“He has had a lot thrown at him,” he said, citing the Jonathan Woodgate-Lee Bowyer trial and the killing of two Leeds fans in Istanbul two years ago.O’Leary’s reign was also memorable for more positive reasons. After their stagnation under Howard Wilkinson, who had led the club to the championship in 1992, and the unexciting return to respectability during Graham’s two-year interregnum, he introduced a fast, attacking style in which big-money buys, invariably young players, were prominent. Attendances nudged Elland Road’s 40,000 capacity for the first time since Revie’s rule.Leeds finished third in his first full season, following up with a run to the last four of the Champions’ League. Yet despite further expenditure, last season turned into one of under-achievement as Leeds fell from first to fifth and out of all the cups in a matter of months.. There are not many similarities between Lee Westwood and Anna Kournikova but when the Russian model/tennis player threatened to walk out of a television interview after losing in the first round at Wimbledon the man from Worksop had some sympathy.

“Exactly.”
Westwood’s form over the last 18 months has been so wretched the former European No 1 has fallen from fourth in the world to 95th. He was not even eligible to play at the US Open a fortnight ago. A 67, four under par, in the first round of the Murphy’s Irish Open at Fota Island yesterday suggested an improvement is on the way.Where he has the considerable edge over Kournikova is in knowing how to win, having done it several times prior to the slump. He is hopeful of doing so again fairly quickly once he can get back in contention on a regular basis.”When I get back in the melting pot, I’ve won before, I know what it feels like. When you have played as poorly as I have, it is nice to go out and play well. I am not particularly bothered if I don’t hold it together all week It’s a step in the right direction, a glimmer of hope. It’s nice to be looking forward to playing tomorrow.”Colin Montgomerie, who also finished on four under, played alongside Westwood and noted how confidently he walked off after his putts, as you would when making six birdies.

The pair were a shot behind a leading group of five players on 66, which included the 20-year-old rookie Nick Dougherty, Eduardo Romero and American Fred Funk.A journeyman of the US Tour, Funk requested invitations to play this week and at the K Club next week. His effort was all the more creditable for being compiled alongside Seve Ballesteros, who in his first competitive round for eight weeks took a 12 at the 18th, where he was in the water behind the green four times, in a 18-over-par 89.After returning to his hotel room Ballesteros realised he had incorrectly signed for 10 and phoned chief referee John Paramore to disqualify himself “I am very upset. I didn’t want the tournament to end this way,” Seve told Paramore.If that was not enough to turn anyone towards the sponsor’s product, the Cork version of the black stuff, Westwood had to deny a preposterous rumour that he was an alcoholic “I had not heard that one. I am quite impressed if people think I can managed more than five pints a night.”Westwood added: “I feel I have coped quite well I haven’t killed anyone.

My wife says I am no different to when I was playing well, but on the course it is difficult to stay positive when you don’t know where the ball is going.”The way I have played recently I didn’t deserve to be competing in the US Open That course at Bethpage tested everything. But I went to Portugal and did some hard work and began to hit the ball better.”. The St Helens side that takes on Bradford at Knowsley Road tonight will be unrecognisable from the one that started the last game between these clubs and Saints’ supporters will hold collections for the legal costs of disputing a £25,000 fine imposed after they fielded a weakened team on 20 April, a week before the Challenge Cup final. “There are noises that they will have Sean Long back,” said Bradford coach Brian Noble, who is able to recall James Lowes and Jamie Peacock.It is a game with great significance at the top of the Super League, with Saints able to draw level if they win.In tonight’s other games, Ryan Hudson is likely to miss his first match of the season for Castleford when they take on Hull, while Martyn Holland could be fit to return for Wakefield against Leeds after a stress fracture of the foot. Karl Pratt is back for Leeds after the defeat at Widnes last weekend.Warrington have signed 18-year-old Leeds back Richard Mathers on loan for the rest of the season, promising him first-team action.. After losing to Lleyton Hewitt in straight sets in the first round, Sweden’s Jonas Bjorkman declared that the Centre Court was slow enough to be a clay court. Juan Carlos Ferrero, the beaten finalist on the red stuff at the French Open 19 days ago, would dispute that after being beaten, 6-3, 7-5, 7-6, by Jeff Morrison, a lucky loser, in the second round.
Ferrero, the ninth seed, decided to sample the Wimbledon lawns for the first time last year, in spite of criticism of the seeding system by some of his Spanish compatriots.