Sarri to plead with Chelsea stars to stay
Maurizio Sarri is set to go on the charm offensive this week in a bid to convince Chelsea's big stars to stay at the club, The Sun reports. The likes of Eden Hazard, Willian, Thibaut Courtois and N'Golo Kante have all been linked with big moves elsewhere across the summer. Sarri, having recently taken over from Antonio Conte at Stamford Bridge, will put in calls to the holidaying stars as he solidifies his squad for the upcoming season.