Sir Alex Ferguson expected to give an important announcement regarding his future as Manchester United boss

After a 26-and-a-half-year reign as the manager for Manchester United, there is now great speculation that Sir Alex Ferguson could retire from the club by the end of the week. The UK telegraph which first broke the story exclaimed, “Sources close to the players confirmed that the squad’s golf day had been overshadowed by suggestions that the Scot would be making an announcement”.

After taking the club to 13 Premier League titles, 5 FA Cups, 4 League Cups and 2 Champions League Titles and building an up a value estimate of $3.17 billion by Forbes, Ferguson’s positive impact on the club is definite. With such a prominence in the sport as a whole it is expected that much controversy will come from the alleged announcement until it does indeed occur or Manchester United releases an official statement saying otherwise.

It is of no surprise to some that an announcement of this type was soon to come given Ferguson’s age and recent health issues. At the age of 71 he certainly isn’t getting any younger and would be finding it more difficult to be as involved as he has been in the past. In 2004 he had to have a pacemaker inserted due to a heart irregularity and is set to have hip surgery after the club returns from its pre-season tour this year. It is noted by many that Ferguson has always said that his health would dictate how long he remained at the top of Man United and with another operation soon to come and a recent replenishment of the Premier League Crown over arch rivals Manchester City, the timing would make sense.

This expectation has also been verified by the actions of bookmakers in the UK, surrounding odds of football manager and executive movements. Particular to these changes is the slashing of odds regarding movements of Everton manager David Moyes to Manchester United. The chance of this has brought forward another possible action by Ferguson, in staying with the club and instead either having more assistance in his managing department or stepping down into a less important role. This standpoint has been taken by The Mirror newspaper in the UK.  

A triumphant Ferguson.

Bombers chairman David Evans rejects accusations that players are gaining any advantage this season

Research carried out in the last few years has shown that if you were to take the controversial supplements (peptides) you are likely to suffer from soft tissue injures while playing. Bombers had the highest rate of soft tissue injures in the league last year.

Bombers chairman David Evans says his club will prove it is not gaining any advantage this season from the controversial supplement program carried out last year.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou spoke about rival clubs saying bombers having an unfair advantage because of they unbeaten start to they season. 

Evans repeated on Friday that he would not publicly detail the practices that took place at the club last season while the AFL and Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) investigation into whether they breached anti-doping rules continues.

"I would like to thank Andrew Demetriou for his support of the club yesterday when he warned other clubs against what he called scurrilous innuendo that our players have some kind of advantage," Evans said at a Bombers' pre-match function.

"I can also promise you this: whatever happened last year with what I conceded were irregular practices, there is no advantage to our players and this will be proven."

Evans said it was tough having the club being the subject of constant speculation without being able to publicly fight back, given the Bombers don't want to compromise the investigation.

"I would love nothing more than to be correcting some of the more wild accusations and speculation that's occurred over the time," he said.

"But I ask you again for your patience while we let the AFL and ASADA investigation take its course."

He said the Bombers could at least take heart that their players were showing maturity and character in adversity.

"These young men are utter professionals in what they are doing week in and week out," he said.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/demetriou-slams-rumours/video-e6frf33l-1226634730466?subcat=1225916318050

  

Drugs in sports

New evidence has surfaced about a convicted drug trafficker claiming he had helped NRL and AFL players dope and avoid positive blood tests.

Controversial sports biochemist Shane Charter, who worked for AFL club Essendon as a strength and nutrition adviser, made the new claims in an interview on Four Corners in which he was asked:

Just to be clear, you've assisted NRL players and AFL players with their use of performance-enhancing drugs? He replied: I've kept them in a safe and non-toxic range so that they didn't do long-term damage to themselves.

Charter made headlines on Saturday when he revealed he had even been asked by underworld figures to spike players' supplements with illegal drugs so they could be blackmailed into joining a match-fixing ring. He denied ever having done so.

This is a massive step forward in finding out the drug cheats in sport. Its looking more and more suspicious every day. Its not looking very good for Australian sport right now. As a massive Bombers fan I'm really hoping they have done nothing wrong, fingers crossed. 

Bombers have won 5 out 5 this season and they are looking in the best form they have been in for quite some time.

COME ON THE BOMBERS!!!!!!

James Hird to confirm jabs from Stephen Dank

James Hird to confirm jabs from Stephen Dank: Essendon coach James Hird is set to reveal he received two injections from sports scientist Stephen Dank for health reasons.

As some of you may know, James Hird and the Essendon Football Club are in the spotlight of one of AFL’s biggest drug scandals ever.

The allegations are targeted towards Essendon’s use of banned substances in sport. The most recent allegation is James Hird’s use of this banned substance.

Sports scientist Stephen Dank came forward and admitted he had injected Hird with a drug banned under doping codes, with the Essendon coach describing the allegations as "very upsetting".

Further information has come out that James Hird has admitted to receiving two injections of the substance last year. Also, text messages have surfaced which show that James Hird was aware of his team’s use of the substance.

While there is nothing to prevent Hird taking the drug, competitive athletes including the footballers he coaches are banned from doing so under the World Anti Doping Authority code. 

Scenes of James Hird and team after game celebration of one of the greatest wins of all time over Fremantle last weekend.