Adam Johnson has revealed his determination to convince Fabio Capello, the coach, he should be part of his World Cup squad after making his England breakthrough.
The Manchester City winger, 22, won his first cap as a late substitute during the 3-1 win over Mexico at Wembley on Monday. Johnson has one more opportunity in Sunday's clash with Japan in Graz, Austria, to stake his claim to be on the plane for South Africa as part of Capello's final 23.
The former Middlesbrough player said: "The competition for places is fierce. The training has been really sharp with everyone trying to impress the manager and obviously he has a really tough decision to make. The squad announcement is very close now. It's just around the corner. Everyone is fighting for their place and trying extra hard. Now we go back to Austria and we have one more game. I'll give it my all.
"For me it's my first squad. Everything that comes, I'll take, because I'm not used to this kind of thing. Every training session, I'll do my best and relax and try not to think about it [the squad announcement]. There's obviously some people who are going to be disappointed but, you never know, maybe I won't be one of them."
Milovan Rajevac, the Ghana coach, insists he still has enough time to work with his players after only just meeting with most of his 30-man squad in Paris.
Twenty members of the team left Accra on Sunday evening for their French base and will be joined by the remaining 10 European-based players - including Chelsea's Michael Essien, John Mensah of Lyon, Kevin-Prince Boateng from Portsmouth and Inter Milan's Sulley Muntari. There have been questions raised before the departure that the camp may be too short, but Rajevac insists otherwise.
"We will have to be patient and see as we start our work," he told the Ghana Football Association website. "There will be enough time to work with the players. All [players] will get the chance during the warm-up games ."
The Black Stars, who are making a second World Cup appearance following their debut four years ago, are in Group D for the finals, alongside Germany, Serbia and Australia. They play friendlies against Holland in Rotterdam on Tuesday and against Latvia in Milton Keynes on June 5, before flying out to South Africa a day later.
* Agencies
UAE%20medallists%20at%20Asian%20Games%202023
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The%C2%A0specs%20
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Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
WITHIN%20SAND
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What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
SPECS
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The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: seven-speed auto
Power: 420 bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: from Dh293,200
On sale: now
Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm
Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm
Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm