A touch of heaven

LONDON: To paraphrase Mark Twain, the reports of Jose Mourinho's demise as a top level manager have been greatly exaggerated. At least, that is how it appears as the Portuguese coach prepares his Premier League-leading Tottenham Hotspur side to face the club where he cemented his legacy as one of the greatest soccer managers of modern times. Mourinho led Chelsea to their first league title for 50 years in his first season in England in 2005 and the west London club retained their crown the following season. He returned almost 10 years later to win the Premier League again after trophy-laden stints at Inter Milan and Real Madrid. However, he followed up acrimonious departures from Real and Chelsea with a fractious spell at Manchester United where he was derided for negative tactics and perceived as a coach out of touch with the type of modern football being successfully advanced by the likes of Pep Guardiola and Juergen Klopp. Many eyebrows were raised when he was appointed … [Read more...] about Football: Marriage made in heaven as Mourinho and Spurs thrive on underdog status

BUENOS AIRES: Huge crowds gathered to say goodbye to Diego Maradona on Thursday (Nov 26), and with emotions running high clashes between police and fans broke out near the presidential palace in the Argentine capital where the soccer great was lying in state. Thousands of people surrounded the pink-hued Casa Rosada and there was a febrile atmosphere more akin to a rowdy soccer game than a formal wake, with fans clambering up the palace gates to get as close as possible to their hero. Fans had earlier proceeded past Maradona's casket inside the palace to pay their final respects. On Thursday afternoon, the coffin was taken in a hearse on its way to a cemetery on the outskirts of the city. READ: Argentine football genius Diego Maradona saw heaven and hell The death of Maradona at the age of 60 on Wednesday, following a heart attack, has sparked mourning worldwide and celebrations of a true sporting star, who was a genius on the soccer field but lived a life marred by … [Read more...] about Argentines bid final farewell to Maradona as national mourning begins

If you've been waking up to the sight of puffy under-eyes and eyelids – or worse, a swollen visage (and it's definitely not an allergy) – chances are you've got a case of chronic water retention. Needless to say, your diet and lifestyle habits are key factors that have led to this bloated situation. Dehydration (perhaps thanks to one too many Mojitos last night) is a culprit, and so is eating an excessive amount of salty foods and refined carbohydrates. Lack of good sleep and exercise also factor into poor blood and fluid circulation in the body. But while you try and get your diet and body on the right track, here are a few skincare tricks to try to get your face down to its usual svelte proportions in time for the festive season. FOUR WEEKS TO GO: TIME TO GET WET Keeping skin happily hydrated is the first step, but if you consistently wake up to a puffy face it’s worth applying a serum that contains ingredients to drain water retention, like the iconic Clarins Shaping … [Read more...] about Beauty Fixes: How to sort out that puffy face and bloated situation in 4 weeks

LONDON: Diego Maradona had greatness in him, but his refusal to apologise for his "Hand of God" goal that helped knock England out of the 1986 World Cup proved he lacked sportsmanship, former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton has said. Maradona died after suffering a heart attack at his home in the suburbs of Buenos Aires on Wednesday (Nov 25), less than a month after his 60th birthday. Shilton was in goal for England during their World Cup quarter-final in Mexico when, six minutes into the second half, Maradona leapt in front of him to touch a high ball into the net with his fist after the keeper had charged out to punch clear. "A clear offence. Cheating," Shilton wrote in the Daily Mail. "As he ran away to celebrate he even looked back twice, as if waiting for the referee's whistle. He knew what he had done. Everybody did - apart from the referee and two linesmen." READ: Argentine football genius Diego Maradona saw heaven and hell READ: 'Diego left a mark on my … [Read more...] about Maradona had greatness but no sportsmanship: England’s Shilton