Rafael Nadal beats Tommy Haas as Roger Federer receives a walkover

Nadal won the Australian Open in 2009

Second seed Rafael Nadal dispelled fears about his physical condition with a 6-4 6-3 6-4 win against Tommy Haas in round two of the Australian Open.

Nadal injured his right knee before the tournament but after his win he said: "I'm very happy about how it improves, I'm able to play without a problem."
Roger Federer also advanced with a walkover after his opponent Andreas Beck withdrew with a back problem.
But eighth seed Mardy Fish was upset in straight sets by Alejandro Falla.
The American number one went down 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 7-6 (8-6) as Falla set up a meeting with Philipp Kohlschreiber.
Fish fell at the same stage in 2010 and 2011, while Columbia's Falla is into round three for the second year running.

Roger Federer

There he will face Kohlschreiber, a fellow unseeded player, who advanced when Pere Riba retired while trailing 6-0 4-0.
Next up for Nadal, meanwhile, is Donald Young or Lukas Lacko. They contest the third match on Court Six.
"The last couple of years I've had physical problems here," stated Nadal, the champion in 2009 and a quarter-finalist in 2010 and 2011.
"But it's always very exciting to be back here, thanks for supporting me. It's an honour to play on this court [Rod Laver Arena]."
Federer's progress was confirmed when Beck pulled out with a lower back complaint ahead of their encounter on Hisense Arena.
It would have been the first time in 52 matches - a sequence stretching back to 2004 - that Federer had not played on Rod Laver Arena.
The 16-time Grand Slam champion will face Ivo Karlovic or Carlos Berlocq on Friday for a place in the fourth round.
"I would have loved to have played," said Federer. "I'm sorry to the fans, I was ready to go - I had a warm-up hit and was focused.
"I will rest up, hit intensely [on Wednesday] and get ready for my match."
Seventh seed Tomas Berdych saved the only break point he faced en route to a 6-1 6-1 7-6 (7-4) victory over Olivier Rochus.
It takes him to a third-round meeting with 30th seed Kevin Anderson, the South African coming beating Sergiy Stakhovsky 3-6 6-1 7-6 (7-3) 6-3.
Joining them in the third round is 11th seed Juan Martin del Potro - who outclassed Blaz Kavcic 6-4 7-5 6-3 - and his next opponent is Yen-Hsun Lu, a 7-5 6-2 6-2 winner against Florent Serra.
The first evening match on Rod Laver Arena sees home favourite Bernard Tomic go up against American Sam Querrey.

Are ice hockey 'enforcers' the toughest guys in sport?

By Alex Capstick BBC World Service

Ice hockey is notorious for brawling - at least in North America's National Hockey League. The role of the enforcers, who do most of the fighting, is the focus of a new film, Goon. But there is growing evidence that some players suffer long-term damage and questions are being asked whether enforcers pay a terrible price.

Jim Thomson barks orders at his young charges at one of hundreds of ice rinks scattered across the vast plains of Canada. He is helping the boys improve at ice hockey.
As a former player in the NHL, the National Hockey League that covers Canada and the US, he is endowed with considerable knowledge and experience.
And yet he has made it his mission to steer the hockey-obsessed teenagers attending his sessions down an alternative path to the one he followed.
Like most young boys in Canada, Jim Thomson played ice hockey. He practised on the frozen ponds of Edmonton, Alberta, hockey's heartland.

He was raised in a trailer park. Money was tight, so his family couldn't afford the necessary kit.

But Jim Thomson was all grizzly determination, and his natural ability with a hockey stick attracted the attention of scouts. His journey to the NHL, the holy grail for Canadian hockey players, had begun.
Jim was a skilful skater, with a fierce accurate shot. He moved east to Ontario where he continued to move up the ranks. But aged 14, people started to notice him for a different skill. Jim was good with his fists.
"I got a big 20-year-old, I'll never forget it - a big guy with a beard. He cross checks me in front of the net, and I go down on to the ice.
"I get up and he's standing in front of me like he wants to fight. So he pushed me and (the) next thing I know he was lying on his back. I caught him with a lucky punch and he was out."

Jim quickly earned a reputation as a good fighter. In North American ice hockey, teams are always on the look out for a bruiser, someone who is willing to skate onto the ice and punch an opponent. Jim Thomson became what is known as an enforcer, and it was his ticket to the NHL.

"Washington Capitals say if you are going to make our hockey team you're going to have to fight. I had 41 fights in 57 games, I had 360 penalty minutes, led the league in penalty minutes, and then I was in the NHL as an enforcer."
The NHL is unique. Nowhere in the world is there a major team sport which tolerates fighting.
Enforcers, otherwise known as on-ice policemen or goons, are employed to protect more skilful members of their team.
They are rarely used for anything else, and they are usually on the lower end of the pay scale.
They fight with their bare knuckles in front of a baying crowd. The referees basically stand by and watch. And when the punching stops the fighters are given a largely meaningless sanction of five minutes in the penalty box.

Don Cherry Veteran broadcaster

There is no public outcry, the fans revel in it. There is nothing like it in, say, soccer or even rugby. Ice hockey in Europe or at the Olympics does not allow fighting - if you fight you get sent off.

Jim Thomson was an enforcer for five years, and it destroyed him.
"I started doing drugs heavy, I started drinking heavy. I used those as crutches to get through the fear and the anxiety of knowing that tomorrow I got to go out and fight these two guys that are coming into town that are extremely tough."
Despite once making a good living out of it. Jim wants the NHL to abolish the role of the enforcer.
It's a view which has gathered momentum ever since three former ice hockey hard men died early deaths.
Derek Boogaard took an unintentional yet fatal overdose of drugs and alcohol. Rick Rypien's death was a suspected suicide after a long battle with depression.
Wade Belak was found hanging in a Toronto hotel room. It was initially reported as suicide although his family now say it was an accident. He had also suffered with depression.
People are asking whether these deaths are linked to their violent jobs.

Source: Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy

When Derek Boogaard's family donated his brain to Boston University's School of Medicine, doctors carved it open and discovered traces of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, CTE, a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated blows to the head. His brain was ageing rapidly.

Doctors at the centre had previously found CTE in the brains of two other former enforcers.
But despite the disturbing medical evidence, hockey aficionados such as Canada's veteran broadcaster Don Cherry, refuse to believe enforcers are more vulnerable to concussion and emotional problems.
He caused a stir in October when he called Jim Thomson and two other former tough guys "pukes" when they spoke out against fighting. He offers a staunch defence of on-ice punching.
"You have to have enforcers. People love hitting, people love banging, smashing," he says.

Georges Laraque Ex-NHL

"If you see a fight all you have to do is take a look around at the crowd when the fight's on. Nobody goes for a coffee, nobody goes for a beer."

Cherry argues that enforcers are necessary to make the game safer for the more skilful players who need their protection.
But sometimes they square up over a long-term grudge, or as a simple tactic to help motivate their team and excite the crowd.
The laws in the NHL are made by the 30 team owners and their general managers. They have introduced stricter regulations aimed at reducing the number of concussions.
But these are designed to limit the number of illegal head hits during open play, such as unexpected blows to the head from a stick or a flying elbow.
So far the NHL has resisted mounting pressure to dramatically change the rules on fighting.
Brendan Shanahan, who is in charge of discipline and safety at the NHL, says he is not yet ready to accept a direct link between the role of enforcers and CTE.

"I want to learn more. I think it's a bit of a leap right now to suggest there is a definite link, but I think there is enough evidence to show we need to explore it further."
He argues that the two opponents in a fight both know what they are getting into. They accept a certain degree of risk.
It is a role which has been defended by current enforcers - but also by those who have recently retired from the sport.
Georges Laraque, a monstrous tough guy whose highly successful NHL career included stints with the Edmonton Oilers and the Montreal Canadiens, accepts it caused him great stress.
He is convinced last year's deaths are related to the violent nature of their jobs. But he would never attempt to deny kids like him the opportunity he had.
"That's what I did for a living, I want kids that are big like me to have a job like me, that's why I can't ever say I want fighting out of the game.
"If they want to do it we have to let them because now they know the risks more than ever."

QPR manager's job: Mark Hughes in talks to replace Neil Warnock

Hughes left Fulham in June after less than a year in charge

Mark Hughes is at Loftus Road for talks with QPR about taking over as manager, BBC Sport understands.

Ex-Wales boss Hughes, 48, has been out of the game since leaving Fulham in June and is favourite to replace

The funny thing is that I do not actually think QPR are as bad as their results have suggested, but they have simply not been able to score enough goals despite bringing in Jay Bothroyd, DJ Campbell and Shaun Wright-Phillips

Mark Lawrenson's verdict

Chief executive Philip Beard said he hoped the club could make an appointment in the next 48 hours.
"We are working extremely hard to bring in the right person," Beard told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"I'm hoping we have someone in place in advance of our game against Newcastle [on Sunday]."
Beard agrees that Welshman Hughes, who also has Premier League experience with Blackburn and Manchester City, has the kind of background that the club are looking for, although they have "three or four" candidates in mind.
With the club 17th in the Premier League, chairman Tony Fernandes said that they made the decision to sack Warnock in the hope that a change might preserve their top-flight status.

Recent QPR managers

• 2010-12: Neil Warnock
• 2010: Mick Harford (caretaker)
• 2009-10: Paul Hart
• 2009: Steve Gallen & Marc Bircham (caretakers)
• 2009: Jim Magilton
• 2009: Gareth Ainsworth (caretaker)
• 2008-09: Paulo Sousa
• 2008: Gareth Ainsworth (caretaker)
• 2008: Iain Dowie
• 2007-08: Luigi De Canio
• 2007: Mick Harford (caretaker)
• 2006-07: John Gregory
• 2006: Gary Waddock (caretaker)
• 2001-06: Ian Holloway
• 1998-01: Gerry Francis

"Neil has done an incredible job for QPR, bringing the club back into the Premier League," said Beard. "We want to remember what he achieved here but we want to move on. We think the time is right to make the change.
"We will be judged because it's a results-orientated business. The results have not been good over the last few months. We are now in the infamous January transfer window and we want to do some business.
"We haven't made this change lightly. What we really want is a period of stability."
QPR made an encouraging start to the season, having been guided back to the top flight last year by Warnock, reaching ninth on 19 November.
But, without a win since then, QPR have slid down to 17th - just one point clear of the relegation zone - and needed a last-minute equaliser from Heidar Helguson to avoid an FA Cup third-round defeat by League One side MK Dons on Saturday.

Former QPR manager and player Iain Dowie told Radio 5 Live Breakfast: "Mark Hughes would be a very safe pair of hands. But you never know what Tony [Fernandes] has in mind."
Discussing the decision to sack Warnock, Dowie added: "Neil seems to be given very little credit for the job he did last year, which is rather surprising. Also I don't think the league position they're in is beyond the kilter.
"They have 17 points from 20 games. You don't know what goes on behind the scenes but it certainly raised an eyebrow for me."

Nicky Hayden kecelakaan dalam latihan MotoGP

"Tapi ini merupakan bagian dari perlombaan sepeda motor. Seperti halnya di Valancia, itu merupakan kecelakaan di lintasan balap. Saya harus mencoba latihan lagi, seperti yang biasa saya lakukan pada musim dingin di lintasan pribadi dekat rumah saya," katanya.

 Mantan juara dunia MotoGP Nicky Hayden mengalami kecelakaan dalam latihan sehingga kemungkinan tidak dapat mengikuti testing di Sepang, Malaysia, pada akhir bulan ini, demikian diumumkan tim Ducati, Kamis.

Pebalap berusia 30 tahun dari Amerika itu baru saja memulai menaiki sepeda motornya lagi setelah mengalami kecelakaan di Valencia Grand Prix, November.

Kali ini, ia mengalami cedera pada baru kirinya serta dua memar tulang rusuk, namun Ducati mengatakan ia tidak perlu menjalani operasi dan hanya mendapat perawatan di Kalifornia.

Latihan musim dingin direncanakan dimulai 31 Januari di Sepang dan Hayden mengatakan ia ingin melakukan test tetapi ia kurang beruntung ketika mencoba kendaraannya di tempat latihan sendiri di dekat rumahnya di Owensboro, Kentucky.

Setelah mengalami kecelakaan, ia menjalani pemeriksaan sinar X, sken CAT dan MRI.

"Rasanya cedera ini tidak pernah sembuh," kata Hayden dalam pernyataan yang dikeluarkan Ducati.

Pebalap motor Argentina Jorge Boero tewas di reli Dakar

Pebalap Argentina, Jorge Martinez Boero meninggal dalam ajang reli Dakar 2012.

Boero merupakan korban kecelakaan di kilometer 55 pada tahapan khusus pertama antara Mar del Plata dan Santa Rosa.

Santa Rosa De La Pampa (ANTARA News/AFP) - Pebalap motor asal Argentina Jorge Martinez Boero tewas pada Minggu, setelah mengalami kecelakaan pada hari pertama Reli Dakar.

Boero (38) yang sudah dua kali tampil dalam reli ini, mengalami serangan jantung setelah jatuh dari motornya selama hari pembukaan balapan itu antara Mar del Plata dan Santa Rosa de la Pampa di barat Argentina.

Panitia mengatakan bahwa Boero telah menerima perawatan medis lima menit setelah kecelakaan itu dengan mengangkatnya menggunakan helikopter, namun jiwanya tidak tertolong dalam perjalanan menuju rumah sakit.

"Boero merupakan korban kecelakaan di kilometer 55 pada tahapan khusus pertama antara Mar del Plata dan Santa Rosa," kata panitia tesebut.

Lopez raih tahapan pertama kategori motor reli Dakar

Santa Rosa De La Pampa (ANTARA News/AFP) - Pebalap Cile Francisco Lopez memenangi tahapan pembukaan untuk kategori sepeda motor Reli Dakar, Minggu waktu setempat.

Pebalap Aprilia itu mencatat waktu 32 menit 37 detik dalam tahapan sejauh 57km dan unggul selisih waktu 14menit atas juara bertahan Marc Coma dari Spanyol yang mengendarai KTM, dan unggul 27 detik atas pebalap Argentina Javier Pizzolito yang mengendarai Honda.

Berikut hasil reli Dakar untuk kategori Motor:

1. Francisco Lopez (Cile) Aprilia 32:37, 2. Marc Coma (Spanyol) KTM 14, 3. Javier Pizzolito (Argentina) Honda 27, 4. Quinn Cody (AS) Honda 30, 5. Jakub Przygonski (Polandia) KTM 49, 6. Joan Barreda Bort (Spanyol) Husqvarna 57, 7. Sam Sunderland (Inggris) Honda 1:05, 8. Ruben Faria (Portugal) KTM 1:18, 9. David Casteu  (Prancis) Yamaha 1:26, 10. Jonah Street (AS) Yamaha 1:30

Al-Attiyah menggebrak pada etape kedua reli Dakar

- Juara bertahan reli Dakar kategori mobil, Nasser Al-Attiyah, melakukan gebrakan pada etape kedua yang dilangsungkan Senin waktu setempat.

Pada etape pertama, mobil Hummer Al Attiyah mengalami masalah mesin, sehingga harus menyelesaikan lomba dengan selisih 10 menit di belakang pemenang etape tersebut.

Al-Attiyah (31) mengungguli Stephane Peterhansel yang memakai mobil Mini, dengan catatan waktu lebih cepat 54 detik pada etape yang berjarak 290 km, dari Santa Rosa de la Pampa.

Peterhansel - yang merupakan juara enam kali reli Dakar kategori sepeda motor dan tiga kali juara kategori mobil - mengungguli rekan setim Al-Attiyah, Robby Gordon dari Amerika Serikat.

AFP melaporkan, Al-Attiyah, yang sekarang naik ke posisi enam pada klasemen, berhasil mencatat kemenangan meski kaca depannya hancur. Ia pun mengakui kalau dirinya harus berkendara dengan lebih hati-hati menjelang etape keempat.

"Kami memecahkan jendelanya, dan itu sangat sulit sebab membutuhkan banyak waktu untuk melewati mobil-mobil lain," kata pereli asal Qatar ini, yang memulai lomba dari posisi ke-38.

"Saya hanya dapat berkata kalau kami harus memiliki strategi yang bagus, dan menunjukkan bahwa kami masih ada di sini untuk balapan."

"Bagaimanapun, kami harus lebih cerdas."

Peterhansel mengatakan bahwa ia tidak mendapat banyak kesempatan untuk mengungguli catatan waktu rivalnya tersebut.

"Awal etape ini sangat cepat, maka tidak mungkin untuk mencuri posisi pertama dari pengemudi lain," kata Peterhansel.

"Kami merasa lebih baik pada akhirnya, ketika mulai ada sedikit gundukan-gundukan, dan semakin rumit di sekitar bukit pasir."

Gordon menyesali diri karena ia gagal menjadi pemenang etape, saat ia merayakan ulang tahunnya yang ke-43.

"Ini adalah hari yang bagus bagi kami, semua hal mengenai mobil ini bagus," kata Gordon, yang catatan terbaiknya di reli Dakar adalah finish ketiga pada 2009.

"Bagaimanapun, kami menabrak batu besar, dan terjadi kebocoran, dan saya berpendapat, jika hal itu tak terjadi, kami mampu memenangi etape."

Tidak Disiplin, Irfan Bachdim Diancam Dipecat

Irfan Bachdim

 

Sejak menjadi model iklan, dan namanya melambung ketika memperkuat Timnas di Piala AFF 2010, catatan kedisiplinan Irfan Bachdim dinilai cukup memprihatinkan.

Manajemen Persema mengancam memecat suami Jennifer Bachdim itu dari tim berjuluk Laskar Ken Arok itu karena mangkir dari pemusatan latihan, tanpa pemberitahuan, baik kepada manajemen maupun pelatihnya, Slave Radovski.
CEO Persema Didied Purnawan Affandi di Malang, Sabtu, mengaku sanksi tegas harus diterima Irfan jika terbukti mangkir dari latihan dan TC Persema di Batu.
"Irfan tidak bisa bersikap seenaknya karena dia terikat kontrak dengan Persema selama dua tahun. Apapun kegiatannya harus sepengetahuan manajemen," katanya.
Jika Irfan sudah tiba di Malang, pihaknya akan memanggil pemain blasteran Indonesia-Belanda itu untuk mempertanggungjawabkan sikapnya itu.
Selain terancam dicoret dari tim, Irfan juga harus rela dipotong gajinya sebagai denda sebesar satu juta rupiah per hari. Pemotongan gaji setiap pemain yang mangkir dari latihan itu sesuai perjanjian (kontrak).
Didied pun menegaskan di Persema tidak ada pemain bintang dan diistimewakan. Siapapun yang tidak disiplin dan melanggar ketentuan kontrak, katanya, pasti akan disanksi.
Sebelumnya Irfan juga pernah dicoret dari Timnas U-23 yang dipersiapkan untuk menghadapi SEA Games XXVI di Palembang karena juga mangkir dari pemusatan latihan Timnas U-23.
Kasus Irfan di Timnas U-23 yang kala itu dilatih oleh Rachmad Dharmawan tersebut juga sampai di meja Komisi Disiplin (Komdis) PSSI. Irfan akhirnya dijatuhi denda Rp100 juta dan hukuman tidak boleh membela timnas selama satu tahun dengan masa percobaan tiga bulan.
"Saya tahu dia (Irfan, red.) pemain bagus, tapi kalau indipliner buat apa, justru nanti akan berpengaruh buruk terhadap tim," kata pelatih Persema, Slave Radovski.
Karena tidak disiplin dan mangkir dari TC, Irfan juga terancam tidak diturunkan ketika Persema menghadapi Bontang FC, 15 Januari 2012.

Carlo Ancelotti: Paris Saint-Germain Tak Akan Gaet Alexandre Pato & Kaka

 

Carlo Ancelotti menegaskan Paris Saint-Germain tak bakal melanjutkan upaya memboyong striker Alexandre Pato dari AC Milan maupun playmaker Real Madrid, Ricardo Kaka.

Les Parisiens diklaim mempersiapkan dana €61,5 juta guna mendatangkan dua mantan anak asuh Ancelotti di San Siro itu, namun sang pelatih menilai target itu susah direalisasikan lantaran Pato dan Kaka terikat kontrak bersama klub masing-masing.

Ia mengaku kubu Parc des Princes memang berniat memperkuat skuad pada bursa musim dingin ini, tapi hanya mengincar pemain-pemain berstatus for sale.
"Pato adalah pemain Milan dan terikat kontrak, jadi kami tidak tertarik padanya," kata Ancelotti kepada AFP seusai PSG ditekuk Milan 1-0 dalam laga debutnya menukangi klub kaya Ligue 1 itu.

"Untuk sekarang, tak ada kans untuk mendapatkan Kaka. Kami tengah berada di tengah jendela transfer dan saya akan berdiskusi dengan pihak klub tentang bagaimana kami bisa mengembangkan tim."

"Kami akan berupaya mendatangkan beberapa pemain, tapi untuk melakukan itu, klub-klub pemain tersebut harus bersedia menjual."

New year, same old anger

By Eurosport | Early Doors – 7 hours ago

Neil Warnock shouts the odds at some poor sap

New Year, same old anger steaming out of the Premier League's dugouts. At the head of 2012's vanguard of rage storms QPR boss Neil Warnock, whose acid-tongued rants are starting to wear thin even on Early Doors.
The delightful Warnock appears to have found a loophole in the rules regarding criticism of refs.
Rather than accuse the match officials of incompetence, he expresses mock sympathy for them while labelling opposition players as cheats.
His reaction to Joey Barton's red card against Norwich amounted to nothing less than a character assassination of Bradley Johnson.
It was a frankly despicable performance, not least because it forced ED to criticise Barton, whom regular readers will know this blog absolutely loves.
Warnock began: "I think Bradley has conned everybody today - we feel like we've been mugged."

He went on to use the words "cheat" and "disgrace" before adding: "I've seen Bradley Johnson do things like that a few times so it doesn't surprise me."
Most preposterously of all, came this: "If that had been the other way around, I don't think Joey Barton would have gone down."
First of all, Johnson didn't go down. He obviously made a big deal of what contact there was, but he stayed on his feet.
More than can be said for one Joey Barton, playing for Newcastle against Arsenal on the opening weekend of the season.
On receiving a light slap from Gervinho, Barton hit the deck faster than a belligerent Ant McPartlin, and Gervinho was sent off.
On that occasion, Barton defended his actions thus: "I went down easy, no doubt. Still, you can't raise your hands." Addressing a dive by Gervinho, Barton added: "If there's contact, go down - but don't blatantly try to con the ref."
Compare that to his description of the Johnson 'headbutt': "A touching of skin with no velocity what so ever ... My head dosent move forward at all."
So... there was contact? So didn't Johnson have a right to go down (which he didn't even do)?
Clearly the officials made a right mess of the incident. Referee Neil Swarbrick allowed play to continue following the confrontation, and there was no flag from his linesman - so it is hard to know how the decision to dismiss Barton was reached.
However, Barton did make contact, however slight, and ought to know that a man of his reputation is unlikely to be cut much slack by the ref.
But by going after Johnson rather than Swarbrick, Warnock and Barton are taking aim at an easy target knowing they are unlikely to face sanctions.
If the bedraggled 'Respect' campaign is to carry any weight, it should encompass respect for the opposition as well as the officials.
So how about this: It's not OK to tell several post-match interviewers that one of the other team's players is a cheat?
Also in myopia corner: Arsene Wenger, who called Lee Probert's decisions "ridiculous" in yesterday's defeat at Fulham.
Probert denied Arsenal a marginal penalty in the first half, which probably was a spot-kick but it took ED three slo-mo replays to reach that conclusion.
He then sent off Johan Djourou for what looked two obvious bookable offences - Wenger did not see it that way, raging: "The referee influenced the game completely the wrong way in my opinion."
He also, bizarrely, accused Fulham of targeting Djourou after his first booking, particularly through the exciting winger Kerim Frei.
So, it's not a legitimate target to try to exploit an opposition weakness? In this case, Arsenal had a shaky defender playing out of position on a booking.
It hardly takes Rinus Michels to work out that you might want to try running at the guy.

Do Germany's players have an advantage over England?

By Raphael Honigstein
German football expert Was tiredness to blame for England's loss to Germany at the 2010 World Cup?

"Sometimes, less is more," is Philipp Lahm's favourite saying.

The Bayern Munich and Germany captain seems to have a point when it comes to the Bundesliga. Unlike other major European leagues (Serie A in Italy, La Liga in Spain, England's Premier League), Germany's top flight makes do with only 18 teams.
Add the lack of a league cup, no cup replays, and the most generous winter break of all (five weeks) to the mix, and the national team's remarkably consistent record in big competitions over the decades seems less of a mystery.
If England are the most tired nation at tournaments, as their manager Fabio Capello suggests, then the Germans are surely the freshest.
But maybe it is not quite as simple as that. For a start, the argument would be a lot more convincing had German clubs had more success in Europe. As it is, they have not won a single trophy in the last decade.
The statistics on games played are also less clear cut. An extended run in the Champions League, such as the one enjoyed by Bayern in the 2009-10 season, can add another half a season to the workload.

GERMANY'S RECENT TOURNAMENT RECORD

Continue reading the main story

• 2010 World Cup: Third place
• 2008 Euros: Runners-up
• 2006 World Cup: Third place
• 2004 Euros: Group stages
• 2002 World Cup: Runners-up
• 2000 Euros: Group stages
• 1998 World Cup: Quarters
• 1996 Euros: Winners
• 1994 World Cup: Quarters
• 1992 Euros: Runners-up
• 1990 World Cup: Winners

BBC research into the actual number of games played by the two groups of players in the wake of Germany's 4-1 World Cup quarter-final win over England in Bloemfontein showed that Joachim Loew's men had actually amassed more matches (577) collectively that season than their opponents (555).
It is also often overlooked that in the furious, highly intense Premier League, the schedule actually slows down considerably for most teams in the spring.
Clubs not involved in the FA Cup or in Europe give their players plenty of mini holiday breaks or jet off to mid-season training camps in Spain. De-facto "downtime" in both countries will thus differ less than the Bundesliga's extended winter hiatus would suggest.
But even if the extent of the competitive advantage remains unclear, there is little doubt that everyone concerned welcomes the break in Germany.
Players get a chance to rest tired bones and minds. Clubs can calmly assess the strength of the squad, make managerial changes - SC Freiburg fired their coach Marcus Sorg last week, for example - or indeed use the time to stage lucrative friendlies in exotic locales.
League leaders Bayern's first fixture of the new year will take them to Delhi on 10 January for a game against India.
Even supporters prefer a change to their routine. The Christmas and new year period is a time when genuine winter sports such as skiing, ice hockey and ski-jumping take precedence, and the only football comes courtesy of pay TV transmissions of the Premier League.
Germans never cease to be puzzled by the British insistence on playing "between the years".
Relatively cold winters, especially in the south and east of the country, make stadium visits unappealing. What's more, the fact that most of the DFB Cup rounds are scheduled in midweek almost makes a break a necessity - otherwise the season would finish before the start of May.
In fact, in the past the Bundesliga was at liberty to continue well into June in years without Uefa or Fifa tournaments. The 1990-91 season saw a whopping 11-week winter break and the championship did not conclude until 15 June.
With the globalised calendar, that is no longer possible - to widespread regret.
"It's ludicrous that we're not playing between mid-May and August. May and June are the best times for football," complained Eintracht Frankfurt chief executive officer Heribert Bruchhagen.
When a shorter winter break was introduced in December 2009, German national team doctor Tim Meyer wondered about the effects on the players.
"There is less time to recover in the winter but the players might profit from a less congested fixture list later in the season," he said. "Maybe those two effects cancel each other out."
In a study by Germany's Saarbrucken University that compared injuries in 2008-09 (seven-week break) to that of 2009-10 (five weeks), no statistically relevant effects on player injuries were found.
Nor is there any reliable comparative data for the fitness of Bundesliga players relative to the Premier League, only anecdotal evidence - Munich-based Owen Hargreaves was said to have the best fitness levels of all England players in the 2006 World Cup, for example.

David Beckham: PSG say LA Galaxy set to retain player

Beckham's current LA Galaxy contract expired on 31 December

David Beckham has decided not to join Paris Saint-Germain for family reasons, according to reports in France.

The former England captain, 36, had been widely linked with a move to the Qatari-owned French club but could now extend his spell in the United States with Los Angeles Galaxy.
"It's over. It's a shame," PSG sporting director Leonardo told L'Equipe.
"But the welfare of his family in LA, the wish not not to change everything in his life, weighed heavily."
Beckham has been weighing up his options since helping LA Galaxy win the MLS Cup with a 1-0 win over Houston Dynamo.

Archive - Beckham sinks Ecuador in 2006 World Cup

Joining PSG would have resulted in the midfielder joining forces again with newly appointed PSG manager Carlo Ancelotti and sporting director Leonardo, having worked with both men at AC Milan during loan spells in 2009 and 2010.
But, as BBC Sport revealed last week, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star looks like remaining in the US following discussions with his family and business partner Simon Fuller.
It is understood Beckham's wife, Victoria, and four children feel settled in California and are happy to stay.
Beckham's contract with Galaxy expired on 31 December but the club and Major League Soccer (MLS) have now offered him a one-year rolling deal.
Crucially, the new contract would include dispensation for Beckham to be a part of the Great Britain football team at the 2012 London Olympics, should he be selected.

For the latest updates and reaction to this story, read Sportsday Live. Have your say on Twitter via the hashtag #bbcsportsday.

Barrichello back in Williams frame

Formula 1 always goes a little quiet over Christmas, but one team that has been making waves - both publicly and behind the scenes - are Williams.
The team that dominated F1 for much of the 1980s and 1990s are one of only two outfits still with an obvious vacancy in their driver line-up - the other being back-of-the-grid HRT.
And it seems that Rubens Barrichello, the veteran who has driven for the team for the last two seasons, is back in with a chance of staying with them for 2012.

Rubens Barrichello had been tipped to vacate his Williams seat. Photo: Getty

Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado is staying on in one of the cars after an up-and-down rookie season in 2011 - his position in the team is secure thanks to a multi-million sponsorship deal with his country's national oil company.
But the second seat is still up for grabs, and while Williams are not the attractive proposition they were in their glory days, they are the only decent choice for a whole host of drivers wishing to continue their F1 careers.
These include Barrichello, German Adrian Sutil, Brazilian Bruno Senna, Toro Rosso rejects Jaime Alguersuari and Sebastien Buemi and Italian Vitantonio Liuzzi.
Sutil, who had an impressive second half of the season for Force India, has been the favourite for some time, but the situation appears to have shifted recently.
My sources tell me that Barrichello, who appeared to be out of the running as his 19th season in F1 drew to a close in November, has come back into the frame and now has a reasonable chance of a Williams drive in 2012.
Barrichello has been arguing for some time that, with the huge ructions going on at Williams through 2011 and over the winter, it would make sense to have a known reference in the drivers.
"With all the changes for next year on the engine side and engineers," he said at the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix, "it would be clever from the team to keep the drivers and keep on going. I'm not pushing them, I'm just trying to show them that is the way to do it."
You can see his point. The team are changing engine suppliers, replacing Cosworth with Renault, and have undergone a wholesale restructure of the design department, with a new technical director, head of aerodynamics and head of engineering.
New tech boss Mike Coughlan is admired as being very clever, but his last role as a technical director was with the now-defunct Arrows team, who collapsed in 2002. As chief designer of McLaren after that, he was involved in the spy-gate scandal that engulfed the team in 2007 and for which he was sacked.
The technical changes at Williams were made even more seismic when it emerged on New Year's Eve that not only was co-founder Patrick Head stepping down as director of engineering, he was also resigning his position on the F1 team's board, thereby cutting all his ties with the sport.
It had long been known that Head, one of the most respected engineers in the history of the sport, would no longer have an active role in the day-to-day F1 operation, but it was a surprise to hear he was not going to be on the board of directors.
Head has insisted that his decision to end his day-to-day F1 role was based on feeling his relevance in F1 was diminishing.
In Brazil, he said: "I certainly didn't have an ambition to stop my involvement in Formula One with a season like this last one we've had behind us.
"But when I have a look at what specifically I can do to assist Mike Coughlan and (chief operations officer) Mark Gillan and (head of aerodynamics) Jason Somerville, I came to the conclusion that it isn't really enough to justify me carrying on doing the same thing."
He will still be involved at Williams through their subsidiary company Williams Hybrid Power and remains close to team boss Sir Frank Williams, who will doubtless be turning to him for advice on a regular basis.
All the same, many will consider it unwise that a team in such flux, and with such a grave need to improve, will not have on their board the guidance and wisdom of a man who not only co-founded the company but who was directly responsible for seven drivers' championships and nine constructors' titles.
Why will he not be there? Williams and Head were both unavailable for comment on Monday. I'm told, though, that his difficult relationship with chief executive officer Adam Parr was a part of Head's decision to step down.
Ironically, Head's departure may ease Barrichello's path to a return.
Head is forthright character and I'm told he had grown tired of the Brazilian's complaints about the team's difficulties.
With the 65-year-old no longer involved, that on the face of it is one less barrier to Barrichello being in the car again.
It seems, though, that all the driver hopefuls will have to wait. Williams are in the process of sponsorship negotiations with the Gulf state of Qatar, and they take primacy over a final decision on drivers.
With more than a month until the start of pre-season testing on 7 February, there is plenty of time to sort out drivers. After all, it's not as if Williams are struggling for choice.

69

Fulham 2 - 1 Arsenal

By Marc Higginson
BBC Sport Zamora scored his first Premier League goal for three months

Bobby Zamora scored in the final minute of injury time to help Fulham come from behind to beat 10-man Arsenal.

The visitors dominated the first 45 minutes, but only had Laurent Koscielny's header to show for it.
Fulham's Philippe Senderos and Clint Dempsey went close in a one-sided second half before Johan Djourou was sent off for a second yellow card.
Steve Sidwell headed an equaliser in the 85th minute and Zamora volleyed home to seal a dramatic victory.

Did you know?

Continue reading the main story This was Martin Jol's first victory over Arsene Wenger in nine Premier League attempts

It was an incredible turnaround in fortunes for Martin Jol's men, who should have been out of the contest by half-time.
With Mikel Arteta and Aaron Ramsey pulling the strings in midfield, they were left chasing shadows for much of the first half.
But while it was a masterclass in possession from Arsenal, some of their finishing left a lot to be desired.

Arsene Wenger criticises referee's decisions

The Gunners were wasteful in attack, with Theo Walcott and Gervinho particularly frustrating in their inability to finish off some free-flowing moves.
Gervinho was, however, unlucky not to win a penalty when he was tripped by Senderos after good work from Robin van Persie.
With the Gunners in total command, it was no surprise when they took the lead, as Koscielny headed home Ramsey's deflected cross from close range.
The defender was left unmarked in the area, a worrying trait that continued to blight the cavalier Cottagers throughout the first half.
They were reliant on poor Arsenal finishing and some exceptional goalkeeping from David Stockdale to remain in the game.

Did you know?

Continue reading the main story Djourou is the fourth different Arsenal player to be red-carded in the Premier League this season. Bolton have also had four different players sent-off

The pick of the keeper's saves came when he denied Ramsey and Alex Song in the same attack - the latter close-range stop underlining why England manager Fabio Capello thinks so highly of the 26-year-old.
Fulham did enjoy one bright moment towards the end of the half when Bryan Ruiz shot wide after a mazy run at the heart of the visitors' defence.
The home side improved after the break with former Arsenal trainee Sidwell twice going close, first with a header and then with a long-range shot that just cleared the bar.
Jol's men were showing much more urgency and ambition, causing Arsenal to retreat, and both Senderos and Clint Dempsey headed glorious chances wide.

Jol plays down talk of Zamora rift

And Fulham were left cursing their luck once again when Ruiz saw his shot saved by Wojciech Szczesny.
However, they were given hope when the Gunners were reduced to 10 men after Djourou was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Zamora.
The improbable became possible when Sidwell headed home a corner that Arsenal failed to clear, and the Fulham supporters were soon delirious when Zamora stabbed home Stephen Kelly's cross.
It was no more than they deserved for a stirring second-half fightback that combined class and character.
Arsenal supporters were daring to dream of a crack at the Premier League title at half-time. By full-time, they will be left wondering whether a top-four finish is achievable.

Wolverhampton 1 - 2 Chelsea

By Owen Phillips
BBC Sport Lampard steers in his 89th-minute winner from Cole's cross from the left

Frank Lampard scored a last-gasp winner as Chelsea secured a first win in five matches with a gutsy and much-improved display against Wolves at Molineux.

Stephen Ward seemed to have earned the hosts a point when he smashed Steven Fletcher's cross low into the net.
But Chelsea, who led through a Ramires strike, won it when Lampard volleyed in Ashley Cole's brilliant cross.
Kevin Doyle almost snatched a point in injury time but his header was superbly saved by Blues keeper Petr Cech.
It was a spectacular save and a fitting way to finish off a pulsating match that Chelsea will feel they fully deserved to win.
The hosts had two spells in either half where they rattled the visitors and had they not wasted two stunning chances in the latter stages of the first period, they would probably have avoided a fifth home league defeat of the season.

McCarthy 'livid' after defeat by Chelsea

But Chelsea dominated possession and showed signs of the unity that many had doubted existed in their dressing room with a disciplined, professional performance.
However it was almost a disastrous start as a sloppy Jose Bosingwa pass could easily have gifted Wolves a first-minute opener.
David Jones failed to connect with his effort and Chelsea's packed midfield then began to get on top.
Oriol Romeu, playing in his familiar holding role, laid the defensive platform with Lampard and Raul Meireles deployed further forward and the hosts struggled to get a foothold in the game in the first 25 minutes.
The much-maligned Fernando Torres, back in the side because of injuries to Daniel Sturridge and Didier Drogba, flourished early on and almost set up goals for both Juan Mata and Lampard.
Wolves goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey did brilliantly to race out and block Mata's strike after a delightful first-time Torres pass, and defender Richard Stearman then did enough to put off Lampard with the midfielder poised to shoot home following another astute Torres through-ball.
An increasingly confident Torres even tried an audacious 60-yard effort on goal after winning the ball on halfway, only for his strike to drift closer to the corner flag than the goal.
Chelsea's players rushed to celebrate their opening goal with their bench Ramires also shot wide and an away goal seemed inevitable but Wolves were awoken from their slumbers by a very clumsy studs-up challenge by Lampard.
The England midfielder could easily have been sent off as he clattered into Adam Hamill, but his obvious attempts to pull out of the challenge and instant apology may have spared him.
Lampard's caution sparked a nine-minute spell that brought five yellow cards and saw Wolves rattle the Londoners with by far their best spell of the game.
Roger Johnson was desperately unlucky not to open the scoring with a powerful far-post header from Hamill's fine free-kick.
And moments later Stephen Ward missed the easiest chance of the afternoon, heading well wide from six yards after another excellent Hamill centre.
But as the temper levels dropped off, Chelsea began to boss things again.
Lampard, Bosingwa and Terry all went close before the break and although Hamill saw a decent strike blocked by John Terry, the Blues then went ahead when Ramires reacted quickly to lash the ball into the top corner following Mata's corner.
Chelsea seemed desperate to grab a second and avoid a nervy finale and a possible fourth 1-1 draw in five games.

Chelsea must be unified - Lampard

Ramires tested Hennessey from wide on the right after showing blistering pace and some Torres trickery almost saw him create a one-on-one chance.
Wolves once again dragged themselves back into the game and appeared to have piled more misery on under-pressure Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas with an 84th-minute equaliser.
Matthew Jarvis crossed to the far post and when fellow substitute Fletcher turned the ball back into the danger area, Ward crashed the ball past Cech.
But Chelsea somehow rallied and Lampard showed typical drive to arrive in the box and steer the ball home from close range from Cole's inviting left-wing centre.
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy:
"I'm livid and disgusted. I should be talking about a well-earned point. We've given it away. Frank Lampard should not have been unmarked and putting the ball into the net. Defend the cross properly. We should have had a 1-1 draw.
"The second goal is rubbish to concede. Maybe we could have nicked a goal at the end but we have left them off the hook and I am sick.
"I get sick of talking about our spirit. Let's get points and talk about a well-earned point and not back-handed praise for getting back in the game and my team running about, which is a pre-requisite."
Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas:

Chelsea character pleases Villas-Boas

"It was an important win based on recent results. The team showed good strength of character to come back from negative results and to come away with a win today has a special flavour.
"It is excellent signs in the moments of difficulty that you can dig deep.
"It [conceding goals] has been happening a lot so to us in the last few minutes of games but you have to praise the response within a four-minute period. The players were magnificent today and it was a good, solid team win.
"We are united in our objectives."