London armed for hat-trick showcase..

 The Blogger at the top of Millbank Tower in London.

QPR chairman Tony Fernandes with Park Ji-Sung  at the top of Millbank Tower in London.

Park Ji-Sung with his new colours

By Jugjet Singh
COMMENT

ITS 14 days before London welcomes its third Olympics, and being the only city in the world to have achieved the milestone, it is armed to the teeth with experience and ready to welcome the best athletes around the globe.
   The whirlwind trip to London was arranged by Queens Park Rangers to showcase their GBP5 million signing Park Ji-Sung and also the unveiling of a plan to build a new home for QPR.
     Naturally, QPR chairman Tony Fernandes was all smiles after snaring the Manchester United super-sub, and also announcing a 45,000 seater stadium to replace their present 17,000-seater at Loftus Road.
    And also naturally, the British soccer news-hounds who packed the press conference held at the Conservative Party’s HQ Millbank Tower, were sceptical of the almost relegated side’s second Premier League season under new owners.
    Back to the Olympics, the vibes can be felt right at the bustling Heathrow Airport in London itself.
   Signages have been placed welcoming the athletes from around the world with a smile, but security is so tight, that nothing is left to chance.
    Shoes, and belts were flying off, and laptops, watches and anything that rattles placed in trays. Then the scan is done but all with a smile from the immigration officials who are ready to make London a safe city for every one.
    Special Olympic lanes have been drawn on almost every road around London to allow buses ferrying athletes to reach their destinations on time for events.
    The special lanes would be a welcome to the athletes and officials, but is expected to cause traffic woes for the rest, but not many locals are expected to be around to experience the congestion.
    A travel agent confirmed that there have been overwhelming bookings to fly out of London to overseas holiday destinations during the Games, as Londoners make their escape
    The vibrating City, which speaks more than 200 languages, is going to be busting at its seams during the Games but one would be hard-pressed to find a local Englishman.
     As only after two days of walking around street names made familiar by the Monopoly board, this scribe finally met a local by the name of Billy.
    “Yes, I will be going to the Games to watch Volleyball. But that is not by choice, as all the other tickets have been sold out. But after that, I’m off to Italy for a long holiday,” said Billy.
    And that would leave the working brigade from all over Europe, Asia, Africa and South America to welcome the world to the London Olympics.

Park and 45,000 stadium for QPR

 The writer with Air Asia beauties wearing QPR colours..
 
By Jugjet Singh in London

QUEENS Park Rangers not only signed a 5mil pound deal with Park Ji-Sung but also unveiled plans to build a 45,000-seater stadium in West London yesterday.
  Their present ground in Loftus Road is the smallest in the Premier League with a capacity of 18,439.
   And even though averaging turnouts of 17,000 in their first season back in the Premier League, QPR believe they can fill a bigger stadium.
  QPR chairman Tony Fernandes revealed yesterday in London that the club are looking at two potential sites.
   "We are not ready to announce the location of the stadium, but are making good progress. It will be 45,000 capacity and we have narrowed it down to two locations," said Fernandes.
  Fernandes has been at the helm of QPR for 11 months: "I hope to announce the full details within the next two months as it is not an easy but tremendous work to be completed."
  Manchester United winger Park Ji-Sung, 31, also penned a two-year-deal at Loftus Road and now QPR manager Mark Hughes will have a better selection option.
  Their other summer signings are Andy Johnson, Robert Green and Ryan Nelsen, which will give QPR plenty of Premier League experience within their ranks.
  "I can't wait for him to joing our Asian Tour to Malaysia and Indonesia and so it would be the first time we will see Park playing up close in this region," said Fernandes.
  QPR will play Sabah on June 17 and Kelantan on June 20, where Park will make his presence felt for the first time donning QPR colours.
  "We have signed sujch an amazing talent and I can't wait to see him in action," added Fernandes.
   "I wanted to help QPR in their ambition to rech the next level and that is why I signed with them for two years. There were other offers but money is not important and QPR have also included me in their future plans and that is why I signed with them," said Park.
   "He has worn the red shirt with great dignity and I can't wait to work with him because he is a very motivated man and will be a great help to achieve our dreams," said Hughes.  
  "Park is a significant signing to our ambitions and our intention is not to be at the same position we ended last season, and that is why we have signed a player with Park's capabilities to avoid that at all cost," said Hughes.

WOMEN: India 2 Malaysia 1

BANGKOK: India rallied from a goal deficit to beat Malaysia 2-1 in their final league match on Tuesday to make the semifinal of the sixth Junior Women's Asia Cup hockey championship.
     India finished second in group A behind China. In a must-win match for India, the teams played out a goalless first half.
    Norazlin Sumantri scored for Malaysia within a minute of the resumption of second half but Anupa Barla (52nd minute) and skipper Ritu Rani, who converted a penalty corner in the 65th minute, ensured that India reach the next stage.
   India will face the winner of Group B - either Korea or Japan - in the semifinal to be played on July 5.
   Ten minutes after Malaysia took the lead, India started to dominate the proceedings and in the last 25 minutes hardly spared an inch.
   Anupa's strike capped a good pass by vice-captain and fellow forward Poonam Rani, while Ritu Rani successfully converted a penalty corner.
   The Indian team's defenders toiled hard to keep Malaysia at bay. India scored their third win in four matches. They had beaten Sri Lanka and Singapore in earlier games before losing to China.
The Times of India

Over to Revington in August

By Hidir Reduan and Norhafiza Sallehuddin

SOUTH African Paul Revington and former Malaysian international Arul Selvaraj will officially take over coaching the national hockey team in August.

Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah said Revington, who will replace Tai Beng Hai, is expected to sign the official agreement before Aug 1.
    "Revington will complete his existing contract with the Ireland national team and sort out his papers before coming here. An official agreement signing ceremony will be held as soon as he arrives," said Tengkui Abdullah in Kuantan yesterday.
    "Revington has verbally agreed to coach the national team and will be the person in charge of the national team in the Champions Challenge 1 in Argentina later this year."
    Tengku Abdullah explained that Revington came to Malaysia last month to discuss the prospect of coaching the national team and an understanding was reached between MHC and the coach. 

Myanmar age trick?

By Ajitpal Singh

THE MALAYSIAN football team flew back to Kuala Lumpur yesterday from the Asian Under-22 Qualifiers in Yangon amid an air of suspicion regarding the age of some Myanmar players.
    It is believed the hosts had fielded overage players, which has been a common practice in previous tournaments, to finish second in Group G and qualify for next year's tournament proper.
    Based on Myanmar's team list, at least eight players are believed to be overage including Yangon United striker Kaung Si Thu, who scored a brace in the 2-1 win over Malaysia on Tuesday. Their ages were stated in their clubs' websites.
   According to the Yangon United's official website (www.ygnutd.com), Kaung turned 25 on Jan 22 while other local portals revealed that seven others were aged 23.
   Coach Ong Kim Swee, upon arrival in KL, said that he would lodge a complaint, accompanied with the evidence, to the FA of Malaysia (FAM) for further action.
   He said those registered for the qualifier, as stipulated in the tournament's regulations, must be 21 and below.
  An official of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said that it has not received any official protest from Malaysia regarding the allegation.
   AFC regularly does comprehensive screening of competing teams, especially for age-group tournaments.
   FAM will only make an official statement today after consulting Kim Swee.
   "We cannot give a statement as the team only arrived today (yesterday). We will seek clarification from Kim Swee before making a stand," said FAM secretary-general Datuk Azzuddin Ahmad.
   It is learnt that FAM will investigate the matter thoroughly before the next course of action as it does not want to create any unnecessary controversy.
   According to a report in the Myanmar Times (www.mmtimes.com), headlined "Age manipulation harmful, say coaches', in February, it alleged that its national football federation has an unofficial policy of age manipulation.
    It also claimed that the team bound for next year's Sea Games Under-23 competition have five overage players.